Analyst Upgrades

• Marriott (MAR) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Quest Diagnostics (DGX) and Owens-Illinois (OI) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• FirstMerit (FMER) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Safeway (SWY) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Babcock & Wilcox (BWC) to buy from neutral, as well as Jacobs Engineering (JEC) and W. R. Berkley (WRB) to neutral from sell, at Goldman.
• Pioneer Natural (PXD) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Teekay Tankers (TNK) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BP, DGX, DNDN, MAR, PM, PXD, SWY, TNK, TRV ...

Analyst Calls: BP, DGX, DNDN, MAR, PM, PXD, SWY, TNK, TRV ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Nvidia (NVDA) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), Leap Wireless (LEAP) and MetroPCS (PCS) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Illumina (ILMN) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Sun Bancorp (SNBC) to neutral from sell at Janney Capital.
• American Tower (AMT), SBA Communications (SBAC) and Freeport McMoRan (FCX) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ALU, BTU, FCX, LEAP, MAR, NTRS, NVDA, PCS, T, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: ALU, BTU, FCX, LEAP, MAR, NTRS, NVDA, PCS, T, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Research In Motion (RIMM) to buy from sell and Gap (GPS) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Archer Daniels (ADM) and Airgas (ARG) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• NCR Corp. (NCR) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Valero Energy (VLO) to top pick from sector perform and Western Refining (WNR) to outperform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• Fred's (FRED) to overweight from neutral at JP Morgan.
• Marsh & McLennan (MMC), Willis Group (WSH) and Brown & Brown (BRO) to equal weight from underweight at Barclays.
• Host Hotels (HST) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• La-Z-Boy (LZB) to strong buy from market perform at Raymond James.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADM, BBY, ETN, FDO, HNZ, GPS, MAR, NCR, RIMM, VLO ...

Analyst Calls: ADM, BBY, ETN, FDO, HNZ, GPS, MAR, NCR, RIMM, VLO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Marriott International, Inc. (MAR) hit a new 52-week high of $42.78 during the intraday session. At the specific time of this writing, the shares were trading at a little lower quote of $41.43, good for a gain of 1%. Strong volume backed the move.

The one-year chart looks appealing. The stock has risen a very significant distance from its 52-week low of $26.52. Is it time to place the hotel entity into a long-term portfolio?

Continue reading Marriott Hits New 52-Week High

Marriott Hits New 52-Week High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're well into the quarter now and the earnings reports continue to roll out.

This week, Dell (DELL) highlights a handful of results from tech companies. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for fourth-quarter earnings of 37 cents per share from the one of the world's top PC purveyors. That's up from 28 cents per share during the same period a year ago. Dell also is expected to report its revenue grew 5.5% year over year to $15.7 billion, for the three months that ended in January.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Mid-Quarter Earnings (DELL, SJM, MAR, JWN)

Week in Preview: Mid-Quarter Earnings (DELL, SJM, MAR, JWN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Verisk (VRSK) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Marriott (MAR) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.
• Jefferies upgraded Teekay (TK) and Tsakos Energy (TNP) to Buy from Hold.
• Cadence Design (CDNS) was upgraded to sector perform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• BofA/Merrill upgraded NV Energy (NVE) to buy from underperform and Education Realty Trust (EDR) to neutral from underperform.
• Men's Wearhouse (MW) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel.
• William Blair upgraded Atheros (ATHR) to outperform from market perform.
• Freeport McMoran (FCX) was upgraded to buy from hold at Argus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CTV, CVX, EAT, FCX, ICE, MAR, MW, TRV, WLP ...

Analyst Calls: CTV, CVX, EAT, FCX, ICE, MAR, MW, TRV, WLP ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Union Pacific (UNP) and Polycom (PLCM) were upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Time Warner Cable (TWC) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• LaSalle Hotel (LHO) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Graco (GGG) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Valley National (VLY) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Credit Suisse (CS) was upgraded to hold from sell at RBS.
• U.S. Bancorp (USB) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Penn National (PENN) and Riverbed (RVBD) were upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Goodrich (GR) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Amazon.com (AMZN) upgraded to buy from average at Caris.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMZN, CAKE, CS, EMC, FCX, GR, HOT, K, MAR, TWC, UNP, USB ...

