The Mosaic Company (MOS) is slated to take its turn on the earnings stage after Monday's closing bell, with the agricultural chemical concern set to unveil its fiscal first-quarter results.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are anticipating a profit of 72 cents per share, substantially higher than the company's year-ago earnings of 23 cents per share. Mosaic has a dismal history in the earnings spotlight, having fallen short of Wall Street's consensus profit expectations in three of the past four quarters.

Continue reading Can Mosaic Co. Tackle Resistance After Q1 Earnings?

Can Mosaic Co. Tackle Resistance After Q1 Earnings? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading New York Times Offers Bleak Q3 Guidance

New York Times Offers Bleak Q3 Guidance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AutoZone Inc. (AZO) is scheduled to release its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings before the market opens Tuesday, Sept. 21. The retailer has a solid track record in the earnings spotlight, having exceeded analysts' per-share profit predictions in each of the past four reporting periods -- and AZO has managed to surpass Wall Street's consensus estimate by an increasingly wide margin in each sequential quarter.

Ahead of the report, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are anticipating AutoZone to bank a profit of $5.42 per share, up from $4.45 per share in the year-ago period. Sales are expected to arrive at $2.39 billion.

Continue reading Earnings Preview: Can AutoZone Rev Higher After Q4 Report?

Earnings Preview: Can AutoZone Rev Higher After Q4 Report? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After the closing bell, SunPower Corporation (SPWRA) will take the spotlight to reveal its fourth-quarter earnings. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting the solar concern to report net income of 49 cents per share, down from its year-ago profit of 70 cents per share. Sales for the period are expected to arrive at $491 million.

SunPower has a solid history in the earnings spotlight, having exceeded Wall Street's consensus expectations in three of the past four reporting periods. Judging by a recent uptick in call buying, some traders appear to be anticipating another upside surprise.

Continue reading What's in Store for SunPower After Earnings?

What's in Store for SunPower After Earnings? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Specifically, KBW lowered its forecast from $360 to $350, while Susquehanna chopped its price target from $370 to $345. Shares of CME finished Thursday at $269.29, so both brokerage firms are still anticipating some healthy gains from the stock during the next year. In fact, both targets exceed the equity's average 12-month price target of $342.35, as reported by Thomson Reuters, which implies expected upside of more than 27% from yesterday's close.

Continue reading CME Group Slapped with Post-Earnings Price Target Cuts

CME Group Slapped with Post-Earnings Price Target Cuts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The worldwide insurance industry may be worth more than you think. Industry analysts believe that reporting isn't as consistent as it could be, and that improvements to insurance financial reporting would pump up those stock prices.

PricewaterhouseCoopers interviewed more than 40 investment professionals from the U.S., Asia and Europe, finding that dissatisfaction with insurance financial reporting was widespread. They'd like to see the International Accounting Standards Board and Financial Accounting Standards Board build a better mousetrap for the industry.

Continue reading Better reporting standards could hike insurance stock prices

Better reporting standards could hike insurance stock prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Third quarter earnings preview for Tiffany

Third quarter earnings preview for Tiffany originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Before the bell: Investors' caution reigns amid earnings season

Before the bell: Investors' caution reigns amid earnings season originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With about a 50% run up since January, the stock market is poised for a dip. That is the conventional wisdom being touted by the analysts.

The idea is a good one, but what do you mean by a dip? This is where it experts disagree as usual. Let's take a sampling of some leading pundits:

• Sam Stovall, chief economist at Standard & Poor's, said: "But now (referring to continued high unemployment) that economic waters appear more choppy and third quarter earnings session is about to begin, are investors less inclined than they were a few weeks back to buy stocks on market dips?"

Continue reading When to buy the dips in the stock market?

When to buy the dips in the stock market? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is preparing for its upcoming turn in the earnings spotlight. The firm is scheduled to unveil its fiscal third-quarter results before the market opens Thursday, Sept. 17.

Ahead of the event, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting Discover to swallow a loss of about 12 cents per share, down sharply from its year-ago profit of 37 cents per share. Sales for the period are expected to arrive at $743 million.

Continue reading Earnings preview: Can Discover Financial Services beat again in 3Q?

Earnings preview: Can Discover Financial Services beat again in 3Q? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has some questions for Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) regarding trial data for its leukemia drug, Clolar. Because Genzyme didn't follow the FDA's recommendations in conducting its main study of Clolar, the regulatory agency is reluctant to make a decision on the basis of the trial results.

In 2007, FDA staff advised Genzyme to conduct a randomized study in which participants receiving Clolar would be compared against a set of patients not receiving the drug. However, the drug company's primary tests did not include a control group; instead, the treatment was tested only on elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Continue reading FDA raises issues with Genzyme's leukemia drug study

FDA raises issues with Genzyme's leukemia drug study originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's in-line quarter and extended buyback. The firm raised its target price on shares to $103 from $98.
• Merriman upgraded Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) to Buy from Neutral after transitioning coverage of the stock as it believes HB-LED chips are gaining momentum and that the company can top its recently raised guidance.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Glatfelter (NYSE: GLT) to Buy from Hold following the company's Q2 results due to falling net debt levels and valuation. The firm raised its target on shares to $14 from $8.
• Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Baird.
• Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Unit Corp. (NYSE: UNT) was upgraded to Buy from Sell at Jesup & Lamont.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADM, ANN, GENZ, ICE, MON, RIMM ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADM, ANN, GENZ, ICE, MON, RIMM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A report today in The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) says that Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) is delving into the "lean" manufacturing techniques employed by the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM). Scott Heydon has been named the coffee company's new "vice president of lean thinking," and he's visiting Starbucks joints around the country to help eliminate wasteful movements by the chain's baristas.

