Analyst Upgrades

• Interpublic Group (IPG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Radware (RDWR) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Fluor (FLR) and Waddell & Reed (WDR) to buy from hold, as well as AllianceBernstein (AB) to hold from sell, at Citigroup.
• MetroCorp (MCBI) and American Capital (AGNC) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• International Flavors (IFF) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• BioCryst (BCRX) and Southern Company (SO) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Bunge (BG) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AB, BG, CMG, CSCO, DF, EXPE, JLL, MU, NLSN, S, SO ...

Analyst Calls: AB, BG, CMG, CSCO, DF, EXPE, JLL, MU, NLSN, S, SO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Sapient (SAPE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Kroger (KR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Harman (HAR) to overweight from neutral and Deutsche Bank (DB) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Savient (SVNT) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• LabCorp (LH) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) and Landstar System (LSTR) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Tyson Foods (TSN) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Host Hotels (HST) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• SPX Corp. (SPW) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AXP, COF, DB, DFS, DNDN, HST, KR, ROC, SAFM, STJ, TSN ...

Analyst Calls: AXP, COF, DB, DFS, DNDN, HST, KR, ROC, SAFM, STJ, TSN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: A Loss That Could Have Been Worse (APOL, EMC, FSLR, YHOO, AOL, LSTR, GPS)

Closing Bell: A Loss That Could Have Been Worse (APOL, EMC, FSLR, YHOO, AOL, LSTR, GPS) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Jefferies upgraded MICROS Systems (NASDAQ:MCRS) to Buy from Hold as it believes the company's cost cutting is running ahead of Street expectations. The firm raised its target on shares to $25 from $18.
  
• KeyBanc upgraded Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE) to Buy from Hold. The analyst believes companies will beat EPS estimates given lower commodity costs, focus on cost controls, and reduced drag of inefficient, new restaurants on unit level margins. Additionally, they believe reduced mortgage payments from refinancing will incrementally help traffic.
  
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded First Niagara (NASDAQ:FNFG) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation following the company's Q1 results. The firm raised its target price to $15.
• American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
  
• Royal Gold (NASDAQ:RGLD) was upgraded to Sector Performer from Sector Underperformer at CIBC and to Neutral from Underperform at Banc of America/Merrill.
  
• Micron (NYSE:MU) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: MCRS, MU, KFT, CAKE

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: MCRS, MU, KFT, CAKE originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Piper upgraded Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) to Buy from Neutral to reflect the company's strong competitive position and low valuation. The firm does not expect Intel to miss Q3 estimates.
  
• Goldman upgraded shares of Deutsche Telecom (NYSE: DT) to Buy from Neutral and added the stock to the Conviction Buy List as they believe the dividend is well covered.
  
• Wachovia upgraded Landstar System (NASDAQ: LSTR) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation and potential near-term catalysts from hurricane-related activities.
• Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Friedman Billings.
  
• Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) was upgraded at JMP Securities to Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• Baird lifted Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) to Neutral from Underperform.

• Jefferies downgraded VCA Antech (NASDAQ: WOOF) to Underperform from Buy as they believe reduced consumer spending and rising unemployment levels will hurt the company's hospital and lab volumes in FY09. The company's target was lowered to $25 from $35.
  
• Oppenheimer downgraded shares of Total System (NYSE: TSS) to Perform from Outperform to reflect the challenging macro environment and the customer portfolio risk from bank consolidation.

Continue reading Analyst calls: INTC, DT, ANF, RIMM, WFC, FITB, TDW, ROK ...

Analyst calls: INTC, DT, ANF, RIMM, WFC, FITB, TDW, ROK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 8:00am.
• W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW) to hold sales conference call at 8:00am.
• XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: XMSR) and Sirius Satellite Radio, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) to report quarterly earnings; the conference call is at 10:00am for XM and at 4:30pm for Sirius.

• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 7:30am.
• Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE: TOL) to report preliminary Q2 results and outlook at 2pm.
• Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 4:30pm.

• FCC Open Commission Meeting at 9:30am.
• SEC Open Commission Meeting at 10:00am.
• Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 10:30am.
• Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 4:30pm.

Continue reading Market highlights for next week: Wal-Mart and Hewlett-Packard reporting

Market highlights for next week: Wal-Mart and Hewlett-Packard reporting originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 09 May 2008 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Friedman Billings expects Time Warner Telecom (NASDAQ: TWTC) to post free cash flow growth above consensus expectations and believes carrier spending-concerns are overdone. The firm initiated shares with an Outperform rating and $20 target.
  
