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Analyst Calls: ADM, AKAM, ALL, CP, CSX, HRL, HUM, JWN, NFLX, NSRGY ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Netflix (NFLX) and Zions Bancorp (ZION) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
  • Akamai (AKAM) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
  • CSX (CSX) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
  • Nordstrom (JWN) to buy from neutral, WellCare (WCG) to conviction buy from buy and Humana (HUM) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
  • E-Commerce China Dangdang (DANG) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  • VMware (VMW) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  • Celanese (CE) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADM, AKAM, ALL, CP, CSX, HRL, HUM, JWN, NFLX, NSRGY ...

Analyst Calls: AMTD, COG, DO, F, GM, HUM, LEA, MMI, NKE, SI, TRW ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Siemens (SI) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • Diamond Offshore (DO) to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
  • MeadWestvaco (MWV) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
  • TD AmeriTrade (AMTD) and Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  • Janus Capital (JNS) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
  • Motorola Mobility (MMI) to buy from neutral at UBS.
  • Frontier Communications (FTR) to neutral from underperform at Macquarie.
  • Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Argus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMTD, COG, DO, F, GM, HUM, LEA, MMI, NKE, SI, TRW ...

Analyst Calls: AMZN, CMCSA, FTO, HUM, MRX, PG, STX, WLP, WWW ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Medicis (MRX) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray, to outperform from market perform at Bernstein, to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital and to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Wellpoint (WLP) to buy from neutral at Davenport.
  • Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
  • Frontier Oil (FTO) to equal weight from underweight and Resources Connection (RECN) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMZN, CMCSA, FTO, HUM, MRX, PG, STX, WLP, WWW ...

Analyst Calls: DWA, HUM, MMM, MRVL, NOK, TWX, UBS, UNH, WMB ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Molycorp (MCP) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Humana (HUM), HealthSpring (HS) and UnitedHealth (UNH) to buy from neutral at UBS.
  • Williams Cos. (WMB) to conviction buy from neutral and UBS (UBS) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
  • China Kanghui (KH) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  • Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
  • Armstrong World (AWI) to buy from hold at BB&T.
  • Time Warner (TWX) to buy from hold at Benchmark Co.
  • Calpine (CPN) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
  • 3M Company (MMM) to neutral from underperform and Kirby (KEX) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: DWA, HUM, MMM, MRVL, NOK, TWX, UBS, UNH, WMB ...

Analyst Calls: ANR, CSCO, HUM, ITT, NYX, PBR, RL, WFMI, WMT, YHOO ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Polo Ralph Lauren (RL) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
  • Sigma-Aldrich (SIAL) to outperform from market perform at Leerink.
  • Petrobras (PBR) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
  • Silvercorp Metals (SVM) to buy from neutral at UBS.
  • PROS (PRO) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
  • Power Integrations (POWI) and Monolithic Power (MPWR) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
  • Diodes (DIOD) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
  • Whole Foods (WFMI) to hold from sell at Hapoalim.
  • Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Sappi (SPP) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
  • Alpha Natural (ANR) to buy from hold at BB&T.
  • Watts Water (WTS) to buy from hold at Brean Murray.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ANR, CSCO, HUM, ITT, NYX, PBR, RL, WFMI, WMT, YHOO ...

Humana's Net Profit Drops 57%

Humana (HUM), one of the nations' biggest providers of private run Medicare Advantage health plans, showed mixed results on Monday in their Q4 results. Revenues were higher, but net earnings fell, due mainly to the acquisition of Concentra Inc. Concentra provides services such as occupational medicine , urgent care and physical therapy.

The company reported a profit of $107.3 million or 63 cents a share, down from $250.7 million of $1.48 a share a year ago, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. The latest period included $1.02 a share in acquisition and related costs. Revenue increased 9.4% to $8.35 billion. Analysts had predicted earnings of 81 cents on revenue of $8.36 billion.

Continue reading Humana's Net Profit Drops 57%

Week in Preview: Coca-Cola, Disney and Hasbro Earnings

earnings expectationsThings look to be pretty quiet on the economic calendar this week. Here are the highlights:

  • Tuesday: Weekly chain-store sales
  • Wednesday: Federal budget balance for January
  • Thursday: Wholesale trade data in December
  • Friday: Trade balance in December and the weekly inflation survey

However, three iconic companies -- Walt Disney (DIS), Coca-Cola (KO) and Hasbro (HAS) -- highlight this week's quarterly results. Here's a look at what analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are anticipating from these and others.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Coca-Cola, Disney and Hasbro Earnings

Analyst Calls: AGU, BHI, CP, GOOG, HUM, MOS, MSFT, TGT, VAL, YHOO ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • GC Financial upgraded Microsoft (MSFT) to buy from hold, citing expectations that the company will raise its quarterly dividend by 15%. The firm upped its target for shares to $30 from $29.
  • JPMorgan upgraded Agrium (AGU) to overweight from neutral, citing valuation and strengthening agricultural fundamentals. The firm raised its target for shares to $75 from $70. Note JPMorgan downgraded Mosaic (MOS) this morning to neutral from overweight.
  • Susquehanna upgraded Baker Hughes (BHI) to positive from neutral based on valuation. The firm has a $53 target on the stock.
  • Target (TGT) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  • CF Industries (CF) was upgraded to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
  • Portugal Telecom (PT) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AGU, BHI, CP, GOOG, HUM, MOS, MSFT, TGT, VAL, YHOO ...

