BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: JCP, NVLS, CAG, RJF, PCG, STP, AMZN, MS, MSFT]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/27/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-jcp-nvls-cag-rj/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/27/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-jcp-nvls-cag-rj/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/27/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-jcp-nvls-cag-rj/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Analyst upgrades:
  • JP Morgan upgraded J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) to Neutral from Underweight based on lower input costs, stabilization in home, lower markdown dollars, and valuation.
  • Oppenheimer upgraded Novellus (NASDAQ: NVLS) to Perform from Underperform as it believes Novellus' market share has stabilized and that the company is a potential acquisition target. The firm raised its price target to $20 from $9.
  • Bernstein upgraded ConAgra (NYSE: CAG) to Market Perform from Underperform citing strength in grains and moderating input costs.
  • ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  • China Housing (NASDAQ: CHLN) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: JCP, NVLS, CAG, RJF, PCG, STP, AMZN, MS, MSFT

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: JCP, NVLS, CAG, RJF, PCG, STP, AMZN, MS, MSFT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon.comAMZNbiomarinbiomarin pharmaceuticalsbiomarinpharmaceuticalsBMRNCAGChina HousingChinaHousingCHLNconagraconagra foodsconagrafoodsconococonocophillipsCOPJ.C. PenneyJ.c.PenneyJCPmicrosoftmorgan stanleyMorganStanleyMSMSFTNETLnetlogicNovellusNVLSPCGPGEraymond jamesraymond james financialRaymondJamesRaymondJamesFinancialriverbedriverbed technologyRiverbedTechnologyRJFRVBDSTPsuntechsuntech powerSuntechPowertrina solarTrinaSolarTSLwarnacowarnaco groupwarnacogroupWRCFri, 27 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Options Update: Utilities volatility flat as shares trade lower]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/05/options-update-utilities-volatility-flat-as-shares-trade-lower/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/05/options-update-utilities-volatility-flat-as-shares-trade-lower/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/05/options-update-utilities-volatility-flat-as-shares-trade-lower/#commentsFiled under: ,

Public Service Enter (NYSE: PEG), a regulated gas & electric utility serving three-quarters of New Jersey's population, closed at $25.96. PEG April option implied volatility of 49 is near its 26-week average of 45, according to Track Data, suggesting slightly larger price movement.

PG & E (NYSE: PCG) serves 4.9M electricity distribution customers, and approximately 4.1M natural gas customers in California, closed at $37.52. PCG option implied volatility of 39 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) closed at $39.15. ED April option implied volatility of 32 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

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

Options Update: Utilities volatility flat as shares trade lower originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Consolidated EdisonConsolidatedEdisonEDoption implied volatilityOptionImpliedVolatilityPCGPEGPG EPgEPublic Service EnterPublicServiceEnterThu, 05 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst calls: RTP, ITRI, HLS, BHP, BX, DT, UL, GPC, KND . . . ]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/26/analyst-calls-rtp-itri-hls-bhp-bx-dt-ul-gpc-knd/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/26/analyst-calls-rtp-itri-hls-bhp-bx-dt-ul-gpc-knd/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/11/26/analyst-calls-rtp-itri-hls-bhp-bx-dt-ul-gpc-knd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Analyst upgrades:

  • Canaccord upgraded Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) to Buy from Hold citing valuation following the severe price decline following BHP Billiton's (NYSE: BHP) dropped bid.
  • UBS upgraded Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) to Buy from Neutral citing valuation and defensive business mix.
  • Jefferies upgraded shares of HealthSouth (NYSE: HLS) to Buy from Hold on valuation and maintains a $13.50 target.
  • Melco PBL Entertainment (NASDAQ: MPEL) was raised to buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  • PG&E (NYSE: PCG) was upgraded at Merrill Lynch to Buy from Neutral.
  • HSBC Holdings (NYSE: HBC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.

Analyst downgrades:

Continue reading Analyst calls: RTP, ITRI, HLS, BHP, BX, DT, UL, GPC, KND . . .

