Analyst Upgrades

• Aetna (AET) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Kellogg (K) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• PetSmart (PETM) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• NetApp (NTAP) and Scripps Networks (SNI) to buy from hold at Wunderlich.
• Thoratec (THOR) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• ArcelorMittal (MT) to overweight from neutral at HSBC.
• Bristol-Myers (BMY) to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Eaton Vance (EV) to neutral from sell at Ticonderoga.
• Adtran (ADTN) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AET, BMY, DVN, GLW, K, MRK, MT, PETM, SPLS, WY ...

Analyst Calls: AET, BMY, DVN, GLW, K, MRK, MT, PETM, SPLS, WY ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Limited Brands (LTD) reported its Q3 earnings at 18 cents per share, up from 5 cents a share in the year-ago period. The company's sales came in at $1.98 billion, up from $1.77 billion, in the year-ago quarter. LTD shares surged 5.11% to $33.50 in after-hours trading.

Wall Street expects Dell (DELL) to report its Q3 EPS at 33 cents. DELL shares gained 0.67% to $13.44 in the after-hours trading session.

Continue reading Stocks and ETFs to Watch Today

Stocks and ETFs to Watch Today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Intel (INTC) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight and Autodesk (ADSK) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• Citigroup upgraded Blackrock (BLK) to buy from hold.
• 99c Only Stores (NDN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• PetSmart (PETM) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Ruth's Hospitality (RUTH) and Morton's Restaurant (MRT) to overweight from neutral.
• BioMed Realty (BMR) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Piedmont (PDM) to market perform from underperform.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, AOL, BLK, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, JBL, JBLU, YHOO ...

Analyst Calls: AA, AOL, BLK, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, JBL, JBLU, YHOO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Reliance Steel (RS) to buy from neutral and The Buckle (BKE) to neutral from sell.
• RAM Energy (RAME) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Rodman & Renshaw.
• RBC Capital upgraded H&E Equipment (HEES) and Cameco (CCJ) to outperform from sector perform, and Denison Mines (DNN) to sector perform from underperform.
• Alexandria Real Estate (ARE) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Investment Technology (ITG) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Wedbush.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKS, BXP, CCJ, CXW, GBX, PETM, RIMM, RS, SIRI SOHU ...

Analyst Calls: AKS, BXP, CCJ, CXW, GBX, PETM, RIMM, RS, SIRI SOHU ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Piper Jaffray upgraded Clear Channel Outdoors (CCO) to neutral from underweight following the company's Q1 results. The firm also doubled its price target for shares to $12 from $6.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded MetroPCS (PCS) to buy from hold to reflect higher EBITDA assumptions and valuation while doubling its target price for shares to $14 from $7.
• Thomas Weisel upgraded America's Car-Mart (CRMT) to overweight from market weight ahead of the company's Q4 results and upped its target for shares to $31 from $30. The firm has increased confidence in its FY11 estimates for the company and sees potential upside in Q4.
• Esterline Technologies (ESL) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Stephens.
• Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Baird.
• J.B. Hunt (JBHT) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Longbow.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CAKE, CCO, CRMT, DF, HON, PCS, PRI, ROK, SXE, TSN, WAC ...

Analyst Calls: CAKE, CCO, CRMT, DF, HON, PCS, PRI, ROK, SXE, TSN, WAC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 May 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• AutoZone Inc. (AZO) reported better-than-expected Q2 earnings, as well as sales and gross margin growth.
• Big Lots Inc. (BIG) beat Q4 earnings expectations, raised its guidance, and lifted its share repurchase program.
• Carmike Cinemas Inc. (CKEC) swung to better-than-expected profit in Q4 and reported strong sales growth.
• Ciena Corp. (CIEN) reported a bigger-than-expected Q1 net loss and some revenue growth, and offered guidance.
• DISH Network Corp. (DISH) posted a year-over-year increase in Q4 revenue but also a decline in per-share earnings.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: AutoZone, Ciena, Fannie Mae, PetSmart, Sotheby's ...

Earnings Highlights: AutoZone, Ciena, Fannie Mae, PetSmart, Sotheby's ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PetSmart, Inc. (PETM), whose related competitors include Target Corporation (TGT) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT), reported fourth-quarter earnings earlier in the week. Net income dropped by a penny to 61 cents per share. Total sales went up over 3%, and same-store sales increased 1.5%.

