Continue reading Baxter: Incremental Progress

Baxter: Incremental Progress originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We follow an approach to investng that focuses on broadly diversified investments in undervalued stocks for their long-term appreciation potential," says value investor John Buckingham.

The money manager and editor of The Prudent Speculator explains, " Two recently featured ideas -- Abbott Laboratories (ABT) and Baxter International (BAX) -- are among those we feel could serve as a portfolio foundation or as a new ideas for well- diversified holdings.

Continue reading Abbott (ABT) and Baxter (BAX): Healthy Gains

Abbott (ABT) and Baxter (BAX): Healthy Gains originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first discussed Baxter International (BAX) here on March 13, 2009, at a price of $51.16, and share have since drifted below $50 after clearing that key, psychological resistance level. The calculation is to maintain the trade, but Baxter needs to show some improvement in the months ahead.

Baxter makes a variety of medical products across three divisions: drugs and vaccines, dialysis equipment, and IV supplies. The 2011 performance likely will be led by continued growth in IV therapies, global injectables and anesthesia products, and renal care (including revenue growth in its peritoneal dialysis product).

Continue reading Baxter's Stock Struggles to Push Through $50

Baxter's Stock Struggles to Push Through $50 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Soleil upgraded Baxter (BAX) to buy from hold on expectations the company will benefit from supply disruptions at privately-held plasma manufacturer Octapharma. The firm raised its price target for shares to $56 from $45.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Dolby (DLB) to buy from hold, citing valuation following the recent underperformance of shares. The firm upped its price target to $75 from $70.
• Bernstein upgraded Alexion (ALXN) to outperform from market perform based on increased Soliris forecasts for PNH and potential in aHUS. The firm also raised its price target to $75 from $60.
• Agrium (AGU) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Roche (RHHBY) was upgraded to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• BMO Capital upgraded Energizer (ENR) to outperform from market perform.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADBE, AXP, BAX, COST, DLB, FDX, HOT, NOK, NVS, TWX ...

Analyst Calls: ADBE, AXP, BAX, COST, DLB, FDX, HOT, NOK, NVS, TWX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Costco (COST) to buy from neutral based on valuation, improving fundamentals and potential catalysts. The firm raised its price target to $68 from $62.
• Soleil upgraded MGM Resorts (MGM) to buy from hold, citing valuation, easing balance sheet concerns and a multiyear convention recovery. The firm upped its target for shares to $14 from $13. Note, Soleil also downgraded Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to hold from buy.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) to overweight from neutral with a $59 price target following the company's better-than-expected Q2 results.
• Dell (DELL) was upgraded to buy from outperform at CLSA.
• CommScope (CTV) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• EnCana (ECA) was upgraded to sector outperformer from sector performer at CIBC.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BA, COST, DELL, GD, INTC, LVS, MGM, PCLN, TWX, V, VIA ...

Analyst Calls: BA, COST, DELL, GD, INTC, LVS, MGM, PCLN, TWX, V, VIA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Morgan Keegan upgraded Copano Energy (CPNO) to Outperform from Market Perform based on the $300M capital infusion it received from TPG Capital.
• Wells Fargo upgraded SunTrust (STI) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's Q2 results citing improving credit quality trends and valuation.
• UBS upgraded Baidu (BIDU) to Buy from Neutral based on solid fundamentals following the strong Q2 report and guidance and valuation. The firm raised its price target to $92 from $69.
• Baxter (BAX) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• JetBlue (JBLU) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Soleil.
• Penn Virginia GP (PVG) was upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.

• Piper Jaffray downgraded Beckman Coulter (BEC) to Neutral from Overweight following the company's weaker than expected Q2 results and lowered guidance. The firm lowered its target for shares to $60 from $74. Shares were also downgraded to Hold from Buy at Jefferies and to Neutral from outperform at Baird following the company's reduced guidance.
• Keefe Bruyette cut AmeriCredit (ACF) to Market Perform from Outperform following the acquisition by General Motors (GM, MTLQQ).
• FBR Capital downgraded SunTrust (STI) to Market Perform from Outperform and lowered its price target to $27 from $34. The analyst believes larger banks are better positioned than regionals due to greater prospects of reserve releases.
• Travelers (TRV) was downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer.
• Lender Processing (LPS) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman.
• Penn Virginia Resource (PVR) was downgraded to Sector Perform at RBC Capital.

