Darden (DRI) April and October put option implied volatility of 34 is above its 26-week average of 28, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement into Q3 results that were reported Thursday after the market close.

Euro Currency Trust (FXE) closed up 70 cents to 141.15. Overall option implied volatility of 11 is near its 26-week month average, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

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

Options Update: Darden Volatility Elevated into EPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Quarterly reports from Oracle (ORCL), Discover (DFS) and Tiffany (TIF) will highlight news on the earnings front this week.

Elsewhere on the economic calendar, the focus will be on housing, with existing home sales data due from the National Association of Realtors on Monday, new home sales numbers from the Census Bureau on Wednesday and data on housing starts released on Thursday.

Also watch for durable goods orders in February and the final GDP for the fourth quarter.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Housing Data and Late Season Earnings (ORCL, DFS, TIF)

Week in Preview: Housing Data and Late Season Earnings (ORCL, DFS, TIF) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Has Darden's Pullback Created an Opportunity?

Has Darden's Pullback Created an Opportunity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Baird upgraded Oshkosh (OSK) to outperform from neutral, citing valuation as it believes post-Iraq U.S. military spending concerns are overdone. The firm keeps a $42 price target for shares.
• Goldman transferred coverage on CenturyTel (CTL) with a buy from a neutral and has a $42 price target on the stock. The firm believes CenturyTel could increase buybacks and or increase its dividend given free cash generation and low payout ratio.
• Lazard Capital upgraded Hatteras Financial (HTS) to buy from hold to reflect increased dividend projections. The firm has a $30 price target for shares.
• EOG Resources (EOG) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Credit Suisse.
• Donaldson (DCI) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CTL, HTS, ISRG, MCD, MLM, OSK, RUTH, WMS, YUM ...

Analyst Calls: CTL, HTS, ISRG, MCD, MLM, OSK, RUTH, WMS, YUM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Income Investments: 3 Stocks That Are Boosting Their Dividends

Income Investments: 3 Stocks That Are Boosting Their Dividends originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Experienced investors know that in the frugal consumer era, one should move cautiously regarding restaurant plays, due to sector consolidation.

Restaurant chain Darden Restaurants (DRI), first discussed on June 25, 2009, at a price of $32.78, will likely be among the sector's survivors. Here's why.

Continue reading Darden: Restaurant Sector Winner

Darden: Restaurant Sector Winner originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:00:00 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.

Not all companies in these love-struck industries are good buys. Here are 10 stocks to break up with this Valentine's Day.

• 1-800-Flowers (FLWS): A good gift, but a poorly run company that has posted a loss for three of the past four quarters.
• Hershey (HSY): Missing out on the Cadbury merger was not so sweet for Hershey.
• Cardiac Sciences (CSCX): It's hard to have a heart for a company that fails seven out of my eight fundamental screens.

Continue reading Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate

Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:00:00 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.

From TheStreet.com Network

• Jobs, Unemployment Take Center Stage: Coming Week
• Decidedly Bearish: A Peek at the Week

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says a good shakeout on Monday would prepare us for a "fulcrum day" on Tuesday.

Could have been worse. With Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) (Cramer's Take) never lifting -- which was, by the way, wrong after a certain point -- and oil not rallying, you had no place to go. Last week we lost tech, banks, and oil. You can't even go up with just two of them, so to lose all three was dreadful.

I said last week that the calendar just didn't favor the bulls. The propensity to want to lock in gains ahead of the last weekend in September -- the one that is ended by the Yom Kippur holiday, which will always have thin trading -- is just too great.

Plus, don't forget that every month that is supposed to be bad gets tons of play for being bad: October! Ooooooo, scary! You know that's going to happen again.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Setting up for Tuesday

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Setting up for Tuesday originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:30:00 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.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) beat earnings expectations but revenue was hurt by currency effects.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) strong Q1 results beat estimates but same-store sales fell.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) lower Q1 earnings and strong sales both topped expectations.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) higher Q4 earnings were in line with expectations, and shares slipped.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q4 results were higher, but it warned of continuing challenges.
• Hennes & Mauritz (OTC: HMRZF) reported strong Q2 numbers, though same-stores sales slipped.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Nike, Oracle, Kroger, Walgreen, Monsanto, KB Home ...

Earnings highlights: Nike, Oracle, Kroger, Walgreen, Monsanto, KB Home ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Darden posts fourth-quarter earnings, can it boost the shares?

Darden posts fourth-quarter earnings, can it boost the shares? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This week brings a small flurry of end-of-the-calendar-quarter earnings reports. And for the most part, the expectations of the analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters aren't very high. Companies expected to report declining earnings in the most recently concluded quarter include America's Car-Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: CRMT), Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY), ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG), Jabil Circuit Inc. (NYSE: JBL), Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE: JTX), Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON), and Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ: SONC).

