Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded CME Group (CME) to buy from hold to reflect valuation and the company's improving trends. The firm raised its target price for shares to $325 from $320.
• JPMorgan upgraded Big Lots (BIG) to overweight from neutral. The firm believes the company's stabilizing comps and accelerating square foot growth should drive multiple expansion and raised its target price for shares to $38.
• Soleil upgraded PacWest Bancorp (PACW) to buy from hold as it views the company's bulk loan sale positively. The firm has a $24.50 target on the stock.
• Clean Harbors (CLH) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Skilled Healthcare (SKH) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Leerink.
• FARO Tech (FARO) was upgraded to buy from hold at Needham.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BIG, CME, GME, GOOG, INTC, PALM, YHOO ...

Analyst Calls: BIG, CME, GME, GOOG, INTC, PALM, YHOO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Vistaprint (VPRT) to buy from hold on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm also raised its price target on the stock to $62 from $55.
• Fox-Pitt upgraded Eaton Vance (EV) to outperform from in line citing strong fundamentals. The firm raised its target to $36 from $34.
• Stifel Nicolaus upgraded Hospitality Properties (HPT) to buy from hold citing valuation and expected cash dividend in 2010. The firm has a $22 target on the stock.
• The Advisory Board (ABCO) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at First Analysis.
• Technip (TKPPY) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Jefferies upgraded Energy XXI (EXXI) to hold from underperform and raised its target to $2 from $1.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VPRT, EV, HPT, NRG, GTE, BNHNA, VAR, ITRI and FARO

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: VPRT, EV, HPT, NRG, GTE, BNHNA, VAR, ITRI and FARO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded Starwood Hotels (NYSE: HOT), Host Hotels (NYSE: HST) and Marriott (NYSE: MAR) to Outperform from Neutral based on valuation and indications that negative sentiment has reached a bottom.
• Citigroup upgraded Torchmark (NYSE: TMK) to Buy from Hold as they find the valuation attractive and think management can grow earnings and book value in 2009/2010. Despite upgrading, the firm lowered their target price to $37 from $45.
• ASM International (NASDAQ: ASMI) was added to Goldman's Conviction Buy List.
• Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) was upgraded at Natixis to Buy from Hold.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: HOT, GOOG, WPI, LYG ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: HOT, GOOG, WPI, LYG ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Stanford raised Fluor (NYSE: FLR) to Hold from Sell primarily due to valuation.
• Citigroup upgraded Cadence Designs (NASDAQ: CDNS) to Buy from Hold because they think the company's cost restructuring initiative and its new CFO will be catalysts for the shares.

• Stephens dropped Ann Taylor (NYSE: ANN) to Equal Weight from Overweight because they no longer view LOFT as a compelling reason to invest in the company.
  
• Citigroup downgraded Hershey (NYSE: HSY) to Hold from Buy on valuation.
  
• KeyBanc dropped Lennox (NYSE: LII) to Hold from Buy on valuation.

• Coverage of Hershey was assumed with a Sell by Stifel, which cited valuation for its rating.
• FARO Technology (NASDAQ: FARO) was initiated by Needham with a Buy rating.
• Leerink Swann resumed coverage of Cardionet (NASDAQ: BEAT) with an Outperform, as the firm predicts that the company's technolgoy will enable it to grow substantially.

Analyst calls: FLR, ANN, HSY, BEAT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• BMO Capital is positive on IBM (NYSE: IBM) given the company's reduced pension and stock buyback, opportunity to increase the mix of software, new mainframe cycle, and the company's diverse revenue stream. Shares were initiated with an Outperform rating and $138 target.
  
• Merriman views Entropic Comm (NASDAQ: ENTR) as a core holding for investors seeking exposure to the rapidly growing home networking market and finds the current valuation attractive; the firm started shares with a Buy rating.
  
• Friedman Billings assumed FARO Tech (NASDAQ: FARO) with an Outperform rating and $42 target. The firm expects FARO's secular growth to drive sales as the company's products meet the needs of the largest emerging market for software-based manufacturing measurement systems.

• Oppenheimer initiated MedAssets (NASDAQ: MDAS) with a Perform rating and $20 target.
• Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM) was initiated at Baird with a Neutral rating and $29 target.
  
• LoopNet (NASDAQ: LOOP) was assumed with an Equal Weight rating and $15 target at Stephens.

Analyst initiations: IBM, ENTR and FARO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 May 2008 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Prudential upgraded Energizer Holdings Inc (NYSE: ENR) to Neutral from Underweight. The firm said Energizer has been overly focused on the negative potential of cost inflation without fully appreciating the positive mix shift being generated by faster growth of high-margin specialty products and new products that indicate innovation and a competitive edge.

• Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Leerink Swann following Gilead's strong quarter.

• FTN Midwest upgraded shares of Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NYSE: AMD) and Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) to Buy from Neutral as the firm believes they are seeing the beginnings of a truce with between the two companies which could lead to higher ASPs.

• CNOOC Ltd (NYSE: CEO) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan to reflect the company's prospects for production growth.

• Stifel raised shares of Washington Real Estate Investment Trust (NYSE: WRE) to Buy from Hold with a $42 target.

• AG Edwards upgraded FARO Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: FARO) to Buy from Hold.

• William Blair upgraded Illinois Tool Works, Inc (NYSE: ITW) to Outperform from Market Perform.

• JP Morgan added J.C. Penney Co (NYSE: JCP) to its Focus List.

• Matrix USA upgraded shares of Henry Schein, Inc (NASDAQ: HSIC) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

Analyst upgrades 4-19-07: AMD, GILD, INTC & JCP upgraded today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.