Analyst Upgrades

• Philip Morris (PM) to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Peet's Coffee (PEET) to neutral from sell at Janney Capital.
• Cephalon (CEPH) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• StoneMor Partners (STON) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Tibco (TIBX) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Apollo Group (APOL) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: APOL, CEPH, DELL, GCI, GOLD, KSS, LEN, PEET, PM ...

Analyst Calls: APOL, CEPH, DELL, GCI, GOLD, KSS, LEN, PEET, PM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• SINA (SINA) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Texas Instruments (TXN), ON Semiconductor (ONNN), Xilinx (XLNX) and Valassis (VCI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Salesforce.com (CRM) to buy from hold at Canaccord.
• Peet's Coffee (PEET) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Invesco Mortgage (IVR) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• BTU International (BTUI) to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Chipotle (CMG) to market perform from underperform at Morgan Keegan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKAM, CIEN, CMG, CRM, FDO, GOOG, JNPR, MCC, TXN, YHOO ...

Analyst Calls: AKAM, CIEN, CMG, CRM, FDO, GOOG, JNPR, MCC, TXN, YHOO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded EMC (EMC) to buy from hold after channel checks indicated storage demand remains solid. The firm sees potential upside in 2011 from the company's new products and upped its target for shares to $25 from $20.
• BB&T upgraded American Commercial (ACLI) to buy with a $50 target based on pricing leverage and cost reductions.
• Argus upgraded Abercrombie (ANF) to buy with a $52 target based on accelerating comps.
• PerkinElmer (PKI) was upgraded to equal weight from underweight at Barclays.
• Valeant (VRX) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Wells Fargo with a $26 to $28 valuation range.
• Blackrock (BLK) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ACLI, ADM, ANF, BLK, BP, COST, EMC, FO, NE, PEET, UNFI ...

Analyst Calls: ACLI, ADM, ANF, BLK, BP, COST, EMC, FO, NE, PEET, UNFI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• FBR Capital upgraded Legg Mason (LM) to market perform from underperform, citing stabilizing outflows and an improved liquidity position.
• Walmart (WMT) was upgraded to buy from hold by Citigroup on expectations the company will regain market share from aggressive price cuts.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Kirkland's (KIRK) to overweight from neutral following the company's Q4 results.
• Greenbrier (GBX) was upgraded to buy from hold by KeyBanc as the company believes that railcar fundamentals have improved.
• Citigroup upgraded WM Morrison (MRWSY) to buy from sell.
• HSBC raised Millicom (MICC) to overweight from neutral.
• HealthSouth (HLS) was raised to outperform from market perform by Raymond James.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKAM, HAS, ICE, KIRK, LM, PEET, RSH, WMT ...

Analyst Calls: AKAM, HAS, ICE, KIRK, LM, PEET, RSH, WMT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Northern California-based Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET) is a different flavor of coffee stock, really cashing in on premium herbal tea offerings and specialty foods as well as providing a great cup of java.

Jellies, jams, candies and pastries are just part of Peet's diverse product line. This has helped the company find a broader customer base, appealing to those with a sweet tooth as well as caffeine junkies and iced tea fanatics. The results are clear in Peet's bottom line.

Continue reading Coffee Stock #5: Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET)

Coffee Stock #5: Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For millions of Americans, and indeed for millions around the globe, there's nothing like a piping hot cup of coffee to help kick-start the day. It's the beverage of choice for the hordes on Wall Street, many of whom rely on a strong cup of java to help propel them through a stressful trading day.

But Wall Street pros don't just relegate their relationship with coffee to what's inside their mugs. For many professionals, as well as for many individual investors, coffee is more about buying and selling shares of the best coffee stocks out there.

Continue reading A Freshly Brewed Pot of Coffee Stocks

A Freshly Brewed Pot of Coffee Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The past month has been nirvana for the shareholders of Diedrich Coffee (DDRX ), at least for those who held on. The company was the object of a fierce bidding war from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) and Peet's Coffee (PEET).

