Jefferies upgraded shares of Genentech (NYSE: DNA) to Buy from Hold and raised its target to $100 from $95 on increased likelihood of an acquisition after Roche (OTC: RHHBY) reaffirmed commitment to its $100/share offer.
Baird expects Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM) to gain market share in 2009 in mobile phones, IPTVs, and digital TVs. Shares were upgraded to Outperform from Neutral.
Keefe Bruyette upgraded shares of Torchmark (NYSE: TMK) to Outperform from Market Perform as they see limited earnings risk and an attractive risk/reward.
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) was raised to Buy from Add at Calyon.
Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS and to Hold from Underperform at Jefferies.
PDUFA date for Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) and Roche Holding Ltd. (OTC: RHHBY)'s supplemental Biologics License Application for Herceptin for label expansion to include AC followed by docetaxel in treatment of adjuvant HER2+ breast cancer.
PDUFA date for Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPGY) and New River Pharma's supplemental New Drug Application for Vyvanse (NRP-104) treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disordre, or ADHD, in adult patients 18-55 years old; the drug is already approved for pediatric ADHD ages 6-12.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) to report Q earnings; conference call at 8:30am.
Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 9:00am.
Tuesday, April 29
Two-day FOMC meeting beginning at 8:30am.
PDUFA date for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)'s New Drug Application for Cordaptive (MK-0524A) adjunctive therapy to diet for treating elevated LDL Cholesterol, low HDL Cholesterol and elevated triglycerides levels.
PDUFA date for Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCMP)'s supplemental New Drug Application for dose of 8mg treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation; already approved for Chronic Idiopathic Constipation at 24ug dosage.
BP plc (NYSE: BP) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 10:15am.
United States Steel Company (NYSE: X) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 2:00pm.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Home Depot, Seaspan and Pharmasset were today's noteworthy initiations:
Morgan Keegan initiated Home Depot (NYSE: HD) with a Market Perform rating, citing valuation and the possibility that housing continues to deteriorate in 2008.
Oppenheimer believes Seaspan (NASDAQ: SSW) is well positioned within the containership sector given its modern fleet profile and entrenched liner relationships. The firm assumed coverage with an Outperform rating and $32 target.
JMP Securities initiated shares of Pharmasset (NASDAQ: VRUS) with a Market Outperform rating and $35 target and believes R7128 is evolving to be the premier product in hepatitis C. The firm expects a phase 2b trial evaluating R7128 in combination with standard of care to be initiated in 2H08 by partner Roche (OTC: RHHBY).
OTHER INITIATIONS:
UBS started BioMarin (NASDAQ: BMRN) with a Neutral rating and $38 target.
First Analysis initiated Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) with an Equal Weight rating.
Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) was initiated with an Overweight rating at JP Morgan.
With regulators, politicians and rating firms biting at their heels, Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) believed that it had no choice but to approach Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) last month about a merger, reported the Wall Street Journal. That fear led to BAC's $4B takeover of Countrywide, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the Financial Times, European public health specialists have found "significant resistance" to Roche Holding Ltd's (OTC: RHHBY) widely purchased influenza antiviral medicine Tamiflu.
OTHER PAPERS:
Shares of Britain's third-largest drug maker, Shire Plc (NASDAQ: SHPGY) plummeted yesterday to a two-year low on concerns about demand for its attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment for children, Vyvanse, the Telegraph reported.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Earthlink, NetSuite and Gramercy Capital were today's noteworthy initiations:
B. Riley assumed coverage of Earthlink (NASDAQ: ELNK) with a Buy rating and $10.60 target, as they view the leading dial-up and broadband ISP as an attractive value-play.
Citigroup initiated shares of NetSuite (NYSE: N) with a Sell rating, as they believe the current valuation implies the company needs to show significant upside.
Gramercy Capital (NYSE: GKK) was initiated with an Overweight rating at JP Morgan on valuation and dividend yield.
OTHER INITIATIONS:
Goldman started Fiserve (NASDAQ: FISV) with a Buy rating.
The Achilles heel of discount broker E*Trade Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) may be its lesser known mortgage business, whose value is now at the center of debate regarded its sale price, reported the Wall Street Journal.
