Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) reported a narrower Q3 net loss and reaffirmed its outlook.
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) earnings and dividend prospects resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) posted its 19th straight quarter of positive growth.
• Choice Hotels International Inc. (NYSE: CHH) better-than-expected Q3 report led to an upgrade.
• Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) reported strong Q3 numbers and maintained its revenue outlook.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) better-than-expected Q3 results driven by Kung Fu Panda.
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) reported another record profit in Q3 driven by record high fuel prices.
• Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) reported a better-than-expected Q3 profit and offered guidance.
• Hercules Inc. (NYSE: HPC) posted lower Q3 earnings and anounced [regulatory] approval of its buyout.
• Janus Capital Group Inc. (NYSE: JNS) weaker-than-expected results led to an analyst's downgrade.
• Legg Mason Inc. (NYSE: LM) swung to a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares soared.
• Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) dismal Q3 results managed to beat low earnings expectations.
• Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) Q3 results included lower revenue and a net loss due to economic conditions.
• Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) unimpressive Q3 numbers fell short of estimates.
• Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) swung to a greater-than-expected net loss due in part to competition.
• Texas Roadhouse Inc. (NASDAQ: TXRH) missed Q3 estimates and warned of flat full-year earnings.
• Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO) strong Q3 results included a gain from a sale of a refinery.
• Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) beat Q4 earnings expectations after adjustment for litigation-related charges.
• Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR) fell short of revenue estimates and announced job cuts.

Shares of U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE: X) and Hercules Inc. (NYSE: HPC) soared Tuesday after the former reported that its third-quarter profits more than tripled and the latter said during its Q3 report that the necessary regulatory approval had been received for its acquisition by rival chemical company Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH).

Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel reported the most profitable quarter in its history as higher prices led to record gains in its tubular and flat-rolled steel businesses. Its net income totaled $919 million, or $7.79 per share, in the quarter, which was 70.8% higher than a year earlier, and quarterly sales soared 68% to $7.31 billion. Excluding one-time charges related to a union labor agreement and environmental remediation, U.S. Steel earned $8.79 per share.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, had predicted earnings of $7.09 per share on revenue of $7.2 billion.

The company warned that the volatile global economic climate could hurt results for the rest of the year. Steel prices have deteriorated globally in recent weeks as demand has slowed.

After falling to a 52-week low on Tuesday morning, shares rose 14.2% to close at $35.20. Shares are down 70.8% year to date.

Investment bankers are keeping busy with chemical companies lately. For example, yesterday The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) announced a $15.4 billion buyout of Rohm & Haas (NYSE: ROH), which even included an investment from Warren Buffett.

Then today, we got another deal. That is, Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), which is the #1 chemical distributor in the US, has agreed to pay $3.3 billion for Hercules Inc. (NYSE: HPC). The consideration is a mixture of cash and stock. Moreover, Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) and Scotia Capital will provide the bank financing on the transaction.

Hercules got its start in 1912, as a spin-off from E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company (NYSE: DD). Now, the company is a major provider of water-treatment chemicals (with a focus on the pulp and paper industries). It's an attractive segment – especially because of the opportunities in emerging markets.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: MedicNova, Transocean and Lennox were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Rodman & Renshaw is positive on MedicNova's (NASDAQ:MNOV) two primary products in development: MN-221, for the treatment of severe asthma and MN-166, an oral treatment for multiple sclerosis. The firm is also positive on MNOV's valuation; shares were initiated with an Outperform rating and $9 target.
  
• Transocean (NYSE:RIG) is UBS's Top Pick as they believe it is the primary beneficiary of rising deepwater dayrates. Shares were assumed with a Buy rating and $201 target.
  
• Suntrust initiated Lennox (NYSE:LII) with a Neutral rating and cites near-term visibility.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Dean Foods (NYSE:DF) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $29 target.
  
• Goldman started Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH) with a Neutral rating and $92 target.
  
• UBS assumed Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ:HERO) and Pride International (NYSE:PDE) with Neutral ratings and targets of $35 and $49, respectively.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: EMC Corp, Emulex, VCG Holding and Conexant were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Citigroup downgraded shares of EMC Corp (NYSE: EMC) to hold from buy and Emulex (NYSE: ELX) to sell from buy and lowered its targets to $17 from $22 and to $12 from $20, respectively, to reflect their more cautious stance on the storage space after channel checks indicated a broadly softening demand environment, most notably for 'higher ticket' items.
  
