Continue reading Closing Bell: QE2 Giveth and Taketh Away (BIIB, BAC, BRCM, PGI, REE, BWLD)

Closing Bell: QE2 Giveth and Taketh Away (BIIB, BAC, BRCM, PGI, REE, BWLD) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) is significantly higher after the restaurant chain topped analysts' second-quarter earnings expectations.

After Tuesday's closing bell, Buffalo Wild Wings reported a quarterly profit of $9.2 million, or 50 cents per share, up from its year-ago earnings of $7.0 million, or 39 cents per share. Revenue for the period climbed 12.4% to $145.7 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters were anticipating earnings of just 42 cents per share on $141.5 million in revenue.

Continue reading Buffalo Wild Wings Bolts Higher on Earnings Beat

Buffalo Wild Wings Bolts Higher on Earnings Beat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• BofA/Merrill upgraded Eastman Chemical (EMN) to buy from neutral and raised its target to $82 from $80. The analyst upgraded shares based on valuation and expectations for strong earnings from fibers and performance chemicals.
• Bernstein upgraded Hershey (HSY) to market perform from underperform based on strong near-term category growth.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Actuant (ATU) to buy from neutral with a $25 price target following the company's Q3 results.
• Infinera (INFN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• CTC Media (CTCM) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Williams (WMB) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AAPL, ATU, BWLD, EMN, FMC, HSY, KR, MTB, SWY, WMB ...

Analyst Calls: AAPL, ATU, BWLD, EMN, FMC, HSY, KR, MTB, SWY, WMB ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded Norfolk Southern (NSC) to outperform from market perform following the company's Q1 results.
• RBC Capital transferred coverage on Gildan Activewear (GIL) with an outperform from sector perform. The firm is positive on Gildan's low-cost producer strategy and free cash flow generation. The firm raised its target to $35 from $26.
• Wunderlich upgraded Delphi Financial (DFG) to buy from hold following the company's Q1 results and raised its target for shares to $31 from $29.
• Aflac (AFL) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Sterne Agee.
• Time Warner (TWX) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Pride International (PDE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: NSC, GIL, DFG, F, DVA, PFWD, PGN, TDS, PSSI ...

Analyst Calls: NSC, GIL, DFG, F, DVA, PFWD, PGN, TDS, PSSI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:30:00 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.

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

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings and declared an annual dividend.
• Allstate Corp. (ALL) swung to better-than-expected Q4 earnings and also swung to a full-year profit.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (BWLD) shares tumbled after it posted disappointing earnings tied to costs.
• The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (CAKE) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings but sales were flat.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) earnings numbers for Q4 resulted in upgrades from two analysts.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) higher Q4 earnings matched the expectations of analysts, and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ...

Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Humble restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings report after the market closes on Thursday, Feb. 11. Ahead of the event, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for a profit of 51 cents per share, up from 43 cents per share in the year-ago quarter. BWLD has an impressive history in the earnings spotlight, having matched or exceeded Wall Street's consensus expectations in each of the previous four reporting periods.

Continue reading Ambitious Trader Strangles Buffalo Wild Wings Ahead of Earnings

Ambitious Trader Strangles Buffalo Wild Wings Ahead of Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Casual restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) scored an upgrade on Monday, with Morgan Keegan raising its rating from market perform to outperform. As a result, the shares kicked off the week by rallying more than 4%, and reclaiming a perch above the 10-day and 20-day moving averages.

However, option traders were hardly impressed by Morgan Keegan's bullish note, or by the stock's resulting gains. During the course of Monday's session, speculators on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) bought to open 1,000 puts on BWLD, compared to just 181 calls. The equity's single-day put/call volume ratio of 5.52 reveals that bearish bets were snapped up at a much faster pace than their bullish counterparts.