• ThinkEquity assumed coverage of SanDisk (SNDK) with a Buy rating.
• Macquarie initiated Allergan (AGN) with an Outperform rating and $75 price target.
• Macquarie also initiated Cooper Companies (COO) with an Outperform rating and $45 price target.
• NCR Corp (NCR) was initiated with a Hold rating at KeyBanc.
• CryoLife (CRY) was started at Benchmark Co. with a Buy rating and $8 target.
• China New Borun (BORN) was initiated with an Overweight rating and $7.40 target at Piper Jaffray.

Analyst Calls: STI, BIDU, BAX, JBLU, TRV, SNDK, AGN, COO, BEC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first discussed Baxter International (BAX) here on March 13, 2009, at a price of $51.16. But shares have been treated rudely by the Street, after Baxter lowered 2010 earnings guidance to $3.92 to $4.00 from the previously released $4.20 to $4.28.

Moreover, Baxter's stock performance is a classic example concerning how even modest bad news can send a stock reeling: BAX fell from about $60 to $40. Even so, the calculation here is to stick with the position, but the sell/stop loss is close by at $37.

Continue reading Has Baxter Put in a Bottom at $40?

Has Baxter Put in a Bottom at $40? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades

• UBS upgraded CF Industries (CF) to neutral from sell. The firm cites valuation for the upgrade. In addition, UBS raised its price target on shares to $84 from $81.
• Baird upgraded Johnson Controls (JCI) to outperform from neutral and raised its price target to $42 from $33. The upgrade was based on improving margins, China growth, and upside from a cyclical recovery.
• Barrington upgraded G&K Services (GKSR) to outperform from market perform ahead of the company's Q3 results to reflect optimism regarding the company's operational turnaround. The firm set a $35 price target for shares.
• LaSalle Hotel (LHO) was upgraded to top pick from outperform at RBC Capital.
• Zimmer (ZMH) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Thermo Fisher (TMO) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CF, JCI, BAX, NWL, UTL, NOK, VMW, ANF, DELL

Analyst Calls: CF, JCI, BAX, NWL, UTL, NOK, VMW, ANF, DELL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Sonoco Products (SON) to buy from hold after the company reported Q1 results and raised guidance. The firm upped its target for shares to $38 from $32.
• Baird upgraded Western Digital (WDC) to outperform from neutral following the solid Q3 report and guidance. The firm raised its target to $50 from $48.
• Goldman upgraded Qwest (Q) to neutral from sell. Qwest is being acquired by CenturyLink (CTL).
• Hershey (HSY) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Principal Financial (PFG) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS.
• Monster Worldwide (MWW) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: WDC, Q, HSY, BWLD, NOK, COP, KFT, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: WDC, Q, HSY, BWLD, NOK, COP, KFT, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Baird upgraded Dell (DELL) to outperform from neutral, citing valuation and improving IT hardware trends. The firm raised its target to $21 from $17.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Regal Entertainment (RGC) to buy from neutral, citing box office momentum and improving potential for a dividend increase. The firm raised its target for shares to $20.50 from $16.
• Thomas Weisel upgraded CF Industries (CF) to overweight from market weight as it sees reduced financing risk following the equity offering and valuation.
• GameStop (GME) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Exxon Mobil (XOM) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Raymond James.
• Cameron (CAM) was raised to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CF, DELL, EXC, MA, MSFT, RGC, RVBD, TSCO, WHR, XOM ...

