Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), first discussed here on April 27, 2009, at a price of $8.08, is headed to the $20 level, and beyond. Here's why.

Newell should post a 3% to 4% revenue increase in 2011, followed by a 4% to 5% rise in 2012, with improvements registered in all business units, led by home and family, which includes food containers.

Continue reading Newell Rubbermaid Is in an Uptrend

Newell Rubbermaid Is in an Uptrend originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's check in on two companies that operate in the arena of consumer goods. One makes plastic storage containers; the other is responsible for delivering batteries and Pringles crisps to market. Both recently released quarterly results.

Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NWL) said it made 25 cents per share on a reported basis, as stated in this article over at Bloomberg. That was five pennies better than last year's number. On an adjusted basis, profit came out to 34 cents per share, a penny above the overall estimate.

Continue reading Two Quarterly Releases: Newell Rubbermaid and Procter & Gamble

Two Quarterly Releases: Newell Rubbermaid and Procter & Gamble originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Thoratec (THOR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• TW Telecom (TWTC) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• TAL Education (XRS) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Amedisys (AMED) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Analyst Downgrades

• Navigators (NAVG) to neutral from outperform at Macquarie.
• El Paso Electric (EE) to hold from buy at Jefferies.
• Hancock Holding (HBHC) to hold from buy at Wunderlich.
• California Water Service (CWT) and American States Water (AWR) to neutral from buy at Janney Capital.
• Mednax (MD) to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMED, AMZN, CVC, DOLE, EL, EBAY, NWL, SBUX, THOR, UIS ...

Analyst Calls: AMED, AMZN, CVC, DOLE, EL, EBAY, NWL, SBUX, THOR, UIS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Ryder (R) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• HCP (HCP) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Hertz Global (HTZ) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Lincoln National (LNC) to buy from neutral and T. Rowe Price (TROW) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Protective Life (PL) and Janus Capital (JNS) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• National Instruments (NATI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Team Health (TMH) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BBT, BBY, EV, GDP, HTZ, JNS, LZB, NWL, R, TMK, TROW ...

Analyst Calls: BBT, BBY, EV, GDP, HTZ, JNS, LZB, NWL, R, TMK, TROW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Newell Rubbermaid: Frugal Consumer Play

Newell Rubbermaid: Frugal Consumer Play originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Soleil upgraded Hologic (HOLX) to buy from hold on expectations the company's next-generation breast tomosynthesis instrument is likely to receive FDA approval. The firm raised its target price for shares to $20 from $16.
• ING Group upgraded Total (TOT) to buy from hold.
• BofA/Merrill raised Medicis (MRX) to neutral from underperform.
• CPFL Energia (CPL) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMGN, ARST, CPB, FE, GMAN, HOLX, NWL, TOT, XOM ...

Analyst Calls: AMGN, ARST, CPB, FE, GMAN, HOLX, NWL, TOT, XOM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last time I wrote about Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), in a piece published way back in January, I was a bit too conservative on the stock's short-term prospects. As this chart will show, the shares eventually rose for a while after the fourth-quarter report was released.

However, they have pulled back somewhat from the 52-week high of $17.96. The company closed Friday's session at a price of $15.50, representing a very modest decline in reaction to the second-quarter earnings numbers that were released before the market was open for business.

Continue reading Newell Rubbermaid's Q2: Market Wasn't Too Excited

Newell Rubbermaid's Q2: Market Wasn't Too Excited originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Auriga upgraded Allscripts (MDRX) to buy from hold to reflect valuation and potential synergies from the company's pending merger with Eclipsys (ECLP). The firm upped its target price for shares to $20 from $19.
• SunTrust upgraded Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) to buy from neutral based on completion of its turnaround plan, stabilizing end markets and favorable comparisons. The firm has a $25 price target on the stock.
• Morgan Joseph upgraded C.R. Bard (BCR) to buy from hold based on valuation and upside to estimates from the share buyback program. The firm has a $97 price target on the stock.
• Shire (SHPGY) was upgraded to buy from hold at Lazard Capital.
• Onyx Pharma (ONXX) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• AvalonBay (AVB) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AVB, BCR, CREE, DAI, HRB, HSP, MDRX, NANO, NWL ...

