Analyst Upgrades

• Chesapeake (CHK) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Biogen (BIIB) and Regeneron (REGN) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Caribou Coffee (CBOU) to outperform from neutral and Encore Energy (ENP) to neutral from underperform at RW Baird.
• Fluor (FLR) to market perform from underperform at BMO Capital.
• Hornbeck Offshore (HOS) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Saks (SKS) and Zale (ZLC) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BIIIB, CBOU, CELG, CHK, CIEN, HOS, LULU, RHT, SKS, ZLC ...

Analyst Calls: BIIIB, CBOU, CELG, CHK, CIEN, HOS, LULU, RHT, SKS, ZLC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Netflix (NFLX) upgraded to Buy from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Rockwell (ROK) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
• Chico's (CHS) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital.
• Ann Taylor (ANN) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• Meredith (MDP) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• CarMax (KMX) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.
• Family Dollar (FDO) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.
• Siliconware Precision (SPIL) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie.
• Amedisys (AMED) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• TRW Automotive(TRW) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Magna (MGA) upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: NFLX, CHS,TRW, CWTR, VTAL, ESRX...

Analyst Calls: NFLX, CHS,TRW, CWTR, VTAL, ESRX... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) to buy from hold based on valuation. The firm keeps a $39 target on the stock.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Kenexa (KNXA) to overweight from neutral, citing a strengthening of trends for the company. The firm has a $29 price target on the stock.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Gaylord Entertainment (GET) to buy from neutral on expectations the company will benefit from strong trends in 2011. The firm raised its target for shares to $35 from $32.50.
• MeadWestvaco (MWV) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• EADS (EADSY) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BAC, CPB, CSX, DPS, GET, KMB, KNXA, MGA, MKGAY, UA ...

Analyst Calls: BAC, CPB, CSX, DPS, GET, KMB, KNXA, MGA, MKGAY, UA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Canaccord believes growth in DigitalGlobe's (DGI) commercial business will be a catalyst for shares. The firm upgraded shares to buy from hold and has a $38 price target on the stock.
• Standpoint upgraded Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) to accumulate from hold based on valuation. The firm has a $47 target on the stock.
• Morgan Keegan upgraded Open Text (OTEX) to outperform from market perform based on the company's strong FY2011 EPS outlook.
• Devon Energy (DVN) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Magna (MGA) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• EnCana (ECA) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ANF, CRUS, DGI, EAT, EV, MELI, OTEX, PH, SIRI, WYNN ...

Analyst Calls: ANF, CRUS, DGI, EAT, EV, MELI, OTEX, PH, SIRI, WYNN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded 3M Company (MMM) to conviction buy from buy, citing positive global industrial data, underappreciated organic growth and earnings momentum, among other reasons. The firm raised its target to $105 from $100.
• Citigroup upgraded Manpower (MAN) to buy from hold to reflect improvements in the temporary employment sector. The firm raised its target price on shares to $69 from $61.
• Baird upgraded Cerner (CERN) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $104 from $89 based on Q4 bookings momentum, positive newsflow and reasonable valuation.
• Dow Chemical (DOW) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Magna International (MGA) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Bernstein upgraded Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation as it believes threats to the core business are priced in at current levels and upside catalysts may come from pipeline news. The firm raised its target on shares to $65 from $57.
• Stephens upgraded CyberSource (NASDAQ: CYBS) to Overweight from Equal Weight on valuation as it believes the recent pullback creates a buying opportunity. The firm raised its target on shares to $16 from $14.
• JPMorgan upgraded Magna (NYSE: MGA) and Tenneco (NYSE: TEN) to Overweight from Neutral on expectations global auto production has sequentially bottomed with European light vehicle production rebounding in Q2. The firm also sees a short-term trading opportunity in TRW Automotive (NYSE: TRW), but keeps a Neutral rating on the stock.
• SINA Corp. (NASDAQ: SINA) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman.
• Cogent Communications (NASDAQ: CCOI) was raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMGN, CSCO, CX, HAS, T

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMGN, CSCO, CX, HAS, T originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bratz dolls face an uncertain future originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded IberiaBank (NASDAQ: IBKC) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's capital raise, which the firm believes strengthens IberiaBank's balance sheet. Baird upgraded IberiaBank to Outperform from Neutral based on valuation following weakness related to the $100M capital raise.
  
• Pali upgraded shares of Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) to Neutral from Sell on valuation as they believe the company's comp slowdown is largely priced in at current levels.
  
• Morgan Keegan upgraded Casey's General Store (NASDAQ: CASY) to Outperform from Market Perform based on valuation, healthy SSS, and easing comps.
• Cabot OIl & Gas (NYSE: COG) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) were added to Goldman's Conviction Buy List.
  
