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

• Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) higher Q3 earnings topped expectations but revenue was in line.
• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NYSE: AMD) posted better-than-expected Q3 results, but shares sold off.
• Allegheny Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ATI) was downgraded on concerns about its Q4 guidance.
• Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) shares fell after it posted a deeper-than-expected quarterly loss.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) fell victim to profit taking despite reporting better-than-expected earnings.
• CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX) better-than-expected Q3 earnings sent shares higher, despite a decline in revenue.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: C, GE, GOOG, HOG, INTC, IBM, JNJ, JPM, MAT, NOK ...

Earnings highlights: C, GE, GOOG, HOG, INTC, IBM, JNJ, JPM, MAT, NOK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Winnebago (NYSE: WGO) is up well over 8% at the time of this writing during afternoon trading. Yep, it's one of those stories: post a revenue decline and a loss and get rewarded. For the fourth quarter, sales dropped 30%, and the loss per share on an adjusted basis came in at 19 cents.

The full-year picture was also rather dire. Sales plummeted over 60%, and the company lost an adjusted $1.28 per share. Just awful. How in the world can the market love these numbers?

Continue reading Winnebago rises on Q4 report

Winnebago rises on Q4 report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Q2 earnings were in line with expectations but sales beat.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat earnings estimates for Q1, but on horrible metrics, sending shares lower.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) lower Q2 earnings beat expectations and previous guidance, boosting shares.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profit and sales dropped, but still beat expectations, sending shares higher.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) traveled to Wall Street on Thursday to deliver its Q3 earnings numbers. The market thought that the results were worthy of a 10% increase in the stock price. Winnebago closed yesterday at $7.15 per share. The 52-week low on the stock is $3.14. Volume was active during the trading session. So, is Winnebago a buy?

Let's check out some of the stats. According to the press release (pdf file), net sales saw a very steep decline of more than 60%. Winnebago lost 29 cents per share in this year's third quarter versus a profit of 10 cents per share in last year's similar period. However, analysts expected a loss of 27 cents per share. Since Winnebago didn't beat the analyst community, you have to wonder why the market was so excited and in a frenzy to bid shares higher.

Continue reading Winnebago doesn't win the expectations game in Q3

Winnebago doesn't win the expectations game in Q3 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last summer, with oil prices at $150 per barrel, drivers stayed in the garage. This season will be different. You can't keep Americans off the road for long.

If camping is your thing, perhaps traveling the open road in a Winnebago (NYSE: WGO) will do you well. There is no better way to sight see or camp. And with gas prices lower, it will be a trip that is much easier to swallow.

I suspect I'm not alone. In fact, Winnebago sales are likely to do well over the coming years as more of the baby boomer generation retires. The stock trades for less than 50% off highs reached in the past year.

Continue reading Stock #3: Winnebago Industries (WGO)

Stock #3: Winnebago Industries (WGO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 31 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Before you retreat to your favorite summer locale with the perfect book, let's take a look at the stocks set to profit as consumers look to enjoy the fruits of their labor over the next several months.

For me, summer means lots of boating, fishing, and time with my family. And this year I'll be doing more of each to make up for lost time spent hunkering down during the downturn.

As such, companies that make the goods in each of these categories should do well. That's how it goes during a recession. Demand builds as we retreat to preserve cash and fix balance sheets.

Continue reading 5 hot summer stocks for cool profits

5 hot summer stocks for cool profits originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve's FOMC holds two-day meeting on interest rates and will announce its decision on Wednesday. The Fed's Ben Bernanke will still be out and about this week, discussing the failure of Lehman Brothers later today, and ending up the week speaking at the Independent Community Bankers of America National Convention and Techworld.

Manufacturing will be in focus this week, starting with industrial production numbers for February and the Empire State Manufacturing Survey Diffusion Index for March scheduled to be released Monday morning. Tuesday morning will bring us the Producer Price Index for February, and Thursday morning comes the Philadelphia Fed Outlook Survey -- Diffusion Index Manufacturing for March.

