Citigroup upgraded shares of Sovereign Bancorp (NYSE: SOV) to Buy from Hold on their belief Sovereign will merge with Banco Santander (NYSE: STD) according to the terms on their October 13 agreement.
Jefferies upgraded Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) to Hold from Underperform on valuation as they believe the capital infusion from Leonard Green limits downside risk. The company's target was raised to $11 from $9.50.
Banc of America upgraded Max Capital (NASDAQ: MXGL) to Buy from Neutral on valuation, the company's strategic changes to lower earnings volatility and their belief it is well positioned to benefit from an improved P&C marketplace.
Qimonda (NYSE: QI) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Cowen.
Health Net (NYSE: HNT) was raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.
Parkway Properties (NYSE: PKY) was lifted to Market Perform from Underperform at Wachovia.
PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Fortress (NYSE: FIG) was upgraded at Citigroup to Hold from Sell.
Prudential (NYSE: PUK) was lifted to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
Keefe Bruyette upgraded Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) to Outperform from Market Perform and added shares to their Best Ideas List on valuation as they see an attractive risk/reward at current levels.
UBS upgraded ASML Holding (NASDAQ: ASML) to Buy from Neutral on valuation as they believe the company remains a market leader.
Oppenheimer raised Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: SGEN) to Outperform from Perform on valuation following the recent weakness as they expect positive clinical news flow beginning in December.
Analyst downgrades:
UBS downgraded U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) to Sell from Buy and lowered its target to $30 from $60 citing deteriorating U.S. conditions and concerns about the company's high fixed costs in a falling steel price environment.
Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
China Unicom (NYSE: CHU) was lowered to Underweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
Stockholders of publicly traded companies, as well as the general public, have recently become outraged with executive compensation and their hefty bonuses, especially in light of the mounting losses at some companies. It seems that no matter what happens or what they do, executives somehow always win. They win big during their employment, and sometimes even more as they retire. With all that money, you'd think that haggling over some perks in their package would be beneath them . . . but it isn't.
The recent outrageous perk award goes to Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) CFO Jeffrey Misner who asked for and was granted a free lifetime parking spot at Jacksonville International Airport. As long as the 54-year-old retiree lives within 200 miles of Jacksonville Airport, and providing Continental has operations at the airport, Misner will have a free parking place. Of course, that's just a perk that goes with a $2,997,000 retirement pay.
At the beginning of the year, many were shocked to hear that Countrywide Financial Corp. -- the poster child of the subprime mortgage meltdown, which has been bought by Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) -- CEO Angelo Mozilo was going to receive a $36.4 million cash severance payments, $400,000 per year for consulting services, and perks including the use of a private airplane. He walked away from most of these after a public outcry. Don't feel bad though, he still left with at least $23.8 million.
It just doesn't cease to amaze me how some people have the nerve to ask for certain perks in addition to their very fine salaries and severance pays. Here are some more examples:
MOST NOTEWORTHY: The Aerospace sector, Boeing, Aurora Oil & Gas and Syniverse were today's noteworthy downgrades:
Goldman downgraded the Aerospace sector to Cautious from Neutral to reflect high oil prices and the weak economy. The firm also downgraded Boeing (NYSE: BA) shares to Sell from Neutral and added the stock to their Conviction Sell List as they expect the economic weakness and high fuel prices to drive slowing orders.
Jefferies downgraded shares of Aurora Oil & Gas (AMEX: AOG) to Underperform from Hold to reflect the company's falling production, minimal cash flow through the remainder of 2008, and limited access to capital.
Baird cut Syniverse (NYSE: SVR) to Neutral from Outperform as they believe the impact from the Verizon (NYSE: VZ)-Alltel merger could be greater than investors think.
OTHER DOWNGRADES:
Arch Chemicals (NYSE: ARJ) was lowered at Oppenheimer to Perform from Outperform.
Syniverse Holdings (NYSE: SVR) provides a variety of technology services to wireless telecommunications companies. Those services enable phone number portability; fraud management; the invoicing and settlement of wireless roaming calls; and the routing and translation of services between carriers. The company also offers data clearing and financial clearing services. Customers include AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ).
The firm pleased investors last week, when it reported Q1 EPS of 37 cents and revenues of $115.6 million. Analysts had been looking for 26 cents and $102.4 million. In discussing the quarter, the CEO noted particular strength in messaging and mobile data. Management also guided FY08 revenues to $455-$465 million ($435.83M consensus). JP Morgan subsequently upgraded the shares to "overweight". Wedbush Morgan reiterated its "strong buy," Lehman Brothers its "overweight" and Brean Murray its "buy." Price targets ranged between $24 and $26.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Comcast, Time Warner Cable, YRC Worldwide and Syniverse were today's noteworthy upgrades:
Soleil upgraded shares of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) to Buy from Hold on improving fundamentals, as they believe the economic stimulus package should drive consumer demand in 2H08.
Stephens upgraded shares of YRC Worldwide (NASDAQ: YRCW) to Overweight from Underweight as they believe management is making meaningful changes.
Syniverse (NYSE: SVR) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan. The firm upgraded shares based on accelerating organic growth from consumer wireless data usage.
OTHER UPGRADES:
Deutsche Bank upgraded NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX) to Buy from Hold.