• American Capital (NASDAQ: ACAS) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at Friedman Billings.
  
• CIBC lifted Manulife (NYSE: MFC) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer.

• Goldman downgraded Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) to Sell from Neutral based on expectations for reduced capex spending by mining and oil & gas companies and the impact from the credit crunch.
  
• Deutsche Bank downgraded auto companies and suppliers as they believe the failed government bailout increases risks. Ford (NYSE: F), American Axle (NYSE: AXL), Magna International (NYSE: MGA) and Lear (NYSE: LEA) were downgraded to Sell from Hold.
  
• SAP (NYSE: SAP) was cut to Hold from Buy at Jefferies to reflect the "deteriorating" corporate IT spend environment.
• Waters (NYSE: WAT) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.
  
• Agilent (NYSE: A) was lowered to Equal Weight from Overweight at Barclays; the firm also downgraded Varian (NASDAQ: VARI) to Underweight from Equal Weight.

• Jefferies believes Core Laboratories (NYSE: CLB) is well positioned to benefit from the increasing need for reservoir optimization services. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating and $70 target.
  
• Deutsche Bank initiated Capital One (NYSE: COF) with a Sell rating and $24 target, citing the difficult economic environment and the potential for higher credit losses.
  
• Soleil started Hexcel (NYSE: HXL) with a Buy rating and $10 target and expects the company's military business to remain strong through 2010.
• On Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ONNN) was assumed with a Neutral rating and $3.80 target at UBS.
  
• Cbeyond (NASDAQ: CBEY) was initiated at Oppenheimer with a Perform rating.
• Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD) was started with a Neutral rating at Piper Jaffray.

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: URBN, ACAS, CAT, F, A, COF ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Baird upgraded the Auto & Truck Suppliers sector to Market Overweight from Market Weight citing valuations, lowered expectations, industry dynamics and a potential bottom in economic indicators. The firm upgraded Accuride Corp (NYSE: ACW) and Magna International (MGA) to Outperform from Neutral.
  
• Merriman upgraded shares of Oplink Comm (NASDAQ: OPLK) to Neutral from Sell on valuation, as they believe Friday's sell-off fully reflects near-term operating concerns and that share price downside from here is limited.
  
• Cowen raised The Wet Seal (NASDAQ: WTSLA) to Outperform from Neutral and has increased confidence that the new management's operational changes and cost cutting initiatives will lead to EPS upside.

• BT Group (NYSE: BT) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Societe Generale raised Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) to Buy from Hold and ENI SpA (NYSE: E) to Hold from Sell.
  
• Goldman raised Embarq (NYSE: EQ) to Neutral from Sell.

Analyst upgrades: Auto & truck suppliers, OPLK and WTSLA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Though Gulzhan Moldazhanova is the top female executive in Russia, she is little known outside the former Soviet Union. I hadn't heard of her, and a quick trip to my frequent first stop on the research trail, Wikipedia, surprisingly had nothing on her when I looked.

Digging a little deeper (thanks to the Globe and Mail) reveals a rags to riches story. This soft-spoken, Khazakstan-born divorced mother of a three-year-old, started her career as the secretary for an ambitious young Russian businessman named Oleg Deripaska (who does have a Wikipedia page). In only ten years she worked her way up the ladder to become CEO of Russia's biggest and fastest-growing industrial conglomerate, Basic Element. This US$23 billion company is a big player in seven domestic industries -- energy, resources, manufacturing, financial services, construction, materials, and aviation -- and recently took a US$1.54 billion stake in Canadian auto parts giant Magna International (NYSE: MGA).

Moldazhanova lives in Moscow, speaks English, and according to Fortune magazine is the 20th most powerful woman in the world. She first went to work for Deripaska when he was running an aluminum trading company. After she trained as an accountant at the Russian government's Finance Academy, her career took off. By 2003, Deripaska, and his company Rusal, had became the undisputed king of Russian aluminum. In 2006, Rusal surpassed Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) and to become the world's top aluminum maker.

Continue reading Money Winners of 2007: Gulzhan Moldazhanova tops the corporate ladder

Money Winners of 2007: Gulzhan Moldazhanova tops the corporate ladder originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 16 Dec 2007 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Rochdale upgraded shares of Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) to Buy from Hold citing improved outlook for margins and ROIC.
• CIBC World Markets resumed coverage and upgraded shares of Magna International (NYSE: MGA) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer as they believe higher multiples are warranted due to the company's improving earnings power and cash flow generation.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded shares of EchoStar Communications (NASDAQ: DISH) to Buy from Neutral as they believe recent events add $4-$6 per share to their valuation analysis.
  
• Westell Technologies (NASDAQ: WSTL) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird. The firm believes Westell is taking the right steps to improve its market position and financial performance.
  
