Netflix (NFLX) overall option implied volatility is at 45, according to Track Data, below its 26-week average of 52, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Panera Bread (PNRA) overall option implied volatility is at 37, according to Track Data, above its 26-week average of 32 into its release of Q4 results, suggesting larger price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: Netflix Volatility Near Nine-Month Lows; Shares Near Record High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded CSX (CSX) to neutral from sell.
• General Cable (BGC) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Chart Industries (GTLS) and Dresser Rand (DRC) to overweight from equal weight.
• Blackrock (BLK) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Zions Bancorp (ZION) to neutral from underperform and GameStop (GME) to outperform from neutral.
• Honeywell (HON) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Panera Bread (PNRA) was upgraded to buy from neutral at SunTrust.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMD, BLK, CSX, DKS, GME, HGSI, HON, KEY, NSC, STP, ZION ...

Analyst Calls: AMD, BLK, CSX, DKS, GME, HGSI, HON, KEY, NSC, STP, ZION ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:00:00 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.

Options Update: SPDR Homebuilders Volatility Elevated At 39 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) announced plans Wednesday to overhaul its 12,000 locations worldwide. The fast-food giant is seeking a sleeker, futuristic look that includes LCD-screen menus, rotating chandeliers, and corrugated metal and brick accents (see pictures at the above link) on the inside, as well as metal canopies and additional signs on the exterior.

The new upscale design, called 20/20, is expected to cost franchisees between $300,000 to $600,000 per restaurant. Some 60 locations have already been remodeled, including in Miami, Mexico City, Edinburgh, and Shanghai, and 75 more are expected to be completed by the end of 2010. All new restaurants will be built using the 20/20 design.

Continue reading Coming soon: The Burger King of the future

Coming soon: The Burger King of the future originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One of the first movers seeing an uptick in spending due to increased consumer confidence is the restaurant space. Only a few diehards really like to stay home and cook. Dining out is a great way to escape. Even better is going to a restaurant for a meal that's affordable.

The fact that dining has suffered during this recession is indicative of how bad things really have been.

Given that confidence is rising, it's no surprise then that Landry's Restaurants (NYSE: LNY) has almost tripled in value since hitting bottom in early March.

Continue reading Consumer stocks to sell now: #3 -- Landry's Restaurants (LNY)

Consumer stocks to sell now: #3 -- Landry's Restaurants (LNY) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: Restaurant shake-up will favor nimble players

Cramer on BloggingStocks: Restaurant shake-up will favor nimble players originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Activision Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) posted stellar results on the popularity of Guitar Hero and Transformers.
• Airgas Inc. (NYSE: ARG) beat Q4 estimtates with record earnings and raised its guidance.
• Amkor Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: AMKR) beat Q1 expectations on strong demand for wireless.
• Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) reported strong Q1 results that beat Wall Street estimates.
• Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE: B) beat Q1 expectations on its "global reach" and raised its 2008 guidance.
• Coinstar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR) beat Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• DirecTV Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DTV) posted better-than-expected results and announced share buybacks.
• Double-Take Software (NASDAQ: DBTK) beat Q1 expectations and raised its Q2 and 2008 guidance.
• Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG) profits surged in the first quarter on record high gold prices.
• ICON plc (NASDAQ: ICLR) beat Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Marvel Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: MVL) easily beat Q1 estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• Molson Coors Brewing Co. (NYSE: TAP) reported a surge in Q1 profits that beat Wall Street estimates.
• Panera Bread Co. (NASDAQ: PNRA) beat Q1 expectations and lifted its Q2 and 2008 forecasts.
• Symantec Corp. (NASDAQ: SYMC) beat Q4 expectations and raised its Q1 outlook.
• Transocean Inc. (NYSE: RIG) Q1 profits more than doubled due to soaring oil prices.
• Unilever (NYSE: UL) posted strong results, with revenues beating estimates for the first time in six years.
• UTStarcom Inc. (NASDAQ: UTSI) released a preliminary guidance well above expectations.
• Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) posted better-than-expected results on success of its theme parks.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Anadarko, Disney, Coors, Unilever, Activision, Marvel and others

Earnings highlights: Anadarko, Disney, Coors, Unilever, Activision, Marvel and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 10 May 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Next week is sure to be filled with fun and volatile market conditions. The highlight will be the Fed decision on key rates, due on Wednesday, April 30, following a two-day meeting. Anytime the Fed has the floor, the markets listen. Tuesday and Wednesday will be filled with speculation up until the time of the announcement of a cut or pause.

