first solar posts
FeedPosted Oct 2nd 2009 10:50AM by Laurie Pasternack (RSS feed)
Filed under: Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Apple Inc (AAPL), General Electric (GE), Nokia Corp. (NOK), Citigroup Inc. (C), Bank of America (BAC), Comcast Cl'A' (CMCSA), Analyst initiations, Rio Tinto plc ADS (RTP), E*TRADE (ETFC), U.S. Bancorp (USB)
Analyst upgrades:
- UBS upgraded Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) to Buy from Neutral and raised its target to $265 from $170, citing higher iPhone expectations, new partnerships, and likely upward revisions to Street estimates driven by gross margins.
- Wells Fargo upgraded Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) to Outperform from Market Perform. The firm views a possible deal between end General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC Universal positively, as it thinks NBC will provide higher-margin growth for Comcast.
- Janney Montgomery upgraded Michael Baker (AMEX: BKR) to Buy from Neutral after the company completed the sale of its Energy business. The firm raised its target on shares to $46 from $40.
- Jefferies assumed coverage of Endo Pharma (NASDAQ: ENDP) and upgraded the stock to Buy from Hold. The firm cites valuation, a strong base business, and solid cash flow for the upgrade, and has a $30 target price on shares.
- Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Stephens.
- U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AAPL, BAC, C, CMCSA, NOK, USB ...
Posted Oct 2nd 2009 10:30AM by Mark Fightmaster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Pfizer (PFE), Indices, S and P 500

Late Thursday, Standard & Poor's announced a few changes to its U.S. indices. The reason for the changes are that
Wyeth (NYSE:
WYE) is being acquired by
Pfizer (NYSE:
PFE), leaving an opening in both the S&P 100 and S&P 500 (SPX). I want to focus on the stock that will
replace WYE in the SPX,
First Solar (NASDAQ:
FSLR). In after-hours trading, FSLR jumped more than 6% in response to the announcement.
FSLR manufactures solar modules and is a major benefactor of what I like to call the "green rush" that took place during the past two years. FSLR capitalized nicely on the global environmental consciousness revolution last year, ascending as high as the $310 region. Yes, the stock has backed off quite a bit due to the economic crisis, but it could enjoy a bit of a recovery provided it can parlay this latest news into a breach of some overhead resistance.
Continue reading First Solar to join the S&P 500 Index
Posted Sep 19th 2009 2:10PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings reports, Microsoft (MSFT), Adobe Systems (ADBE), Best Buy (BBY), Kroger Co (KR), FedEx Corp (FDX), Fortune Brands (FO), Oracle Corp (ORCL)
Continue reading Earnings highlights: Adobe, Best Buy, FedEx, Kroger, Monsanto, Oracle, Palm ...
Posted Sep 11th 2009 4:00PM by Jon Ogg (RSS feed)
Filed under: Coca-Cola (KO), FedEx Corp (FDX)

Another record deficit, a Geithner likely tax boost, and higher import prices failed to significantly spook the markets even after a five or day run-up. Based on the late day recovery, where this close was going to end up was an unknown until right at the closing bell. The day was a very light day for news, so here are the closing bell levels (unofficial close):
Dow 9,603.98 -23.50 (-0.24%)
S&P 500 1,042.73 -1.41 (-0.14%)
Nasdaq 2,080.90 -3.12 (-0.15%)
Top Analyst UpgradesTop Analyst DowngradesTop Day Trader AlertsContinue reading Closing Bell: The bull takes a tiny break (KO, FSLR, FDX, BHI, PCS)
Posted Sep 1st 2009 3:00PM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Products and services, Launches, Industry
What is the next hottest government program now that "cash for clunkers" is over? Yup, you guessed it. It's wind farms.
According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), the government is starting a new program to subsidize the production of wind farms all over the country. Under the program, the government will rebate 30% of the cost of building a renewable energy facility, awarded 60 days after the application is approved. The Energy and Treasury Departments expect to spend $3 billion initially. Some people believe, however, that applications could grow to $10 billion. This new program started July 31.
Continue reading Now that 'cash for clunkers' is over, it's on to wind farms
Posted Aug 16th 2009 9:00AM by Tobin Smith (RSS feed)
Filed under: Stocks to Buy, Green Stocks
Also reporting after the close on July 30 was Arizona-based First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR). Now these guys had a blowout quarter!