Analyst Calls: AVB, BCR, CREE, DAI, HRB, HSP, MDRX, NANO, NWL ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades

• UBS upgraded CF Industries (CF) to neutral from sell. The firm cites valuation for the upgrade. In addition, UBS raised its price target on shares to $84 from $81.
• Baird upgraded Johnson Controls (JCI) to outperform from neutral and raised its price target to $42 from $33. The upgrade was based on improving margins, China growth, and upside from a cyclical recovery.
• Barrington upgraded G&K Services (GKSR) to outperform from market perform ahead of the company's Q3 results to reflect optimism regarding the company's operational turnaround. The firm set a $35 price target for shares.
• LaSalle Hotel (LHO) was upgraded to top pick from outperform at RBC Capital.
• Zimmer (ZMH) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Thermo Fisher (TMO) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CF, JCI, BAX, NWL, UTL, NOK, VMW, ANF, DELL

Analyst Calls: CF, JCI, BAX, NWL, UTL, NOK, VMW, ANF, DELL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tupperware (TUP) issued Q4 numbers after the bell on Monday. Sales were higher by 10% once benefits from currency exchange were eliminated. Adjusted earnings per share increased 16% to $1.22. According to Earnings.com, net income came in 18 cents better than the average estimate.

Bravo! Tupperware, which counts Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) and Avon Products (AVP) as colleagues, is also doing well with cash flow. In fact, you'll notice from the release that management is increasing its stock buyback by $200 million.

Continue reading Tupperware Reports Strong Q4

Tupperware Reports Strong Q4 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) better-than-expected Q4 numbers due to strong holiday sales of media products.
• BlackRock Inc. (BLK) reported strong Q4 results and doubled assets under management due to an acquisition.
• Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) shares fell despite better-than-expected Q4 earnings as guidance fell short of the Street view.
• DeVry Inc. (DV) reported better-than-expected Q2 numbers due to increasing enrollments, which lifted shares.
• EMC Corp. (EMC) reported strong Q4 results that beat the Street view and offered full-year guidance.
• General Dynamics Corp. (GD) Q4 results fell short of expectations and its guidance was less than estimates.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Amazon, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Netflix, P&G, 3M, Verizon ...

Earnings Highlights: Amazon, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Netflix, P&G, 3M, Verizon ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's check out some earnings reports from earlier in the week. We have Mattel (MAT), a toy business, Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), a consumer products company, and Sherwin-Williams (SHW), a supplier of fine paints. In all three cases, we'll see that technical concerns may outweigh fundamental strengths.

Mattel: Everyone loves toys, right? They're fun to play with. But no one wants to invest blindly in a stock even though it represents games and action figures. That's where the hard data come in. According to the fourth-quarter press release, Mattel made 89 cents per share, representative of an 80% increase. Incredible, huh? A higher gross profit and a better handle on operating efficiency drove the growth. Better commodity costs also helped out.

Continue reading Three Q4 Reports: Mattel, Newell Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams

Three Q4 Reports: Mattel, Newell Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did you catch one theme of the frugal consumer era? For middle America, dinner out is out; dinner in is in.

Look for Newell Rubbermaid to continue to profit from this trend, as Americans shun dining out for a very long time, which means leftovers will increase. That's bullish for the company's Rubbermaid food storage containers; kitchen utensils will also see impressive gains.

Continue reading Look for Newell Rubbermaid to ride the 'dinner in' wave

Look for Newell Rubbermaid to ride the 'dinner in' wave originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Morgan Keegan initiated StoneMor Partners (NASDAQ: STON) with a Market Perform rating. The firm has a low level of confidence in STON's financial projections given its vulnerability to changes in state and local regulations, and financial reporting complexities.
  
• Jesup & Lamont initiated Suntech Power (NYSE: STP) with a Buy based on the company's leading position in solar PV, industry growth and polysilicon supply agreements in place.
  
• Tesoro (NYSE: TSO) was assumed with an Underweight rating at JP Morgan. The firm expects the West Coast margins to remain weak given the decline in the gasoline demand and capacity increases of the majors.

• RBC Capital initiated Agrium (NYSE: AGU) with an Outperform rating and $115 target.
  
• Merrill initiated Kohlberg Capital (NASDAQ: KCAP) with a Neutral rating.
  
• Caris started Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) with an Average rating and $24 target.