There are many possible outcomes for this meeting, as we have seen a substantial change in investor sentiment regarding the potential need for further rate cuts. The buzz on the street is for a cut of 25 basis points and then a wait-and-see attitude from there. I think that is the most likely direction.

There has been a great deal of concern that all the recent rate cuts have not provided the benefit to consumers the economy needs. Clearly, there is a fatty clog within our financial circulatory system. Traditionally, the Fed likes to see how its actions trickle into the economy before it continues too far down one path, which would argue for a pause now. Plus, the Fed does not want to run out of ammunition by cutting rates too far too fast. But there is no question that we are dealing with a more aggressive Fed than we have seen in decades, so I think we will see another small rate cut.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: All eyes on the Fed

The Week in Preview: All eyes on the Fed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) released on Tuesday 3Q 2007 earnings that indicate the company didn't raise much dough. Revenue was up 35% to $276 million, which sounds encouraging. But that revenue increase translated into a much lower increase in net income, 10%. Net income YTD 2007, $40 million, is exactly the same as net income YTD 2006, even though Panera has opened 35 new bakery-cafe locations in 3Q 2007 alone.

Same-store sales increased 2.6% during the quarter, yet average weekly sales were essentially flat. Diluted 3Q EPS was $0.37, an improvement over diluted EPS of $0.34 in 3Q 2006 until one factors in the $0.05 per share benefit from the resolution of a tax disagreement with the IRS. Without that benefit, actual EPS would have been $0.32 per share.

In effect, Panera is earning more revenue but making less money. Even CEO Ron Shaich admits Panera needs to "return to a record of strong earnings growth."

Panera is faced with a triple whammy. It has shifted its menu offerings away from lower cost soup and sandwiches to higher cost salads. Across the board, ingredients' costs are rising, as are labor costs. Yet the company remains optimistic, or perhaps just confused. Senior management forecasts same bakery-cafe sales growth of 1-3.5% for 4Q 2007 and same bakery-cafe sales growth of 1-4% for FY 2008. Unless that sales growth results in net income growth, the dough simply will not rise.

Investors have reacted negatively to the 3Q figures. The stock closed recently at $41.66, down $1.95 on the news.

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage

Panera Bread (PNRA) needs to raise the dough originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Societe Generale upgraded shares of Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) to Buy from Hold as they believe pipeline maturation over the next 12 months can drive the stock higher.
  
• Piper upgraded shares of Lifecell (NASDAQ: LIFC) to Outperform from Market Perform after their recent survey indicated that AlloDerm remains the leading biologic hernia mesh on the market and competition is making little headway.
  
• JP Morgan upgraded Mylan Labs (NYSE: MYL), Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA) and Norsk Hydro (NYSE: NHY) to Overweight from Neutral. The firm upgraded Mylan based on its position in the global generics market and above-average growth; Panera was upgraded on valuation, as they believe the recent operating risk is now behind the company; Norsk Hydro was upgraded, as they believe the value of the company's aluminum assets are higher than the current share price suggests.

• HSBC upgraded Ride Aid (NYSE: RAD) to Neutral from Underweight.
  
• UBS upgraded Standard Pacific (NYSE: SPF) and Ciena (NASDAQ: CIEN) to Neutral from Sell and Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• Goldman added Cytec Industries (NYSE: CYT) to its Conviction Buy List.

Analyst upgrades: SNY, LIFC, MYL, PNRA and NHY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Panera Bread Company: A temporary rut

Panera Bread Company: A temporary rut originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• WestLB upgraded shares of DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX) to Buy from Add after the company raised the profit margin forecast for its Mercedes unit.

• Omniture (NASDAQ: OMTR) was upgraded by Piper Jaffray to Market Perform from Underperform to reflect the company's strong revenue momentum and expanding margins.

• Wedbush upgraded Convergys (NYSE: CVG) to Hold from Sell on valuation.

• Citigroup raised shares of Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) and Baidu.com (NASDAQ: BIDU) to Buy from Hold on valuation...

• Bear Stearns upgraded shares of Ryder System (NYSE: R) to Outperform from Underperform.

• Lehman raised EnCana Corp (NYSE: ECA) to Equal Weight from Underweight.

