Medtronic (MDT) March option implied volatility is at 27, according to Track Data, near its six-month average into its expected release of Q3 EPS on February 22, suggesting nondirectional price movement.

Safeway (SWY) overall option implied volatility is at 31, according to Track Data, near its 26-week average of 29 into its expected release of Q4 EPS on February 24, suggesting slightly larger price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: Medtronic Volatility Flat; Shares Rally into Q3 Results and Revenue Guidance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Calls

• Medtronic (MDT) to buy from neutral and 1-800-Flowers.com (FLWS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• CarMax (KMX) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Points International (PTSEF) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• Nokia (NOK) to market perform from underperform at Morgan Keegan.
• Amdocs (DOX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Western Alliance (WAL) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Carbo Ceramics (CRR) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Rackspace (RAX) to buy from hold at Benchmark Co.
• Brinker (EAT) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BP, EAT, JBLU, KMX, MDT, MYGN, NOK, NTRS, RAX, RDS.A, T ...

Analyst Calls: BP, EAT, JBLU, KMX, MDT, MYGN, NOK, NTRS, RAX, RDS.A, T ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Insiders Snapping Up Webster Financial, Medtronic and More

Insiders Snapping Up Webster Financial, Medtronic and More originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is one in a series in which more than 60 newsletter advisors share their Top Stock Picks for 2011. This special report is courtesy of TheStockAdvisors.com.

"For over 50 years, Medtronic (MDT) has been the premier medical device manufacturer in the marketplace," notes Jim Stack.

The money manager and editor of InvesTech Market Analyst explains, "With the invention of the battery-powered pacemaker in the mid 1950s, Medtronic began a long string of technological innovations.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Medtronic (MDT)

Top Picks 2011: Medtronic (MDT) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for a shopping list of new stock ideas for 2011?

Each year for 28 years, TheStockAdvisors.com has turned to the nation's most respected and well-known newsletter advisors and asked them for their favorite investment ideas for the coming 12 months.

With 65 advisors participating in this year's survey, there's something for every type of investor, from high-quality blue chips to speculative home runs.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors

Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Among the quarterly results scheduled for this holiday-shortened week, investors may be thankful for the earnings results from Tyson Foods (TSN). The Arkansas-based poultry and meat producer reported on its sustainability efforts and also was named McDonalds' (MCD) supplier of the year during its fiscal fourth quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters forecast earnings for that period to have doubled from a year ago to 56 cents per share.

Tyson is also expected to post revenue of $7.8 billion for the three months that ended in September, which is 7.4% more than in the same period of fiscal 2009. And the consensus estimate for the full year calls for earnings of $2.08 per share (+87.0%) and revenue of $28.7 billion (+7.3%). Tyson's earnings have been better than expected in recent quarters, beating consensus estimates by as much as 24 cents per share.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Tyson Foods, Analog Devices, Deere Serve Up Earnings

Week in Preview: Tyson Foods, Analog Devices, Deere Serve Up Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 21 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Medtronic, Inc. (MDT) is expected to report Q2 earnings per share (EPS) on November 23. Overall option implied volatility of 27 is near its 26-week average, according to Track Data, suggesting nondirectional price movement.

Campbell Soup Company (CPB) is expected to report Q1 EPS on November 23. Overall option implied volatility of 18 is near its 26-week average of 19, according to Track Data, suggesting nondirectional price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: CBOE Volatility Index Down 3% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) to buy from neutral.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Pulte Group (PHM) to neutral from underperform. Note that Citigroup downgraded the stock.
• Ameristar Casinos (ASCA) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Merriman.
• Citigroup upgraded Kimco Realty (KIM) to hold from sell.
• Mistras (MG) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Devon Energy (DVN) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Garmin (GRMN) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at PacCrest.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AAPL, AMGN, BIIB, BSX, CHK, DVN, EOG, GRMN, PHM, WPO ...

Analyst Calls: AAPL, AMGN, BIIB, BSX, CHK, DVN, EOG, GRMN, PHM, WPO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Should You Avoid Medtronic?

Should You Avoid Medtronic? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• CLSA upgraded Capital One (COF) to outperform from underperform based on valuation and an acceleration in loan growth. The firm raised its price target to $43 from $40.
• KeyBanc upgraded Brush Engineered (BW) to buy from hold based on increased confidence in profit momentum in Specialty Engineered Alloys, valuation and value-added revenue unit growth. The firm has a $30 target on the stock.
• Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Heico (HEI) to buy from hold with a $42 target, citing the better-than-expected Q3 results.
• Greenbrier (GBX) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Paychex (PAYX) was upgraded to hold from sell at Deutsche Bank.
• A. Schulman (SHLM) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Longbow.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ASX, BW, CBOE, COF, CREE, MDT, NDAQ, SCHW, TSM ...

Analyst Calls: ASX, BW, CBOE, COF, CREE, MDT, NDAQ, SCHW, TSM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Medtronic Misses Earnings, Drops Forecast

Medtronic Misses Earnings, Drops Forecast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Medical device maker Kensey Nash Corp. (KNSY) produces biomaterial products that seal arterial punctures, dress wounds and treat burns. The Eston, Pa.-based company is scheduled to discuss its fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year financial results Monday, August 23, in a conference call beginning at 9:00 AM (ET) hosted by CEO Joe Kaufmann. You can catch a live webcast at the Kensey Nash's website.