Continue reading The week in preview: End-of-quarter earnings expectations: Nike, Oracle, Walgreen ...

The week in preview: End-of-quarter earnings expectations: Nike, Oracle, Walgreen ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 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) reported better-than-expected Q1 results due to cost cutting.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) received several upgrades ahead of its Q4 report on the demise of Circuit City.
• Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI) crushed analyst's expectations for Q4 as same-store sales rose.
• China Direct Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: CDII) Q4 earnings prospects resulted in an analyst's dowgrade.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) posted better-than-expected Q3 earnings and lifted its 2009 guidance.
• Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER) was downgraded after it lowered its guidance.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) fell short of Q3 earnings and revenue expectations due to economic conditions.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Nike, Oracle, General Mills, Palm, Adobe and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Nike, Oracle, General Mills, Palm, Adobe and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve's FOMC holds two-day meeting on interest rates and will announce its decision on Wednesday. The Fed's Ben Bernanke will still be out and about this week, discussing the failure of Lehman Brothers later today, and ending up the week speaking at the Independent Community Bankers of America National Convention and Techworld.

Manufacturing will be in focus this week, starting with industrial production numbers for February and the Empire State Manufacturing Survey Diffusion Index for March scheduled to be released Monday morning. Tuesday morning will bring us the Producer Price Index for February, and Thursday morning comes the Philadelphia Fed Outlook Survey -- Diffusion Index Manufacturing for March.

Continue reading The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers

The week in preview: Interest rates, manufacturing, earnings gainers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last week's preview raised the question of whether consumers were turning to comfort foods in these uncertain times, specifically in terms of second quarter earnings of Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB) and Krispy Kreme (NYSE: KKD). Campbell's strong earnings growth topped expectations, while Krispy Kreme narrowed its loss, though it fell short of estimates.

This coming week should bring reports from more food-related companies, from cereal maker General Mills and food packager CongAgra to grocery chain Kroger, to the parent companies of restaurants Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Carl's Jr., and Hardees. Also look for reports from tech-related companies such as Oracle, Adobe, and Palm, as well as from financials Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and from economic bellwether FedEx.

Here's what analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial are expecting from some of the companies reporting earnings this week, as compared to their results from the same period of last year:

Continue reading The week in preview: Eyes on Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, FedEx

The week in preview: Eyes on Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, FedEx originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Restaurant shake-up will favor nimble players

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Restaurant shake-up will favor nimble players originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) Q1 earnings tumbled while revenues rose.
• Casella Waste Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CWST) posted a narrower-than-expected Q4 loss.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) Q1 earnings increased but its revenue slipped.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) swung to a Q4 profit on strong sales at Olive Garden.
• Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) said it might not see Q2 profit growth on lower demand and shipping delays.
• General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) Q4 earnings declined but were in line with expectations.
• Gerber Scientific Inc. (NYSE: GRB) reported solid Q4 and full-year results that pleased investors.
• IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS) beat Q2 expectations and posted record quarterly cash flow from operations.
• Jabil Circuit Inc. (NYSE: JBL) stronger-than-expected Q3 results led to an analyst's upgrade.
• KB Home (NYSE: KBH) widened its Q2 loss due to weak sales and falling prices.
• Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) beat Q1 expectations as consumers sought discounts on food and gas.
• Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON) beat Q3 earnings estimates but fell short of revenue estimates.
• Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) posted better-than-expected Q4 results boosted by international strength.
• Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) posted strong Q4 results that topped analysts' expectations (see transcript).

Continue reading Earnings highlights: RIM, Oracle, KB Home, Nike, Kroger, Walgreen and others

Earnings highlights: RIM, Oracle, KB Home, Nike, Kroger, Walgreen and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, both Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), the nation's largest traditional grocer, and casual dining chain operator Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) reported better-than-expected profit increases.

Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. said first-quarter profits rose 15% from the year-ago quarter to $386 million, or 58 cents per share, due in part to discounts on food, gas, and drugs that drew in budget-strapped consumers. For the quarter ended May 24, revenue climbed 12% to $23.11 billion.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected a earnings of 55 cents a share on revenue of $22.32 billion.

Kroger also reported that same-store sales rose 5.8%, excluding fuel, and 9.2% including fuel sales.

The company offered fiscal-year earnings guidance of $1.85 to $1.90 per share, compared to the analysts' forecast of $1.90 per share.

Kroger shares rose $1.82 Tuesday to $27.82, then fell in after-hours trading. The shares have risen 10.2% in the past three months.

Continue reading Kroger, Darden Restaurants rise on profit increases

Kroger, Darden Restaurants rise on profit increases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.