MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal's "Smartmoney Stock Screen" looks at eight companies whose valuations make them ripe to buy, and they also may be in the sites of corporate buyers. The big eight include Asbury Automotive Group Inc (NYSE: ABG), Crane Company (NYSE: CR), Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG).
• The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg said in the "Personal Technology" column that he cannot recommend Apple Inc's (NASDAQ: AAPL) MobileMe, as it has "too many flaws to keep its promises".
• The Wall Street Journal also speculated that the collapse this week of SemGroup LP, which is the parent of SemGroup Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: SGLP), may have played a role in the 14% drop in crude oil over the past 10 days.
• In a move that could take advantage of the gap in the financing markets, The Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) raised $10B to invest in loans backing leveraged buyouts. The fund will reportedly buy senior loans, the Financial Times reported.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Former American International Group Inc (NYSE: AIG) chief Hank Greenberg is reportedly in settlement talks with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo over charges that Greenberg improperly inflated corporate books to show improved profits, the New York Post said.

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

• American International Group Inc. (NYE: AIG) reported a loss of $7.8 billion but raised its dividend.
• Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: BRL) missed earnings estimates and lowered its guidance.
• D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) posted a larger-than-expected Q2 loss on further write-downs.
• Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) posted its third straight quarterly loss on the continuing housing slump.
• Hansen Natural Corp. (NASDAQ: HANS) lower-than-estimated Q1 profit led shares to a 52-week low.
• Lazard Ltd. (NYSE: LAZ) net income dropped 71% on a fall-off of M&A activity and a write-down.
• MGM Mirage Inc. NYSE: MGM) Q1 profits were dragged down by decreased consumer spending.
• Pilgrims Pride Corp. (NYSE: PPC) widened its Q2 loss due to the rising cost of feed.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) swung to a Q1 loss as revenue declined in all units.
• Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q) net income and revenue fell in the first quarter.
• Scotts Miracle Gro Co. (NYSE: SMG) blamed a slow start to spring for its Q2 profit decline.
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: TEVA) posted a Q1 loss due to a charge.
• THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) posted a loss for its fourth quarter and revenues flat for the year.
• Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) posted lower-than-expected Q4 results due to the U.S. economic slump.
• Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) Q2 loss widened and it suspended its quarterly dividend.

While Scotts Miracle Gro Co. (NYSE: SMG) Monday blamed a slow start to spring and recalls for a drop in second-quarter profits, Pilgrims Pride Corp. (NYSE: PPC) said its second-quarter loss widened due to rising feed costs and a restructuring charge. And analysts expect lower consumer spending on leisure travel and a drop in business travel to drag on Avis Budget Group Inc. (NYSE: CAR) first-quarter results when it reports on Tuesday.

Discounting charges, Marysville, Ohio-based Scotts reported it made $77.7 million, or $1.19 per share for the quarter ended March 29, two cents better than the forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Revenue fell 4% to $958 million. The company also warned that profits would likely fall below Wall Street forecasts for the year.

Pilgrim's Pride, the nation's largest chicken producer, lost $111.5 million, or $1.67 per share, in the three months ended March 29 compared with a loss of $40.1 million, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose to $2.10 billion. Analysts had expected a loss of 81 cents per share on $2.09 billion in sales. The company said feed costs would probably push the company to another loss in the current quarter as well.

Analysts expect Parsippany, New Jersey-based Avis to break even on a per share basis, on $1.37 billion revenue. In last year's first quarter, the company posted profit of 12 cents per share. It's unclear how much of an effect the current economic conditions will have on Avis's full-year 2008 results, but in April, rival Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) managed to post an adjusted quarterly profit that beat Wall Street predictions.

Shares of Scotts ended the day up 1.2%, but fell nearly 12% in after-hours trading to $30.00. Pilgrim's Pride fell less than 1% during the day, then another 1.1% after hours to $23.59. Avis also continued its slide into after-hours trading, down to $13.49.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Merrill Lynch, Yahoo! and T Rowe Price were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) to Underperform from Perform on valuation and their negative outlook related to the monoline insurers given MER's overall exposure to sub-prime mortgage related assets. The broker believes MER could have an additional write-down of $10B if the monolines were to be downgraded and that MER shares are valued more appropriately below $44.
  
• Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Citigroup and lowered their target to $22 from $33 to reflect the company's continued share losses in the search market and uncertainty over 2008 investments. Oppenheimer lowered shares to Perform from Outperform and lowered their target to $20 from $30 to reflect the weaker than expected 2008 margin guidance.
  
• Friedman Billings downgraded T Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW) to Underperform from Market Perform and expects margin pressure in 2008.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• JP Morgan downgraded Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) to Neutral from Overweight.
  
• UBS lowered Centex (NYSE: CTX) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Merrill lowered American Campus (NYSE: ACC) to Neutral from Buy.

According to a story in today's New York Times, American sugar beet growers have committed to planting a genetically modified strain that will allow them to control weeds via use of Scott Miracle-Gro's (NYSE:SMG) Round-up product. The farmers expect that the Monsanto-developed beet will lower their production costs by eliminating hand-weeding and increasing yield.

Expect this to trigger another round of public controversy about genetically modified crops, held in great suspicion by world markets. Although the product was approved by the U.S. government in 2005, reluctance among manufacturers to contend with public distrust of modified foods led growers to hold back on adoption.

Look for this issue to raise other sugar-related discussions, including U.S. and E.U. price supports and the lack of free access to these markets by third world sugar suppliers, and the environmental cost of cane sugar growing practices. If Monsanto (NYSE:MON) can overcome these objections, it will represent another major step in cultivating acceptance for other genetically modified crops, which would bode well for the company's future.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Palm, Inc (PALM), New Century Financial Corp (NEW), Yahoo! (YHOO) and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc (SIRI) were some of today's more notable downgrades.

• JP Morgan downgraded Palm, Inc (NASDAQ: PALM) to Underweight from Neutral citing product line, execution and competition concerns.

• New Century Financial Corp (NYSE: NEW) was downgraded to Underperform from Hold at Jefferies and suspended their estimates as they believe the 10-K filing delay indicates that the company's financial and operating situation continues to deteriorate.

• Matrix USA cut Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) to Sell from Hold, providing an intrinsic value of $25. They believe strong competition, as well as rising popularity and accessibility of free social and entertainment content, is negatively impacting the company.

• Barrington downgraded Sirius Satellite Radio inc (NASDAQ: SIRI) to Market Perform from Outperform. The firm believes 2007 sub-growth target will lag previous forecasts.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• JP Morgan downgraded shares of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co (NYSE: SMG) to Neutral from Overweight based on SMG's lower fundamental visibility with recent increases in raw materials and the company's underperformance during its peak-season.

• JP Morgan also downgraded Marvell Technology Group Ltd (NASDAQ: MRVL) to reflect dilution concerns from the XScale acquisition, slow end-market growth and stock option uncertainty.

• Jefferies downgraded Humana Inc (NYSE: HUM) to Hold from Buy with a $60 target after checks confirmed concerns that recent budgetary analysis in Washington has heightened the risk for legislation to curb Medicare Advantage program growth.

• RBC cut Mediacomm Communications Corp (NASDAQ: MCCC) to Underperform from Sector Perform based on valuation.

• Wachovia downgraded Atlas Pipeline Partners (NYSE: APL) to Market Perform from Outperform following the company's Q4 shortfall.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).