During the three months that ended in June, Kensey Nash announced a strategic partnership with a sports medicine products company, and it also announced a share buyback program. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Kensey Nash to report earnings of 52 cents per share, up from 41 cents per share in the year-ago period. Its revenue is expected to have risen 4.1% from a year ago to $21.3 million.

Continue reading Kensey Nash: Looking for a Breakout

Kensey Nash: Looking for a Breakout originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Most of the S&P 500 companies have already reported earnings results for the most recent quarter. But scheduled to release their results this week are Medtronic (MDT) and Novell (NOVL), which analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to post earnings per share (EPS) about same as last year, as well as JDS Uniphase (JDSU), Patterson Companies (PDCO) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF), for which analysts foresee year-over-year earnings growth. Of these, the expectations are highest for Tiffany.

During the three months that ended in July, Tiffany launched an iPhone app and increased its quarterly dividend. Analysts expect the New York-based specialty retailer to report that earnings per share came to 53 cents, a 26.4% increase from a year earlier. Second-quarter revenue is expected to have grown 12.8% to $690.8 million. So far, analysts predict full-year earnings of $2.61 per share (+22.9%) on $3.0 billion (+11.8%) in revenue. Earnings results topped consensus estimates in four of the past five quarters, by 11 cents per share in the first quarter.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: Eye on Tiffany, Canadian Banks, Semtech

The Week in Preview: Eye on Tiffany, Canadian Banks, Semtech originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Intuitive Surgical Hits New Highs

Serious Money: Intuitive Surgical Hits New Highs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Medtronic (MDT) announced Monday morning that it has agreed to acquire Invatec and two of its affiliated companies.

Medtronic will issue an initial payment of roughly $350 million. Invatec develops medical technologies that are used for the "interventional treatment" of cardiovascular disease. In addition to Invatec, Medtronic will acquire Fogazzi (which provides polymer technology to Invatec) and Krauth Cardiovascular (which distributes Invatec's products in Germany)

Continue reading Medtronic Acquires Invatec

Medtronic Acquires Invatec originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for dividend-paying blue chip stocks? Chuck Carlson is a leading expert on dividend reinvestment plans.

In The DRIP Investor, he looks at the 10/10 Club -- stocks that have boosted their payouts by 10% a year for at least 10 years. He explains,"The table below features seven stocks that belong to the exclusive '10/10' club:

Continue reading The 10/10 Dividend Club

The 10/10 Dividend Club originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Insurance companies just bought themselves a year. Claiming that a proposed tax on health insurance would force them to charge higher premiums, carriers were able to convince senators to defer this particular measure for a year.

This comes as a benefit to UnitedHealth Group (UNH), WellPoint (WLP) and smaller companies writing health insurance policies. Manufacturers of medical devices have won some relief, as well, though the drug business didn't. An earlier plan to tax cosmetic medical procedures was also scrapped.

Continue reading Health Insurers Get Brief Relief on Proposed Tax

Health Insurers Get Brief Relief on Proposed Tax originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Medtronic Inc. (MDT), a leading maker of implantable biomedical devices, is scheduled to release its fiscal second-quarter financial results Tuesday, November 24, before the market open, and then to discuss those results in a webcast at 8:00 AM ET. You can catch the live webcast at the company's website.

During the three months that ended in October, Medtronic was once again named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, settled a patent lawsuit, and announced management changes. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect this Minneapolis-based company to report that earnings for the period rose 9.5% from a year ago to $0.74 per share. And revenue for the quarter is expected to be 5.0% higher to $3.8 billion.

Continue reading Medtronic earnings preview: Strong Q2 predicted

Medtronic earnings preview: Strong Q2 predicted originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"One way to build an inflation hedge into your investment cash flows is to focus on stocks that are likely to boost their dividends on a regular basis," explains dividend specialist Chuck Carlson.

In his The DRIP Investor, which focuses on blue chip companies offering dividend reinvestment programs, he notes, "Since dividends are paid with cold cash, they can't be faked. Either you pay the dividend or you don't. They can't be some figment of accounting magic." Here, he looks at three favorite blue chips with strong dividend records.

Continue reading Dividend growth trio: Aflac, Medtronic and Colgate-Palmolive

Dividend growth trio: Aflac, Medtronic and Colgate-Palmolive originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO) Q2 profit fell short of estimates as same-store sales declined.
• Ann Taylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN) Q2 earnings beat very low expectations and same-store sales fell.
• Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) reported better-than-expected numbers for Q2, sending shares upward.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) posted a better-than-expected Q4 profit though revenue declined.
• China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. posted a record Q2 profit after restrictions on fuel prices were lifted.
• Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) said its Q2 earnings declined, but they still topped analysts' expectations.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Burger King, Dell, Dollar Tree, J. Crew, Staples, Toll Bros. ...

Earnings highlights: Burger King, Dell, Dollar Tree, J. Crew, Staples, Toll Bros. ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.