Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup (C) to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.
• Cubist Pharma (CBST) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Pentair (PNR) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Heritage Financial (HFWA) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• SL Green Realty (SLG) and Digital Realty (DLR) to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• MGM Resorts (MGM) to neutral from Sell at Janney Capital.
• Ciena (CIEN) to buy from neutral and Olin (OLN) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Mellanox (MLNX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• ConocoPhillips (COP) and Canadian Natural (CNQ) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• IDEX (IEX) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Ctrip.com (CTRP) to positive from neutral at Susquehanna.
• Linear Technology (LLTC) and Analog Devices (ADI) to hold from sell at Auriga.
• Quicksilver (KWK) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADI, BRCM, C, CIEN, COP, INTC, MGM, OXY, QCOM, TXN ...

Analyst Calls: ADI, BRCM, C, CIEN, COP, INTC, MGM, OXY, QCOM, TXN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund (EWY) April put option implied volatility is at 25, July is at 29; compared to its 26-week average of 27, according to Track Data, suggesting less near-term price movement compared to outer month risk.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) closed up 1.53 to 19.44.

Option volume leaders today: Apple (AAPL), Citigroup (C), Netflix (NFLX), Kraft (KFT), according to Track Data.

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

Options Update: iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund April Volatility Low, July Elevated originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just when we thought the banking crisis was finished, we get another jolt. The U.S. Federal Reserve denied Bank of American (BAC) permission to raise its dividend.

If you recall, Bank of America is still struggling to absorb toxic assets it acquired with its purchase of Countrywide Mortgage. It has been on a slow climb back to fiscal health. At the end of 2010 the company was still bleeding, with a net loss of $1.2 billion.

Continue reading Fed Says No to Bank of America Dividend Increase

Fed Says No to Bank of America Dividend Increase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Buffett's Next Buys -- You Pick'em

Serious Money: Buffett's Next Buys -- You Pick'em originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Intel (INTC), ON Semiconductor (ONNN), Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC), Fairchild Semiconductor (FSC), STMicroelectronics (STM) and Altera (ALTR) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Capital One (COF) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Dollar Tree (DLTR) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Foot Locker (FL) to buy from neutral at Sterne Agee.
• Progressive (PGR) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Flow International (FLOW) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
• Signature Bank (SBNY) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• HiSoft Technology (HSFT) to buy from neutral at UBS.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMTD, C, COF, DLTR, FL, GS, IBM, INTC, NYT, PGR, SCHW ...

Analyst Calls: AMTD, C, COF, DLTR, FL, GS, IBM, INTC, NYT, PGR, SCHW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo (WFC) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Adobe (ADBE) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Vail Resorts (MTN) and Goldcorp (GG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• OmniVision (OVTI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Penn Virginia (PVA) to hold from sell at Canaccord.
• Hub Group (HUBG) to outperform from market perform at Morgan Keegan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADBE, AOL, CAT, CSTR, FITB, GG, GPS, MDAS, RIG, WFC ...

Analyst Calls: ADBE, AOL, CAT, CSTR, FITB, GG, GPS, MDAS, RIG, WFC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) rises 24% to 20.03 on antigovernment protests in Egypt.

United States Oil Fund (USO) closed up 4.3% as WTI Crude futures have traded up 4.37% to $89.38, according to Bloomberg. Traders were focused on short-term February 38 calls. February put option implied volatility of 29 is below its 26-week average of 31 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Option volume leaders are Apple (AAPL), Citigroup (C), Amazon.com (AMZN) and Netflix (NFLX), according to Track Data.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: VIX Rises 24% on Antigovernment Protests in Egypt originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Slightly Down as Investors Await Earnings Reports

U.S. Stock Futures Slightly Down as Investors Await Earnings Reports originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

U.S. stock futures are mostly higher this morning as investors await earnings reports from several companies. However, shares of Apple Inc (AAPL) dropped in pre-market trading. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 37 points to 11,762.00 and S&P 500 futures gained 2.20 points to 1,292.20. Futures on the Nasdaq 100, however, dropped 12.50 points to 2,307.50.

U.S. markets were closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King Day holiday. Stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow gaining 55.48 points, or 0.47%.

Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Mostly Up as Investors Await Earnings; Apple Shares Drop

U.S. Stock Futures Mostly Up as Investors Await Earnings; Apple Shares Drop originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings season ramps up this week. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters foresee strong reports from such big names as Apple (AAPL), eBay (EBAY), IBM (IBM), General Electric (GE), Google (GOOG), Schlumberger (SLB) and Southwest Airlines (LUV). And fast on the heels of last week's big earnings beat from JPMorgan Chase (JPM), there will be plenty more results from the financial sector to peruse this week.

Among the financials expected to post double-digit earnings growth this week are Capital One Financial (COF), Morgan Stanley (MS), SLM Corp. (SLM) and U.S. Bancorp (USB), but the week's biggest earnings winner may be Wells Fargo (WFC).

Continue reading Week in Preview: Banks in the Earnings Spotlight

Week in Preview: Banks in the Earnings Spotlight originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are the next four of my 2011 picks. I am behind schedule, after publishing the first 5 earlier in the week (see: Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 5 of 11). This year instead of starting completely anew, I am adjusting my 2010 picks. There is no sense in abandoning good ideas just because the calendar turned a page.

