Analyst Upgrades

• Bunge (BG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Textron (TXT) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• CSX (CSX) to buy from neutral and Pulte Group (PHM) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Aol (AOL) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Kohlberg Capital (KCAP) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Owens Corning (OC) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Jefferies (JEF) to buy from neutral at Ticonderoga.
• Harris (HRS) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AOL, BG, CCL, CP, CSX, HRS, NE, OC, PHM, RIG, SBUX, TXT ...

Analyst Calls: AOL, BG, CCL, CP, CSX, HRS, NE, OC, PHM, RIG, SBUX, TXT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Dominion (D) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Corinthian Colleges (COCO) to outperform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• Canadian National (CNI) to sector outperformer from sector performer at CIBC.
• DragonWave (DRWI) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Infosys (INFY) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• SL Green Realty (SLG), Lexington Realty (LXP) and Taubman Centers (TCO) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Sunstone Hotel (SHO) to buy from neutral and Extra Space Storage (EXR) to buy from hold at KeyBanc.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AEP, CCL, CNI, D, FDX, HAS, INFY, MAT, RCL, S, T, UPS, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: AEP, CCL, CNI, D, FDX, HAS, INFY, MAT, RCL, S, T, UPS, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Verizon (VZ), FEMSA (FMX), Vornado (VNO), Duke Realty (DRE) and AvalonBay (AVB) to buy from neutral, as well as Carnival (CCL) to conviction buy from buy, at Goldman.
• Symantec (SYMC) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Copano Energy (CPNO), DCP Midstream (DPM) and Inergy (NRGY) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• SYNNEX (SNX) to strong buy from buy at Needham.
• Eli Lilly (LLY) to hold from sell at Hapoalim.
• World Wrestling (WWE) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ...

Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Polo Ralph Lauren (RL) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Qualcomm (QCOM) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
• Walgreen (WAG) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Rockwell (ROK) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Carnival (CCL) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• SunTrust (STI) and TD Bank (TD) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Hawaiian Electric (HE) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Amgen (AMGN) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: EBAY, ERIC, MMI, MSI, NKE, QCOM, RL, ROK, SWY, WAG ...

Analyst Calls: EBAY, ERIC, MMI, MSI, NKE, QCOM, RL, ROK, SWY, WAG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Companies continue to file quarterly reports late in the season, and a few are poised to spread some early holiday cheer for investors this week. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect strong earnings results from Nike (NKE), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) and Darden Restaurants (DRI), among others. Here's a quick look (for more details, see the DailyFinance Week in Preview).

Analysts forecast Nike's fiscal-second quarter earnings to come in at 88 cents per share, a 13.6% increase from the same period of last year. The world's leading athletic footwear maker also is expected to post revenue of $4.8 billion for the three months that ended in November. That's 9.3% more than the same period a year earlier. Note that Nike's earnings have not fallen short of consensus estimates in the past five quarters.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Late Season Earnings from Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, Darden

Week in Preview: Late Season Earnings from Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, Darden originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Citigroup (C) to conviction buy from buy, Principal Financial (PFG) to buy from neutral, and Stancorp Financial (SFG) and Hartford Financial (HIG) to neutral from sell.
• JetBlue (JBLU) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Barclays upgraded Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Carnival (CCL) upgraded to overweight from equal weight.
• Hollysys Automation (HOLI) was upgraded to buy from hold at Roth Capital.
• RBC Capital upgraded Alliance Data Systems (ADS) to outperform from sector perform.
• RRI Energy (RRI) was upgraded to buy from hold at Citigroup.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ALTR, ATHN, C, CCL, HD, JBLU, LUV, MSFT, RCL ...

Analyst Calls: ALTR, ATHN, C, CCL, HD, JBLU, LUV, MSFT, RCL ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Janney Montgomery upgraded MasterCard (MA) to buy from neutral. The firm has a $250 price target on the stock.
• Lazard upgraded Frontline (FRO) to hold from sell following the better than expected Q1 report.
• Knight Capital (NITE) was upgraded at BMO Capital to outperform from market perform. The firm cites valuation and improved fundamentals for the downgrade. The firm has an $18 price target on the stock.
• Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Carnival (CCL) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Computer Sciences (CSC) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: MA, FRO, NITE, RDS.A, CCL, DWA, VLCM, WEN, C, PG, ENOC ...

Analyst Calls: MA, FRO, NITE, RDS.A, CCL, DWA, VLCM, WEN, C, PG, ENOC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a special report, Top Picks for 2010, the 27th annual survey in which TheStockAdvisors.com asks the nation's leading advisors for their single favorite stock for the new year. See all 80 stocks listed here.

"Moviegoers represent a captive audience that can't change the channel or block a pop-up ad," observes value investor Nathan Slaughter.

In his Half-Priced Stocks, he suggests, "We expect more companies than ever before to spend ad dollars on theater ads, leading to a banner year for National CineMedia (NCMI)."

Continue reading Top Picks for 2010: National CineMedia (NCMI)

Top Picks for 2010: National CineMedia (NCMI) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Philip Morris (PM) closed at $49.04. Philip Morris December option implied volatility is at 20, January is at 23, March is at 26; versus its 26-week average of 27 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Carnival (CCL) closed at $31.83. Carnival is expected to report Q4 EPS on December 18. December option implied volatility is at 43; January is at 41; below its 26-week average of 48, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement after EPS.

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

Options Update: Philip Morris volatility of 23 near 16-month lows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) shares rose after it reaffirmed its full-year earnings and sales outlook.
• Automatic Data Processing Inc. (NASDAQ: ADP) will have low double-digit EPS growth, predicts one analyst.
• AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) posted a decline in earnings but a small rise in sales, sending shares lower.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings and higher revenue.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) rallied to a new 52-week high after topping analysts' Q2 earnings expectations.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) reported better-than-expected Q3 results and raised its full-year guidance.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ...

Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Carnival Corporation third quarter earnings preview

Carnival Corporation third quarter earnings preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Q2 earnings were in line with expectations but sales beat.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat earnings estimates for Q1, but on horrible metrics, sending shares lower.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) lower Q2 earnings beat expectations and previous guidance, boosting shares.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profit and sales dropped, but still beat expectations, sending shares higher.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Stephens upgraded Old Dominion Freight (NASDAQ: ODFL) to Overweight from Equal Weight to reflect the financial problems at YRC Worldwide (NASDAQ: YRCW), which the firm believes could lead to market share gains. Stephens raised its target on Old Dominion Freight to $40 from $22.
• UBS expects SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWRA) to benefit from the U.S. residential solar segment as investment tax credits come available. The firm upgraded shares to Buy from Neutral and raised its target to $38 from $26.
• KeyBanc upgraded DPL (NYSE: DPL) to Buy from Hold based on valuation and potential upside from the Ohio approval of the rate settlement, 2010 guidance, and potential to use cash flow for accretive purposes.
• Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) was upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman.
• Carnival (NYSE: CCL) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays.
• South Financial Group (NASDAQ: TSFG) was upgraded at SunTrust to Buy from Neutral.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CCL, LDK, MSFT, PCLN

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: CCL, LDK, MSFT, PCLN originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Both J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) and Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) topped earnings expectations in their respective quarterly reports Thursday, and shares of both ended the day higher.

Smucker said results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, included the operations of Folgers Coffee Co. since the completion of the merger in November. Adjusted income per share for the quarter was $1.02, a year-over-year increase of 40%. For the full year, it was $3.77 per share, an increase of 20%.

Continue reading Smucker and Carnival shares rise on earnings beats

Smucker and Carnival shares rise on earnings beats originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: A win that felt too quiet (BRK-A, BAC, CCL, SNDK, SLM, WLP)

Closing Bell: A win that felt too quiet (BRK-A, BAC, CCL, SNDK, SLM, WLP) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Swine Flu outbreak keeps chugging along as the number of people affected rises.

Shares of all travel-related companies have been sickened by the threat of a really bad pandemic, as opposed to a mild flu with a lot of media hype. And the market concerns can hardly be sneezed at. During the hellish Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, when tens of millions died, the bug circumnavigated the globe once in a milder form before mutating into the more virulent and deadly form that killed so many.

Continue reading Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg

Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) said revenues and bookings both declined in the most recent quarter.
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) reported strong Q4 results in the wake of Circuit City's demise.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) sailed past analysts' Q1 projections, sending shares higher.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) Q3 results topped analysts expectations and drove shares higher.
• DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) swung to a larger-than-expected Q4 loss and revenue slipped.
• DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) reported a bigger-than-expected Q4 loss as same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more

Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Carnival (CCL) lifted by Q1 earnings

Carnival (CCL) lifted by Q1 earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our feature on Money Losers of 2008. See all 20.

There's no doubt about it -- times are tough. People are struggling to find work and to pay the bills as the value of their homes and savings dwindle. The poor get poorer, and the rich get richer.

Or do they? It's all relative, of course, but world's billionaires have been taking some big hits too. We take a look at Sheldon Adelson, Kirk Kerkorian, and Lakshmi Mittal in their own separate posts, but here are some other billionaires who have lost billions this year (courtesy of Forbes and Business Sheet).

• Brothers Anil and Mukesh Ambani of India's private conglomerate Reliance lost $32.5 billion and $28.2 billion, respectively.
• Warren Buffett, the Sage of Omaha, lost $16.5 billion. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) are down about 32% since the beginning of the year.
• Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen lost $12.3 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, while CEO Steve Balmer lost $6.5 billion. Shares of Microsoft are down 46% since the beginning of the year.
• Larry Page and Sergey Brin, cofounders of Google Inc. (NYSE: GOOG), lost $11.9 billion and $11.7 billion, respectively, and CEO Eric Schmidt lost $3.8 billion. The share price of Google has fallen 55% since the beginning of the year.
• Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL), lost $8.2 billion. Shares of Oracle are down 21% since the beginning of the year.
• Media maven Sumner Redstone lost $7.2 billion. Shares of his private investment firm National Amusements fell 70% this year.

Continue reading Money losers of 2008: Billionaires who lost billions this year

Money losers of 2008: Billionaires who lost billions this year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) posted strong Q4 and full-year results, but with flat Q4 revenues.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat Q3 expectations though earnings tumbled, and shares rose about 18%.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) announced that it had lowered its full-year earnings and revenue guidance.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) net income from continuing operations more than doubled in Q4.
• Eaton Corp. (NYSE: ETN) cut its Q4 earnings guidance on weakness in the American auto market.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) Q2 earnings topped expectations and it reaffirmed its guidance.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) declined to provide quarterly earnings guidance in its annual outlook.
• General Mills (NYSE: GIS) posted a higher-than-expected profit on cost cutting and increased marketing.
• Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) strong earnings growth are expected by one analyst to continue.
• Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) swung to an anticipated Q4 loss and reported negative revenues.
• Healthcare Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: HR) was downgraded due to its near-term earnings prospects.
• Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) affirmed a lower 2009 outlook and said it expects profits to fall.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Best Buy, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Nike, RIM, Oracle and others

Earnings highlights: Best Buy, FedEx, Goldman Sachs, Nike, RIM, Oracle and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.