Analyst upgrades:

• Bernstein upgraded Hospira (HSP) to Outperform from market Perform based on valuation, expectations that the company will be able to fix manufacturing issues quickly, and views Propolfol and biosimilars as underappreciated. The firm has a $63 price target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded eBay (EBAY) to Buy from Hold citing valuation and improvements to Marketplace. The firm keeps a $28 price target for shares.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF) to Hold from Sell citing lessening acquisition risk and raised its target for shares to $66 from $61.
• Blackstone (BX) and Simon Property (SPG) were upgraded to Conviction Buy from Buy at Goldman.
• BreitBurn Energy (BBEP) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
• SL Green Realty (SLG) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: HSP, EBAY, BX, CSCO

Analyst Calls: HSP, EBAY, BX, CSCO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• B. Riley upgraded Hot Topic (HOTT), citing valuation, increased holiday traffic once promotions began, and views upcoming difficult Q4/Q1 comps as a buying opportunity ahead of a turnaround. The firm has a target of $8.30 on shares.
• Wunderlich upgraded RAM Energy (RAME) as it believes that the company has successfully survived a difficult year. The firm thinks the company's debt level is high but manageable while its production should increase over the next several years. The firm set a $4 target on shares.
• Roth Capital upgraded Actuate (ACTU), citing recent share weakness, the recent Xenos deal and the improving economy, both of which should improve growth. The firm has a target of $5.50 on the shares.
• Finish Line (FINL) upgraded to buy from neutral at Stern Agee.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACTU, EWBC, FINL, FTNT, GIII, HOTT, RAME ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: ACTU, EWBC, FINL, FTNT, GIII, HOTT, RAME ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• FBR Capital upgraded Bank of America (BAC) to outperform from market perform to reflect its positive view of the company's $20.5M common equity raise and $45B TARP repayment. The firm believes the $20.5B capital raise is lower than some expected and that Bank of America could potentially announce a new CEO by year-end. FBR raised its price target on shares to $20 from $15.
• JPMorgan upgraded Kennametal (KMT) to overweight from neutral. The firm, which has a $30 target on the stock, cites the recent pullback in shares and believes increased industrial production in 2010 could be a positive catalyst for the company.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Ternium (TX) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $40 from $31. The firm upgraded shares based on expectations for further improvements in profitability.
• G-III Apparel (GIII) was upgraded to overweight from market weight at Thomas Weisel.
• Cubist Pharma (CBST) was raised to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• AvalonBay (AVB) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AAPL, AMZN, BAC, DRYS, GENZ, REG, S ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AAPL, AMZN, BAC, DRYS, GENZ, REG, S ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even as the holiday season ramps up and the calendar quarter begins to wind down, earnings reports continue to dribble in. Among the companies scheduled to release quarterly results this coming week, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting BWAY Holding Co. (NYSE: BWY), Powell Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: POWL), and Esterline Technologies Corp. (NYSE: ESL) to be among the biggest earnings gainers.

Atlanta-based packaging and container producer BWAY is expected to report fiscal fourth-quarter profits that are 65.6% higher than in the same period of last year, or $0.32 per share on revenues of $265.2 million (+4.9%). BWAY topped estimates in the previous two quarters -- by 44.9% in the third quarter. Those results sent shares to a new 52-week high. But shares have fallen 62.7% in the past three months, and they are now trading near a multiyear low of $4.11 per share.

Houston-based energy equipment maker Powell is expected to report fiscal fourth-quarter profits that are 62.7% higher than a year ago, or $0.59 per share. Revenues are forecast to be 14.2% higher, or $171.8 million. Powell beat expectations in the past three quarters -- by 20.2% in the third quarter. The share price has fallen 47.7% in the past three months, and the consensus recommendation is to buy POWL.

Continue reading The week in preview: Early December earnings expectations

The week in preview: Early December earnings expectations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In last week's preview we took a peek at expectations for Campbell Soup earnings, but now the company is scheduled to report fiscal fourth quarter results this coming Thursday. With Krispy Kreme also among the handful of companies scheduled to report this week, we may yet see whether consumers are turning to comfort foods in these uncertain times.

Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB), the world's biggest soup maker, is still expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial to post net income of 25 cents per share (up 44.0% from a year ago) on revenue of $1.7 billion (up 7.4%). The Camden, N.J.-based company has just missed earnings estimates in the past few quarters. Its long-term EPS growth forecast is 7.9%, which is less than the industry average, but about the same as rivals Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) and HJ Heinz (NYSE: HNZ). The analysts' consensus recommendation is currently to buy Campbell.

Hip, Canadian apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) is also anticipated to be a big earnings gainer when it reports this week. Net income is expected to come in at 13 cents per share (up 46.2% from a year ago) on revenue of $88.2 million (up 50.3%). Lululemon met expectations when it reported 12 cents per share in the previous quarter. Its long-term EPS growth forecast is a healthy 40.2%, which is better than the industry average and that of rival Under Armour Inc. (NYSE: UA). The analysts' consensus recommendation is currently to buy Lululemon.

Continue reading The week in preview: Chicken soup (or a doughnut) for the recession-weary soul?

The week in preview: Chicken soup (or a doughnut) for the recession-weary soul? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

G-III Apparel Group (NASDAQ: GIII) manufactures and distributes outerwear and sportswear, under licensed and company-owned brands. The firm creates fashions for such names as Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Guess?, Jones New York, Nine West, IZOD and Tommy Hilfiger. It also focuses on apparel for NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB teams. Further, G-III cooperates with leading retailers in developing product lines that are sold under its own private labels. Department store customers include Macy's (NYSE: M) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT).

Investors were pleased last week, when the company moved to establish a more significant retail presence by purchasing 116 outlet stores from Wilsons The Leather Experts. The acquisition led management to boost FY09 EPS guidance to $1.35-$1.40 ($1.29 consensus) and FY09 revenue guidance to $720-$730 million ($661.86M consensus). Brean Murray subsequently reiterated its "buy" rating on the shares, noting that the deal offered a "natural outlet" for G-III's products and reduced its dependence on the department store channel.

Continue reading G-III Apparel Group (GIII): Shares cycle in bullish 'flag' formation

G-III Apparel Group (GIII): Shares cycle in bullish 'flag' formation originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To its credit, G-III has narrowed its losses in 3Q 2007 by almost 60%, down to about $0.05 per share, compared with $0.14 per share a year ago. Net sales for the recent quarter were up 21% to $84 million. CEO Morris Goldfarb was so pleased with the posted loss that was well below what was expected that he has raised FY2007 guidance to $0.90-$0.95 per diluted share based on a $10 million increase in sales to $510 million.

This positive spin does not at all address the problems facing G-III. Are its costs not yet under control? Are its licensing deals structured in such a way that it is difficult to turn a profit? It manufactures team jackets for most major American sports leagues. Surely some of them must be widely popular with sports fans. Yet even CEO Goldfarb admits that sportswear is not yet a "meaningful" contributor to the bottom line. Investors should hope he accelerates his search for meaning and soon.

G-III Apparel Group (GIII): not losing as much money as fast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• CVS Corp (NYSE: CVS) was reinstated at Credit Suisse with an Outperform and at JP Morgan with Neutral ratings.

• Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX) was reinstated at Credit Suisse with an Outperform rating, up from its Neutral rating, and resumed at Bank of America with a Buy rating. JP Morgan reinstated Express Scripts share with an Overweight rating.

• Goodrich Petroleum (NYSE: GDP) was initiated with an Overweight rating at JP Morgan.

• Jefferies initiated Cellcom Israel Ltd (NYSE: CEL) with a Buy rating and $21 target.

• CIBC initiated 3SBio Inc (NASDAQ: SSRX) with a Sector Outperformer rating and $17 target; the firm said 3SBio Inc offers the broadest range of BioGenerics in the Chinese market and views the company as an execution story and country play.

• Cowen started G-III Apparel Group, Ltd (NASDAQ: GIII) with an Outperform rating based on expectations of market share growth to be driven by new brands and products.

• BMO Capital Markets expects Riverbed Technology, Inc (NASDAQ: RVBD) with a Market Perform rating.

• Lazard started Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp (NASDAQ: SNTA) with a Buy rating; Bear Stearns initiated shares of Synta with an Outperform rating.

Analyst initiations 3-19-07: CVS Corp reinstated at JP Morgan & Credit Suisse originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.