BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Is now the time to buy Deere?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/13/is-now-the-time-to-buy-deere/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/13/is-now-the-time-to-buy-deere/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/13/is-now-the-time-to-buy-deere/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kudos to my colleague Elizabeth Harrow for pointing out that shares of Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) may be heading for a fall. As today's earnings report shows, her post was on the money.

Net income rose to $575.2 million, or $1.32 per share. Revenue soared 17% to $7.74 billion. Analysts had expected profit of $1.36 per share on revenue of $7.23 billion. Shares of the largest farm equipment maker had their biggest drop in two decades, according to Bloomberg.

What's killing Deere is rising raw material costs. The company's overall business is doing fine. Agricultural sales rose 35% in the quarter. Not surprisingly Commercial and Consumer revenue fell 1% and Construction and Forestry declined 7%.

Continue reading Is now the time to buy Deere?

Is now the time to buy Deere? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agricultureagriculture servicesagriculture stocksAgricultureServicesAgricultureStocksconstructionconstructionequipmentDEfarmingWed, 13 Aug 2008 17:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Covance (CVD) is not recession-proof, but it's close]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/covance-cvd-is-not-recession-proof-but-its-close/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/covance-cvd-is-not-recession-proof-but-its-close/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/16/covance-cvd-is-not-recession-proof-but-its-close/#commentsFiled under:

Covance logo Given the market's continued choppy/consolidated pattern (or perhaps worse), one would think that there isn't a promising business model in the states today, with a technically-strong stock chart accompanying it. Pre-clinical / clinical research company Covance dispels that thesis.

Covance (NYSE: CVD) develops and conducts pre-clinical and clinical trials of potential commercial drugs. The company also offers laboratory testing services to companies in the chemical, agri-chemical, and food sectors.

Analysts like CVD's ramping drug development services demand from both pharmaceutical and biotech companies, new orders, market-share increase prospects, and the company's sector-leading research lab. The Reuters F2007/F2008 EPS consensus estimates for CVD are $2.65/$3.12.

The risks? Project cancellations, or a reduction in research and development spending by pharmaceutical and/or biotech companies would hurt CVD's results. Analysts also have their eye on a possible slowdown in drug development outsourcing.

The First Call mean rating for CVD is: Buy. [14 firms.] Mean 2008 target: $94.00. [high: $106, low: $83.]

Stock Analysis: Covance is a moderate-risk stock not suitable for low-risk investors. Investors with an investment horizon longer than two years should be rewarded from CVD's shares. Sell / Stop Loss if you were to purchase shares in this company: $56.

DISCLOSURE: Joseph Lazzaro has no positions in stocks. In addition to private real estate holdings, he owns corporate and municipal bonds, and cash certificates of deposit.

Covance (CVD) is not recession-proof, but it's close originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agriculture servicesclinical testsCovanceCVDdrugspharmaceutical servicesWed, 16 Jan 2008 16:43:00 EST<![CDATA[With Mosaic (MOS), it's a quilt of customers covering the world]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/14/with-mosaic-mos-its-a-quilt-of-customers-covering-the-world/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/14/with-mosaic-mos-its-a-quilt-of-customers-covering-the-world/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/14/with-mosaic-mos-its-a-quilt-of-customers-covering-the-world/#commentsFiled under: ,

Readers of this space know that numerous emerging market growth facts suggest that agriculture and agriculture services stocks are likely to remain star performers in the immediate years ahead, given the agriculture boom in emerging markets, and one preferred company worth an evaluation is The Mosaic Company.

Mosaic (NYSE: MOS) is one of the world's leading producers of crop nutrients -- nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium -- and animal feed ingredients.

Analysts really like Mosaic's revenue and earnings growth, which is being driven be increasing demand for its products from solid economic growth Latin America and Asia. Further, Mosaic's Esterhazy and Saskatchewan plant expansions in 2007 should increase potash capacity to about 11.7-12.0 million tons, and give MOS an edge versus its competitors.

Continue reading With Mosaic (MOS), it's a quilt of customers covering the world

With Mosaic (MOS), it's a quilt of customers covering the world originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agricultureagriculture servicesAsiaemerging marketsfertilizerLatin AmericalivestockMOSMosaicMon, 14 Jan 2008 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Agrium's fertilizers promote growth...and earnings growth]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/11/agrium-s-fertilizers-promote-growth-and-earnings-growth/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/11/agrium-s-fertilizers-promote-growth-and-earnings-growth/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/11/agrium-s-fertilizers-promote-growth-and-earnings-growth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Given the market's continued choppy / consolidating pattern (or perhaps worse), its makes sense to add a defensive stock or two, and one worth an evaluation is Agrium Inc. (NYSE: AGU).

Agrium is the No. 1 producer and seller of fertilizers for North America, including nitrogen, as well potash and phosphate products.

The company has an 8-million-ton nutrient production capacity, but production is only half the equation: AGU also has more than 400 retail outlets in the U.S. and South America - the back-end side of the revenue equation.

Continue reading Agrium's fertilizers promote growth...and earnings growth

Agrium's fertilizers promote growth...and earnings growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11108agricultureagriculture servicesAgriumAGUEmergingMarketsFri, 11 Jan 2008 17:53:00 EST<![CDATA[From Potash's (POT) standpoint, it's a growing world]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/28/from-potashs-pot-standpoint-its-a-growing-world/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/28/from-potashs-pot-standpoint-its-a-growing-world/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/28/from-potashs-pot-standpoint-its-a-growing-world/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Agriculture and agriculture services stocks are likely to remain star performers in the immediate years ahead, given the agriculture boom in emerging markets, and one preferred company worth an evaluation is Canada-based Potash Corp. (NYSE: POT).

Potash is an integrated producer of fertilizer, phosphate, and nitrogen, which is used in fertilizer and in industrial/consumer products.

Analysts really like POT's 12.9-million-ton potash production capacity, which represents an impressive 20% of the world's potash capacity.

Further, as one might sense with an emerging-market agriculture boom, sales have been robust, margins are solid, and the company has some price power: it's likely that price hikes will follow again in 2008, on top of price increases in 2007. The Reuters F2007/F2008 EPS consensus estimates for POT are $3.23/$5.50.

The risks? Analysts are keeping an eye on raw material and labor costs. A global economic slowdown would also obviously hurt POT's results. POT shares have also had a remarkable run in 2007, rising more than 200%: shares are vulnerable to large-dollar pull-backs, but those will be mild if POT continues to exceed EPS expectations.

Stock Analysis: Potash Corp. is a moderate-risk stock not suitable for low-risk investors. Investors with an investment horizon longer than two years should be rewarded from POT shares. Sell / Stop Loss if you were to purchase shares in this company: $85.

DISCLOSURE: Joseph Lazzaro has no positions in stocks. In addition to private real estate holdings, he owns corporate and municipal bonds, and cash certificates of deposit.

From Potash's (POT) standpoint, it's a growing world originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agribusinessagricultureagriculture servicesAsiaemerging marketsfertilizerfood productionLatin AmericaPOTPotashFri, 28 Dec 2007 17:12:00 EST