• USG Corp (NYSE: USG) was raised to Neutral from Underperform at Buckingham.

• Morgan Keegan upgraded shares of Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA) to Outperform from Market Perform.

• Citigroup raised Cullen/Frost Bankers (NYSE: CFR) to Hold from Sell.

Analyst upgrades 7-26-07: BIDU, DCX, EXPE and USG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Restaurant chain earnings giving indigestion

Restaurant chain earnings giving indigestion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panera Bread

Panera Bread reports its quarterly dough originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Keefe Bruyette upgraded JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) to Outperform from Market Perform based on valuation and superior execution.

• Symantec Corp (NASDAQ: SYMC) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Baird as they believe integration issues from Veritas (CGV) are behind the company and expectations that shares will benefit from investments made during the past two years.

• Stifel upgraded Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) to Short-Term Trading Buy from Neutral and recommends buying shares of AMD ahead of the Q2 report given market stabilization, the seasonally stronger 2H, and any positive commentary during the call that may be enough to encourage renewed investor interest.

• Lehman upgraded Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) to Overweight from Equal Weight citing checks that indicate a strong product cycles & shares gains in notebooks, improving seasonal demand, and new product traction.

• Citigroup upgraded shares of SVB Financial (NASDAQ: SIVB) to Hold from Sell to reflect less earnings volatility due to more later-stage customers and growing funds management...

• Matrix USA raised Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

• Citigroup upgraded MBIA Inc (NYSE: MBI) to Buy from Hold.

• Banc of America upgraded Sybase (NYSE: SY) to Buy from Neutral.

• Interline Brands (NYSE: IBI) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform.

• Lehman raised Swisscom (NYSE: SCM) to Overweight from Equal Weight.

Analyst upgrades 6-21-07: AMD, JPM, NVDA, PNRA and SYMC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Deutsche Bank initiated shares of McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) and Yum! Brands Inc (NYSE: YUM) with Buy ratings and a $61 target and $76 target, respectively, and shares of Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (NYSE: CMG) with Hold ratings an a $54 target and $83 target, respectively.
• Wachovia initiated shares of CB Richard Ellis with an Outperform rating, as it views CBG as a compelling investment opportunity giving its leading position in the top real estate markets and breadth of services.
• Wachovia also initiated shares of Jones Lang LaSalle with an Outperform rating, as it expects JLL to benefit from international services given the increasing flow of real estate dollars across boarders and to less well developed regions of the globe.

• Citigroup initiated shares of GameStop Corp (NYSE: GME) with a Buy rating and $46 target.
• Citigroup also initiated shares of The PNC Financial Services Group Inc (NYSE: PNC) with a Buy rating and $84 target.
• Soleil initiated shares of Salesforce.com Inc (NYSE: CRM) with a Buy rating and $50 target.
• Goldman Sachs initiated shares of 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) and LM Ericsson Telephone Company (NASDAQ: ERIC) with Neutral ratings.

Analyst initiations 6-08-07: Restaurants, CBG and JLL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY

• CIBC upgraded The Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS) to Sector Perform from Underperform with a $40 target, following fourth quarter earnings and long-term fundamentals.

• Citigroup upgraded Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) to Buy from Hold with a $105 target citing the company's compelling risk/reward.

• MasterCard Inc (NYSE: MA) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Keefe Bruyette with a $115 target, based on fourth quarter results and valuation.

• Kraft Foods Inc (NYSE: KFT) was upgraded by UBS to Neutral from Reduce with a $34 target, as the firm believes expectations for "shareholder friendly" actions will bring modest upside to the stock.

• Bear Stearns upgraded Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE: LUV) to Outperform from Peer Perform citing a recovery in non-fuel margin performance and LBO potential.

• Raymond James upgraded Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ: PNRA) to Strong Buy from Outperform.

• CIBC upgraded Qwest Communications Int'l Inc (NYSE: Q) to Sector Performer from Sector Underperformer on valuation.

• Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Adobe Systems Inc (NASDAQ: ADBE) to Buy from Neutral with a $43 target on valuation and strong business momentum.

• Credit Suisse upgraded Ciena Corp (NASDAQ: CIEN) to Outperform from Neutral with a $36 target, citing above-average industry growth and strong competitive positioning.

Analyst upgrades 2-12-07: Disney, Apple both upgraded today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cramer calls for Panera to go to $74; make dough from bread originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Oct 2006 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.