"It seems plausible to expect the index to return about 13% in the coming year; not exactly a runaway bull, but a bright enough prospect to keep us in the game," says blue chip expert Richard Band.

The editor of Profitable Investing explains, "Here are three growth-and-income names that I deem suitable for virtually all investors of any age: Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Sysco (SYY) and Time Warner (TWX).

"Whether you're three years or 33 years from retirement, now is a good time to stock up on this trio of growth and income recommendations.

Continue reading A Growth and Income Trio for All Investors

A Growth and Income Trio for All Investors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Best Buy (BBY) was upgraded to top pick from outperform at RBC Capital, as the firm thinks the company's valuation is inexpensive while it will perform well during the holiday season.
• Credit Suisse upgraded CF Industries (CF) to outperform from neutral, citing favorable fundamentals in nitrogen and phosphate markets.
• Canadian Solar (CSIQ) was raised to buy from hold by Jefferies, which cited expectations for higher selling prices next year and cost savings from sourcing more components internally.
• BMO Capital upgraded RC2 Corp. (RCRC) to outperform from market perform as the firm believes that RC2's baby products are performing better than previously expected.
• Ericsson (ERIC) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merril.
• ProLogis (PLD) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• Constellation Energy (CEG) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ABC, BBY, CF, CSIQ, ERIC, MO, N, NAV, ORLY, PCAR, RCRC, SYY ...

Analyst Calls: ABC, BBY, CF, CSIQ, ERIC, MO, N, NAV, ORLY, PCAR, RCRC, SYY ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sysco (SYY) closed Monday's session on a down note. It lost 2.3% of its value, settling at a quote of $29.28. The shares have traded in a narrow range over the past twelve months; the 52-week low is $23.90 and the 52-week high is $31.99. Will the stock break out of that range to the upside anytime soon?

I wouldn't bet on it. According to the fourth-quarter earnings report, adjusted sales increased 5.8%. Net income was reported to be 57 cents per share; once adjusted, there was no year-over-year growth. The adjustment in both cases was for an extra week in fiscal 2009's Q4.

Continue reading Sysco Earnings Show Flat Adjusted Income in Q4

Sysco Earnings Show Flat Adjusted Income in Q4 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Investors and analysts may be wondering whether the market rally is really over, and whether this signals more trouble ahead for the economy. Well, the Federal Reserve is scheduled to release its next Beige Book report of economic conditions on Wednesday, offering a glimpse of where things stand. The Beige Book report in July suggested that, in some of the 12 Fed districts, the economy appeared to be stabilizing, suggesting that the recession may have reached its bottom, but offering little sign of a recovery. Retail activity remained weak and employment numbers were not good. Yet the minutes of the FOMC August meeting seemed a bit more optimistic about the economy.

In addition to the Beige Book report, the TIPP Economic Optimism Index is scheduled to be released Tuesday, and the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index comes out Friday. So by the end of the week, we could have a good gauge of the mood about the U.S. economy.

Continue reading The week in preview: It's Beige Book time again

The week in preview: It's Beige Book time again originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Albany Molecular Research Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRI) topped estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Q3 earnings and revenues tumbled but beat low expectations.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) fell short of Q3 earnings expectations due to rising materials costs.
• Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. (NYSE: EL) posted strong Q4 results that led shares to a new 52-week high.
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings and lifted its full-year forecast.
• JCPenney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) Q2 profit slipped but still topped analysts' expectations.
• LDK Solar Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Q2 net income soared, easily beating analysts' estimates.
• Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ) rebounded from its tumble after its disappointing Q2 report.
• MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) posted strong Q2 results despite downgrades of its financial ratings.
• Newcastle Investments Corp. (NYSE: NCT) despite negative earnings, it announced a quarterly dividend.
• Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) posted dismal Q2 results and announced a share buyback program.
• Sysco Corp. (NYSE: SYY) Q4 earnings topped expectaitons on demand for bulk food products.
• TJX Cos. (NYSE: TJX) strong Q2 results fell short of expectations, as did the Q3 earnings forecast.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) topped Q2 estimates due to bargain seekers and international sales.

