Continue reading Chasing Value: Insured Profits or a Mountain of Risk?

Chasing Value: Insured Profits or a Mountain of Risk? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Lubrizol (LZ) to Hold from Sell following the company's analyst day citing its continued pricing power in lubricants. Citi upped its target price for shares to $115 from $82.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Viacom (VIA) to Buy from Neutral citing the company's ratings improvement, 2011 film slate, and video game pipeline. The firm has a $45 price target for shares.
• BMO Capital resumed coverage on Gammon Gold (GRS) with an Outperform from a Market Perform following the its equity issue. The firm has a $12.50 price target on the stock.
• Comerica (CMA) and First Horizon (FHN) were upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Prudential (PRU) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays.
• Itron (ITRI) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: VIA, CMA, PRU, CMG, PBR, TXN, DHR, HUM

Analyst Calls: VIA, CMA, PRU, CMG, PBR, TXN, DHR, HUM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"So far this year, 36 U.S.-traded stocks have declared stock splits, nearly triple the amount from all of last year," says Richard Moroney.

The editor of Dow Theory Forecasts -- an advisorty service that has focused on blue chip stocks for over 50 years -- explains, "We have reviewed stocks that have climbed to within 25% of the price of their last split. Below, we review four of these stocks, all potential stock-split candidates: Apple (AAPL), Lubrizol (LZ), TJX (TJX) and Varian Medical Systems (VAR).

"Is an increase in stock splits important? After all, stock splits have no fundamental impact on a company, neither creating nor destroying value.

Continue reading Four Potential Split Candidates: Apple, Lubrizol, TJX, Varian Medical

Four Potential Split Candidates: Apple, Lubrizol, TJX, Varian Medical originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Oppenheimer upgraded Hubbell (HUB.B) to outperform from perform to reflect the company's improving operations, margin expansion and valuation. The firm raised its target price on shares to $53 from $51.
• UBS upgraded Weingarten Realty (WRI) and Taubman Centers (TCO), Boston Properties (BXP), ProLogis (PLD) and AMB Property (AMB) to neutral from sell and SL Green Realty (SLG) to buy from neutral, citing the recent correction in the group.
• Benchmark Co. upgraded Time Warner (TWX) to buy from hold on expectations the company is positioned for steady, sustainable growth as advertising demand rebounds. The firm has a $35 price target on shares.
• Eastman Chemical (EMN) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Constellation Energy (CEG) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Noble Corporation (NE) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ADY, BXP, CYT, DNDN, LZ, ORCL, TWX ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ADY, BXP, CYT, DNDN, LZ, ORCL, TWX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Liz Claiborne: Who needs department stores when there's QVC?

Liz Claiborne: Who needs department stores when there's QVC? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Merriman upgraded Sunpower (NASDAQ: SPWRA) two levels to Buy from Sell after transitioning coverage. The firm believes Sunpower is emerging from the current recession as the CleanTech leader and has a $38-$48 price range on shares.
• Citigroup upgraded Varian Medical (NYSE: VAR) to Buy from hold as it believes capex pressure and health care reform uncertainty is priced into shares, and demand will return as hospital budgets stabilize. Citi raised its target on shares to $45 from $36.
• FBR Capital upgraded Gap (NYSE: GPS) to Outperform from Market Perform following the Q2 results to reflect product improvement and ongoing inventory control. The firm raised its target on shares to $24 from $18.
• Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
• UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Wells Fargo.
• The Buckle (NYSE: BKE) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DKS, GPS, NFLX, SPWRA, TIF ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DKS, GPS, NFLX, SPWRA, TIF ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Lubrizol (NYSE:LZ) to Hold from Buy as they expect persistent raw material cost pressures to limit upside over the next few quarters. The firm lowered their target price to $60 from $65.
  
• Citigroup cut BioMarin (NASDAQ:BMRN) to Hold from Buy after their survey indicated an upside surprise from the Kuvan launch is unlikely. The firm lowered their target price to $37 from $42.
  
• HSBC downgraded shares of Novartis (NYSE:NVS) to Underweight from Neutral following the company's stake in Alcon (NYSE:ACL) as they believe it dilutes the company's return on assets.

• Goldman removed Waste Management (NYSE:WMI) from its Conviction Buy List.
  
• Thomas Weisel downgraded Kinross Gold (NYSE:KGC) to Market Weight from Overweight.
  
• Dreamworks Animation (NYSE:DWA) was lowered at UBS to Sell from Neutral.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded Martha Stewart (NYSE:MSO) to Neutral from Overweight.

Analyst downgrades: LZ, BMRN and NVS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Goldman downgraded shares of Continental Airlines, Inc (NYSE: CAL) to Neutral from Buy on valuation, higher oil prices and a weak domestic market.

• Goldman also downgraded Molson Coors Brewing Co (NYSE: TAP) to Neutral from Buy based on the increase in analyst estimates, valuation and the potential for margin pressure in the summer.

• BB&T cut Watsco, Inc (NYSE: WSO) to Hold from Buy based on valuation and catalysts that are already reflected in the share price.

• Roth Capital downgraded shares of K-V Pharmaceutical Co (NYSE: KV.A) to Hold from Buy, telling clients they have learned that Par Pharmaceuticals Cos (PRX) has launched generics of 50, 100 and 200mg Toprol-XL. The firm expects a material impact to KV's 100 and 200mg strength generics.

• Stifel expects investor enthusiasm regarding Progressive's Corp (NYSE: PGR) recapitalization plan to fade as underwriting fundamentals deteriorate and cut shares to Sell from Hold.

• Color Kinetics (NASDAQ: CLRK) was downgraded to Hold from Sell at Needham on valuation...

• Citigroup cut The Phoenix Co's (NYSE: PNX) to Hold from Buy.

• KeyBank downgraded Lubrizol Corp (NYSE: LZ) to Hold from Buy.

• Goldcorp Inc (NYSE: GG) and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE: FCX) were downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital.

• Susquehanna downgraded Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc (NYSE: BBW) to Neutral from Positive.

Analyst downgrades 6-15-07: BBW, CAL, FCX, PGR and TAP originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To a significant degree, the national infrastructure is dependent on the lubrication properties of various hydrocarbon substances. A leader in the art of enhancing those properties is headquartered in Wickliffe, Ohio.

Lubrizol Corporation (NYSE: LZ) is a specialty chemical company, operating through two units. The Additives segment offers a range of substances that enhance the performance of engine oils, fuels and oilfield chemicals. It also supplies viscosity improvers and additives for paints, inks and greases. The company's Advanced Materials segment offers a diverse portfolio of performance chemicals used in personal care products, pharmaceuticals, coating emulsions and specialty plastics. A key competitor is Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) subsidiary Chevron Oronite.

The firm pleased investors last week, when it issued upside guidance for Q1. Management said it expected EPS of 98 cents, twenty-two cents above the average Street estimate. Officials noted that shipment volumes in the quarter were higher than expected and reflected a return to normal order patterns. Jefferies and Deutsche Securities subsequently reiterated their "buy" ratings on the stock and boosted their price targets to $65.

Continue reading Lubrizol: Making your hydrocarbons work better

Lubrizol: Making your hydrocarbons work better originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.