Analyst calls: RTP, ITRI, HLS, BHP, BX, DT, UL, GPC, KND . . . originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BHPBHP BillitonBhpBillitonBlackstoneBXDeutsche TelekomDeutscheTelekomDTGenuine PartsGenuinePartsGPCHBCHealthSouthHLShsbc holdingshsbcholdingsinthenewsITRIItronKindred HealthcareKindredHealthcareKNDMelcomelco pbl entertainmentMelcoPblEntertainmentMPELNational SemiNationalSemiNSMOCOwens CorningOwensCorningpackaged foodsPackagedFoodsPCGPGERio TintoRioTintoRTPSAPSFStifel FinancialStifelFinancialSUSuncorULunileverWed, 26 Nov 2008 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[SunPower (SPWR) shoots higher on PG&E deal]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/15/sunpower-spwr-shoots-higher-on-pgande-deal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/15/sunpower-spwr-shoots-higher-on-pgande-deal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/15/sunpower-spwr-shoots-higher-on-pgande-deal/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SPWR logoSunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR - option chain) shares are soaring higher today after Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said it has chosen SPWR to supply up to 800 megawatts of renewable energy. On the news, an analyst at Merrill Lynch also upgraded SPWR to "Buy" from "Hold." If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on SPWR.

SPWR opened this morning at $87.64. So far today the stock has hit a low of $87.57 and a high of $93.93. As of 12:55, SPWR is trading at $93.26, up $14.69 (18.7%). The chart for SPWR looks neutral and S&P gives SPWR a 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a December bull-put credit spread below the $55 range. A bull-put credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of put options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn't do what you think, but willstill leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we will make an 11.1% return in just four months as long as SPWR is above $55 at December expiration. Sunpower would have to fall by more than 40% before we would start to lose money. Learn more about this type of trade here.

SPWR hasn't been below $55 since March and has shown support around $71 recently. With the way the political climate is shaping up, it looks like some form of solar power should be here for quite a while.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer.

DISCLOSURE: Mr. Archer owns and/or controls diversified portfolios of long and short stock and option positions that may include holdings in companies he writes about. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in SPWR.

SunPower (SPWR) shoots higher on PG&E deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealinthenewsinvestors observerInvestorsObserveroptionsPGEsolar energySolarEnergySPWRsunpowerFri, 15 Aug 2008 14:02:00 EST<![CDATA[What will Buffet buy?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/05/05/what-will-buffet-buy/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/05/05/what-will-buffet-buy/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/05/05/what-will-buffet-buy/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you are a true stock fanatic (like me), your question about every investment is a take-off on the sin-avoidance question asked by Christians everywhere: WWBB? What would Buffett buy?

If investing is a religion, Warren Buffett is prophet, high priest, saint and lesser diety, all rolled into one. The way he goes, so goes the world's best and brightest (and for good reason. He's smart). The big news on everyone's lips, today, is that Buffett is once again in the market for some juicy acquisition; perhaps in the energy sector. Here are some leading suggestions:
  • PG&E, San Francisco's utility. Worth $13 billion, this company is seen as a solid local utility that successfully weathered the energy crisis of the last several years. The stock is up $1.29 today to $40.75 on the rumors.
  • Mercury General Corp., Los Angeles-based automotive insurer. Worth $3 billion, the company has a 16% ROE and a low debt balance. Warren Buffett loves his insurance companies, and the company's stock is up $2.35 to $57.90 in intraday trading on the speculation.
  • Les Schwab Tires, a Prineville, Oregon-based tire store chain. Founder Les Schwab has retreated following the recent death of his daughter, and the company fits into Buffett's love for innovative and well-run companies.

What will Buffet buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 May 2006 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>berkshireberkshire hathawayBerkshireHathawaybrkbrk.abuffettles schwables schwab tiresLesSchwabLesSchwabTiresmercury generalmercury general corp.MercuryGeneralMercuryGeneralCorp.pacific gas and electricPacificGasAndElectricpg and ePgAndEpgewarren buffettWarrenBuffettwhat will buffett buy?what would buffett buy?WhatWillBuffettBuy?WhatWouldBuffettBuy?wwbbFri, 05 May 2006 14:59:00 EST