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Analyst upgrades: NOC, PFWD and CLS

Eric Buscemi — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:11:00 EST

Filed under: Analyst Reports, Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades, Wal-Mart (WMT), Wendy's Intl (WEN), Northrop Grumman (NOC)

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Northrop Grumman, Phase Forward and Celestica were today's noteworthy upgrades:

Cowen upgraded Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) to Outperform from Neutral following the Q1 report based on accelerating growth. Shares were also upgraded at JP Morgan to Overweight from Neutral.
Friedman Billings upgraded Phase Forward (NASDAQ: PFWD) to Outperform from Market Perform following the solid Q1 report and views guidance as beatable.
CIBC raised Celestica (NYSE: CLS) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer following Q1 results, citing end markets that look stable.

OTHER UPGRADES:

JP Morgan upgraded the Consumer Discretionary Sector to Overweight from Underweight.
Wendy's (NYSE: WEN) was raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.
Progenics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PGNX) was upgraded at Citigroup to Hold from Sell.
Merrill Lynch raised Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) to Buy from Neutral.

Analyst upgrades: NOC, PFWD and CLS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Closing Bell: Two days of gains? Sorry, that is asking for too much ...

Jon Ogg — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Southwest Airlines (LUV)

The stock market was up earlier today on hopes of a continue follow-on from yesterday's monster gains, but closed weak at the end of the day. The good news is that we didn't give back most of yesterday's gains. The bad news is that bears can claim there isn't enough positive mojo to keep the market surging a second day. That's what makes a ballgame. Seeing oil hit $110 per barrel probably didn't help matters for those hoping for an ease in gas prices and a break for retail. Below are the unofficial market closing levels:

DJIA 12,110.24 (-46.57; -0.38%)
S&P500 1,308.77 (-11.88; -0.90%)
NASDAQ 2,243.87 (-11.89; -0.53%)
10Y-Bond 3.483% ( -0.113%)
See the new 52-week low club

Southwest Air (NYSE: LUV) was one of the standout stocks with a 7% price drop down to $11.49 after it grounded 41 planes and canceled flights. The airline will recover from this incident, but what is odd is that if you look it up and down it isn't rewarding shareholders even when it cheats.

Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) was the news disaster of the day for large cap stocks with a 13.7% drop to $40.88 after noting higher pharmacy charges were going to nearly chop first quarter earnings in half. The stock put in another 52-week low under the $42.85 prior low despite a Merrill Lynch upgrade late in the day defending the stock.

A biotech called Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGNX) acted as the biotech implosion of the day with a monster drop of 63% to $5.31 (close to perceived cash balance) after its bowel drug failed in Phase II tests. It looks like the placebo was even better.

Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA) was the monster gainer today with shares up 82% to $2.86, after its coverage was raised to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns. KLA-Tencor (NASDAQ: KLAC) saw shares fall more than 9% to $37.80 on a downgrade today. (Top 10 pre-market calls).

Tomorrow we have the weekly jobless claims, and while weekly numbers are less watched they may be more front and center as everyone is hoping the job market doesn't head as far south as the economy. We also have February import prices, so we'll get to see more evidence of the inflation we know is there.

Closing Bell: Two days of gains? Sorry, that is asking for too much ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst initiations 9-7-07: Exchange sector, PGNX, TEL and PMC

Eric Buscemi — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: Analyst Reports, Chicago Merc Exch Hld'A' (CME), NYSE Euronext (NYX), Analyst Initiations

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The exchange sector, Progenics Pharma, Tyco Electronics and PharMerica were today's noteworthy initiations:

Keefe Bruyette initiated coverage on Exchange Sector: The firm started shares of CME Group Inc (NYSE: CME), NYMEX Holdings Inc (NYSE: NMX) and NYSE Euronext Inc (NYSE: NYX) with Outperform ratings and a $669 target, $147 target and $90 target, respectively. The firm also started shares of Investment Technology Group (NYSE: ITG), Nasdaq Stock Market Inc (NASDAQ: NDAQ) and IntercontinentalExchange Inc (NYSE: ICE) with Underperform ratings and a $47 target, $36 target and $158 target, respectively, and shares of Knight Capital Group (NASDAQ: NITE) with an Underperform rating and $13 target.
Progenics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PGNX) was added to Friedman Billings' Top Picks list and its Outperform rating was maintained. The firm has a high degree of confidence in the success of the MNTX Ph III studies in post-operative ilieus, as well as the FDA approval of the subcutaneous injection in terminally ill patients with opiod-induced constipation around the 1/31/07 PDUFA date.
RBC believes margin expansion will drive long-term appreciation in Tyco Electronics Ltd (NYSE: TEL) and started shares with an Outperform rating and $41 target.
PharMerica Corporation (NYSE: PMC) was initiated with an Underperform rating at Bear Stearns. The firm believes PMC will be pressured by customer losses and generic reimbursement cuts and sees shares trading in $12-$13 range.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

Ryanair Holdings (NASDAQ: RYAAY) was initiated with a Market Outperform rating at Avondale.u
Banc of America initiated shares of Town Sports International (NASDAQ: CLUB) with a Sell rating and $15 target.
Goldman started shares of Genesis Lease Ltd (NYSE: GLS) and Aircastle Ltd (NYSE: AYR) with Neutral ratings.

Analyst initiations 9-7-07: Exchange sector, PGNX, TEL and PMC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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