The money manager and editor of The Oberweis Report explains, "Indeed, we think that investors will pay an increasing premium for growth when year-over-year increases become more difficult to find. Here our favorite issues that fit this bill.

"Our research indicates P/Es for small-cap growth stocks remain modestly below-average, but substantially higher than 2008 crisis levels and well within the "normal" range.

Continue reading Small Cap Expert's 6 Favorite Growth Stocks

Small Cap Expert's 6 Favorite Growth Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In his Ticker Tape Digest, technician Leo Fasciocco looks for "breakout" stocks; his latest feature is HMS Holdings (HMSY), which coordinates benefits for government healthcare programs.

"With annual revenues of $185 million, HMSY helps ensure that healthcare claims are paid correctly and by the responsible party.

"As a result of the company's services, government healthcare programs recover over $1 billion annually and avoid billions of dollars more in erroneous payments.

Continue reading HMS Holdings (HSMY): Breakout in health care

HMS Holdings (HSMY): Breakout in health care originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Jefferies upgraded HMS Holdings (NASDAQ: HMSY) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe the recent weakness provides an attractive entry point. The firm keeps a $36 price target on shares.
  
• Credit Suisse believes Universal Health (NYSE: UHS) is well positioned to gain market share, that earnings risk from the Las Vegas market is manageable, and that the balance sheet provides flexibility. The firm upgraded shares to Outperform from Neutral and raised their target to $48 from $46.
  
• UBS upgraded RF Micro (NASDAQ: RFMD) to Buy from Neutral citing checks that indicate strengthening momentum, impact from recent restructuring, and expected debt reduction. The analyst raised RFMD estimates above consensus and upped the price target to $3 from $1.10.
• Liberty Capital (NASDAQ: LCAPA) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  
• Tesoro (NYSE: TSO) was raised to Hold from Sell at Soleil.
  
• SunTrust (NYSE: STI) was lifted at Keefe Bruyette to Outperform from Market Perform.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: HMSY, TSO, CTX, HOG, BBY, NOC, TWX

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: HMSY, TSO, CTX, HOG, BBY, NOC, TWX originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Citigroup upgraded Blue Nile (NASDAQ: NILE) shares to Buy from Hold on valuation following the recent sell-off as they believe weakening fundamentals have been factored into estimates and that Blue Nile should benefit from the recent softening of diamond prices. The firm raised its target price to $30 from $20.
  
• Baird upgraded AmSurg (NASDAQ: AMSG) to Outperform from Neutral based on valuation, potential upside from in-line results, good visibility, and FCF yield.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded DryShips (NASDAQ: DRYS) to Perform from Underperform on valuation following the recent weakness and believes the company is at least halfway through its $500M equity offering.
• UAL Corp (NASDAQ: UAUA) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America/Merrill.
  
• Mylan (NASDAQ: MYL) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.
  
• Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) was lifted at Deutsche Bank to Buy from Hold.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: NILE, XOM, MT, NFLX ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: NILE, XOM, MT, NFLX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"HMS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: HMSY), which makes its money by correcting errors in Medicaid payments and recovering misspent money, is my top pick for 2009," says growth stock specialist Dave Dyer.

In his Dave Dyer's Newsletter, he explains, "This is a company whose fundamentals appear to improve as the economy declines.

"If you think that the unemployment rate will rise in 2009, then you ought to love HMS Holdings. They recently raised their 2009 guidance because they expect higher unemployment.

"The company stated that the unemployment rate is the most important leading indicator of growth in the Medicaid program, which in turn, is one of the most important drivers of their revenue.

"Medicaid is funded by the federal government and administered by the individual states. With 40 of the 50 states under contract, HMSY essentially has a monopoly in this market.

Continue reading Top Stock Picks '09: HMS Holdings (HMSY)

Top Stock Picks '09: HMS Holdings (HMSY) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Health care has long been considered a recession-resistant business. Given the current economic challenges, it's little surprise that in our survey of favorite stocks for the coming year, a number of leading advisors turned to this classic defensive sector.

In this year's Top Stock Picks from 75 advisors report, we found an intriguing group of medical-related stocks, from speculation in emerging biotech to well-established pharmaceutical firms, and from medical products makers to medical services firms focused on increasing health care efficiency and early disease detection.

Mike Cintolo, editor of The Cabot Market Letter, thinks Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) could be a "big winner in 2009," The company is a lead in the new field of cancer predisposition testing. For Mike's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Myriad Genetics.

Chuck Carlson, editor of The DRIP Investor, sees both quality and potential in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY). For Chuck's full report, read Top Stock Picks '09: Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Continue reading Drug and health care stocks: The right prescription for 2009

Drug and health care stocks: The right prescription for 2009 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• JP Morgan lowered its 2009 North American light vehicle production estimate by 13% to 11.2M and Europe by 10% to 19M. The firm upgraded Borg-Warner (NYSE: BWA) to Overweight from Neutral citing balance sheet and revenue growth.
  
• Jefferies upgraded shares of Kroger (NYSE: KR) to Buy from Hold and raised its target to $32 from $28 as they expect the company's value image to benefit in the current environment.
  
• Leerink upgraded AMAG Pharma (NASDAQ: AMAG) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation as they believe current data is sufficient for some form of first cycle approval of Ferumoxytol.
• Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Merrill Lynch.
  
• Watsco (NYSE: WSO) was raised to Perform from Underperform at Oppenheimer.
  
• UBS upgraded Invitrogen (NASDAQ: IVGN) to Buy from Neutral.

• Jefferies downgraded shares of Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) to Underperform from Buy and lowered its target to $9.50 from $23 on the worsening macro environment, which they believe is "overwhelming" the company's ability to drive even flat comps in Q4 and FY09.
  
• Deutsche Bank cut Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) to Hold from Buy and lowered its target to $19 from $28 following the company's worse-than-expected outlook, as they expect shares to be range bound.
  
• Banc of America downgraded the Dry Bulk Shipping sector to Equal Weight from Overweight to reflect the "depressed" charter rate environment, tighter credit markets and the weakening macroeconomic outlook. The firm downgraded Britannia Bulk (NYSE: DWT), Navios Maritime (NYSE: NM) and TBS International (NASDAQ: TBSI) to Neutral from Buy.
• Eaton (NYSE: ETN) was lowered to Underperform from Neutral at Merrill Lynch.
  
• AXA (NYSE: AXA) was downgraded at JP Morgan to Neutral from Overweight.
  
• Aracrus (NYSE: ARA) was downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: KR, CCE, WFMI, TWC, ANN ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: KR, CCE, WFMI, TWC, ANN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.