On the surface, Q4 doesn't make you want to rush out and buy the stock, does it? But the per-share profit beat expectations by five pennies, according to data at Earnings.com. Also, Reuters says that the outlook for the full fiscal year is shaping up to be a good one, in terms of both the bottom line and margin expansion. Now, what do you think?

Continue reading PetSmart's Q4: Net Income Drops, But Is Stock a Buy?

PetSmart's Q4: Net Income Drops, But Is Stock a Buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Central Garden Is Trying Investors' Patience

Central Garden Is Trying Investors' Patience originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Wells Fargo upgraded Qualcomm (QCOM) to outperform from market perform. The firm believes key risks have been eliminated, such as the license dispute with Nokia (NOK) and litigation with Broadcom (BRCM), and thinks Qualcomm is well-positioned for handset unit shipments growth. Wells has a $50 to $60 target range on shares.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Juniper Networks (JNPR) to outperform from perform as it views shares as compelling at current levels and thinks the company is well positioned for 2010. Opco set a $31 price target on the stock.
• FBR Capital upgraded Frontline (FRO) to outperform from market perform after raising its rating on the tanker industry to overweight. The firm raised its target on shares to $33 from $23.
• PetSmart (PETM) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Career Education (CECO) was upgraded to equal weight from underweight at Barclays.
• Rosetta Resources (ROSE) was upgraded to buy from neutral at SunTrust.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AAP, FRO, MSFT, QCOM, SUN, WYNN ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AAP, FRO, MSFT, QCOM, SUN, WYNN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There is a bill making rounds on Capitol Hill that would provide a tax break for up to $3,500 for pet expenses. Does Fido really deserve a tax deduction? Do we really need to subsidize pet ownership in this country?

The recession has been extra hard on pets as people have abandoned pets at shelters they are no longer able to properly care for them. Pet can be very expensive between food, visits to the vet and increased rent. Those of you who think dog food is expensive should try to feed a horse sometime!

Continue reading Does Fido deserve a tax break?

Does Fido deserve a tax break? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) to Buy from Hold on expectations that stable volumes and a better outlook for currency and commodities will lead to higher earnings visibility. The firm raised its price target on shares to $62 from $52.
• FBR Capital upgraded Goodrich (NYSE: GR) to Outperform from Market Perform as it finds the stock's valuation compelling following the recent pullback. The firm raised its target on shares to $65 from $46.
• William Blair upgraded Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) to Outperform from Market Perform after channel checks indicated demand is accelerating as the firm finds the stock's valuation compelling at current levels.
• Robbins & Myers (NYSE: RBN) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
• Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Viacom B (NYSE: VIA.B) were upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at BofA/Merrill, while News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANN, DIS, CSCO, KO, NWS, PETM, ULTA ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANN, DIS, CSCO, KO, NWS, PETM, ULTA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) to Buy from Hold on expectations that oil supply will begin to tighten and demand rise. The firm has a $55 price target on the stock.
• Citigroup upgraded Pinnacle West (NYSE: PNW) to Buy from Hold and added the stock to its Top Picks Live list. The firm expects the company's settlement in Arizona to be approved and raised its target on shares to $35 from $32.
• RBC Capital upgraded NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) to Outperform from Sector Perform as it believes that the company is performing better than expected during its October quarter. The firm expects the company to continue to execute well during subsequent quarters and it raised its target to $33.
• Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Janney Montgomery.
• General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMD, GD, COP, MT, TIVO, WFC ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AMD, GD, COP, MT, TIVO, WFC ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bears are on vacation (AIG, GME, PETM, GOOG, SHLD, SBUX)