But today, the hostilities are over as Green Mountain finally won the battle. The company has agreed to pay $35 per share for Diedrich (the bidding started at $26). Keep in mind that -- about a year ago -- the shares were trading at 21 cents.

Continue reading Green Mountain: Desperately seeking Diedrich Coffee

Green Mountain: Desperately seeking Diedrich Coffee originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Diedrich Coffee (DDRX) continues to be the belle of the ball in the caffeinated beverage sector. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) Wednesday hiked its offer to acquire Diedrich, raising the bid from $32 per share to $35 in cash. The deal's total value now stands at $290 million.

"We are eager to start realizing the benefits of this transaction for our shareholders as quickly as possible, and therefore after careful deliberation, we determined to enhance our proposal to $35.00 per Diedrich share," explained Lawrence J. Blanford, CEO of Green Mountain Coffee.

Continue reading Diedrich Coffee taps 12-year high as bidding war heats up

Diedrich Coffee taps 12-year high as bidding war heats up originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Stock bulls and dollar death (DDRX,GMCR, PEET, SBUX, EBAY, CI, TECD)

Closing Bell: Stock bulls and dollar death (DDRX,GMCR, PEET, SBUX, EBAY, CI, TECD) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just about a year ago, the shares of Diedrich Coffee (DDRX) were trading around 30 cents. Since then, it's been an incredible ride as the shares have reached $33.

Over the past month, Diedrich Coffee has actually been the target of a heated buyout battle from Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET) and Green Mountain Coffee Roaster (GMCR). In fact, Monday Peet's upped its bid to $32 or $265 million. Investors think the bidding is not over, though.

Continue reading Buyout battle for Diedrich Coffee heats up

Buyout battle for Diedrich Coffee heats up originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Bernstein upgraded General Electric (NYSE: GE) to Outperform from Market Perform Thursday after the close. The firm sees an improved risk/reward on the stock and raised its price target to $19 from $18.
• Bernstein also upgraded Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) to Outperform from Market Perform as it believes sales growth and margin expansion expectations are too low. The firm raised its target on shares to $160 from $125.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded CBS (NYSE: CBS) to Neutral from Underweight following the company's Q3 results and raised its target on shares to $13 from $12.
• JPMorgan upgraded Macy's (NYSE: M) to Overweight from Neutral to reflect the company's improving comps. The firm has a $23 target on the stock.
• Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• Travelers (NYSE: TRV) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Air Methods (NASDAQ: AIRM) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Stephens.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMZN, CBS, CVS, DE, GE, M, TRV ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMZN, CBS, CVS, DE, GE, M, TRV ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• FBR Capital upgraded Overseas Shipholding (NYSE: OSG) to Outperform from Market Perform following the Q3 results as it believes the worst quarters are behind the company. The firm raised its target on shares to $48 from $35.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded Corporate Executive Board (NASDAQ: EXBD) to Hold from Sell following the Q3 results to reflect the company's lower costs. The firm raised its target on shares to $22 from $18.
• RBC Capital upgraded Enbridge (NYSE: EEQ) to Sector Perform from Underperform after the company's partnership produced significantly higher than expected DCF. In addition, the firm raised its price target by $5 per unit to $46 to reflect an improved distribution schedule and more favorable debt leverage.
• Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.
• BioForm Medical (NASDAQ: BFRM) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at SunTrust.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ART, BBY, HEV, NVDA, OSG, RDS.A ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ART, BBY, HEV, NVDA, OSG, RDS.A ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, July 28, the Northern California-based Peet's Coffee & Tea (NASDAQ: PEET) reported a quarterly profit that beat Wall Street estimates.

The company cited a combination of tighter cost controls and higher sales at its specialty business as chief reasons for the better-than-expected results.

For the second quarter ended June 28, net income rose to $3.4 million, or 26 cents per share, from $3 million, or 21 cents per share, one year ago. Revenue rose 5% to $73.6 million.

Continue reading Coffee stock #4: Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET)

Coffee stock #4: Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For millions of Americans, and indeed for millions around the globe, there's nothing like a piping hot cup of coffee to help kick start the day. It's the beverage of choice for the hordes on Wall Street, many of whom rely on a strong cup of java to help propel them through a stressful trading day.