Analyst Calls: CF, DELL, EXC, MA, MSFT, RGC, RVBD, TSCO, WHR, XOM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded U.S. Steel (X) to buy from hold after raising its steel forecasts and upped its target price on shares to $77 from $44. Note, the firm also downgraded AK Steel.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Philip Morris (PM) to outperform from neutral based on a better international outlook.
• JPMorgan upgraded ev3 Inc. (EVVV) to overweight from neutral. The firm sees upside potential to ev3's consensus estimates for 2010 and raised its target price on shares to $19 from $15.
• Vale (VALE) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Xilinx (XLNX) was raised to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Shuffle Master (SHFL) was upgraded at KeyBanc to buy from hold.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AKS, EVVV, PEB, PM, PWR, S, X ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AKS, EVVV, PEB, PM, PWR, S, X ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Baxter International (BAX) benefits from a robust balance sheet, solid operating momentum, and rising earnings estimates," says blue chip advisor Richard Moroney in Dow Theory Forecasts.

The advisor explains, "The first company to commercially prepare intravenous treatments, Baxter has manufactured and distributed medical products since 1931. It primarily works with blood and plasma, a business with recession-resistant tendencies.

"Its BioScience unit produces clotting agents for hemophilia and biotech drugs that treat both immune deficiencies and cancer.

Continue reading Baxter (BAX): Bank on blood products

Baxter (BAX): Bank on blood products originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• RBC Capital upgraded Fidelity National (FIS) to outperform from sector perform. The firm upgraded the stock due to valuation, and its belief that the company will clear up issues related to its merger on its Analyst Day, scheduled for Dec. 7. The firm set a $28 target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded Smith International (SII) to buy from hold, citing the sell-off in shares following its 28M share equity offering. Note that Smith International priced 28M shares Tuesday at $26.50.
• Wells Fargo upgraded DynCorp (DCP) to outperform from market perform. The firm upgraded the stock on valuation, and because it believes that the impact on DynCorp of a possible indictment of PWC will be minimal, if any.
• Rockwell (ROK) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Omega Healthcare (OHI) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Analog Devices (ADI) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: FIS, LMNX, RIMM, SII, TGT, TSYS ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: FIS, LMNX, RIMM, SII, TGT, TSYS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Baxter's key is versatility

Baxter's key is versatility originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Being contrarians, we are always looking for laggard stocks with the potential to rebound," says turnaround expert George Putnam.

In his The Turnaround Letter, the advisor reviews four medical and pharmaceutical stocks that have been among the worst performers in the S&P 100 since the market bottom. Despite their poor performance, he thinks they may be due for a rebound.

"We think that investors who got left behind by the first leg of the market rally are struggling to catch up.

Continue reading Turnaround expert targets laggard pharmaceuticals

Turnaround expert targets laggard pharmaceuticals originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Baxter International (BAX) dips on growth estimates

Baxter International (BAX) dips on growth estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Consider Baxter: Its products don't go out of style

Consider Baxter: Its products don't go out of style originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch ramps up this week, and again expectations are generally low. Among the so-called bellwethers that are expected to report lower earnings year over year are CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX), Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI), General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), Harley Davidson Inc. (NYSE: HOG), Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC), International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Marriott International Inc. (NYSE: MAR), Mattel Inc. (NYSE: MAT), Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK), and Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM). Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters do expect the profits of CSX, Gannett, Mattel, and Nokia to be up from the previous quarter, however.

A number of financial companies, big and small, are scheduled to report second-quarter earnings this week, providing a good look at what's going on in the sector. Perhaps the best news will be coming from Citigroup and Marshall & Ilsley. While they are expected to post further losses, at least they are headed in the right direction by narrowing those losses year over year.

Continue reading The week in preview: Another tough quarter for the big banks

The week in preview: Another tough quarter for the big banks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Don't fear the swine flu . . . trade it

Don't fear the swine flu . . . trade it originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) Q1 profit edged past expectations despite lower sales of Humira.
• AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) posted a smaller-than-expected Q1 loss, sending shares sharply higher.
• Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings, sending share higher.
• BP (NYSE: BP) and other oil companies were downgraded due to higher environmental costs.
• Charles Schwab Corp. (NASDAQ: SCHW) Q1 earnings declined but still topped analysts' expectations.
• Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) said Q1 earnings would be lower due to a weaker dollar and lower oil prices.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Goldman Sachs, Google, Citigroup, GE, Intel, Nokia and more

Earnings highlights: Goldman Sachs, Google, Citigroup, GE, Intel, Nokia and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.