Despite the turmoil in the Middle East, the market powered to a 30-month high, closing above 12,000 Tuesday. The key driver was a slew of strong earnings reports. The last time we saw Dow 12,000 was on June 19, 2008. Across the board, the major averages were strong. The Dow climbed 148.23 to 12,040.16, S & P 500 rose 21.47 to 1307.59, and the NASDAQ surged 51.11 to 2751.19, as reported in the Wall Street Journal.

Here are just a few stocks that moved the Dow higher:

• Pfizer (PFE) rose $1.00 to $19.22. Fourth-quarter profit tripled from a year ago.

Continue reading Dow Closes Above 12,000

Dow Closes Above 12,000 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm now going to take a brief look at two stocks that were affected by earnings releases earlier today. The two companies are a study in completely different business models: one sells video games, the other sells drugs. Then again, video games are a drug to some, so maybe they aren't so different?

First up: Electronic Arts (ERTS). EA wasn't exciting during the regular session. It closed up fractionally to $15.62; volume was strong, though. And after looking at the extended-hours reaction to the earnings report that was released following the ringing of the bell, it might be understandable why so many players were intent on getting in on the stock.

Continue reading Two Quarterly Reports: Electronic Arts and Pfizer

Two Quarterly Reports: Electronic Arts and Pfizer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Barron's is forecasting a 10% rise in stock prices in 2011 led by big cap stocks. They argue that the big caps have lagged the market for the past decade and are now poised to take the lead, as reported by CNBC.com.

Here are their top ten picks for this year: Exxon Mobil (XOM), Walmart (WMT), Pfizer (PFE), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), General Motors (GM), Cisco Systems (CSCO), United Continental Holdings (UAL), Barrack Gold (ABX), Entergy (ETR), and PepsiCo (PEP).

Continue reading Barron's Forecasts 10% Higher Stock Market in 2011

Barron's Forecasts 10% Higher Stock Market in 2011 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Research In Motion (RIMM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Citigroup (C) to buy from hold at ISI Group.
• Integrated Silicon (ISSI) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Kinross Gold (KGC) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: C, CHK, EBAY, KMB, MRK, NSRGY, PFE, RIMM, SNDA, VRA ...

Analyst Calls: C, CHK, EBAY, KMB, MRK, NSRGY, PFE, RIMM, SNDA, VRA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer (PFE) announced third-quarter earnings this morning, reporting that large charges pulled its profit 70% lower than a year ago. The pfunnily spelled pfarmaceutical pfirm reported that net income came in at $866 million, or 11 cents per share, down from $2.88 billion, or 43 cents per share, a year ago.

Taking one-time items out of the equation, Pfizer earned $4.37 billion, or 54 cents per share, topping the consensus estimate by three cents.

Continue reading Pfizer's Q3 Earnings Fall 70% on Charges

Pfizer's Q3 Earnings Fall 70% on Charges originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Macquarie upgraded Intel (INTC) to outperform from neutral and Advanced Micro (AMD) to neutral from underperform.
• Pfizer (PFE) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.
• Capstead Mortgage (CMO) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Halliburton (HAL) to outperform from perform.
• Gilead (GILD) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Skilled Healthcare (SKH) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Citigroup upgraded CapitalSource (CSE) to buy from hold.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMD, COL, EL, GILD, HAL, INTC, PFE, SLB, SPLS ...

Analyst Calls: AMD, COL, EL, GILD, HAL, INTC, PFE, SLB, SPLS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Citigroup upgraded Mosaic (MOS) to buy from hold and raised its price target to $78 from $64 citing improving ag fundamentals and the potential for BHP (BHP) to issue a higher bid for Potash (POT), which Citi feels would bode well for Mosaic.
• Cowen upgraded VMware (VMW) to outperform from neutral, citing recent share weakness and the company's significant growth opportunity.
• Citigroup upgraded CareFusion (CFN) with a $29 price target, citing valuation and the potential for margin expansion.
• Pfizer (PFE) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Juniper (JNPR) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
• Stryker (SYK) was upgraded to buy from gradually accumulate at Soleil.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ALKS, AMLN, BAC, CFN, FWLT, MOS, PFE, VMW, WFR ...

Analyst Calls: ALKS, AMLN, BAC, CFN, FWLT, MOS, PFE, VMW, WFR ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Muriel Siebert, often known as the First Woman of Finance, has long been an advocate for the individual investor. Now, two years after the collapse of Lehman, she says that there is still a great deal that needs to be done so that investors can make educated investments.

