Hurricane Dean pushes over a dozen ships off course originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Deutsche Bank believes the worst is over for Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and expects an improvement in growth over the next several quarters, upgrading shares to Buy from Hold.

• CIBC upgraded shares of SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer following checks that indicate NAND supply is being allocated, visibility is improving, and SanDisk positioning is strengthening.

• Pali Capital raised Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) shares to Buy from Neutral as they believe the "valuation has become too attractive to ignore."

• JP Morgan upgraded Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) to Neutral from Underweight based on valuation.

• CIBC upgraded Openwave Systems (NASDAQ: OPWV) to Sector Performer from Sector Underperformer believing the Street's expectations are now in line with expectations, limiting downside potential at these levels...

• Merrill upgraded BT Group (NYSE: BT) to Buy from Sell.

• JP Morgan assumed coverage of Arkansas Best (NASDAQ: ABFS) with a Neutral rating, up from an Underweight rating.

• AG Edwards upgraded UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) to Buy from Hold.

• Merrill upgraded Dean Foods (NYSE: DF) to Neutral from Sell.

• UBS upgraded Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL) to Buy from Neutral.

Analyst upgrades 7-16-07: ABFS, DF, MOT, SNDK and TWX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY

• Dean Foods Co (NYSE: DF) was cut to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan to reflect future guidance concerns after management's cautious tone.

• Louisana-Pacific Corp (NYSE: LPX) was downgraded to Strong Sell from Buy at Matrix USA. The firm believes a weak housing market is having a significant negative impact on shares and sees downside to $14/share.

• Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST) was taken off the Strategic Stock List at UBS based on valuation.

• Bear Stearns cut Alcan (NYSE: AL) to Peer Perform from Outperform based on valuation.

• Oppenheimer downgraded Horizon Offshore (NASDAQ: HOFF) to Neutral from Buy on news of the acquisition by Cal Dive International (NYSE: DVR) as the firm believes the likelihood of a materially higher bid is low...

• Goldman cut Federal Signal Corp (NYSE: FSS) to Sell from Neutral.

• AG Edwards downgraded EPIQ Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: EPIQ) to Hold from Buy.

• Raymond James downgraded United Community Banks, Inc (NASDAQ: UCBI) to Neutral from Buy.

• Wachovia cut Targa Resources Partners LP (NASDAQ: NGLS) to Market Perform from Outperform.

• Gerdau Ameristeel Corp (NYSE: GNA) was downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Goldman.

• Nucor Corp (NYSE: NUE) was taken off Goldman's Conviction Buy List.

Analyst downgrades 6-13-07: AL, COST, DF and HOFF originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I just heard that Dean Baquet, the editor of the Los Angeles Times, has been pushed out by his Chicago-based overlords because he refused to oversee any more staff cuts.

Well, all of us members of the Fourth Estate, past and present, saw this coming. It's just another ill tiding for the newspaper industry.

The Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB), owners of the Chicago Tribune (and lots of other media outlets), own the Los Angeles Times. It's been relentless in its pursuit of profits, slashing staff and other resources. It's slowly starving its brand by trying to wring every last penny of profit out of its business. And when was the newspaper business ever a money-making operation?

Yes, the newspaper industry is dying. Yes, more people get their news now from the Internet or TV. Yes, advertising revenue has tanked, again thanks to the Internet. I'll even hazard to say there won't be newspapers as we know them in 20 years time. But it ain't dead yet. There are still millions of people who get a newspaper every day, for whatever reason. And those people want a good product. The Los Angeles Times was a good product. A great brand.

Continue reading Chicago to LA Times: drop dead

Chicago to LA Times: drop dead originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.