Continue reading The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers

The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Oppenheimer upgraded shares of National City (NYSE: NCC) to Outperform from Perform on valuation as they believe the bank is not seeing a mass exodus of depositors.
  
• Wachovia upgraded Brookfield Infrastructure (NYSE: BIP) to Outperform from Market Perform due to what the firm sees as the company's solid cash flow growth outlook, strong balance sheet, and discounted valuation.
  
• Baird upgraded Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB) to Outperform from Neutral citing valuation and improving 2009 prospects from 8800, 8600, and 7100 products and better Opex management..
• Take-Two (NASDAQ: TTWO) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Cowen.
  
• UBS raised Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Borg-Warner (NYSE: BWA) was raised to Buy from Hold at Keybanc.

• Merriman downgraded shares of TheStreet.com (NASDAQ: TSCM) and Bankrate (NASDAQ: RATE) to Neutral from Buy to reflect concerns about display advertising trends and the company's above average exposure to the financial vertical.
  
• Baird downgraded Monaco Coach (NYSE: MNC) to Neutral from Outperform and Thor Industries (NYSE: THO) and Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) to Underperform from Neutral citing valuations and checks that indicate "dreadful" fundamentals.
  
• RBC Capital downgraded Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to Sector Perform from Outperform citing weakening consumer spending, reduced visibility, and risks to valuation. The company's target was lowered to $140 from $200.

Continue reading Analyst calls: AAPL, NCC, NT, TLAB, TTWO, TSCM, HOT, CHK ...

Analyst calls: AAPL, NCC, NT, TLAB, TTWO, TSCM, HOT, CHK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profits tumbled despite its aggressive expansion program.
• Chiquita Brands International Inc. (NYSE: CQB) warned it would miss earnings due to cost hikes.
• Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE: CC) Q1 loss widened as same-store sales dwindled.
• Commercial Metals Co. (NYSE: CMC) Q3 profits declined despite strong demand, but beat estimates.
• Coventry Healthcare Inc. (NYSE: CVH) lowered its Q2 and full-year outlooks after a disappointing April.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) missed estimates on higher fuel prices and offered lackluster guidance.
• Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) warned that 2008 full-year results would be worse than those of 2007.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) was downgraded by JP Morgan because of risk to earnings.
• J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) missed Q4 earnings expectations despite acquisitions-based growth.
• La-Z-Boy Inc. (NYSE: LZB) said it swung to a Q4 loss due to diminishing retail sales.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) CEO expressed his disappointment in the Q2 results.
• Merrill Lynch & Co. (NYSE: MER) profit warnings and write-downs hit the rumor mill.
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) beat low expectations despite a hefty decline in Q2 profits (see transcript).
• Pier 1 Imports Inc. (NYSE: PIR) narrowed its Q1 loss but still fell short of expectations.
• Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE: WGO) posted dismal Q3 results but still beat low expectations.

More earnings highlights from this week: Goldman Sachs, Best Buy, General Mills, Carnival and others

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Morgan Stanley, FedEx, Ford, GE, Circuit City and others

Earnings highlights: Morgan Stanley, FedEx, Ford, GE, Circuit City and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) dropped well over 9% on Friday. This sell-off came in response to the company's third-quarter earnings. They were awful. The top line declined over 39% to $139.7 million. Net income dropped precipitously to $0.10 per diluted share. In last year's Q3, Winnebago booked earnings of $0.35 per diluted share.

Winnebago came out on top in terms of earnings expectations. Wall Street was only looking for $0.03 per share. In this case, though, I think the sell-off was warranted, even with bottom-line performance that was better than expected. First, the company did generate an operating loss. Second, the economy is struggling with high energy prices and the prospect of a Fed that might need to become aggressive against inflation at some point, two things that will not inspire confidence in the consumer. Third, with the market in a tailspin yet again, Winnebago is not a defensive stock at all. It would be like buying Ford (NYSE: F) or General Motors (NYSE: GM) to ride out the recession.