You will actually find support of running themes I have been writing about over the past few months. One of these is the idea of making a contrarian investment in a basket of stocks that have been both scalded and scolded in the headlines. Six stocks were included in such a group that I called the "toxic stocks" (see: Chasing Value: Toxic Stock Update #3 -- BAC, BP, C, GE, GS, RIG).

Continue reading Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 6, 7, 8, 9

Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 6, 7, 8, 9 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for a shopping list of new stock ideas for 2011?

Each year for 28 years, TheStockAdvisors.com has turned to the nation's most respected and well-known newsletter advisors and asked them for their favorite investment ideas for the coming 12 months.

With 65 advisors participating in this year's survey, there's something for every type of investor, from high-quality blue chips to speculative home runs.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors

Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Pre-Christmas Quick Takes

Chasing Value: Pre-Christmas Quick Takes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the middle of the summer with the stock market smoldering from the economic aftershocks of the BP (BP) oil spill, I decided to post a contrarian story emphasizing a very common refrain among value investors, "my pal Warren" being head of the class: buy on fear (sell on greed). This notion is continuing to work for what I called the toxic stock portfolio.

This is the third update to my ranting five months ago that six of the most reviled and most highly traded stocks featured by daily bad press as a group would outperform the overall market. It has, with the big winner rising from being one of the biggest losers.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Toxic Stock Update #3 -- BAC, BP, C, GE, GS, RIG

Chasing Value: Toxic Stock Update #3 -- BAC, BP, C, GE, GS, RIG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nobody knows what the future holds. But there are a few things shaping up that suggest certain things will most likely happen. Here are some of the major ones.

Interest Rates: Low at the beginning of the year, then headed higher for a long time. If you have an adjustable rate mortgage and you're still paying it, it's the perfect time to get it refinanced, if you can qualify. Interest rates are definitely going up; it's just a matter of when. As long as the Fed is pumping money in (QE2 is targeted with $800 billion .... with the possibility of more behind it), rates will stay low, unless investors think inflation will get way out of hand. Then rates will go higher no matter what the Fed does as investors sell longer term bonds to beat the coming inflation. Initially, rising interest rates will be bullish as they are a precursor to a healthy economy. But that bull will morph and become a bear when rates start jumping as the Fed tries to get ahead of inflation. Tricky business. Investors will do well to have floating rate assets and fixed rate liabilities.

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: What Lies Ahead For 2011 ... Maybe

Comfort Zone Investing: What Lies Ahead For 2011 ... Maybe originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fear gripped Wall Street on September 29, 2008, when the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the bailout package. On that day alone, banks borrowed a record $155.8 billion.

The Fed had set up a lending facility called the Primary Dealer Credit Facility (PDCF) to lend money to banks. As the crisis spread, borrowing increased almost daily. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) lists day-by-day borrowings:

Continue reading Flashback to the Crash: Banks Borrow $155.8 Billion

Flashback to the Crash: Banks Borrow $155.8 Billion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Research In Motion (RIMM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Citigroup (C) to buy from hold at ISI Group.
• Integrated Silicon (ISSI) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Kinross Gold (KGC) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: C, CHK, EBAY, KMB, MRK, NSRGY, PFE, RIMM, SNDA, VRA ...

Analyst Calls: C, CHK, EBAY, KMB, MRK, NSRGY, PFE, RIMM, SNDA, VRA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you are looking for clues telling you which stocks have a good chance of increasing in value, you might want consider watching what insiders are doing. After all, talk is cheap, but when insiders put their own money on the line, you should sit up and take note.

Citigroup (C) topped the insider-buying charts for the week ending July 9th as insiders snapped up 542,198 shares of company stock at a market value of $2,330,386. During the past six months, insiders have increased their overall holdings in the company by 26.58% and now own 0.08% of C stock.

General Motors (GM) was not far behind, with insiders buying 43,150 shares at a market value of $1,455,536.

Continue reading Insiders Jumping into Citigroup, General Motors and More

Insiders Jumping into Citigroup, General Motors and More originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Banks could face another mortgage crisis, according to Barron's, if they are forced to buy back subprime, Alt-A and options adjusted home mortgage securities they've sold prior to the financial crisis, mostly as mortgage-backed securities. Already some buyers, like Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC), have enjoyed some success returning defective mortgages. And this could be just the beginning.

The banks, of course, are fighting vigorously to fend off these demands. As usual, the courts will have to settle the matter. The focus of the debate seems to be founded on the issue of representations and warranties that may or may not have been violated.

There are no surprises among the 11 banks mentioned. It is the conspicuous absence of names you might expect to find that is.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Banks, Barron's and Buffett

Chasing Value: Banks, Barron's and Buffett originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Massey Energy (MEE) closed up $4.80 to $46.94 on reports that Alpha Natural (ANR) may buy the company, DJ says. December and January 55 calls are active on total call volume of 58K contracts, compared to put volume of 23K puts. November call option implied volatility is at 53 and January is at 48, compared to its 26-week average of 52. Increasing option volume suggests traders are positioning for price movement.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) closed down 29 cents to $18.23, near a six-month low after EPS, elections, FOMC meeting and October employment report.

CBOE option volume leaders today: Bank of America (BAC), Las Vegas Sands (LVS) JPMorgan (JPM) and Citigroup (C).

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: Massey Energy Calls Active on Reports of Buyout originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.