Continue reading Futures Up as Investors Await Home Sales, Personal Income Data

Futures Up as Investors Await Home Sales, Personal Income Data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Down as China Lifts Key Rates

U.S. Stock Futures Down as China Lifts Key Rates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even as the year winds to a close this week, there are still a handful of economic releases on the schedule. Starting out on Monday, the Chicago Fed releases its Midwest Manufacturing Index for November.

Tuesday brings the final Consumer Confidence Index of the year, as well as the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index for October, the Richmond Fed's Business Surveys, and a look at chain store sales for the week leading up to Christmas.

Data on last week's initial jobless claims will be released on Thursday. And then Friday brings the New York NAPM Index and the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Final Economic Data of the Year

Week in Preview: Final Economic Data of the Year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Piper Jaffray upgraded Edwards Lifesciences (EW) to overweight from neutral and raised its target price for shares to $77 from $53 after The New England Journal of Medicine reported the company's PARTNER Trial met primary endpoints.
• UBS upgraded Endo Pharmaceuticals (ENDP) to buy from neutral and raised its price target to $36 from $25. UBS is positive on Endo's creative strategic deals and believes the switch to Opana TRF from Opana ER will be easy. Additionally, the analyst believes pipeline expectations are very low.
• BMO Capital upgraded Nvidia (NVDA) to outperform from market perform based on expectations that share loss in the core GPU business will stop, Tegra momentum and valuation. The firm raised its price target to $16 from $9.
• FirstEnergy (FE) and Allegheny Energy (AYE) were upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Mylan (MYL) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman. Warner
• Chilcott (WCRX) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CALM, CWT, DD, DYN, ENDP, EW, MO, MOS, NVDA, OXPS, PPL ...

Analyst Calls: CALM, CWT, DD, DYN, ENDP, EW, MO, MOS, NVDA, OXPS, PPL ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Acuity Brands Inc. (AYI) Q2 results were essentially flat but an analyst's upgraded helped boost shares.
• Borders Group Inc. (BGP) reported strong Q4 earnings due to cost cutting but revenue continued to decline.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM) received an analyst's downgrade on valuation following release of its Q3 report.
• CarMax Inc. (KMX) rose to a new 52-week high following better-than-expected Q4 earnings and sales results.
• Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q4 net loss and said same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Borders, CarMax, LDK Solar, Mosaic, RIM, Rite Aid ...

Earnings Highlights: Borders, CarMax, LDK Solar, Mosaic, RIM, Rite Aid ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Apollo Group (APOL) was upgraded to sector perform from underperform at RBC Capital. The firm has a $75 target on the stock.
• JPMorgan raised Westlake Chemical (WLK) to overweight from neutral.
• Morgans Hotel (MHGC) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: APOL, BR.B, CALM, LGF, PALM, PRK, SYNA ...

Analyst Calls: APOL, BR.B, CALM, LGF, PALM, PRK, SYNA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Monday, Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM) reported second quarter earnings of $0.67 per share, which topped the consensus estimate by a penny per share. But Cal-Maine said revenues fell 3.8% from a year ago to $229.23 million, falling short of estimates.

"Our feed costs were down for the quarter, which improved our profitability," CEO Fred Adams Jr. said. "However, food service and restaurant sales continued to be slow, reflecting economic trends."

Continue reading Cal-Maine Tops EPS Estimates, Resumes Dividend

Cal-Maine Tops EPS Estimates, Resumes Dividend originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM) is about the only company of note scheduled to release earning results in what will otherwise be a very quiet week between the holidays.

The three months that ended in November saw the poultry industry embroiled in an environment-related lawsuit, and Cal-Maine also ended its streak of special dividends when it reported a first-quarter loss.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: The CALM Between the Holidays

The Week in Preview: The CALM Between the Holidays originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) lower Q4 earnings met analysts' expectations but the Q1 outlook was weak.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) posted a Q1 net loss and said it will skip its dividend this quarter.
• Cephalon Inc. (NASDAQ: CEPH) earnings prospects for 2010 resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q1 earnings beat by a penny but revenue fell short of estimates.
• Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI) shares rose after it forecast Q3 earnings above Wall Street estimates.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ...

Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) skips dividend, reports Q1 loss

Cal-Maine Foods (CALM) skips dividend, reports Q1 loss originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Autumn has arrived and the quarter winds down this week. The Dow has been inching toward 10,000 for a while now, though it closed lower in the past three sessions. Can it make it to 10,000 for the start of the third quarter? If so, what will push it higher? If not, what will drag it down further?

• Monday is Yom Kippur, the most solemn of the Jewish holidays; trading likely will be lighter than usual. In the evening, the FDIC meets to discuss how to rebuild the Bank Deposit Insurance Fund.
• Tuesday, the Consumer Confidence Index for September is due and the SEC holds a public meeting to consider more short sale actions.

Continue reading The week in preview: Is the rally over?

The week in preview: Is the rally over? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Short City Update: Panera Bread, Cal-Maine Foods - cover each short

Short City Update: Panera Bread, Cal-Maine Foods - cover each short originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the most recent edition of Barron's, fund manager Scott Black touted shares of Cal-Maine Foods (NASDAQ: CALM), the country's largest egg producer, as a stock worth buying. The company generates a return on equity of over 30%, and Black said that at just over 5x earnings, the stock is extraordinarily cheap. When the market revalues Cal-Maine at "just eight times [next year's estimated] earnings, you've got a $38.50 stock." Shares of CALM, which closed Friday at $22.90, were up to $24.86 by Wednesday morning.

I'm familiar with Cal-Maine, having been introduced to the company more than a year ago when it was the focus of a presentation at the Boston College Investment Club. Last summer, I spoke with the company's CFO, Tim Dawson, who gave me a much better understanding of the egg business. Though I came away convinced that Cal-Maine is in very capable hands, I believed then -- as I still do now -- that the stock is not a buy. Here's why.

Continue reading Cal-Maine gets a Barron's boost, but is it a value trap?

Cal-Maine gets a Barron's boost, but is it a value trap? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Investor and trader Mishko Janusevich had a mantra that he used to repeat while outlining the top, new stock shorts that appeared that day, as determined by technical indicators.

He would stand next to the overhead projected stock chart at the front of the trading room, point to the stock chart and recite, "You see this stock? You see that it's dropped $8 in past two days? You think it can't drop any more? SELL THAT STOCK it's dropping more!!"

Short these shares if you can tolerate high-risk and are an experienced investor that does not remove Buy/Stop Losses.

Continue reading Short City: Panera Bread, Cal-Maine Foods

Short City: Panera Bread, Cal-Maine Foods originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 May 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It was a quiet week, but here are highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) earnings growth prospects for 2009 make the stock worth a look.
• Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) offered no 2009 guidance but may benefit from bankruptcies of other retailers.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) Q2 earnings fell more than expected but revenue rose.
• Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) said it will soon post preliminary Q4 results in the face of falling oil prices.
• Piedmont Natural Gas Co. Inc. (NYSE: PNY) reported a widened Q4 loss while revenue improved.
• Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) earnings prospects may make the stock a bargain.

Also, a survey indicated that U.S. corporate profits in the fourth quarter probably fell for the sixth straight quarter. Interest cuts haven't helped bank earnings, will the Fed buying mortgage-backed securities do better? And, are food stocks still a defensive play?

Upcoming earnings releases include Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ), Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO), and Monsanto (NYSE: MON).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Amgen, Big Lots, Cal-Maine, Piedmont, Take-Two originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I often talk stocks with my father, and he believes that with the economy in tatters, the big beneficiaries in the coming year will be companies that produce and sell food. His simple theory is that with discretionary spending at a minimum, "everybody still needs to eat."

