Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup (C) to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.
• Cubist Pharma (CBST) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Pentair (PNR) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Heritage Financial (HFWA) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• SL Green Realty (SLG) and Digital Realty (DLR) to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• MGM Resorts (MGM) to neutral from Sell at Janney Capital.
• Ciena (CIEN) to buy from neutral and Olin (OLN) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Mellanox (MLNX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• ConocoPhillips (COP) and Canadian Natural (CNQ) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• IDEX (IEX) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Ctrip.com (CTRP) to positive from neutral at Susquehanna.
• Linear Technology (LLTC) and Analog Devices (ADI) to hold from sell at Auriga.
• Quicksilver (KWK) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADI, BRCM, C, CIEN, COP, INTC, MGM, OXY, QCOM, TXN ...

Analyst Calls: ADI, BRCM, C, CIEN, COP, INTC, MGM, OXY, QCOM, TXN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Oil/natural gas giant Occidental Petroleum (OXY) first discussed here on April 27, 2009, at a price of $54.81, continues to shine, galloping above major, psychological resistance at $100 to trade near $106.

Therefore, if you haven't already, now would be a good time to take some profits with OXY if you're in near $55.

However, those investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position with OXY, as there's more upside ahead.

Continue reading Occidental Petroleum: Time to Take Some Profits?

Occidental Petroleum: Time to Take Some Profits? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Occidental Petroleum: Headed Toward $100?

Occidental Petroleum: Headed Toward $100? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: Occidental Petroleum Volatility Flat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first discussed Occidental Petroleum (OXY) here on April 27, 2009, at a price of $54.81, and shares of the oil/natural gas giant have totaled misbehaved this summer, falling about 16%, largely on second-quarter results.

Occidental did report a 3.6% oil/natural gas production increase in Q2, but in this supercautious market, the shares were still treated rudely. But I still favor the shares, and here's why.

Continue reading Is the Selling Over with Occidental Petroleum?

Is the Selling Over with Occidental Petroleum? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Occidental: Rising in Sync with Oil

Occidental: Rising in Sync with Oil originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Simply, oil is headed north in 2010, and so are Occidental Petroleum's (OXY) shares, which is a major reason I'm reiterating my buy rating for company, first recommended on April 27, 2009, at a price of $54.81.

If you bought OXY in April 2009, you're up about 45%. If you didn't, don't fret: there's more upside ahead, but catch this train now to earn an outsized gain with OXY in the next two to three years.

Continue reading Occidental Petroleum: Pull-Back Is Buy Opportunity

Occidental Petroleum: Pull-Back Is Buy Opportunity originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm reiterating my buy rating for Occidental Petroleum (OXY), first recommended on April 27, 2009, at a price of $54.81. If you bought OXY in April, you're up an impressive 52%.

Occidental, which focuses on oil and gas exploration and production and has no refineries, is well-positioned to capitalize on oil's likely upcoming surge to triple digits. OXY's oil and gas production should increase about 6 to 7% in 2009, with another solid increase seen in 2010.

Continue reading Occidental: Well-positioned for oil's next vault to the stratosphere

Occidental: Well-positioned for oil's next vault to the stratosphere originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Occidental, like oil's price, is headed higher

Occidental, like oil's price, is headed higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Choose Occidental Petroleum, because the reign of oil continues

Choose Occidental Petroleum, because the reign of oil continues originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Oil stocks + dividends = good times

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Oil stocks + dividends = good times originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Occidental Petroleum: Turn the oil shock to your advantage

Occidental Petroleum: Turn the oil shock to your advantage originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 May 2008 18:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of were trading near record highs when ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) started off the new year by announcing that it expected fourth quarter production results to exceed those of the third quarter. But it was good news/bad news for the company this past week.

The good news: The Wall Steet Journal reported that Conoco was now the front-runner to participate in a multiyear, $10 billion project to develop the Shah natural-gas field in Abu Dhabi, beating out such rivals as Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A). Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. had been expected to name a partner for the project last year, and oil companies have become frustrated by the delays. Abu Dhabi is trying to meet rising demand for natural gas, which has surged with the building of gas-fired power stations and desalination plants.

The bad news: The company's donation of $5 million to a local cancer center apparently did not impress Alaska state officials sufficiently to allow Conoco to go forward with its nonconforming proposal for a natural gas pipeline project in that state's North Slope. Conoco's proposal had requested that state taxes be fixed on the project for decades, which prompted Governor Sarah Palin to send Conoco a rejection letter. The rejection left TransCanada Corp. (NYSE: TRP) as the sole finalist for the project.

Conoco shares have fallen 5.96% since the beginning of the year, and closed Friday at $83.04.

ConocoPhillips: Good news in Abu Dhabi, bad news in Alaska originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Akeena Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKNS): A recent licensing deal is still pushing shares up. It hit 52-week high of $15.65 against period low of $2.97.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (NASDAQ: TEVA): TEVA recently got an FDA green light on new generic nausea drug. It's up to $49.08 from 52-week low of $30.81.

Superior Energy Services, Inc. (NYSE: SPN): Superior won a major contract to repair Gulf drill rigs. It jumped to $44.70 from 52-week low of $28.20.

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON): Monsanto posted outstanding financial results. It traded up up to $123 from 52-week low of $49.10.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: OXY): The market is mad for energy stocks. This one climbed up to $80.93 from 52-week low of $42.06.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

The 52-week high club originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hess (NYSE: HES) closed at a record high of $104.40 Wednesday. WTI Crude futures are down 0.30% to $95.68 according to Bloomberg. HES overall option implied volatility of 46 is above its 26-week average of 38 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) closed at record high of $78.06 Wednesday. OXY operates in two segments: oil-gas and chemicals. OXY has a market cap of $64 billion with long-term debt of $1.7 billion. OXY overall option implied volatility of 34 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price fluctuations.

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

Options update: Hess and Occidental Petroleum rally on $95 oil originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.