ThinkEquity upgraded Syniverse Holdings Inc (NYSE: SVR) to Buy from Accumulate citing growth from further price reductions and adoption of new technologies that will drive transaction volumes.
Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: ATI) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.The firm upgraded Allegheny based on valuation, low stainless steel inventories, and nickel price stabilization.
OTHER UPGRADES:
Napster Inc (NASDAQ: NAPS) was upgraded to Outperform from Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
Syniverse Holdings (NYSE: SVR) provides a variety of technology services to wireless telecommunications companies. Those services enable phone number portability; fraud management; the invoicing and settlement of wireless roaming calls; and the routing and translation of services between carriers. The company also offers data clearing and financial clearing services. Customers include AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ).
The firm pleased investors last week when it said it expected fourth-quarter revenues to fall in the range of $369-$371 million. That topped the consensus Wall Street estimate of $363.4 million. Management also said it expected FY08 revenues of $425-$440 million ($405.72M consensus) and FY08 free cash flow of more than $100 million. Wedbush Morgan subsequently reiterated its "strong buy" recommendation and boosted its price target to $23. SVR shares popped on the news and then moved into a bullish "flag" consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling on entry. In this case, that would be to the upside.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Novartis AG (NVS), Intel (INTC), Total S.A. (TOT), Syniverse Holdings, Inc (SVR) and Kindred Healthcare (KND) were today's noteworthy downgrades:
Merrill cut Novartis (NYSE: NVS) to Neutral from Buy based on a lack of near-term catalysts. Credit Suisse downgraded shares of the company to Underperform from Neutral on expectations of slowing sales growth in 2H07.
JMP Securities downgraded Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) to Market Perform from Outperform based on valuation and lower estimates.
JP Morgan cut Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT) to Neutral from Overweight on valuation.
Syniverse (NYSE: SVR) was cut to Strong Sell from Sell at Matrix USA as competition in North America is creating a cut in Network Services and Number Portability Services revenue.
Kindred Healthcare (NYSE: KND) was cut to Underperform from Market Perform at Wachovia based on valuation...
OTHER DOWNGRADES:
DaVita (NYSE: DVA) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO), Circuit City Stores Inc (CC) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) are today's more notable downgrades:
Both Soleil and Citigroup downgraded Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (NASDAQ: TTWO) to Sell from Hold following the company's earnings shortfall and reduced guidance.
Piper Jaffray downgraded Circuit City Stores Inc (NYSE: CC) to Market Perform from Outperform and a $20 target, based on checks that indicate weak sales trends following Christmas.
AG Edwards removed Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE: XOM) from its Focus Portfolio, believing the company offers less upside potential than other companies in the energy sector...
OTHER DOWNGRADES:
Harrah's Entertainment Inc (NYSE: HET) was cut to Neutral from Buy at Buckingham Research.
Sasol Limited ADR (NYSE: SSL) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Citigroup based on the persistent regulator risk.
ThinkEquity cut Syniverse Holdings Inc (NYSE: SVR) to Source of Funds from Accumulate citing expectations for increased competition and price pressures.
Citigroup downgraded Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc (NYSE: BRL) to Hold from buy.
First Albany cut Shuffle Master Inc (NASDAQ: SHFL) to Neutral from Buy.
Jefferies downgraded Omnicare Inc (NYSE: OCR) to Hold from Buy with a $44 target.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT), Harrah's Entertainment Inc (HET) and Avaya Inc (AV) were some of today's most notable downgrades:
JP Morgan downgraded Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE: LMT) to Underweight from Neutral, citing Lockheed's outperformance as well as expectations for a more challenging environment for defense stocks.
Harrah's Entertainment (NYSE: HET) was downgraded to Neutral from Add at Calyon based on the expected buyout.
Thomas Weisel downgraded Avaya Inc (NYSE: AV) to Underweight from Market Weight based on increased concerns that shares are not sufficiently discounting transition risks associated with AV's strategic shift from telephony hardware to software and applications, driven by the shift towards VoIP from TDM technology.
OTHER DOWNGRADES:
JP Morgan removed Dover Corp (NYSE: DOV) from its Focus List.
Baird downgraded PRA International (NASDAQ: PRAI) to Underperform from Neutral following a disappointing Q4 report.
Syniverse Holdings Inc (NYSE: SVR) was downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Raymond James and Avondale Partners; Kaufman Bros cut Syniverse to Hold from Buy, while Bear Stearns downgraded Syniverse to Underperform from Peer Perform.
Roth Capital downgraded Shuffle Master (NASDAQ: SHFL) to Hold from Buy.
Lazard cut Overseas Shipholding Group (NYSE: OSG) to Hold from Buy.
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Analyst upgrades:
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The firm pleased investors last week when it said it expected fourth-quarter revenues to fall in the range of $369-$371 million. That topped the consensus Wall Street estimate of $363.4 million. Management also said it expected FY08 revenues of $425-$440 million ($405.72M consensus) and FY08 free cash flow of more than $100 million. Wedbush Morgan subsequently reiterated its "strong buy" recommendation and boosted its price target to $23. SVR shares popped on the news and then moved into a bullish "flag" consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling on entry. In this case, that would be to the upside.
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