• Oppenheimer initiated Verigy (NASDAQ: VRGY) with a Perform rating and $23 target, pointing to the company's tough year over year comps as PC unit growth slows in 2008 as well as its exposure to flash memory chips.
  
• Brinker (NYSE: EAT) was assumed with a Neutral rating at Suntrust, as they expect Chili's to continue to be impacted by weak consumer spending.

• Baird assumed Ulta Salon (NASDAQ: ULTA) with an Outperform rating and $18 target.
  
• Lions Gate (NYSE: LGF) was initiated at Jefferies with a Hold rating and $10-$11 target.
  
• Landstar System (NASDAQ: LSTR) was initiated with a Market Perform rating at Morgan Keegan.

Analyst initiations: TWTC, VRGY and EAT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Automakers Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) to report monthly sales. Ford is hosting a conference call at 1:00pm, GM at 2:00pm.
• Landstar System, Inc. (NASDAQ: LSTR) to hold Q1 mid-quarter update conference call at 2:00pm
• Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 5:00pm.

• PDUFA date for MGI Pharma's sNDA for Aloxi for Post-Operative Vomiting. Note that MGI was bought by Eisai Co., Ltd. (OTC: ESALY).
  
• Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 8:00am.

Continue reading Market highlights for next week

Market highlights for next week originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd (NASDAQ: SNDA) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 9am.
• Landstar System Inc (NASDAQ: LSTR) to hold Q3 mid-quarter conference call at 2pm.

• Corinthian Colleges Inc (NASDAQ: COCO) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 12pm.

• TiVo Inc (NASDAQ: TIVO) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 5pm.
• Novell Inc (NASDAQ: NOVL) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 5pm.

• Freddie Mac Corp (NYSE: FRE) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 10am.
• Novellus Systems Inc (NASDAQ: NVLS) to hold Q3 mid-quarter conference call at 4:30pm.
• PDUFA Date for Tericia Inc (NASDAQ: TRCA) for Somatuline Autogel for acromegaly.

• Blyth Inc (NYSE: BTH) to hold Investor Q&A conference call at 2pm.

Market highlights for next week: TiVo (TIVO), Novell (NOVL) to report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on VMware (NYSE: VMW) with a Neutral rating citing valuation.

• Citigroup started Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) with a Hold rating, and cited the increasing competitive environment, slowing square footage growth and the weak housing market.

• Citigroup started Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM) with a Sell rating and said the company has an inventory glut that could lead to markdown risk, there is raw material price inflation, and the weak housing market remains a material risk.

• Wachovia is cautious on Landstar System's (NASDAQ: LSTR) near-term growth rates and difficult end markets, starting shares with a Market Perform rating.

• Deutsche is positive on the potential of Acadia Pharmaceutical's (NASDAQ: ACAD) ACP-103 in schizophrenia, starting shares with a Buy rating...

• Cowen initiated Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX) with an Outperform rating and Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CBST) with a Neutral rating.

• Raymond James initiated Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM) with an Outperform and resumed coverage of McAfee (NYSE: MFE) with an Outperform rating.

• Goldman reinstated Foot Locker (NYSE: FL) with a Neutral rating.

Analyst initiations: AKAM, BBBY, MFE and WSM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Landstar Systems Inc (NASDAQ: LSTR) to hold Q1 mid-quarter update conference call at 2pm.
• Federal Reserve St Louis Bank President William Poole to speak at 11am, Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to speak at 2pm.

• International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT), a "global company specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and sales of computerized gaming machines and systems products," to hold its annual shareholder meeting at 1pm.

• Saks Inc (NYSE: SKS) to hold Q4 earnings conference call at 10am.
• PDUFA date for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) Humira, a Tumor Necrosis Factor blocker, which is used to reduce the signs and symptoms of arthritis.
• PDUFA date for Merck and Co Incs (NYSE: MRK) Janumet, a treatment for Type 2 Diabetes.

• Monthly Same Store Sales to be reported by Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT), Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT), Aeropostale Inc (NYSE: ARO), Kohl's Corporation (NYSE: KSS), Pacific Sunwear of California Inc (NASDAQ: PSUN), Abercrombie & Fitch Co (NYSE: ANF), Gap Inc (NYSE: GPS) Nordstrom Inc (NYSE: JWN) and J.C. Penney Co Inc (NYSE: JCP).

• PDUFA date for Eli Lilly and Company's (NYSE: LLY) Cymbalta, a treatment for depression.

Market highlights for next week: Same Store Sales numbers due out originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.