Analyst Upgrades

• Tiffany (TIF) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Kellogg (K) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Citizens Republic (CRBC) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Research in Motion (RIMM) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• MWI Veterinary Supply (MWIV) and Elster (ELT) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Paetec Holding (PAET) and Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• New Gold (NGD) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Aviat Networks (AVNW) to buy from hold at Needham.
• Abiomed (ABMD) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Animal Health (AHII) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• PNM Resources (PNM) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: COMV, FSLR, K, LDK, NGD, PTEN, RIMM, STD, TIF ...

Analyst Calls: COMV, FSLR, K, LDK, NGD, PTEN, RIMM, STD, TIF ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Cisco (CSCO) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Cognizant (CTSH) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Polypore (PPO) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Elan (ELN) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Millicom (MICC) and NuStar GP Holdings (NSH) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Teekay LNG (TGP) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• American Railcar (ARII) to outperform from market perform at Morgan Keegan.
• Texas Instruments (TXN) to buy from neutral at Sterne Agee.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ARO, CSCO, CTSH, ELN, EZCH, LEAP, OGE, TXN, WIN ...

Analyst Calls: ARO, CSCO, CTSH, ELN, EZCH, LEAP, OGE, TXN, WIN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded BP (BP) to buy from neutral.
• STEC (STEC) was upgraded to buy from hold at Needham.
• MCG Capital (MCGC) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Corporate Office (OFC) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• Citigroup upgraded K-Sea Transportation (KSP) and Post Properties (PPS) to hold from sell.
• BofA/Merrill upgraded Embraer (ERJ) to buy from underperform.
• Wilmington Trust (WL) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Macquarie.
• Parkway Properties (PKY) was upgraded to hold from sell at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BP, EOG, FDO, MOT, MRO, NEM, NOK, ODP, RIMM, TGB ...

Analyst Calls: BP, EOG, FDO, MOT, MRO, NEM, NOK, ODP, RIMM, TGB ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Coca-Cola (KO) to overweight from neutral due to valuation and expectations that developed market volume should improve. The firm raised its target price for shares to $66.
• BB&T upgraded Nordson (NDSN) to buy from hold and has an $82 price target on the stock. The firm believes certain drivers of Nordson's Advanced Tech unit are becoming more secular vs. cyclical and that the company's EBIT margins can go higher.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Embraer (ERJ) to outperform from underperform, citing the positive announcements from the Famborough Air Show. The firm raised its price target to $37 from $21.
• Universal Health (UHS) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Mead Johnson (MJN) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Coventry Health (CVH) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Leerink.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ALU, CHL, EXC, GENZ, KO, NDSN, NSW, SJM, TXN ...

Analyst Calls: ALU, CHL, EXC, GENZ, KO, NDSN, NSW, SJM, TXN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded 3M Company (MMM) to conviction buy from buy, citing positive global industrial data, underappreciated organic growth and earnings momentum, among other reasons. The firm raised its target to $105 from $100.
• Citigroup upgraded Manpower (MAN) to buy from hold to reflect improvements in the temporary employment sector. The firm raised its target price on shares to $69 from $61.
• Baird upgraded Cerner (CERN) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $104 from $89 based on Q4 bookings momentum, positive newsflow and reasonable valuation.
• Dow Chemical (DOW) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Magna International (MGA) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AOL, DOW, KSS, LMT, MAN, MMM, SONC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Janney Montgomery upgraded Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) to Buy from Neutral on valuation, viewing the recent weakness as a buying opportunity. The firm has a $19 target on the stock.
• UBS upgraded Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL) to Buy from Neutral due to customer Broder's improved liquidity and the improved outlook for margins.
• RBC Capital upgraded State Street (NYSE: STT) to Top Pick from Outperform and raised its target to $55 from $40. The analyst said the $2B capital raise addresses TCE ratio concerns and large unrealized losses in the investment portfolio.
• Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
• Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP) was upgraded to Buy from Underperform at Banc of America/Merrill.
• M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Bernstein.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: WTR, GIL, STT, EHTH, AKZOY, MEOH, UTHR and HGG

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: WTR, GIL, STT, EHTH, AKZOY, MEOH, UTHR and HGG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Q. Vahan, although you primarily recommend US equities, your newsletter also includes a few international picks, such as American Oriental Bioengineering (NYSE: AOB) and Embraer (NYSE: ERJ). What factors made you choose these companies?

A. I do recommend foreign companies from time to time in the Forbes Growth Investor, but only if they trade on US exchanges and only if they show up at the top of my screens. I rely on a quantitative model that screens stocks based on the probability of out-performance over the next six to 18 months. I like AOB because it sells traditional Chinese plant-based pharmaceuticals in China. Demand is very strong for these natural products in that country. I like ERJ because it gives us exposure to Brazil, which has one the fastest growing economies in Latin America.

Q. Several of your recommendations are US-based multinationals, such as RPM (NYSE: RPM) and Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), both of whom do significant business around the world. How important was their international exposure to your selection, and why?

A: International exposure is not something I normally focus on. Besides, these days most mid- to large-sized companies have at least some international exposure. Because the global economic outlook is so uncertain at this time, I felt more comfortable with companies that have a diversified revenue stream.

Continue reading Global Q&A: Still a believer in growth

Global Q&A: Still a believer in growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Before the bell: AMR, BA, MOT, HON, YHOO, PG, DIS

Before the bell: AMR, BA, MOT, HON, YHOO, PG, DIS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• PDUFA date for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY)'s supplemental Biologics License Application for Orencia for the treatment of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 5pm.

• Chattem Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTT) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 9:00am.
• FOMC to release minutes of the March 18th meeting at 2:00pm.
• Embraer-Empr Bras Aeronautica (ADR) (NYSE: ERJ) conference call to announce new midsize & midlight executive jet concepts at 6:00pm.

Continue reading Market highlights for next week: Alcoa to report earnings

Market highlights for next week: Alcoa to report earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

China introduced its first domestically manufactured regional jet Friday as the nation attempts to enter the crowded regional jet manufacturing marketplace to meet its jet needs, Reuters reported.

The ARJ21-700, or Advanced Regional Jet of the 21st Century, is being built by state-operated manufacturer AVIC I, which also makes fighter planes and bombers, Reuters reported.

Analyst C. Leonard Bauer, formerly of Prudential, told BloggingStocks on Friday that while China's introduction of the ARJ21-700 is a historic moment for Chinese aerospace development and engineering, the company and airplane manufacturing process in the world's most populous country still faces formidable hurdles.

Chief among these will be strong competition, Bauer said. Canada-based Bombardier and Brazil-based Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) are two manufacturers in the sector with demonstrated proficiency, he said, and it's unlikely that AVIC I will be able to match flight performance for at least five to seven years.

"More than likely, China's aviation officials will concentrate solely on China's market, which is what they should do, as there's not likely to be many foreign orders for the ARJ21-700 for at least a half decade," Bauer said. "Aviation is a big 'known-commodity' business, which means it will be some time before the ARJ21-700 builds a foreign order book."

Continue reading ARJ21-700 marks China's entry into regional jet market

ARJ21-700 marks China's entry into regional jet market originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.