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Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations

Analyst upgrades:
  • Citigroup upgraded Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) to Buy from Hold after meeting with management as it believes a more aggressive strategy will lead to the company regaining market share. Citi raised its target on shares to $66 from $54.
  • Piper Jaffray upgraded Allscripts (NASDAQ:MDRX) to Overweight from Neutral after learning the company signed a large contract with North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital. Piper now sees upside to estimates and raised its target on shares to $22.50 from $14.
  • UBS upgraded Amedisys (NASDAQ:AMED) to Buy from Neutral following a review of the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare proposal, which they view as "benign." The firm raised its target to $57 from $46.
  • Daimler (NYSE:DAI) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Bernstein.
  • Boston Private (NASDAQ:BPFH) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
  • E-Trade (NASDAQ:ETFC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations

NSTAR posts good earnings

Massachusetts energy company NSTAR (NYSE: NST) recently reported solid earnings for 1Q 2007. NSTAR has received widespread recognition for its innovative programs to help customers become aware of and reduce their energy usage through Power Cost Monitor, while at the same time reducing its own residential users' billing rates by 8% this summer.


The stock bears investigation for inclusion in a balanced portfolio. Possessing solid earnings, high customer satisfaction, and environmentally aware policies, NSTAR pays a dividend of $.325 per common share, and the company has a long, long history of paying out dividends. NSTAR has a P/E multiple slightly below industry average, and EPS slightly above industry average. The stock price has quite literally not budged since 1 January 2007, opening the year trading at $34.95, and closing the end of May at $34.85. NSTAR has annual revenues of $3.5 billion and serves 1.4 million customers in Massachusetts.

For 1Q 2007, NSTAR reported earnings of $47.8 million or EPS of $.45, up 10% from 1Q 2006. Electric sales were up 2% by volume while gas sales were up 14% by volume. NSTAR recently signed a 7-year rate agreement that will give it a large measure of earnings stability. Recently, NSTAR announced a partnership with Evergreen Solar, Inc. to provide solar generated energy as an affordable option for customers. NSTAR expects this small portion of its power generation to grow rapidly, further reducing generation costs, thus increasing the desirability of renewable energy choices for customers. NSTAR reported March 2006- 2007 EPS to be $1.96, up 8% from the previous reporting period.

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Last updated: November 27, 2009: 08:06 AM

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