Closing Bell: No Double-Dip Recession Here (ASF, BAC, CRL, GENZ, HUM, RIMM)

Today started out strong and ended up even stronger with triple-digit DJIA gains. The reports from ISM showed no manufacturing recession and actually showed more employment improvements. This was on the heels of a strong Chinese auto figure and on all major indexes outside of the US trading higher. The S&P 500 even got back above its 200-day moving average.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell readings:

Dow Jones 10,674.38 +208.44 (1.99%)
S&P 500 1,125.86 +24.26 (2.20%)
Nasdaq 2,295.36 +40.66 (1.80%)

Continue reading Closing Bell: No Double-Dip Recession Here (ASF, BAC, CRL, GENZ, HUM, RIMM)

Analyst Calls: GS, JPM, BHP, HES, VVUS, SNE, PG, MGM, HUM

Analyst upgrades:
  • Oppenheimer upgraded Goldman Sachs (GS) to Outperform from Perform following the company's $550M settlement with the SEC. Opco has a $213 price target for Goldman shares. BofA/Merrill upgraded Goldman Sachs to Buy from Neutral and raised its price target to $182 from $160.
  • Wells Fargo upgraded JP Morgan (JPM) to Outperform from Market Perform following the company's Q2 results citing valuation and lower credit costs. The firm keeps a valuation range for shares of $48-$51.
  • Goldman upgraded Murphy Oil (MUR) to Buy from Neutral and has a $61 price target on the stock. The firm cites Murphy's Eagle Ford growth and valuation for the upgrade.
  • Precision Cast (PCP) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
  • Pride International (PDE) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
  • BHP Billiton (BHP) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at HSBC.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: GS, JPM, BHP, HES, VVUS, SNE, PG, MGM, HUM

Earnings Highlights: IMAX, Kellogg, Sprint, 3M, UPS, Viacom, Visa and More

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

  • Coinstar Inc. (CSTR) shares surged following stronger-than-expected Q1 earnings driven by DVD rentals.
  • Humana Inc. (HUM) shares traded lower despite the report of better-than-expected earnings for Q1.
  • IMAX Corp. (IMAX) reported strong Q1 results that easily topped consensus estimates, but shares declined.
  • Kellogg Co. (K) topped Q1 earnings expectations and announced a share buyback program.
  • Office Depot Inc. (ODP) Q1 earnings fell short of consensus estimates and same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: IMAX, Kellogg, Sprint, 3M, UPS, Viacom, Visa and More

Humana Dips on Q1 Report

Humana Inc. (HUM), whose colleagues include Aetna Inc. (AET) and CIGNA Corporation (CI), reported Q1 earnings earlier today. The health insurer isn't doing so well, unfortunately. In late trading, shares were down almost 3% to $43.73. Volume is above the norm, as you might expect.

I've covered many stocks that are near their 52-week highs, but this one doesn't fall into such a desirable category. Alas, the 52-week high on the shares stands at $52.66. And, as you can see from the following one-year chart, the stock began its pullback after it topped out in January. Since then, things haven't been too exciting.

Continue reading Humana Dips on Q1 Report

Humana Earnings Preview: A Signal of Strength in the Sector?

Humana Inc. (HUM), who's shares (like other insurers') received a nice bump from the outcome of the special election in Massachusetts, is scheduled to discuss its fourth-quarter 2009 financial results and 2010 guidance in a conference call Monday, Feb. 1, at 9:00 AM (ET). A live webcast of the call will be available at the company's website.

During the three months that ended in December, Humana expanded its Medicare offerings and launched a share buyback program and a social media tool. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings for that period to have grown 27.7% year over year to $1.48 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter is expected to be 4.0% higher to $7.8 billion.

Continue reading Humana Earnings Preview: A Signal of Strength in the Sector?

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AA, AET, BAC, BBBY, MA, RAI, VZ ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Credit Suisse views Bank of America (BAC) as the "cheapest" large-cap bank and said the recent TARP repayment removes a significant overhang. The firm upgraded shares to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $21 from $17.
  • Piper Jaffray upgraded Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) to neutral from underweight following the company's better-than-expected Q3 results. The firm has a $43 price target on the stock.
  • Caris upgraded Zumiez (ZUMZ) to above average from average following the company's better-than-expected December sales report. The firm raised its target on shares to $17 from $14.
  • Humana (HUM) was upgraded to equal weight from underweight at Barclays.
  • Zimmer (ZMH) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
  • Applied Industrial (AIT) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AA, AET, BAC, BBBY, MA, RAI, VZ ...

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Pelosi can't kill the health care sector

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says the Senate is filled with more-savvy politicians, and the upside for beaten-down names is huge.

Nancy Pelosi has now said her piece. The most unpopular Speaker of the House in the history of Wall Street has gotten her precious health care legislation through the House after ramming through a stimulus package that had far too little infrastructure and far too much pay raise for municipal and state workers, the most powerful interest group in the country.

But this time the Senate sees through it, and the politicians -- despite Pelosi's insistence that Tuesday's election went her way -- know better. There are pages after pages after pages in this bill that look threatening. But here's the rub: This bill's public option, the one that is supposed to be a killer to everything health care, should affect no more than 6 million people over a 10-year period, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In order to get 60 votes in the Senate, even that may prove to be too powerful an option.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Pelosi can't kill the health care sector

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Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA-89.2312,801.23
NASDAQ-23.352,903.88
S&P 500-9.311,342.64

Last updated: February 10, 2012: 07:39 PM

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