Analyst initiations: STON, STP, AGU, KCAP, NWL and TSO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 May 2008 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's been said that if the U.S. state of Georgia were an independent nation, it would have the 18th largest economy in world. The "Empire State of the South" ranked tenth in U.S. in per capita personal income in 2005, and has one of the fastest growing populations in the U.S. -- about a million additional people between 2000 and 2005. Its diverse industrial output ranges from peaches and peanuts, to textiles, food processing, and aircraft manufacturing, to publishing and tourism. Georgia is home to such corporate giants as Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO); Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL); Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD); UPS (NYSE: UPS); Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE: NWL), and Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX).

It's also home to Acuity Brands Inc. (NYSE: AYI) and Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), both of which represented Georgia on the Forbes 2007 list of 100 best mid cap stocks. I examine two other Peach State companies -- RPC Inc. (NYSE: RES) and Radiant Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: RADS) -- in a separate Investing in Georgia post.

Continue reading Investing in Georgia: Acuity Brands (AYI) and Global Payments (GPN)

Investing in Georgia: Acuity Brands (AYI) and Global Payments (GPN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

More infant deaths, this time not from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but rather, badly-designed cribs.

According to today's reports: "About 1 million Simplicity and Graco Inc (GGG) cribs are being recalled after three children became entrapped in their cribs and died of suffocation, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Friday. Two infants, a 6-month-old and a 9-month-old, died in the recalled cribs, which were sold through May 2007. A 1-year-old child died in a newer model of the cribs, which has not been recalled but is being investigated by the safety agency, CPSC officials said. In all three deaths, the consumer had installed the drop-rail side of the crib upside down, the CPSC said. This creates a gap in the crib that children can slide into and suffocate. Seven other infants have been entrapped in the cribs, according to the CPSC. There have been 55 reports of the cribs' drop sides detaching or the hardware failing to hold the side to the crib."

How does this happen? Why does this happen? The companies in question are not novices. Guess what...Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa., is listed as manufacturer of all the cribs, which were made in China. I think this is another example of an American company losing control of the process and forgetting that our product safety standards are not universal and that developing countries with rapidly expanding industrialization just don't get it.

Continue reading One million baby cribs recalled - don't they test these things?

One million baby cribs recalled - don't they test these things? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Getting and keeping brand recognition is a critical part of any business endeavor. There is an outfit in Atlanta that ranks among the best in achieving those goals. The company's product list is one of the best recognized anywhere.

Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) manufactures and distributes a wide variety of consumer and commercial products. Offerings include a long list of well-known home and office brands, including Levolor blinds, Lenox hand tools, Sharpie pens, Rolodex record holders, Amerock cabinet hardware, DYMO label makers, Graco children's products and Rubbermaid items. Competitors include Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) and Fortune Brands (NYSE: FO).

The firm pleased investors earlier in the week, when it raised Q3 guidance. Management now sees EPS of 48-50 cents (45 cent consensus) and revenue growth near the high end of the previously estimated 5-7% range. Strength in the Home & Family and Tools & Hardware segments were cited in support of the adjustment. The company also boosted Y07 EPS guidance to $1.74-1.78 ($1.76 consensus).

Continue reading Newell Rubbermaid (NWL): Products you know

Newell Rubbermaid (NWL): Products you know originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL), which is trading near multi-year highs, has caught the attention of contrarian and technician Chris Johnson, money manager and editor of Insightful Investor.

In addition to its Rubbermaid brand, the consumer products firm makes consumer products under names such as Sharpie, Paper Mate, and Lenox.

The advisor is impressed with the stock's relative strength, noting that the shares are up 7.4% for 2007, while the S&P 500 is down slightly. As a contrarian, he notes, "Despite this strong performance, there is a healthy amount of negative sentiment toward the stock, according to a number of indicators."

One sign that the stock is out of favor notes Johnson is its put/call ratio, which he says indicates that the options crowd is extremely pessimistic. In adition, he notes that only 55% of Wall Street analysts who follow the stock rate it a buy. He notes, "That leaves plenty of room for upgrades to move the stock higher."

He expects the stock to continue outperforming the overall market and has added the issue to his portfolio. For those comfortable with the higher risks involved with options, he recommends the June 25 call - with a recent asking price of $6.40.

He explains, "This option provides a sufficient amount of both time and intrinsic value to help weather the market's current volatility. This should help to avoid being shaken out of the position due to the short-term volatility that it may incur."

For more stock picks from the leading financial newsletter advisors, visit Steven Halpern's free daily website, TheStockAdvisors.com.

Rubbermaid: Set to bounce? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.