Continue reading Bears Not Buying Buffalo Wild Wings Upgrade

Bears Not Buying Buffalo Wild Wings Upgrade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) was upgraded at Jefferies to Hold from Underperform following Q3 results. The firm believes the Wavecom acquisition integration is progressing better than expected and finds the valuation attractive at current levels. The firm raised its price target to $10 from $5.
• Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank to reflect the company's recapitalization and better-than-expected occupancy. The firm raised its target to $69 from $46.
• Wyndham (NYSE: WYN) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital after the shares sold off following the company's Q3 results. The firm raised its target to $23 from $15.
• Human Genome (NASDAQ: HGSI) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan. Target was raised to $25 from $14.
• Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) was upgraded to Overweight from Market Weight at Thomas Weisel as they expect a "meaningful sales and earnings improvement in Q4." Target was raised to $39 from $32.
• Methanex (NASDAQ: MEOH) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS, citing improved methanol demand following the Q3 report. Target was raised to $19.50 from $17.
• Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) was upgraded at Raymond to Market Perform from Underperform.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADBE, HAL, GCI, GT, IMAX, URBN ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADBE, HAL, GCI, GT, IMAX, URBN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analysts, on average, are expecting BWLD to report a profit of 46 cents per share, up from 36 cents per share in the first quarter of 2008. The company has a mixed history in the earnings confessional: in its previous four reports, the chain has exceeded analysts' estimates twice, met them once, and fallen short on one other occasion.

Continue reading Earnings preview: Buffalo Wild Wings could spark a short-squeeze rally

Earnings preview: Buffalo Wild Wings could spark a short-squeeze rally originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the quarterly reports continue to roll out and the market continues to rally, optimism seem to be rising. Analysts certainly have high hopes for some companies reporting earnings this week.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) to report first-quarter earnings of $1.51 per share, which is 62.3% higher than a year ago. Revenue for the quarter is expected to be 105.6% higher, or $404.9 million. First Solar earnings have topped expectations in the past five quarters, by as much as 47.3%. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 40.6% and the forward PE ratio estimate is 23.0. In the previous quarter, Tempe, Ariz.-based First Solar reported having more cash on hand than debt. The First Call consensus recommendation is to buy FSLR; CNBC recently included it as a stock pick. First Solar has announced that it will build new solar power plants in Nevada and Germany. Its share price has risen 6.9% since the beginning of the year to $147.46.

Continue reading The week in preview: High hopes for First Solar, Humana, DreamWorks and more

The week in preview: High hopes for First Solar, Humana, DreamWorks and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Two leading advisors -- both known for an expertise in technical analysts -- are bullish on the prospects for Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD), which operates and franchises casual food restaurants in 38 states.

Here's an overview of the stock from Joseph Hargett, an analyst with Schaeffer Investment Research, and Richard Schmidt, editor of The Stellar Stock Alert.

Schmidt explains, "You've got to love the action of Buffalo Wild Wings. Last month, the stock jumped up nearly 25% in one day and continued to move up.

Continue reading Technicians bet on Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD)

Technicians bet on Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) posted a Q1 loss and announced a workforce reduction.
• ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) swung to it's first ever quarterly loss due to lower demand and a big write-down.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) shares surged after it posted strong Q4 results.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings as revenue surged.
• Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) topped Q4 earnings estimates, sending shares higher.
• Global Traffic Network Inc. (NASDAQ: GNET) weaker-than-expected Q2 results led to a downgrade.
• Level 3 Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) shares fell despite its upside surprise for Q4.
• Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF) posted a bigger-than-expected Q3 loss despite revenue growth.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Viacom, UBS, RIM, ArcelorMittal, Lions Gate, McAfee and others

Earnings highlights: Viacom, UBS, RIM, ArcelorMittal, Lions Gate, McAfee and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) reported a sharp drop in earnings for the third quarter last November, the stock plummeted to a 52-week low of $14.50 during the succeeding two months.

At the time, I suggested that the fundamentals at the company were so strong that the analysts downplaying the stock and the investors driving the price down were mistaken.

BWLD recovered in early December and held on to those gains for the first part of 2009. With the release of the fourth-quarter earnings report yesterday, the stock has added another 30%-plus to its price.

Continue reading Buffalo Wild Wings flying again

Buffalo Wild Wings flying again originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Buffalo Wild Wings: Fatten you up?

