Continue reading Closing Bell: Tech Giveth, Tech Taketh Away (DDS, FFIV, FDO, HPQ, MS, PLXS, WEN)

Closing Bell: Tech Giveth, Tech Taketh Away (DDS, FFIV, FDO, HPQ, MS, PLXS, WEN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Jefferies upgraded Citrix Systems (CTXS) to buy from hold and raised its target to $48 from $43, citing VMware's (VMW) strong Q4 report and survey results that indicate continued strength for Citrix.
• Citigroup upgraded Amylin Pharmaceuticals (AMLN) to buy from hold on confidence the company's LAR drug will be approved following the approval of Novo Nordisk's (NVO) Victoza. Citi raised its target price for Amylin shares to $27 from $4.
• Baird upgraded Texas Instruments (TXN) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $30 from $28. The firm believes it is too early to take profits in Texas Instruments and notes that checks continue to indicate a continued recovery in end-demand.
• Lexmark (LXK) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Salix (SLXP) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Plexus (PLXS) was lifted to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMLN, CI, CTXS, HSY, KRA, TSCO, TXN ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMLN, CI, CTXS, HSY, KRA, TSCO, TXN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) shares declined despite an earnings beat and a positive outlook
• Bank of America Corp. (BAC) reported that its Q4 loss widened more than expected by Wall Street.
• Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) reported better-than-expected earnings but shares declined.
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) is seen as on-track to record double-digit earnings growth in 2010.
• Cree Inc. (CREE) strong earnings and revenue growth sent shares to a new 52-week high.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Colgate, eBay, Goldman Sachs, Kimberley-Clark, Starbucks ...

Earnings Highlights: Colgate, eBay, Goldman Sachs, Kimberley-Clark, Starbucks ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) to Outperform from Market Perform due to valuation and the company's better balance sheet following capital raises. The firm raised its target on shares to $16.50.
  
• Merriman upgraded Blue Coat Systems (NASDAQ:BCSI) to Buy from Neutral to reflect stabilizing demand and merger synergies from the Packeteer acquisition.
  
• Thomas Weisel upgraded Genomic Health (NASDAQ:GHDX) to Overweight from Market Weight based on valuation, a new colon cancer assay expected in 2010, and upside from new sales hires.
• Plexus (NASDAQ:PLXS) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
  
• Great Plains Energy (NYSE:GXP) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  
• Ericsson (nASDAQ:ERIC) was upgraded at Societe Generale to Buy from Hold.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: BAC, ERIC, UNH, WRC

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: BAC, ERIC, UNH, WRC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last year global stock markets lost $29 trillion in value -- falling 42%. And although it does not get much media attention, there is something that investors can do when the stock market moves against them. They can set stop losses on their stocks which limit how much money they can lose. Specifically, if an investor buys a stock at, say, $20 a share, he or she can issue a limit order which requires the broker to sell the stock when it declines to a lower price, say, $18. Such a limit order would limit the investor's loss to 10%.

This comes to mind in considering why the average stock in my investment newsletter gained 15% in 2008 when the S&P 500 fell 38.5%. My monthly newsletter analyzes broad economic trends and bores into specific industries. It also picks three stocks each month for subscribers to consider. During the first half of 2008, the energy and commodities stocks mentioned boosted its performance to +29% through the end of June. Then the bottom began to fall out as commodity prices tumbled and the financial services industry collapsed.

Thanks to the 2% stop loss rule -- which automatically sells any stock that falls 2% below the price at which it was mentioned in the newsletter -- the low point for the year was -1% at the end of October. By the end of 2008, only four of the 36 stocks mentioned remained in the portfolio. However, thanks to a surprising boost in one stock mentioned at the end of October and the three stocks picked at the end of November, the average stock was up 15% by the end of 2008. What were the three best performers?

Continue reading Why investors should use stop-losses

Why investors should use stop-losses originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Citi Investment Research affirmed Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS) affirmed its "hold" rating ahead of the company's analyst meeting, according to the AP.

J.P Morgan downgraded Alcoa (NYSE: AA) to "neutral" from "overweight," according to Briefing.com. The news service also reports that Friedman Billings affirmed its "outperform" rating on Kroger (NYSE:KR.)

Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) was started as Neutral at Goldman Sachs, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Early analyst calls: KR, AA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Bear Stearns upgraded the Restaurant Sector to Market Weight from Underweight citing better investor sentiment following Fed rate cuts and the economic stimulus plan; upgraded shares include Brinker International (NYSE: EAT), Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ: CAKE) and Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI).
  
• JP Morgan upgraded shares of Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) to Overweight from Neutral ahead of the company's Q4 results on March 6, as they believe the quarter will be at least in-line and 2008 guidance will be above Street expectations.
  
• Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse as they believe current quarter sales and bookings are tracking ahead.

• Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ: MXWL) was upgraded to Market Perform from Market Underperform at JMP Securities.
  