Analyst Calls: AMZN, CAKE, CS, EMC, FCX, GR, HOT, K, MAR, TWC, UNP, USB ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Dollar Tree (DLTR) to neutral from underweight and $48 price target.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Time Warner Cable (TWC) to outperform from neutral and raised its price target to $70 from $59, citing growth in wireline HST demand.
• Needham upgraded NetScout (NTCT) to buy from hold with a $29 price target, citing channel checks that indicate industry spending on network monitoring software may be improving.
• Nstar (NST) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Novo Nordisk (NVO) was upgraded to hold from sell at Societe Generale.
• Air France-KLM (AFLYY) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: DLTR, FLR, H, HOT, MAR, NTCT, NVO, RNOW, TWC, VECO, VMC ...

Analyst Calls: DLTR, FLR, H, HOT, MAR, NTCT, NVO, RNOW, TWC, VECO, VMC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings season kicked off last week with better-than-expected results from Alcoa (AA) and Yum! Brands (YUM), while Marriott (MAR) and Pepsico (PEP) met consensus EPS estimates. This week, bellwether companies Intel (INTC), General Electric (GE), Google (GOOG) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) are scheduled to report their third-quarter results, and analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings growth from all of them.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel announced the acquisition of McAfee and joint ventures with General Electric and Nokia (NOK) during its third quarter. Analysts forecast earnings for that period to come to 50 cents per share, which is up 34.0% from the same period of last year. The number one semiconductor maker's revenue for the three months ended in September is expected to total $11.0 billion, or 17.1% more than a year earlier. Looking ahead to the full year, the forecast thus far is for earnings of $1.94 per share (+44.8%) and $43.3 billion in revenue (+23.4%). The per-share earnings topped analysts' expectations in the past four quarters, by as much as a dime per share.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Earnings Expectations for Intel, GE, Google and JPMorgan

Week in Preview: Earnings Expectations for Intel, GE, Google and JPMorgan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Mixed Day Ahead of Earnings and Unemployment (ANF, BMC, NEM, MAR, PEP)

Closing Bell: Mixed Day Ahead of Earnings and Unemployment (ANF, BMC, NEM, MAR, PEP) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Alcoa (AA), Marriott (MAR) and Yum! Brands (YUM) kick off the new earnings season this week. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for moderate year-over-year earnings and revenue growth in the third quarter from each of these dividend payers.

Note that Marriott and Yum! Brands have exceeded consensus estimates in recent quarters and have First Call consensus buy recommendations as well. They are also trading near their 52-week highs, while Alcoa shares are closer to the 52-week low despite a 22% rise in the past three months.

Continue reading Week in Preview: New Earnings Season, Employment Data and More

Week in Preview: New Earnings Season, Employment Data and More originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Marriott Turns in a Good Quarter

Marriott Turns in a Good Quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Janney Montgomery upgraded Microsoft (MSFT) to buy from neutral with a $30 price target, citing valuation and expectations for strong Q4 results.
• UBS upgraded SanDisk (SNDK) to buy from neutral based on favorable pricing and mobile design win momentum. The firm raised its target to $55 from $46.
• BMO Capital upgraded Medtronic (MDT) to outperform from market perform based on valuation and its product pipeline. The firm has a $48 price target on the stock.
• Lorillard (LO) and Qualcomm (QCOM) were upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Monsanto (MON) was upgraded to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• FedEx (FDX) was upgraded to buy from hold at BB&T.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AET, FDX, MAR, MDT, MON, MSFT, NOC, QCOM, SNDK, TSL ...

Analyst Calls: AET, FDX, MAR, MDT, MON, MSFT, NOC, QCOM, SNDK, TSL ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The new earnings season kicks off when Alcoa Inc. (AA) releases its second-quarter results Monday. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters on average expect Alcoa to report that it swung to a profit from a year-ago net loss.