Siebert, also known by her nickname "Mickie," has a great deal of perspective on these matters. She is the former Superintendent of Banks in the State of New York, the first woman to buy a seat on the NYSE, one of the earliest creators of a discount brokerage firm, plus a former money manager.

Continue reading Muriel 'Mickie' Siebert: Investors Deserve Better, but There Are Values in Stocks

Muriel 'Mickie' Siebert: Investors Deserve Better, but There Are Values in Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Bristol-Myers Squbb Boosted by Blood Thinner Study

Bristol-Myers Squbb Boosted by Blood Thinner Study originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Looking to Play Defense? Buy Pfizer

Looking to Play Defense? Buy Pfizer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Citigroup (C) closed at $4.03. The U.S. Treasury Department said that it plans to sell additional 1.5B shares of C. Overall option implied volatility of 45 is below its 26-week average of 50, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Pfizer (PFE) closed down 28 cents to $14.53. Pfizer is expected to report Q2 EPS on August 3. Call option volume of 157K contracts compares to put volume of 20K contracts. August and September put option implied volatility is at 28; December is at 31; verses its 26-week average of 28, according to Track Data, suggesting nondirectional price movement.

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

Options Update: Citigroup Volatility Low; Treasury Announces Sale of 1.5B of C Shares originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Is Novartis a Buy After Q2 Numbers?

Is Novartis a Buy After Q2 Numbers? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Three Dividend Duds to Sell Now

Three Dividend Duds to Sell Now originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Raymond James upgraded Research in Motion (RIMM) to outperform from market perform based on valuation. The firm has a $70 price target on the stock.
• Macquarie upgraded Halliburton (HAL) to outperform from neutral and has a $40 price target on the stock. The firm said recent pressure pumping activity is above their expectations and pricing has firmed.
• Canaccord upgraded Baldor Electric (BEZ) to buy from speculative buy, citing improving business trends and the upcoming mandatory transition to premium efficiency motors. The firm has a $47 price target on the stock.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Williams-Sonoma (WSM) to outperform from market perform.
• Medco Health (MHS) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Repsol (REP) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMZN, BCS, BEZ, DOW, FSLR, HAL, HBI, PFE, RIMM, WSM ...

Analyst Calls: AMZN, BCS, BEZ, DOW, FSLR, HAL, HBI, PFE, RIMM, WSM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"In the $780 billion global pharmaceutical industry, the world's largest drugmaker, Pfizer (PFE), stands out above its peers," Gene Marcial recently wrote on DailyFinance. "Why then does its stock look uninspired?" he asks.

His question is echoed today by Matthew Harper of Forbes: "Pfizer shares have dropped almost 25% from their peak in January. The steady decline continued even as Pfizer presented strong evidence for a lung cancer drug at a medical meeting this month."

Continue reading Pfizer -- Buy While Still Down?

Pfizer -- Buy While Still Down? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News from the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (PFE) could quickly stop the downward slide of that company's shares.

Early tests of Pfizer's cancer drug crizotinib, while only preliminary, have generated a fair amount of excitement among cancer treatment researchers. The drug, which targets a genetic factor among specific lung cancer patients, has reportedly been shown to reduce the size of tumors caused by that disease.

Continue reading Pfizer Cancer Drug Could Boost Shares

Pfizer Cancer Drug Could Boost Shares originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE), in a move which was not unanticipated, has announced that it intends to reduce it's workforce by as much as 18% over the next 18 months to five years. This announcement comes as the lead-in to important moves the company must make to remain competitive and profitable in the coming years.

Continue reading Pfizer Beefs Up the Balance Sheet

Pfizer Beefs Up the Balance Sheet originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 May 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pfizer (PFE) was the darling of the 1990s. Well, so was Bill Clinton, and like Clinton, the company pops up now and again in the news, but none of it really matters.

Pfizer's premier product, Lipitor, comes off patent this year and will get hit by generic competition in 2011. This drug has $11 billion in sales, which will shrink to $4 billion or less, and with that could go $5 billion or so in profits.

Continue reading Deadbeat Stock #4: Pfizer (PFE)

Deadbeat Stock #4: Pfizer (PFE) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spring is finally here, which means it's time to break out the broom and dustpan for some spring cleaning.

But your home isn't the only thing that requires constant maintenance -- your portfolio does too.

And what better time than spring to get a fresh start by cleaning out the stocks that are sitting around collecting dust rather than making you money?

Continue reading Six Deadbeat Stocks to Clean Out of Your Portfolio

Six Deadbeat Stocks to Clean Out of Your Portfolio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Pfizer Sees Some Disappointing Study Results

Pfizer Sees Some Disappointing Study Results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.