Yes, that's right. Under Heydon's aegis, baristas are encouraged to economize their motions to maximize how quickly they can whip up one of the chain's signature drinks. "Motion and work are two different things," he explained to the Journal. "Thirty percent of the partners' time is motion; the walking, reaching, bending." If the process can be streamlined to include less motion, therefore, Starbucks could theoretically churn out more coffee confections in less time, and possibly with fewer workers.

Continue reading Investors cheer the newer, 'leaner' Starbucks

Investors cheer the newer, 'leaner' Starbucks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the wake of its second-quarter earnings report, SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) has garnered no fewer than four price-target increases and at least two upgrades. Running through the list, FBR upgraded the shares from "market perform" to "outperform," while Collins Stewart upped the equity from "sell" to "hold." FBR also hiked its price target from $22 to $40, while Citigroup upped its target from $15 to $18. Elsewhere, Credit Suisse raised the stock's price target from $20 to $32, and Canaccord Adams increased its 12-month estimate from $21 to $29.

In fact, Wedbush Morgan is the lone bearish holdout this morning, with the brokerage firm bucking the trend by downgrading SPWRA from "outperform" to "neutral."

Continue reading Analysts impressed by SunPower Corp. earnings

Analysts impressed by SunPower Corp. earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite an increase in the number of bad loans, Hudson City Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: HCBK) managed to exceed analysts' second-quarter earnings estimates. The New Jersey-based bank raked in a quarterly profit of $127.9 million, or 26 cents per share, up 16% from the year-ago period. The results topped Wall Street's consensus estimate for a profit of 24 cents per share.

However, HCBK's loan-loss provision surged during the quarter to $32.5 million, compared to $20 million during the first quarter. Net charge-offs rose to $9.6 million, more than doubling. Nonperforming loans escalated to $430.9 million (1.40% of total loans), up from $320.1 million (1.06% of total loans) at the end of the first quarter.

Continue reading Can Hudson City Bancorp keep climbing after 2Q earnings?

Can Hudson City Bancorp keep climbing after 2Q earnings? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In running a very tight stock screen recently for value plays Burlington Northern Santa Fe (NYSE: BNI) showed up on a list of 14 stocks. Interestingly all the large railroad stocks did. This reminded me of several stories I have done on the subject, the most recent being Chasing Value: Watch BNI -- the heck with Citigroup.

To summarize, about six weeks ago a Citigroup (NYSE: C) analyst declared it was time to sell the stock when BNI was trading in the mid $60s -- I said investors should do the opposite, it was a great value. Friday the stock closed at $76.98. Even at this price it is a value and ever more so with oil prices steadly creeping up.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: Economics -- art or science

Sunday Funnies: Economics -- art or science originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Donald wrote, "Why the hell would I take advice from a company, that as a whole, its Net income was US$ −27.684 billion for 2008.

Continue reading Why take advice from Citigroup? Or any other analysts for that matter?

Why take advice from Citigroup? Or any other analysts for that matter? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The shares of Dow component Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) slipped to a fresh 52-week low out of the gate this morning, after the pharmaceutical firm said it was canceling development of two experimental drugs in late-stage trials. Pfizer is scrapping work on esreboxetine, a fibromyalgia treatment, and PD 332,334, a drug for generalized anxiety disorder, because "it was considered unlikely that either compound would provide meaningful benefit to patients beyond the current standard of care."

Currently, Pfizer is fumbling to find a replacement for its successful cholesterol drug, Lipitor, which loses patent protection in 2011. The pharma firm isn't having much luck, though. Two late-stage drugs for pancreatic cancer and for obesity were also recently dust-binned after disappointing study results.

Continue reading Pfizer finds new annual low after scrapping two late-stage drugs

Pfizer finds new annual low after scrapping two late-stage drugs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) fell from its June 2008 peak of $241.62, it fell hard. The stock bottomed out at $47.54 in early December, marking an 80.3% decline from peak to nadir. The shares have recently shown signs of life, though, having gained 78.7% during the past two months.

Even more compelling, POT closed last Friday atop resistance from its 20-week moving average for the first time since August, and appears poised to do so again this week. So, with the stock rallying back from its lows, why are investors gravitating toward bearish bets?

Continue reading Why is put volume exploding on Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan?

Why is put volume exploding on Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Virtualization specialist VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter earnings next Monday, Jan. 26, after the market closes. Ahead of the announcement, analysts are expecting a profit of 26 cents per share on sales of $516 million. The company has a mixed history in the earnings spotlight; during the past four reporting periods, VMW has matched estimates once, missed once, and surprised to the upside twice.

Prior to next week's release, Wall Street is aligned almost unanimously in the bearish camp. The stock sports 16 Holds and 3 Strong Sell ratings, according to Zacks, compared to just 2 Strong Buys. These skeptical analysts have placed an average 12-month price target of $26.33 on the shares, representing a reasonable 30% premium to Tuesday's closing price.

Elsewhere, short interest represents a whopping 14.6% of VMW's float. This accumulation of bearish bets would take nearly 10 trading days to fully repurchase at the stock's average daily volume. In the event of another upside earnings surprise, the shares could rally as these shorts rush to cover their positions.

Continue reading Can VMware surprise skeptical investors with stronger-than-expected earnings?

Can VMware surprise skeptical investors with stronger-than-expected earnings? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.