• Merriman downgraded shares of VCG Holding (NASDAQ:VCGH) to neutral from buy following the Q4 miss, as they believe acquisitions could slow in the near-term. They prefer to move to the sidelines until the company's outlook improves.
  
• Oppenheimer downgraded Conexant (NASDAQ: CNXT) to perform from outperform as they believe the CEO departure could interrupt the company's turnaround.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO) was cut to hold from buy at Deutsche Bank.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) to neutral from overweight.
  
• Affymetrix (NASDAQ: AFFX) was downgraded to underperform from peer perform at Bear.

Shallow water contract driller Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO) is the latest addition to the speculative "Advantage Portfolio" developed by Elliott Gue for the Personal Finance newsletter.

The company operates primarily in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Gue points out that in the shallow Gulf waters, the most common type of drilling rig is what's known as a jackup. These, he notes, consist of a platform attached to four or more legs that rest on the sea floor and are used to drill in water up to a few hundred feet deep.

Gue says, "Most oil and gas producers don't own their own rigs. Rather, these rigs are leased from contract drillers like Hercules for a fee known as a day-rate. Hercules currently owns nine jackup rigs and a fleet of boats used to maintain wells and platforms."

The company, he notes, is in the process of acquiring Todco, a firm with a fleet of 24 jackup rigs and 27 inland barge rigs used for even shallower water drilling. In the wake of this acquisition, Gue notes, Hercules will be a dominant contract driller in the shallow-water Gulf.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH), Aetna Inc (AET), Hercules Inc (HPC) and Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Jefferies started UnitedHealth Group inc NYSE: UNH) with a Hold rating and $48 target and said near-term risk is still present due to unfavorable reserve adjustments to the company's commercial risk business and high expectations for improvement in the company's commercial medical care ratio.

• Aetna Inc (NYSE: AET) was also initiated by Jefferies with a Hold rating based on valuation.

• Credit Suisse started Hercules Inc (NYSE: HPC) with an Outperform rating and $24 target.

• Matrix USA initiated Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) with a Hold rating on valuation...

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Cowen is positive on MIPS Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: MIPS), starting the company with an Outperform rating, and expects a deal with Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) to be announced soon.

• JP Morgan initiated shares of Headwaters Inc (NYSE: HW) with a Neutral rating.

• Needham assumed coverage of Harris Interactive Inc (NASDAQ: HPOL) with a Hold rating.

• ThinkEquity started Aruba Networks, Inc (NASDQ: ARUN) with an Accumulate rating and $15 target.

• Lazard initiated shares of Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: CYCC) with a Buy rating and $11 target.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

In a post yesterday, I hinted that the city of Hercules, California might possibly use eminent domain to block the construction of a new Wal-Mart store on a 17-acre parcel of land there. Last night, Hercules did exactly that -- the city council unanimously invoked eminent domain to ensure the land that was to be used for the new Wal-Mart store construction was not available. The vote allows the city to begin proceedings to acquire Wal-Mart's property by force to achieve its redevelopment goals.

More than 300 residents filled the city council chambers last night saying they wanted a more pedestrian-like waterfront area (not a big box) and more higher-end shops and homes, sending a loud and clear message to Wal-Mart execs. Even with Wal-Mart meeting many of the construction demands -- like a "village-like" store facade and making the store smaller to fit in with the area (downsizing from 167,000 to 100,000 square feet) -- it still couldn't win over Hercules.

Now, this development begs the question: Will this tactic be used across the nation when municipalities decide to try and block Wal-Mart from entering certain cities and towns? Who knows, but one thing is clear -- all it takes sometimes is for the floodgates to be opened for others to follow. If this Hercules strategy causes more city councils to use the eminent domain tactic to block construction of new Wal-Mart stores -- not to mention other big box facilities -- what will be the implications for the worldl's largest retailer? Will domestic growth be slowed? How will WMT investors react? How about you?