In today's unpredictable, seemingly continually changing investment climate, it's prudent to own an "old reliable" stock or two, and Northeast Utilities (NU) qualifies.

Northeast Utilities, first discussed here on May 5, 2009, at a price of $21.48, offers the opportunity to net a modest gain, plus a dividend.

Northeast's proposed merger with NStar (NST) should close in the second half of 2011 and create one of the largest utility companies in the United States. The deal should be accretive to earnings in 2011. Northeast's annual dividend is $1.60.

Continue reading Is Now a Good Time to Consider Northeast Utilities?

Is Now a Good Time to Consider Northeast Utilities? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Interpublic Group (IPG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Radware (RDWR) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Fluor (FLR) and Waddell & Reed (WDR) to buy from hold, as well as AllianceBernstein (AB) to hold from sell, at Citigroup.
• MetroCorp (MCBI) and American Capital (AGNC) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• International Flavors (IFF) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• BioCryst (BCRX) and Southern Company (SO) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Bunge (BG) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AB, BG, CMG, CSCO, DF, EXPE, JLL, MU, NLSN, S, SO ...

Analyst Calls: AB, BG, CMG, CSCO, DF, EXPE, JLL, MU, NLSN, S, SO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Dollar Tree (DLTR) to neutral from underweight and $48 price target.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Time Warner Cable (TWC) to outperform from neutral and raised its price target to $70 from $59, citing growth in wireline HST demand.
• Needham upgraded NetScout (NTCT) to buy from hold with a $29 price target, citing channel checks that indicate industry spending on network monitoring software may be improving.
• Nstar (NST) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Novo Nordisk (NVO) was upgraded to hold from sell at Societe Generale.
• Air France-KLM (AFLYY) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: DLTR, FLR, H, HOT, MAR, NTCT, NVO, RNOW, TWC, VECO, VMC ...

Analyst Calls: DLTR, FLR, H, HOT, MAR, NTCT, NVO, RNOW, TWC, VECO, VMC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Northeast Utilities (NU), first discussed here on May 5, 2009 at a price of $21.48, announced Monday it will merge with Nstar Corp (NST), in a $4.17 billion deal, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

NU called the deal a merger, but after the deal closes Northeast's shareholders will likely own a 56% stake in the combined business; Nstar's shareholders, a 44% stake.

Continue reading Northeast Utilities: Solid Play Just Got Better

Northeast Utilities: Solid Play Just Got Better originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• 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

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

NSTAR posts good earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.