Today was a mixed market with many movers around in both directions despite the closing bells on the indexes. The non-Farm Payrolls growth was only right before the ADP data and that more robust prediction artificially skewed expectations. The stock market was down less than 1% after the morning lows before recovering off lows in the afternoon. Crude oil sold off and gold was lower before trying a late-day comeback.

Here were the unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow Jones 11,674.76 -22.55 (-0.19%)
S&P 500 1,271.50 -2.35 (-0.18%)
Nasdaq 2,703.17 -6.72 (-0.25%)

Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades

Continue reading Closing Bell: Market Mixed on Employment Data (BAC, LOCM, DNDN, LIZ, XOMA, RBN)

Closing Bell: Market Mixed on Employment Data (BAC, LOCM, DNDN, LIZ, XOMA, RBN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Down, All Eyes on Payroll Data

U.S. Stock Futures Down, All Eyes on Payroll Data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Liz Claiborne Gaps Higher After Earnings

Liz Claiborne Gaps Higher After Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you are a shareholder of apparel entity Perry Ellis (PERY), you probably aren't so happy about the price action seen on Friday. The stock was off by 9%, on strong volume. The market just wasn't buying the earnings news.

What happened? According to Reuters, the situation didn't seem so bad. The company made 64 cents per share in the fourth quarter. That was a lot better than the $1.58 per-share loss observed in the comparable period twelve months ago. Furthermore, estimates were set at 59 cents per share. Come on, what gives? Plus, if you look at the actual press release, you'll find some encouraging commentary from management. The worst of the economic problems is hopefully behind the business; in addition, cash flow appears to be decent.

Continue reading Perry Ellis Sold Off on Q4 Earnings

Perry Ellis Sold Off on Q4 Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• FBR Capital upgraded Adobe Systems (ADBE) to outperform from market perform to reflect valuation following the recent pullback in shares, as well as the upcoming release of the company's CS5 product. The firm raised its price target for the stock to $39 from $36.
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Zenith National (ZNT) to market perform from underperform following the company's merger agreement with Fairfax Financial. The firm thinks the offer is a strong price to receive for Zenith National shareholders.
• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Infosys (INFY) to buy from hold as it believes the offshore applications outsourcing market is picking up. The firm raised its target price for shares to $67 from $58.
• Ventas (VTR) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Liz Claiborne (LIZ) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• iStar Financial (SFI) was upgraded to hold from sell at Citigroup.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACN, ADBE, BBY, DIS, FSLR, GILD, ZNT ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACN, ADBE, BBY, DIS, FSLR, GILD, ZNT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all companies in these love-struck industries are good buys. Here are 10 stocks to break up with this Valentine's Day.

• 1-800-Flowers (FLWS): A good gift, but a poorly run company that has posted a loss for three of the past four quarters.
• Hershey (HSY): Missing out on the Cadbury merger was not so sweet for Hershey.
• Cardiac Sciences (CSCX): It's hard to have a heart for a company that fails seven out of my eight fundamental screens.

Continue reading Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate

Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Collins Stewart upgraded General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) to Buy from Hold as it finds the valuation compelling at current levels and sees potential upside from a better economy and better-than-expected defense budgets.
• SunTrust views the sell-off in shares of Cabot Oil (NYSE: COG) as a buying opportunity and expects the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection order to be resolved quickly. The firm upgraded Cabot to Buy from Neutral.
• Barclays upgraded Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) to Overweight from Equal Weight based on expectations for improved carrier demand, continued U.S. momentum, and an improved Europe.
• Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• Stericycle (NASDAQ: SRCL) was upgraded to Gradually Accumulate from Hold at Soleil.
• Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMAT, CSCO, GD, HOT, LIZ, RBS ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMAT, CSCO, GD, HOT, LIZ, RBS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Struggling retail giant Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) has hired turnaround consultant Alvarez & Marsal to help it cut costs and stem losses at the insistence of its creditors.

"We told [the lenders] that we've been doing everything we can to manage receivables and control inventory," Liz CEO Bill McComb said in an interview with The New York Post. "In the spirit of that, we said we would hire a consultant."

Continue reading Liz Claiborne hires bankruptcy firm as turnaround consultant

Liz Claiborne hires bankruptcy firm as turnaround consultant originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) posted better-than-expected Q3 results, sending shares higher.
• AutoDesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) reported better-than-expected Q2 earnings, sending shares higher.
• Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI) had another disappointing quarter as same-store sales declined.
• CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) delayed its Q3 report due to ongoing debt restructuring and a possible bankruptcy.
• Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (NYSE: DPS) Q2 earnings came in well ahead of Wall Street expectations.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Blockbuster, Walmart, Applied Materials, ING, Priceline ...

Earnings highlights: Blockbuster, Walmart, Applied Materials, ING, Priceline ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fashion business Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) reported second-quarter results on Wednesday. Upfront warning: they're not for the faint of heart.

Sales declined 29%. The adjusted loss from continuing operations came in at 48 cents per share. The company made 11 cents in last year's Q2 on the same basis. According to Reuters, the market was expecting a loss of only 39 cents per share. Same-store sales were down double digits across Liz Claiborne's portfolio.