The company reported net income more than doubled in the second quarter, easily beating consensus Street estimates. In Q2, net income was $180.6 million, or $2.11 per share, compared with $69.7 million, or 85 cents per share, a year ago. The word on the Street was for earnings of just $1.65 per share.
Continue reading Solar stock #3: First Solar (FSLR)
Posted Aug 1st 2009 8:40AM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings reports, Motorola (MOT), Viacom (VIA), Revlon (REV), Sprint Nextel Corp (S), Aetna Inc (AET), Avon Products (AVP), ConocoPhillips (COP), Under Armour'A' (UA), Las Vegas Sands (LVS)
Continue reading Earnings highlights: Viacom, Sprint, Revlon, DreamWorks, Conoco, Avon ...
Posted Jul 26th 2009 12:30PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings reports, Forecasts, AFLAC Inc (AFL), MasterCard Inc'A' (MA)
The earnings crunch rolls on this coming week, with quarterly reports expected from Coach Inc. (NYSE: COH), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Kellogg (NYSE: K), MasterCard (NYSE: MA), Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), Travelers (NYSE: TRV), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS), and many others.
Below are some reporting companies for which analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters have high hopes. What does that mean? Well, all of them are expected to report double-digit earnings grown in the most recent quarter. They have tended to offer positive surprises in recent quarters. They have long-term EPS growth forecasts of greater than 10%, and they have earnings multiples that are higher than their industry or sector averages, or higher than at least one top competitor. And they all have First Call consensus recommendations to buy.
Continue reading The week in preview: Some expected earnings winners
Posted Jul 2nd 2009 9:50AM by Laurie Pasternack (RSS feed)
Filed under: Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Cisco Systems (CSCO), Southwest Airlines (LUV), Contl Airlines'B' (CAL), Analyst initiations, Johnson Controls (JCI), Juniper Networks (JNPR), Delta Air Lines (DAL)
Analyst upgrades:
- Citigroup upgraded Adtran (NASDAQ: ADTN) to Buy from Hold on expectations the company will benefit from the broadband Stimulus funds.
- Morgan Stanley upgraded Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to Overweight from Equal Weight based on relative valuation and views the company as a "survivor." Additionally, the analyst lowered 2009 industry estimates but believes it is the last cut for the year and is incrementally more positive on the sector.
- Morgan Stanley also upgraded EXFO Electro-Optical (NASDAQ: EXFO) to Overweight from Market Weight based on valuation.
- Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
- Ascent Solar (NASDAQ: ASTI) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
- Mechel Steel (NYSE: MTL) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADTN, CAL, EXFO, JCI, LUV, VAR, CSCO, KMT, EZCH
Posted Jun 3rd 2009 2:20PM by Todd Harrison (RSS feed)
Filed under: Commodities, Technology
This post was written by Minyanville contributor Smita Sadana.
A trade doesn't simply have an initiation and finale – the most important part of a trade is its evolution and constant re-assessment if the original thesis that the trade was initiated with, still holds true.
On that note, let's look at First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR). I started a short position in it on 6/1 when instead of participating in the market advance, it lagged (due to a LA Times story that FSLR's acquisition of "strategic land rights" is under scrutiny). Recall, it came on the heels of a cautious mention in Barron's on May 26th. So, both times, FSLR reacted negatively to negative news and volume picked up on both those instances.
Today, Pacific Crest Securities reiterated its buy rating on FSLR and called the recent weakness a "buying opportunity."
I
Continue reading Evolution of a trade in First Solar
Posted Jun 2nd 2009 1:30PM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Stocks to Buy
Generally, my bias is toward large-cap companies with a demonstrated business model. In a nutshell, "experimental" business models need not apply. However, every once in a while I make an exception, and First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) is one. Here's why:
In addition to growth potential for its proprietary thin film semiconductor solar module technology, First Solar has a building macroeconomic tailwind in the bottoming U.S./global recession and dawning recovery. The First Call FY2009/FY2010 EPS estimates for FSLR are $7.18 to $8.72.
Continue reading First Solar: Profitable sun worship
Next Page >