While it's certainly hard to argue with the fact that we all need sustenance, a different case can be made for investing in suppliers and vendors of food.

My dad thinks prices at the store will rise much higher because it's still cheaper than eating out, thus, great profits will be had by everyone up and down the supply chain.

But I'm not so sure.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM), which released earnings on Monday, is a good example of why I'm not jumping onboard with this theory.

The company, which is currently the largest producer and distributor of fresh-shell eggs in the United States, said profit for its second fiscal quarter fell 32% as sales to egg-product makers and the food service industry slowed, and feed costs remained high.

Cal-Maine earned $1.14 per share for the quarter ended Nov. 29, but last year it earned $1.69 a share.

Continue reading Everyone's gotta eat, right? Food stocks may not be as defensive as you think

Everyone's gotta eat, right? Food stocks may not be as defensive as you think originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Egg producer Cal-Maine Foods Inc. ( NASDAQ: CALM) reported on Monday that its fiscal second-quarter earnings fell 32% to $27.2 million, or $1.14 per share. Revenue rose 7% from a year ago to $238.3 million.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had on average expected a $1.26 per share profit. The company said sales to the institutional and food-service sector in the quarter ended Nov. 29 were slower while feed costs remained high. They added that those prices are likely to remain relatively high and volatile over the year ahead.

Shares fell Monday by $1.97, or 6.7%, and continued to fall in after-hours trading. The share price is still up 4.4% in the past three months, and about the same as it was a year ago.

Shares of rivals Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN), and ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) also declined on Monday.

Based in Jackson, Miss., Cal-Maine is one of the largest fresh shell egg producers in the U.S., selling its products to supermarkets in 29 states. It has a market cap of $588.4 million and its operations include breeding facilities, hatcheries, wholesale distribution centers, feed mills, shell-egg production facilities, pullet-growing facilities, and processing and packing facilities.

Cal-Maine drops on Q2 earnings miss originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As the calendar year winds down, the news no doubt will be full of stories (like the one below from AP) analyzing incoming holiday sales figures and speculating on what they mean for the big picture.

About the only confirmed company reporting quarterly earnings results next week is Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NYSE: CALM), the largest producer/distributor of eggs in the U.S. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are, on average, looking for the Jackson, Miss.-based company to report earning $1.26 per share in its fiscal second quarter. That's 25.4% lower than in the same period of the previous year. In its first-quarter report back in September, Cal-Maine also reported a drop in net income as rising feed costs offset increased demand. While the share price has fallen 22.2% in the past three months, it is up 14.0% from a year ago. Cal-Maine recently completed its acquisition of a Tampa Bay egg producer.

Economic data scheduled to be released this week include:

Continue reading The week in preview: Holiday sales, Cal-Maine Foods

The week in preview: Holiday sales, Cal-Maine Foods originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cal-Maine Foods (NASDAQ: CALM) is the largest producer of fresh shell eggs in the United States, distributing its products to grocery store chains, club stores, foodservice distributors and egg product manufacturers throughout the southwestern, southeastern, mid-western and mid-Atlantic regions. The company also offers reduced cholesterol, cage free, and organic eggs under the Egg-Land's Best and Farmhouse labels. Cal-Maine operates breeding facilities, hatcheries, feed mills, egg production sites and processing facilities in 16 states across its distribution regions. It provides for nearly 16% of total U.S. egg consumption.

Investors were pleased Monday, when Barron's reported that CALM shares could double over the next year. Analysis was offered suggesting the potential for $7 per share in earnings next year, a three-fold increase from early 2008 levels.

Continue reading Cal-Maine Foods (CALM): Price defining bullish 'pennant' formation

Cal-Maine Foods (CALM): Price defining bullish 'pennant' formation originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Some agricultural stocks to consider from BusinessWeek

Some agricultural stocks to consider from BusinessWeek originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.