According to a report prepared for European medicines authority, the Financial Times reported that Roche Holding Ltd (OTC: RHHBY) is responsible for impurities that caused an international recall of its HIV drug.
The FT also reported that the United Kingdom's Virgin Group was confirmed as the preferred bidder for British bank Northern Rock, as the bank said it wanted to hold discussions with Virgin "on an accelerated basis."
OTHER PAPERS:
Sources close to the matter said that Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) may put the brakes on overseas plans in many markets including India, South Africa and China on hold until it completes the sale of its Jaguar and Land Rover units, according to the Economic Times.
China is expected to unveil more than 20 regulations on foreign mergers and acquisitions, or M&A, according to a senior Chinese legislator, Xinhua reported.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: WellCare Health, Beacon Power, Tuesday Morning, West Pharmaceutical Services and Vectren were today's noteworthy upgrades:
Jefferies upgraded shares of WellCare Health (NYSE: WCG) to Buy from Hold, as they believe the investigation could most likely result in fines as opposed to the loss of contracts with the company's government customers.
Merriman raised its rating on Beacon Power (NASDAQ: BCON) to Buy from Neutral, as they believe the company is well-positioned for significant penetration of the growing frequency regulation markets.
Piper upgraded shares of Tuesday Morning (NASDAQ: TUES) to Outperform from Market Perform as they believe the company's sales and margins trends are stabilizing.
Citigroup upgraded shares of Vectren (NYSE: VVC) to Buy from Hold, as they believe 2008 will be an inflection point with the share issuance and rate relief aiding earnings.
OTHER UPGRADES:
Goldman added Roche (OTC: RHHBY) to its Conviction Buy List.
Zumiez (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at McAdams, Wright.
Thomas Weisel upgraded MasterCard (NYSE: MA) to Market Weight from Underweight.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Apollo Group, Zoran, AmSurg Corp, Apple and Tribune Co were today's noteworthy upgrades:
Baird upgraded shares of Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL) to Outperform from Neutral based on positive enrollment and revenue trends, margin improvement, and a strategic international announcement.
CIBC upped its rating on Zoran Corporation (NASDAQ: ZRAN) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer following strong Q3 results and guidance.
Jefferies upgraded shares of AmSurg Corp (NASDAQ: AMSG) to Buy from Hold as they believe the new CEO is preparing to drive earnings growth through acquisitions.
ThinkEquity continues to expect Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to outpace the industry in growth. The firm upgraded shares to Buy from Accumulate.
Barrington upgraded shares of Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB) to Market Perform from Underperform on valuation, as they believe the current price significantly discounts the risks of the going private transaction getting done.
Negotiations continued last night on a new labor agreement between Chrysler and the UAW, but it is unclear if an agreement will be reached by today's 11am deadline, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) is today expected to announce plans to build a $5B resort in Atlantic City, NJ that will be completed in 2012, reported the Wall Street Journal.
The CEO of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding (OTC: RHHBY), Franz Humer, said he has no intention of increasing his company's $75 per share bid for U.S. diagnostics company Ventana Medical Systems (NASDAQ: VMSI), and is "very confident" that the offer will succeed, reported the Financial Times (subscription required).
Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, confirmed that there's little chance this year -- due to a crowded legislative calendar -- that there will be legislation to increase taxes on the private equity industry, reported TheDeal.com (subscription required).
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Motorola, Nokia, General Mills, AudioCodes and OceanFreight were today's noteworthy upgrades:
Cowen upgraded shares of Motorola Inc (NYSE: MOT) and Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK) to Outperform from Neutral. The firm expects Motorola to benefit as the mobile phone market in North America improves as market supply tightens in Q4 and results in better unit pricing, while Nokia's new phones put it in a position to realize higher unit sales.
Credit Suisse upgraded shares of General Mills Inc (NYSE: GIS) to Outperform from Neutral citing management's improved execution and openness, and well as valuation.
Cantor raised shares of AudioCodes (NASDAQ: AUDC) to Buy from Hold after channel checks suggested that Q3 business is tracking well.
OceanFreight Inc (NASDAQ: OCNF) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Oppenheimer on valuation and strong dry-bulk fundamentals.
OTHER UPGRADES:
Lehman upgraded shares of Roche Holding (OTC: RHHBY) to Overweight from Equal Weight.