Winnebago's stock is near the 52-week low. It has a high yield, but that does nothing for me. I don't think of this company as a value in the slightest. Putting motor homes in my portfolio in this environment is not my idea of fun.

Disclosure: I don't own any company mentioned; positions can change at any time.

Buy Winnebago Industries? Are you kidding? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 07:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Monday, June 16

• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) reporting Q2 earnings; conference call at 10:00 am.
• Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) to discuss new GPU products at 1:00 pm.
• Lime Energy Co. (NASDAQ: LIME) to discuss acquisition of Applied Energy Management at 4:00 pm.
• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) reporting Q2 earnings; conference call at 5:00 pm.

Tuesday, June 17

• La-Z-Boy Inc. (NYSE: LZB) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 8:30 am.
• The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) to hold business update conference call at 8:30 am.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 10:00 am.

Continue reading Market highlights for next week: Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley reporting earnings

Market highlights for next week: Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley reporting earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite the good news for the quarter, investors should not start revving their engines just yet. Motor home sales are still soft across the board, and the industry is entering its slowest part of the sales year. Dealers will not boost inventories due to soft demand. Gas prices continue to rise while consumer confidence levels continue to decline.

Winnebago is doing all it can to make the stock attractive to investors. The company repurchased 1.5 million shares of stock during the quarter, at a cost of $44 million. The company will pay a regular quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share. These are, however, actions with a short term impact and do not replace a company's need to increase its profits through organic growth, not real likely for Winnebago under current circumstances.

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage

Winnebago posts counter-intuitive profits originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• JMP Securities upgraded shares of CyberSource (NASDAQ: CYBS) to Market Outperform from Market Perform citing valuation, positive management comments regarding BidPay, and incrementally positive industry checks on its fraud product.
  
• Brean Murray upgraded shares of Century Casinos (NASDAQ: CNTY) to Buy from Hold based on continued progress at recently opened properties, reduced Street expectations, and potential catalysts.
  
• Brean Murray also upgraded Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SPPI) to Buy from Hold. The firm is highly confident that Spectrum's ozarelix will demonstrate similar efficacy and safety in the current U.S. Phase IIb trial and expects statistical significant. The firm expects Ph III initiations by year-end 2007 and Ph IIb data to be released on 2Q08.
  
• Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital. The firm expects Winnebago to begin to post better earnings from more favorable mix and pricing in the 2008 model year.

• Merrill Lynch upgraded Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Goldman upgraded shares of US Airways (NYSE: LCC) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT) was upgraded to Accumulate from Source the Funds at Think Equities.
  
• Collins Stewart raised Cyberonics (NASDAQ: CYBX) to Buy from Market Perform.

Analyst upgrades: CYBS, CNTY, SPPI and WGO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To its credit, the company is responding to concerns over the cost of fuel by introducing a line of more efficient diesel engines in 2008 models. Sales order backlog has increased substantially due to the newer models, although the cost of those sales has also increased. Winnebago repurchased $20 million of its stock during 3Q 2007, but the stock has still lost almost 10% of its value since the beginning of the year. Winnebago stock recently closed at $30.00, up $1.34. While Winnebago's EPS are significantly above industry average, its P/E is as well.

Winnebago (WGO) not quite rolling along originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Winnebago: Looking down a long, bumpy road originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Deutsche Bank initiated shares of Constellation Energy Group (NYSE: CEG) with a Buy rating and $78 target; the firm said valuation is compelling as the market has barely priced in the valued of BED, the merchant plants and the PV of the current backlog.

• Wachovia started shares of Hertz Global Holding (NYSE: HTZ) with a Market Perform rating. They see limited upside to shares due to broader economic concerns.

• Merrill Lynch initiated shares of Winnebago (NYSE: WGO) with a Neutral rating, saying shares are fairly valued.

• UBS initiated shares of KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) with a Neutral and $26 target.

Analyst initiations 1-8-07: Constellation Energy & Hertz take top honors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.