Intel Corp. (INTC) is likewise forecast to have swung into positive territory, while Google Inc. (GOOG) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) are expected to be among the week's biggest earnings gainers.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: A New Earnings Season Kicks Off (INTC, GOOG, JPM)

The Week in Preview: A New Earnings Season Kicks Off (INTC, GOOG, JPM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• UBS upgraded UPS (UPS) and FedEx (FDX) to buy from hold based on recent weakness and leverage to a recovery. The firm raised its price target on UPS to $74 from $72 and on FedEx to $100 from $97.
• Bernstein upgraded Medicis (MRX) to outperform from market perform based on valuation and said the company has been executing well over the past few months. The firm has a $28 price target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded Weingarten Realty (WRI) to buy from hold, citing valuation and the company's improved balance sheet. The firm maintains a $24 price target for shares.
• Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's (LOW) were upgraded to market perform from underperform at BMO Capital.
• NextEra Energy (NEE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.
• Nokia (NOK) was upgraded to neutral from reduce at WestLB.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMED, FDX, H, HD, HOT, LGF, LOW, MAR, MTB, MRX, NOK, UPS ...

Analyst Calls: AMED, FDX, H, HD, HOT, LGF, LOW, MAR, MTB, MRX, NOK, UPS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Vancelnfo (VIT) to buy from hold, citing better earnings visibility. The firm raised its target price for shares to $26 from $22.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Progressive (PGR) to buy from neutral with an $18.50 price target, citing valuation and market share gains.
• JPMorgan upgraded Marriott (MAR) to overweight from neutral. The firm has a $36 price target on the stock.
• eBay (EBAY) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Werner Enterprises (WERN) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Credit Suisse.
• CNOOC (CEO) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Macquarie.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BTU, EBAY, FSLR, GENZ, JCG, MAR, PGR, SBUX, VIT ...

Analyst Calls: BTU, EBAY, FSLR, GENZ, JCG, MAR, PGR, SBUX, VIT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Auriga upgraded Computer Programs & Systems (CPSI) to hold from sell after channel checks indicated Q1 could be the bottom for stagnation of new system sales. The firm raised its target for shares to $38 from $32.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Tetra Tech (TTEK) to buy from neutral due to valuation. The firm has a $26 price target on the stock.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Energy Transfer Equity (ETE) to buy from hold and raised its target for shares to $40 from $27.
• Best Buy (BBY) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Mariott (MAR) was raised to buy from sell at Societe Generale.
• Telus (TU) was upgraded at TD Newcrest to action list buy from buy.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BBY, CPSI, CRAI, MAR, PALM, RIMM, SLB, SYNA, TTEK, WFT ...

Analyst Calls: BBY, CPSI, CRAI, MAR, PALM, RIMM, SLB, SYNA, TTEK, WFT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings and declared an annual dividend.
• Allstate Corp. (ALL) swung to better-than-expected Q4 earnings and also swung to a full-year profit.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (BWLD) shares tumbled after it posted disappointing earnings tied to costs.
• The Cheesecake Factory Inc. (CAKE) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings but sales were flat.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) earnings numbers for Q4 resulted in upgrades from two analysts.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) higher Q4 earnings matched the expectations of analysts, and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ...

Earnings Highlights: Allstate, Marriott, PepsiCo, 3M, UBS, Viacom, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded PNC Financial (PNC) to buy from hold on valuation as it believes the recent pullback in shares provides a buying opportunity. The firm raised its target on shares to $57 from $45.
• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Expedia (EXPE) to buy from hold on valuation as it finds the risk/reward on shares attractive following the company's Q4 results and believes revenue margin concerns are overblown. The firm has a $27 price target on the stock.
• Jesup & Lamont upgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) to hold from sell following the company's Q4 results to reflect its improving traffic trends. The firm raised its target on shares to $96 from $81. Shares were also upgraded at BofA/Merrill to buy from neutral.
• Rio Tinto (RTP) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• FirstEnergy (FE) was upgraded to hold from underperform at Jefferies.
• Marriott (MAR) was upgraded to perform from underperform at Oppenheimer.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CMG, EXPE, NFLX, OSK, PNC, SJM, VCLK ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CMG, EXPE, NFLX, OSK, PNC, SJM, VCLK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Marriott International Turns a Quarterly Profit

Marriott International Turns a Quarterly Profit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.