But Wall Street pros don't just relegate their relationship with coffee to what's inside their mugs.

Continue reading Five piping hot coffee stocks

Five piping hot coffee stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some investors shy away from small stocks, thinking they are too volatile and risky. But BusinessWeek takes a look at such stocks and finds some that could offer a lot of potential for growth.

It can be hard to find small companies that have great growth potential. Since most Wall Street analysts ignore smaller companies, it is often tough for investors to find the research that they need in their selection process, so they have to rely on their own research in order to find that perfect small cap stock.

One thing to look for when examining small cap stocks is a long and established track record. The downside to this approach is that these stocks are not going to be the next "big thing" and bring you huge profits in the short run. These stocks are the ones that typically serve a niche market, and perform that service successfully. While these will not make you rich overnight, they are fairly reliable companies you can look to for nice and steady returns. If you are the type of investor who likes to buy and hold, these are the small cap stocks for you.

Continue reading Small but beautiful stocks from BusinessWeek

Small but beautiful stocks from BusinessWeek originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Oppenheimer believes Jamba (NASDAQ: JMBA) is in the early stages of a solid top- and-bottom-line growth story and is one of the few opportunities today that offers sizable square foot growth, revenue and earnings growth, all with several years of visibility.

• Quiksilver Inc (NYSE: ZQK) was initiated with an Accumulate rating and $14 target at ThinkEquity.

• ThinkEquity also initiated shares of Volcom Inc (NASDAQ: VLCM) with a Buy rating.

• AG Edwards started Interactive Data Corp (NYSE: IDC) with a Buy rating.

• Merrill Lynch resumed coverage of Merck & Co, Inc (NYSE: MRK) with a Neutral rating.

• Matrix USA started coverage of Loral Space & Communications Ltd (NASDAQ: LORL) with a Strong Buy rating and $72 intrinsic value.

• AG Edwards initiated shares of Atheros Communications, Inc (NASDAQ: ATHR) with a Buy rating.

• Stifel initiated Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc (NASDAQ: PEET) with a Hold rating.

• Bear Stearns started Genworth Financial, Inc (NYSE: GNW) with an Outperform rating and $42 target.

• Morgan Stanley started Nova Chemicals Corp (NYSE: NCX) with an Equal Weight rating.

Analyst initiations 4-19-07: PEET, MRK, VCLM and ZQK initiated today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I have written about Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) for a couple of years. Starbucks is a dominant player, and any real competition will be on a regional basis at best. But there is a great little competitor for Starbucks, situated mostly in California. It's a terrific story, very well managed and exciting.

That story is Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc (NASDAQ:PEET). The company has a $365 million market cap and has a solid 20%+ growth rate. Peet's has 130 retail stores mostly in California. They serve 32 different types of coffee, and sell quite a bit of coffee through the mail to their loyal customers.

Peet's will open about 30 to 35 new units in 2007 and another 35 or so in 2008. The total of 60 to 65 new units over two years is what Starbucks opens in a good week. Nonetheless, Peet's has a loyal and dedicated following. Peet's earnings per share for 2007 are expected at $.70 to $.72 on revenues of $255 to $260 million. 2008 numbers are revenues of $300 to $310 million and earnings per share of $.85 to $.88. Peet's could slow down the growth of units and let the current stores mature, and that would accelerate their earnings growth. Coming off 2005 earnings, the company basically slowed its earnings growth by opening more stores than initially planned, thus tying up resources and capital.

If Peet's slows the unit growth by 10 fewer units per year, the earnings growth will jump to 30% to 35% as the operating margins expand as stores mature.

As one portfolio manager put it to me recently," Peet's will never stub Starbucks toes, but Peet's in its own right could become a $1-1.5 billion market cap company"

I agree with him wholeheartedly. Having been to a Peet's recently, the coffee and service were excellent..

Georges Yared is the author of Stop Losing Money Today and Baby Boomer Investing.

The Junior Starbucks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 18 Mar 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.