Also, Jim Cramer warns against bearishness on the financials and also suggests that the collapse of commodities will buoy earings.

For more highlights from this week, see: Abercrombie, Macy's, Kohl's, Sirius, UBS, Wachovia and others

Upcoming quarterly reports include Lowe's (NYSE: LOW), Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), Target (NYSE: TGT), La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB), Saks (NYSE: SKS), BJ's Wholesale (NYSE: BJ), Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD), Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS), Burger King (NYSE: BKC), Gap (NYSE: GPS), Heinz (NYSE: HNZ), and Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Wal-Mart, JCPenney, MBIA, Deere, Applied Materials and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

SYSCO (SYY) Q4 earnings impress originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 5pm
• UTStarcom Inc (NASDAQ: UTSI) to hold business news update at 6pm

• Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) to hold special media event at the London flagship store at 10am
• Federal Open Market Commiittee meeting; announcement at 2:15pm
• Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting (Two-day Meeting, 9/18 - 9/19)

• General Mills Inc (NYSE: GIS) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 8:30am
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 11am.

• The Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 8:30am
• The Bear Stearns Companies Inc (NYSE: BSC) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 10am
• Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 5pm

• Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) to hold analyst meeting at 8am
• Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LINTA) to hold 2007 Investors' Meeting at 9am
• Alexander & Baldwin Inc (NASDAQ: ALEX) strategic update at 2pm

Market highlights for next week: ADBE, GIS, MS, GS and BSC to report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• William Blair believes Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG) has the best growth profile in large-cap biotechnology and initiated shares with an Outperform rating.

• Citigroup views Sysco (NYSE: SYY) as the dominant leader in the foodservice distribution industry, initiating shares with a Buy rating, and feels the company will continue to take market share from its peers. The firm thinks the current valuation reflects the perception that Sysco may perform poorly in the near-term, which they disagree with.

• Wachovia started Kinetic Concepts (NYSE: KCI) with a Market Perform, citing competitive pressures and mature markets for its rating.

• Wachovia is positive on BioMimetic Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BMTI), initiating shares with an Outperform, based on strong rhPDGF technology, strategy, and management team.

• Wachovia is positive on Lifecell Corp's (NASDAQ: LIFC) Strattice, a porcine tissue matrix, which improves the company's international exposure and provides opportunities in new markets, initiating shares with an Outperform...

• Credit Suisse initiated Community Health (NYSE: CYH) and Universal Health (NYSE: UHS) with Outperform ratings, LifePoint (NASDAQ: LPNT) with a Neutral rating, and Health Management (NYSE: HMA) and Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) with Underperform ratings.

Analyst initiations: CELG, SYY, THC and UHS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 9:45am.
• PDUFA date for Indevus Pharmaceuticals Inc's (NASDAQ: IDEV) Sanctura XR, an overactive bladder drug.

• The Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 9am. Home Depot is expected to post substantial Q2 revenue/EPS declines, but equally important will be the company's comments: with the housing sector expected to remain sluggish through at least late 2007, analysts will evaluate whether HD can overcome that headwind with a new focus on customer service, demographic trends that suggest increased home repair/remodeling, and 20-year high homeownership rates that suggest steady house goods demand.
• District Court California: Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) to request an injunction related to Qualcom Incorporated's (Nasdaq: QCOM) infringement of 3 Broadcom cellular baseband patents.

• Macy's Inc (NYSE: M) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 10:30am.
• PDUFA date for GPC Biotech's (NASDAQ: GPCB) Satraplatin for treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer.

• JC Penney Co Inc (NYSE: JCP) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 9:30am.
• Hewlett Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 5pm. Analysts will evaluate HPQ's ability to maintain momentum in its innovative imaging/printing group, which is expected to help HPQ post solid Q3 revenue gains.