• Credit Suisse upgraded SiRF Technology Holdings (NASDAQ: SIRF) to Outperform from Neutral, expecting the stock to benefit from a strong holiday season at electronic retailers.

• Goldman upgraded Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) to Neutral from Sell and Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Oriental Financial Group (NYSE: OFG) to Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• Prudential plc (NYSE: PUK) was raised to Outperform from Peer Perform.
  
• Wachovia upgraded Kindred Healthcare Inc (NYSE: KND) to Market Perform from Underperform.

Analyst upgrades: WMT, MGA, DISH, WSTL and SIRF originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• JP Morgan upgraded shares of Turkcell (NYSE: TKC) to Overweight from Neutral following a meeting with management, as they are more comfortable with the company's growth prospects.

• Citigroup upgraded Lloyds TSB Group (NYSE: LYG) Group to Buy from Hold as they believe the company's free cash flow generation will drive faster dividend growth.

• Matrix finds DSW Inc (NYSE: DSW) shares fairly valued at current levels and believes improving pricing is leading to higher profit margins and upgraded shares to Hold from Sell.

• Credit Suisse upgraded the European Telecom sector to Overweight from Market Weight to reflect higher forecasts for mobile growth...

• HSBC upgraded Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Overweight from Neutral.

• Lehman upgraded Internet Initiative Japan Inc (NASDAQ: IIJI) to Overweight from Equal Weight.

• Magna International (NYSE: MGA) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform.

Analyst upgrades 7-05-07: DSW, ERIC and MGA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the private equity firm Cerberus has won the bidding for Chrysler. DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX), which will probably change its name, will hold a small stake in the new holding company. Cerberus bought the majority of GMAC from General Motors (NYSE: GM) last year.

Aside from what Cerberus pays for the U.S. car company, which may be very little, the key to the transaction will be that Daimler will move the $18 billion of Chrysler pension and benefits obligations off of its books.

The UAW is bound to try to derail the deal. They favor having Daimler keep Chrysler or sell it to Canadian car parts company Magna International (NYSE: MGA). In either case, the union believed it could hold on to more jobs. The UAW may now be faced with trying to block the deal at the Daimler supervisory board level, or threaten to strike in the face of the deal. A work stoppage could badly damage Chrysler's already troubled efforts to turn around it sinking U.S. sales.

Cerberus may have the money, but the union holds most of the cards.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Chrysler may have been sold originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 May 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-10-07: Murdoch began talks with DJ on March 29 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 May 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Before the bell 5-10-07: Futures slip ahead of retail sales originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 May 2007 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yesterday, car parts company Magna International (NYSE: MGA) said it should be the winning bidder for DaimlerChrysler AG's (NYSE: DCX) Chrysler unit.

Magna's CEO, Frank Stronach, told the Globe and Mail: "It's a big sum we would allocate. [...] We would make a big commitment."

Magna is really not a very big company. It has a market cap of just over $8 billion. Its income last year was just over $22 billion. Daimler's market cap is $85 billion and Chrysler's revenue is almost 35% of its $200 billion in revenue.

The union members on Daimler's board do not want Chrysler sold to private equity interests as they believe this would lead to a break-up of the company and tens of thousands of lay-offs. Regardless, it is hard to imagine that Magna can manage a company so much larger than itself, and manage its own business at the same time. If a merger with Chrysler fails, the job loss could be just as terrible.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Magna's brand-new pitch for Chrysler originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Prudential initiated the automotive manufacturers industry and automotive retail industry with Favorable ratings and the automotive parts and equipment industry with an Unfavorable rating. The firm initiated coverage on following stocks:
  
• Overweight-rated names included Autoliv Inc (NYSE: ALV), Group 1 Automotive, Inc (NYSE: GPI), Honda Motor Co, Ltd (NYSE: HMC), Johnson Controls, Inc (NYSE: JCI), Sonic Automotive, Inc (NYSE: SAH), & Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE: TM).
  
• Neutral Weight-rated names included AutoNation, Inc (NYSE: AN), DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX), Magna International Inc (NYSE: MGA) and United Auto Group, Inc (NYSE: UAG).
  
• Underweight-rated names included Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F), General Motors Corp (NYSE: GM) and Gentex Corp (NASDAQ: GNTX).

• Bernstein initiated JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) with a Market Perform rating and $54 target.

• Lehman started Time Warner Cable Inc (NYSE: TWC) with a Neutral rating.

• Merriman initiated shares of Progressive Gaming International Corp (NASDAQ: PGIC) with a Buy rating, as the firm believes it is on the cusp of gaining meaningful market share of casino floors through its technologies and now is the time to get involved in shares.

Analyst initiations 4-04-07: F, GM, JPM and TWC initiated today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.