Closing Bell: Bears are on vacation (AIG, GME, PETM, GOOG, SHLD, SBUX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Oppenheimer upgraded Gymboree (NASDAQ: GYMB) to Outperform from Perform following the company's Q2 results to reflect valuation and square footage growth from Crazy 8. The firm has a $52 target on the stock.
• KeyBanc upgraded Lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) to Buy from Hold on expectations sales and margins will improve in the near-term due to clean inventory levels. The firm recommends a pair trade of long Lululemon, short Under Armour (NYSE: UA).
• Keefe Bruyette upgraded Allied Capital (NYSE: ALD) to Market Perform from Underperform following the company's Q2 results and raised its target on shares to $3.50 from $1.
• Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
• LogMeln (NASDAQ: LOGM) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) was reinstated with an Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AZN, BCS, JACK, MVL, PCLN, UA ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AZN, BCS, JACK, MVL, PCLN, UA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Barclays upgraded Anglo American (NASDAQ: AAUK) to Overweight from Equal Weight based on a potentially higher bid from Xstrata (OTC: XSRAY) or a white night willing to pay a premium for the group, higher copper prices, and improving operating performance.
• Janney Montgomery upgraded Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB) to Buy from Neutral citing improved bagged salad margins, strong free cash flow, solid banana trends, and valuation. The firm has a $13 target on the stock.
• Wunderlich upgraded Legacy Reserves (NASDAQ: LGCY) to Buy from Hold due to the firm's belief that the back of the crude board is still very cheap, the firm's increased distribution outlook, and the movement of the stock after the discontinuation of the company's talks with Apollo.
• Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• UBS (NYSE: UBS) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wachovia.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DB, CAT, MMM, NKE, UBS ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: DB, CAT, MMM, NKE, UBS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM - option chain) shares are rising today after the company boosted its quarterly dividend to 10 cents per share from 3 cents per share. PetSmart also announced it is planning a $350 million stock buyback. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on PETM.

PETM opened this morning at $21.11. So far today the stock has hit a low of $20.41 and a high of $21.19. As of 11:20, PETM is trading at $20.72 up 0.74 (3.7%). The chart for PETM looks bullish and S&P gives PETM a positive 4 STARS (out of 5) buy ranking.

Continue reading PetSmart (PETM) more than triples its dividend, plans buyback

PetSmart (PETM) more than triples its dividend, plans buyback originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) beat profit expectations as revenue and same-store sales both increased.
• Aruba Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: ARUN) received an analyst's upgrade following its Q3 report.
• Buckle Inc. (NYSE: BKE) reported better-than-expected Q1 expectations as revenue surged.
• Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) higher Q2 earnings beat expectations and sent shares upward.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) reported better-than-expected Q3 earnings, sending shares higher.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Home Depot, Target, Sears, Campbell, Deere and more

Earnings highlights: Home Depot, Target, Sears, Campbell, Deere and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 23 May 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bears getting braver (OPEN, LDK, STP, QCOM, RF, PETM)

Closing Bell: Bears getting braver (OPEN, LDK, STP, QCOM, RF, PETM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• UBS upgraded Target (NYSE: TGT) to Buy from Neutral and raised its price target to $52 from $45 citing reduced inventories, some credit stability, and an improved back-to-school period.
• Credit Suisse said concerns regarding Safeway's (NYSE: SWY) price position are overblown and that earnings risk is limited. The firm upgraded shares to Outperform from Neutral and raised the target price to $25 from $22.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) to Outperform from Perform as it believes the story is underappreciated following the recent sector rally. The firm has a $14 price target on the stock.
• CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) was upgraded to buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
• Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at FTN Equity.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 May 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Deutsche Bank upgraded AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) to Buy from Hold on valuation as it views the risk/reward as favorable at current levels. Deutsche raised its target price to $41.50 from $38.
  
• FBR Capigal upgraded Charlotte Russe (NASDAQ:CHIC) to Outperform from Market Perform following the company's Q2 results on expectations merchandise improvements and cost-cutting efforts will drive continued margin expansion. The firm raised its target on shares to $15 from $10.
  
• Oppenheimer upgraded Fidelity National (NYS:FIS) to Outperform from Perform as it believes the Metavante (MV) acquisition makes strategic sense and the stock's risk/reward is favorable. The firm's target price is $25.
• First American (NYSE:FAF) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
  
• Nokia (NYSE:NOK) was raised to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
  
• Parker-Hannifin NYSE:(PH) was lifted at Wachovia to Outperform from Market Perform.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: JPM, NOK, PALM, INTU

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: JPM, NOK, PALM, INTU originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.