• Quantum Corporation (NYSE: QTM) to hold annual shareholder meeting at 12pm.
• PDUFA Date for Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc's (NASDAQ: ENDP) and Vernalis PLC's (OTC: VNLSY) Frova, for menstrually-related migraine headaches.

Market highlights for next week: Home Depot (HD), Macy's (M) to report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Sunpower Corp (NASDAQ: SPWR) was downgraded to Buy from Strong Buy at Needham and to Neutral from Buy at Merrill Lynch, both based on valuation.

• U.S. Steel Group (NYSE: X) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse on valuation.

• Sysco Corp (NYSE: SYY), Safeway Inc (NYSE: SWY), Performance Food Group (NASDAQ: PFGC) and Kroger (NYSE: KR) were downgraded to Hold from Buy at BB&T Capital. The firm expects higher food cost inflation to impact near-term real sales growth and margins industry-wide...

• Merrill Lynch downgraded shares of Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN) to Sell from Neutral following the company's Q2 report.

• Hershey (NYSE: HSY) was downgraded to Peer Perform from Outperform at Bear Stearns.

• Matrix downgraded shares of Park Electrochemical (NYSE: PKE) to Buy from Strong Buy and shares of Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) to Hold from Buy.

• Lehman Brothers downgraded shares of Williams Scotsman (NASDAQ: WLSC) to Equal Weight from Overweight.

Analyst downgrades 7-20-07: HSY, KR, SWY and X originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Weekday Trader" wrote that NYC tax medallion financier and owner Medallion Financial Corp (NASDAQ: TAXI) is a play on the rising value of the New York City's taxi medallions, currently worth $600K each.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that General Electric Company's (NYSE: GE) NBC next week will use a 1950s standard, live advertisements, to keep viewers watching commercials in the age of digital video recorders.

• Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) will cut over 700 jobs at two Tennessee plants, reported the Associated Press.
• The U.K. Times has learned that food service company Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) will bid for British food company Brake Bros, which has also drawn interest from Archie Norman and Blackstone.
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" section:
  
• Without belittling the challenge Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) faces from its bribery scandal, investors will now start paying attention to the company's earnings, according to Michael Hagmann of UBS.
  
• MCF Corporation (NYSE: MEM) is a small financial services operation with a cheap price, given its 50% annual growth rate, said Scott Potter of San Francisco Equity Partners.
  
• John Maloney, president of M&R Capital Management, sees National Bank of Greece (NYSE: NBG) benefiting from the booming economies of Southeastern Europe.

Newspaper wrap-up 6-08-07: NBC to play live ads originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sysco's system: Instant frozen gratification originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Numbers are Actual vs. Estimate

• Goodrich Corp. (NYSE: GR) 78c vs. 67c
• Goodrich profits increased on a jump in sales of aircraft equipment to Boeing and Airbus. The company said margin expansion associated with sales growth and improved operating efficiencies are primary reasons for a continued positive outlook.
  

• International Paper Company (NYSE: IP) 47c vs. 35c
• The company's profits rose on a gain from the sale of its U.S. forestlands and a strong operating profit from its industrial packaging unit. IP is transforming operations to focus on its global uncoated papers and packaging business.
  

• Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) 92c vs. 73c
• Higher room rates helped to contribute to a strong quarter for the parent of hotel chains including St. Regis, Westin and Sheraton. The company has been enjoying strong travel demand and limited growth in supply. It has also been selling hotels and retaining management contracts to free up cash.
• Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) 63c vs. 57c
• The video game publisher had a 38% drop in quarterly profit but beat Wall Street targets, overcoming investor anxiety that holiday shortages of new video game consoles would hurt sales. Shares rose 6% on the news. Company CFO Warren Jenson said EA was entering a growth period.

Continue reading High (and low) lights from this week's earnings releases

High (and low) lights from this week's earnings releases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cisco spending big dollar to get its brand in your face originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.