• The firm also raised Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) to Market Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• Goldman Sachs added Allianz AG (NYSE: AZ) to its Conviction Buy List.

Analyst upgrades: Restaurant sector, BBI and PLXS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Lehman upgraded the small-cap bank sector to Neutral from Negative as they expect the group to benefit from the decline in short-term interest rates and the steeping yield curve. The firm upgraded Associated Banc-Corp (NASDAQ: ASBC), Pacific Capital Bancorp (NASDAQ: PCBC) and Westpac Banking Corp (NYSE: WBK) to Equal Weight from Underweight.
  
• Friedman Billings added Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN) to its Top Picks list. The firm believes the company can outperform the group and overall market in an economic downturn.
  
• Warnaco Group (NASDAQ: WRNC) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan on valuation and growth potential.
  
• JMP Securities' checks indicate that Intersections (NASDAQ: INTX) is on track to meet EPS expectations for the quarter and is well positioned to beat their 2008 EPS estimate of 80c. The firm raised shares to Strong Buy from Outperform.

• Best Buy Incorporated (NYSE: BBY) and AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) were upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform at Raymond James.
  
• The firm also upgraded shares of CBRL Group (NASDAQ: CBRL) to Market Perform from Outperform.
  
• JP Morgan upgraded Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT) and Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) to Overweight from Neutral.
  
• Bear Stearns raised MFA Mortgage Investments (NYSE: MFA) to Outperform from Peer Perform.
  
• Goldman added Automatic Data Processing (NYSE: ADP) to its Conviction Buy List.

Analyst upgrades: Small-cap banks, WCN, WRNC and INTX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies is positive on Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG) over the longer term given the company's robust earnings growth potential and strong cash flow prospects, and started shares with a Buy.

• Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX) was assumed with a Buy rating at Banc of America, who called the proposed acquisition of Solectron (SLR) a positive.

• Friedman Billings believes TradeStation's (NASDAQ: TRAD) unique platform differentiates it from the competition and gives it a sustained advantage, starting shares with an Outperform.

• Ferris Baker Watts initiated Assisted Living (NYSE: ALC) with a Buy rating, calling shares attractive...

• Banc of America assumed Benchmark Electronics (NYSE: BHE) and Flextronics with Buy ratings as well as Celestica (CLS, target $6), Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS), Solectron, Sanmina-SCI Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) with Neutral ratings.

Analyst initiations 7-12-07: CELG, CLS, FLEX and SANM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Credit Suisse initiated coverage of the EMS sector with an Underweight. The firm believes the industry is burdened with overcapacity in high-cost manufacturing regions, with hyper competition, allowing for no pricing power.
  
• The analyst initiated Flextronics International Ltd (NASDAQ: FLEX) with an Outperform rating.
  
• Benchmark Electronics, Inc (NYSE: BHE), Jabil Circuit, Inc (NYSE: JBL), Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) and Sanmina-SCI Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) were started with Neutral ratings.
• Celestica Inc (NYSE: CLS) and Solectron Corp (NYSE: SLR) were initiated with Underperform ratings.
  

• Nollenberger initiated Chico's FAS, Inc (NYSE: CHS), Cache, Inc (NASDAQ: CACH) and AnnTaylor Stores Corp (NYSE: ANN) with Neutral ratings.
  
• Nollenberger also started coverage of Bebe Stores, Inc (NASDAQ: BEBE) and American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) with Buy ratings.

Analyst initiations: AEO, ANN, BEBE, CHS and FLEX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 May 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Lehman initiated Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) with an Underweight rating and $15.50 target.

• Wachovia started Ameristar Casinos Inc (NASDAQ: ASCA) with an Outperform rating; the firm sees upside for Ameristar through growth of existing properties that have expansions and the removal of the $500 loss limit in Missouri.

• Mattel Inc (NYSE: MAT) was initiated with a Hold rating at Sterne Agee.

• First Albany started Gaming Partners International Corp (NASDAQ: GPIC) with a Buy rating and $23 target.

• Jefferies initiated Morgans Hotel Group Co (NASDAQ: MHGC) with a Hold rating and $20 target based on valuation.

• UBS started E*Trade Financial Corp (NASDAQ: ETFC) with a Buy rating and $29 target.

• UBS also started TD Ameritrade Holding Corp (NASDAQ: AMTD) with a Neutral rating on valuation.

• Stifel initiated Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) with a Buy rating and $31 target; the firm is positive on Saia's growth and said the company should be the biggest beneficiary of further tonnage leakage from Central Freight Lines, which recently went private.

• William Blair started US BioEnergy Corp (NASDAQ: USBE) with an Outperform rating.

• JMP Securities assumed coverage of Delta Financial Corp (NYSE: DFC) with a Strong Buy rating and $13 target.

Analyst initiations 2-22-07: E*Trade started with a Buy rating at UBS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.