Deutsche Bank believes new product leverage can bring upside to consensus operating margin expectations at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and they view shares as attractively valued given its growth profile. The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $33 target.
Keybanc initiated shares of Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) with a Hold rating and sees slowing growth rates for revenue and net subscriber additions throughout the remainder of FY08 and beyond and thinks investor expectations are too high.
Keybanc also started shares of Taleo Corporation (NASDAQ: TLEO) with a Buy rating and $27 target, as it is well-positioned to gain market share in the Human Capital Management space.
Thomas Weisel believes McAfee Inc (NYSE: MFE) will benefit from PC market growth, enhanced awareness of the company's brand, and its renewed focus on product development for the midmarket corporate segment, and started shares with a Market Weight rating and $37 target.
OTHER INITIATIONS:
Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) was started at William Blair with an Outperform rating and at UBS with a Neutral rating and $37 target.
Merrill Lynch initiated shares of Zoltek Companies Inc (NASDAQ: ZOLT) with a Buy rating and $50 target.
It's a good time to be a little defensive in the stock market, to look at stocks with a history of increasing earnings as well as dividends. While these don't tend to have a catalyst that will vault them into the stratosphere the way a tech or biotech stock can, they give a lot of comfort when there's so much turmoil in the market.
The first thing to think about when you're on defense is the shape of the economy and the kinds of items consumers always buy, no matter what the economy is doing. Consumer spending makes up about 2/3 of the U.S. economy. What the consumer does matters. Right now many consumers are having trouble paying their mortgages. Housing prices are going down in many areas of the country. Large mortgage lenders such as Countrywide Financial Corp. (NYSE: CFC) and IndyMac Bancorp. (NYSE: IMB) k are having problems with their portfolios. Defensive investors won't be looking into the mortgage lending stocks for comfort.
More likely they'll be looking at companies that supply things that people must buy, things like drugs, toothpaste, gasoline, toilet paper (also known as bathroom stationery), soap, food, utilities, etc. These are the basics. They're supplied by many different companies, and many of those companies are improving, even in these difficult times. Here are just a few ideas (not recommendations for investing, but recommendations for more investigating):
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) will not sell its primary in-vitro and point-of-care diagnostics businesses to General Electric (NYSE: GE) as planned, both companies say, due to a disagreement on the final terms of the $8.13 billion proposal.
Despite being approved by regulators in the U.S. and Europe, GE says that it was in both of their best interests to terminate it. The move would have given GE its first entry into the laboratory testing space.
The Wall Street Journal believes that the breakup may have been related to the continued regulatory problems at Abbott's Irving, TX, manufacturing facility. The unit has been problematic for Abbott, with $100 million in fines back in 1999. The FDA called Abbott's devices "adulterated" and "misbranded," which could have made GE nervous about taking on regulatory issues.
Some analysts say the deal's failure is a good thing because they think GE was overpaying. "Health care," says JP Morgan's Stephen Tusa in the Journal, "is still a place that we want to see them invest."
Abbott said the decision to cancel the contract would have no impact on their previously issued second-quarter or full-year guidance, excluding specified items. JP Morgan told investors this morning to buy shares of Abbott on the weakness from the news, saying that while the break-up is a setback, the company's broader plan is still intact.
Less than a month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted "fast-track" status for the drug in order to speed up the application and review process, the Canadian drug maker said that CellCept, intended to treat a serious and rare form of lupus, failed to meet its primary endpoint in a late-stage trial. The Phase III clinical trial compared CellCept to intravenous cyclophosphamide, which is the current standard of care for lupus nephritis. 185 patients were tested with each, with the study showing that the response rates were similar in both.
Aspreva, which has a collaboration agreement with Roche Holding Ltd (OTC: RHHBY) for the drug, said that CellCept was not superior to the intravenous cyclophosphamide, its primary goal. The two companies announced they are currently in discussions to assess the drug's future potential, which is looking pretty grim right now.
Well, at least the company didn't put all of their drug-eggs in one lupus nephritis basket. Oh wait -- they did. Analysts believed CellCept would provide Aspreva with a steady revenue stream for the next three to four years, but without it, they believe this could create a selling opportunity.
The company, which develops drugs for patients that suffer from rare diseases that lack a multitude of treatments, saw shares drop 8% this morning.
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