Buffalo Wild Wings: Fatten you up? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) closed at $51.31. CMG is scheduled to report Q4 on February 11. CMG February call option implied volatility is at 82, puts are at 91; above its 26-week average of 57, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement. CMG puts are more expensive than puts because CMG is difficult to borrow.

Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) closed at $22.67. BWLD, an operator and franchisor of 564 restaurants, is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on February 11. BWLD February 22 straddle is priced at $3.95, March 22 straddle is priced at $5.20. BWLD February option implied volatility is at 117, March is at 85; above its 26-week average of 80, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Options Update: Chipotle and Buffalo Wild Wings volatility elevated into EPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's about that time again: Pepsi vs. Coke. No, not another taste test or another Battle of the Brands. It's time for the next quarterly results from these two soft drink titans.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters anticipate that PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP), global beverage and snack food giant, will report fourth-quarter earnings this week that are 9.1% higher that a year ago, or $0.88 per share. Revenue is expected to total $12.8 billion, which is 3.9% higher than last year. For the full year, the profit is expected to be $3.67 per share on revenue of $43.4 billion, up from $3.38 per share on $39.5 billion in 2007. PepsiCo's earnings met or beat estimates in four of the past five quarters, but missed by only two cents per share in the third quarter. The consensus recommendation of analysts remains to buy PEP. The share price fell to a 52-week low in January and is now 24.4% lower than it was a year ago. During the fourth quarter, PepsiCo declared a $0.42 per share quarterly dividend, agreed to acquire a Spitz International, and announced investments in China and Mexico.

Continue reading The week in preview: Coke versus Pepsi

The week in preview: Coke versus Pepsi originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Stock picks and pans for troubled times: BWLD, BMY, UPS, FDO, MOS, DVN...

Stock picks and pans for troubled times: BWLD, BMY, UPS, FDO, MOS, DVN... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) to Buy from Hold on valuation with the stock down 65% in two months as they believe the company has a "best-in-class fundamental story." The firm lowered its target to $25 from $30.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) to Overweight from Equal Weight on valuation and believes near-term cost reductions could provide a positive catalyst.
• Citigroup upgraded New York Times (NYSE: NYT) to Hold from Sell and lowered its target to $5.50 from $7 on valuation and believes the dividend cut will boost the company's liquidity.
• Pantry (NASDAQL PTRY) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Friedman Billings.
• LECG Corp (NASDAQ: XPRT) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) was upgraded at RBC Capital to Outperform from Sector Perform.

• Jefferies downgraded Suntech (NYSE: STP) to Hold from Buy and lowered its target to $6 from $25 as they believe concerns about a convert refinancing in February 2010 will continue to weigh on the stock.
• Credit Suisse cut Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Underperform from Outperform due to expectations for a decline in wireless infrastructure spending.
• ING downgraded shares of Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) to Hold from Buy as they believe it will be challenging for the company to execute asset sales planned at reducing debt in the current environment.

Continue reading Analyst calls: BWLD, SNY, NYT, STP, ERIC, RTP, KTOS, ZGEN

Analyst calls: BWLD, SNY, NYT, STP, ERIC, RTP, KTOS, ZGEN originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) to Outperform from Neutral following strong Q2 results as they expect comps momentum, operating leverage, and potentially favorable chicken wing costs to support healthy trends in 2H08.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) to Outperform from Sector Perform citing solid core molecular diagnostics growth and increased confidence that the spin-out will generate better shareholder value.

Analyst downgrades:

• Citigroup downgraded shares of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) to Sell from Hold following the disappointing bapineuzumab data and lowered their target to $39 from $49.
• Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan.
  
• UBS lowered Affymetrix (NASDAQ: AFFX) and Sepracor (NASDAQ: SEPR) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Sony (NYSE: SNE) was downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at HSBC.

Analyst initiations:

• Citigroup initiated Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) with a Hold rating and $112 target. The firm believes regulatory concerns and a potential deceleration in energy trading volumes could limit upside in the stock near-term.
  
• Banc of America assumed Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) with a Buy rating and $38 target and believes fewer new pharmacies openings removes an impediment to higher ROIC.

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.