Analyst Upgrades

• Oracle (ORCL) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Accenture (ACN) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Advanced Energy (AEIS) and Applied Materials (AMAT) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Spreadtrum (SPRD) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Healthcare Realty Trust (HR) and Tortoise Energy Capital (TYY) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Global Payments (GPN) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• CBS (CBS) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Sonic (SONC) to outperform from neutral at Cowen.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ACN, AMAT, AZN, BBT, CBS, GPN, IP, ORCL, PKG, SONC, V ...

Analyst Calls: ACN, AMAT, AZN, BBT, CBS, GPN, IP, ORCL, PKG, SONC, V ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo believes Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) da Vinci procedures remain under penetrated and that consensus estimates are too low. The firm upgraded shares to outperform from market perform and raised its valuation range to $340 to $360.
• Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Westamerica (WABC) to buy from hold due to the company's FDIC-assisted acquisition of Sonoma Bank and what the firm sees as Westamerica's defensive nature. The firm set a $62 target on the stock.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Corning (GLW) to outperform from perform based on valuation and the belief that downward revisions have peaked. The firm has a $20 target on the stock.
• Quality Systems (QSII) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• OpenTable (OPEN) and Windstream (WIN) were upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: FDO, GLW, ISRG, MDT, N, NLY, QLIK, RLD, TSL, WABC ...

Analyst Calls: FDO, GLW, ISRG, MDT, N, NLY, QLIK, RLD, TSL, WABC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup upgraded JPMorgan (JPM) to buy from hold on valuation as it finds the risk/reward on shares attractive following yesterday's sell-off. Citi keeps a $48 price target on the stock.
• Oppenheimer upgraded International Game Tech (IGT) to outperform from perform as it believes fundamentals for slot suppliers will improve over the next two years. The firm has a $29 price target on the stock.
• SunTrust believes Perry Ellis (PERY) is now positioned to deliver stronger margins and significant reductions in charge-backs. Shares were upgraded to buy from neutral.
• Nordstrom (JWN) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Tyson Foods (TSN) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Consol Energy (CNX) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMAT, BDX, JPM, JWN, POT, SCHW, TSN ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMAT, BDX, JPM, JWN, POT, SCHW, TSN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The new earnings season ramps up this week as Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) reports fourth-quarter results. Last week, the Pittsburgh-based producer of aluminum and alumina announced layoffs and production cuts as a reaction to the economic downturn. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect that Alcoa will have swung to its first quarterly loss in years: $0.10 per share. That compares to a profit of $0.36 per share in the same period of the previous year. Revenues for the quarter are expected to have fallen 28.8% from a year ago to $5.3 billion. For 2008, analysts are looking for earnings of $1.40 per share on revenue of $27.6 billion, down from $2.60 per share and $30.8 billion in the previous year. Alcoa missed earnings estimates in three of the past five quarters, by 25.4% in the third quarter. The consensus recommendation of analysts shifted from buy to hold AA during the past quarter. The share price has been climbing in recent weeks, but it is 65.6% lower than a year ago.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) is also scheduled to report fourth-quarter results this week, one of a handful of tech stocks to do so. The number one semiconductor maker is expected to post earnings down 86.8% to $0.05 per share, and sales of $8.2 billion, down 23.3% from a year ago. Last week, Intel forecast sales for the quarter of $8.2 billion. The full-year numbers are expected to be marginally lower than a year ago, or $0.94 per share on $37.7 billion. Intel only missed earnings estimates in one of the past five quarters. Shares are about $2.00 higher than the 52-week low, but 37.2% lower than a year ago.

Continue reading The week in preview: Alcoa, Intel kick off new earnings season

The week in preview: Alcoa, Intel kick off new earnings season originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Media World: Don Imus returns and so will his media pals

Media World: Don Imus returns and so will his media pals originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Citadel Broadcasting Corp. (NYSE: CDL) may be struggling even more than its potential new employee Don Imus.

Shares of the Las Vegas-based company have tanked more than 55% this year because the company is in the radio business which continues to suck wind. Excluding the acquisition of ABC Radio from Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS), the company's revenue fell 2 percent in the second quarter. Net income was a tiny $3.8 million, or 3 cents per share. The acquisition made Citadel the proud owners of New York's WABC, Imus' possible new home.

Imus seems to be a good fit with the rest of WABC's lineup which includes Sean Hanity and Rush Limbaugh, both of whom can be at least as offensive if not more so. The I-Man's legion of fans, many of whom responded to my posts on their hero, will no doubt flock to his new show. He will be hailed as someone who got beaten down by the forces of political correctness and lived. Advertisers will be attracted to the program like moths to a flame.

The question is will this new Imus be much different than the old one. If he's too nice, people won't listen. If he's too much like his old self, people won't think he's learned his lesson and advertisers will be turned off.

Interestingly, Craig Carton who is replacing him at CBS Corp.'s (NYSE: CBS) WFAN is no slouch in the controversy department himself. As the more talkative and funny half of the "Jersey Guys" radio show, Carton grabbed huge ratings and controversy for offending politicians and members of minority groups.

Back in April, I suggested that he would make a good replacement for Imus. Someone emailed Carton the post which he read on the air. I called into the "Jersey Guys" and spoke with him briefly. He promised to send me token of appreciation. I'm still waiting.

And Craig, you're welcome.

Media World: Why Citadel Broadcasting (CDL) may take a chance on Don Imus originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.