Continue reading Liz Claiborne loses in Q2

Liz Claiborne loses in Q2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Q2 earnings were in line with expectations but sales beat.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat earnings estimates for Q1, but on horrible metrics, sending shares lower.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) lower Q2 earnings beat expectations and previous guidance, boosting shares.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profit and sales dropped, but still beat expectations, sending shares higher.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) reported dismal Q1 numbers as same-store sales plunged.
• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) dismal Q2 results were in line with analysts' expectations.
• Bankrate Inc. (NASDAQ: RATE) reported lower earnings and revenue for Q1 and offered no guidance.
• Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI) earnings, revenue, and same-store sales all fell in the first quarter.
• Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) Q1 earnings declined but still topped analysts' expectations.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Walmart, JCPenney, Freddie Mac, Playboy, Whole Foods and more

Earnings highlights: Walmart, JCPenney, Freddie Mac, Playboy, Whole Foods and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 May 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Oppenheimer upgraded FTI Consulting (NYSE:FCN) to Outperform from Perform on expectations the stock will outperform in the second half of 2009 due to easier comparisons and a "deeper and longer" restructuring cycle. The firm has a $62 target on shares.
• Citigroup upgraded Cigna (NYSE:CI) to Hold from Sell to reflect reduced balance sheet risk following the company's capital raise and the potential for a PBM sale. The firm raised its target price to $23 from $13.
• Goldman expects Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE:CCE) to benefit from favorable soda demand and lower commodity costs. The firm upgraded shares to Conviction Buy from Buy and has a $20 target on the stock.
• Novellus (NASDAQ:NVLS) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Bank of America/Merrill.
• CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) was upgraded at JP Morgan to Neutral from Underweight.
• Allegiant (NASDAQ:ALGT) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.
  

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CI, CCE, JBLU, LIZ, LLL

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CI, CCE, JBLU, LIZ, LLL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 May 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Ann Taylor's awful earnings miss means stock is a sell

Ann Taylor's awful earnings miss means stock is a sell originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While the release of economic data doesn't stop next week (see economic schedule highlights below), the earnings season does wind down dramatically. Most of the S&P 500 companies already have reported on the past quarter, which means dismal earnings news is largely behind us, at least for a while. About the only companies of note expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters to report falling earnings this week are Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST), Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (NYSE: WEN), Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL), Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO), and Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (NYSE: LVB).

While PetSmart Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) and Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) quarterly profits are expected to be about the same as a year ago, Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ), Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (NYSE: KCP), Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN), and Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) are expected to have swung to losses in the most recent quarter.

Continue reading The week in preview: Earnings season winds down

The week in preview: Earnings season winds down originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Liz Claiborne cuts 725 jobs: Turnaround on the horizon? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

From TheStreet.com Network

• Coming Week: More Data, More Trouble
• Auto-Parts Makers Fear Bankruptcy

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Too much debt makes stocks dangerous

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Too much debt makes stocks dangerous originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Liz Claiborne CEO flies coach; shareholders fly cargo originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Update Nov. 26, 2008: See all 2008 Black Friday deals.

Hip retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) is expected to post earnings 22.9% higher than a year ago, to $0.35 per share, on revenue of $475.9 million (+26.4%). The Philadelphia-based company already said that same-store sales in the quarter were 10% higher. Urban Outfitters has beat expectations in recent quarters, by 11.5% in the previous quarter, and analysts on average recommend buying URBN. Shares fell to a 52-week low of $16.61 per share on Friday, and are down 29.5% from a year ago. Other companies expected to report more modest earnings growth in the coming week include watch and accessory maker Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL), retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), parent of such discount retail chains as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. These three companies have tended to top analysts estimates in recent quarters, and Fossil and TJX ended the week near their 52-week lows.

While Los Angeles-based American Apparel Inc. (AMEX: APP) had a strong second quarter, the casual wear maker is expected to report $0.13 per share earnings for the third quarter, the same as in the year-ago period. And analysts anticipate that Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) will report that profits fell 16.4% to $0.51 per share on revenue of $3.9 billion (+1.9%). Though same-store sales for October fell 9%, the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company reaffirmed its third-quarter forecast. Kohl's has offered positive surprises in recent quarters, topping estimates by 5.6% in the previous quarter. The consensus recommendation remains to buy KSS. Shares have been climbing after reaching a 52-week low in late October, but are still down 32.8% from a year ago.

Continue reading The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's

The week in preview: Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie, JCPenney, and Kohl's originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Friedman Billings upgraded shares of Principal Financial (NYSE: PFG) to Market Perform from Underperform as they believe the company's capital buffer could keep outrunning credit losses.
  
• Friedman Billings also upgraded Office Max (NYSE: OMX) to Outperform from Market Perform. The firm believes the risk of recourse to Office Max from the Timber Notes formerly backed by Lehman is low and that any litigation by noteholders will have a low level of success.
  
• Citigroup upgraded CF Industries (NYSE: CF) to Buy from Hold on valuation following the recent weakness but lowered their target to $113 from $128.
• Analog Devices (NYSE: ADI) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Merrill Lynch.
  
• Granite Construction (NYSE: GVA) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.
  

Continue reading Analyst calls: PM, PFG, OMX, STD, RBS, DEO, DAL, KR, LIZ, JNY, RL ...

Analyst calls: PM, PFG, OMX, STD, RBS, DEO, DAL, KR, LIZ, JNY, RL ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.