Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) makes it easier to search for websites, e-mail messages, passages from books and videos. Where you haven't heard much about Google's search capabilities -- or Google in general -- is the music business.

But, that's about to change. On Wednesday, the search giant announced that it was partnering with music services such as Pandora, Lala, News Corp's (NASDAQ: NWS) MySpace, and Rhapsody by RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) to help users find, listen to and ultimately buy music on the web.

Continue reading Google wants eardrums, not just eyeballs

Google wants eardrums, not just eyeballs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) is profitable again! The online media company that provides music and other entertainment cut its way into the black, getting rid of the costs that were getting in the way. It wasn't much of a profit, only $1.5 million for the third quarter, not even a full cent per share, but it's a hell of a lot better than the $4.5 million loss it sustained in the third quarter of 2008.

Revenue fell 8% last quarter to $140.3 million, just shy of the analyst average of $140.9 million. This trend is likely to continue through the fourth quarter. Music, technology product and game revenues were down. The profit was instead eked out of the supply chain and headcount.

Continue reading RealNetworks cuts to profits, eyes future with Google

RealNetworks cuts to profits, eyes future with Google originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an interesting move, RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) has decided that it wants to kick off another potential controversy with Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone and its applications (apps).

RealNetworks has developed an app for the iPhone that will bring the company's Rhapsody music service (a pay-to-listen service) to the iPhone and the iPod touch. The question is, will Apple allow the company to do this? RealNetworks has stated that it will submit its application for Apple's approval this week.

Continue reading RealNetworks tries to challenge Apple -- really

RealNetworks tries to challenge Apple -- really originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the plunge in the equities markets, there are certainly some compelling opportunities. Just look at Napster Inc. (NASDAQ: NAPS), an online music operator. The company has $69.8 million in the bank and a market cap of $66.4 million. Yes, Wall Street is valuing the business at below zero.

Well, hedge funds are taking notice (this is a according to Bloomberg.com). For example, Eminence Capital LLC has increased its equity stake to a cool 9%. This is usually the first step in forcing a company to sell out.

One possibility is for Napster to go private. However, this will probably not carry much of a premium.

Instead, I'm sure the hedgies want Napster to get an offer from a strategic player, such as RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK). Oh, and another possibility is JDS Capital Management Inc., which owns eMusic.com. Keep in mind that the firm purchased one million shares of Napster in Q1.

Actually, Napster controls about a majority of the U.S. online music subscription market. The problem: it's a niche market.

So, with hedge funds swarming, it's going to be tough for Napster to ignore things. In fact, in Friday's trading, the company's shares spiked 27% to $1.39 as the rumors buzzed.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates MergerBook.com.

Hedge funds taking notice of Napster originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Q2 profits declined on a glut of flash memory chips.
• Bally Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BYI) beat Q3 expectations and offered full-year guidance.
• Barclay's (NYSE: BCS) reported a big Q1 loss on credit-related write-downs.
• Constant Contact Inc. (NASDAQ: CTCT) saw big increases in Q1 revenues and in its customer base.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) Q2 profits rose on international demand, but results just missed estimates.
• Fluor Corp.'s (NYSE: FLR) strong Q1 results are a signal for the energy sector, says Jim Cramer.
• Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) Q1 loss widened on the housing slump, but not as much as forecast.
• IndyMac Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: IMB) narrowed its loss but predicted it wouldn't see a profit in 2008.
• LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Q1 earnings topped forecasts and it raised its outlook.
• MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) reported a larger-than-expected Q1 loss due to write-downs.
• Mindray Medical International Ltd. (NYSE: MR) beat Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) Q2 earnings were in line with analysts' expectations.
• ON Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: ONNN) beat Q1 expectations and raised its Q2 revenue forecast.
• RealNetworks Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK) beat Q1 estimates and announced share buybacks and a spin off.
• Salary.com Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRY) missed Q1 forecasts, leading to analysts' downgrades.
• Sykes Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: SYKE) beat Q1 estimates and raised its Q2 and full-year forecast.
• Syniverse Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SVR) beat Q1 expectations on strength in "messaging and mobil data."
• Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) warned of lower Q2 profits and more "challenging times" ahead.
• Website Pros Inc. (NASDAQ: WSPI) reported flat earnings despite soaring revenues and operating income.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Deere, Freddie Mac, Applied Materials, Barclay's and others

Earnings highlights: Deere, Freddie Mac, Applied Materials, Barclay's and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 May 2008 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) delivers digital information and entertainment. The firm's RealPlayer product downloads and streams audio, video, and other multimedia content. Its RealOne software and subscription service provides access to news, sports and entertainment content. Its Rhapsody digital music service delivers more than 1 billion songs per year. Its RealArcade is one of the largest casual games destinations on the Web. The company also assists businesses with tools for creating, delivering, and licensing digital content. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO) are competitors.

The firm pleased investors last week, when it reported Q1 EPS of two cents and revenues of $147.6 million. Analysts had been looking for a loss of three cents and $141.6 million. Management also guided Q2/FY08 estimates above consensus views, announced a $50 million share repurchase program and said it intended to spin off its global casual games business. Kaufman Brothers reiterated its "buy" rating on the shares and boosted its price target to $9.

Continue reading RealNetworks (RNWK): Share price cycles in bullish 'pennant'

RealNetworks (RNWK): Share price cycles in bullish 'pennant' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 May 2008 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch rolls on, and here are a few of the highlights of this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Activision Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) earnings soared on popularity of Guitar Hero and other game franchises.
• Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) beat earnings expectations and offered revised guidance.
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP) beat estimates despite lower profits due to restructuring costs.
• Chattem Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTT) beat estimates and raised its guidance.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) met estimates but a weak forecast raised concerns.
• Dionex Corp. (NASDAQ: DNEX) beat estimates on strength in petrochemical and food/beverage markets.
• Electronic Data Systems Corp. (NYSE: EDS) earnings fell, helping to raise concerns about tech stocks.
• Flextronics International Ltd. (NASDAQ: FLEX) beat estimates and affirmed its outlook.
• Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI) missed fourth-quarter earnings estimates on lower ad revenue.
• Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) missed expectations due to rising construction costs.
• MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) forecast it would beat earnings expectations by as much as 10 cents a share.
• Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL) beat revenue estimates and raised its guidance.
• RealNetworks Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK) warned it would miss first-quarter and full-year expectations.
• Silicon Laboratories (NASDAQ: SLAB) beat expectations and raised its guidance.
• THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) posted disappointing results that included cancelled game franchises.
• Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) met estimates and announced restructuring plans (see transcript).
• Unilever (NYSE: UL) fourth-quarter net income tanked on a sell-off of its European frozen food business.
• Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) posted better-than-expected results on gains in TV and theme parks.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Time Warner, Cisco, Gannett, Disney, EDS and others

Earnings highlights: Time Warner, Cisco, Gannett, Disney, EDS and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yahoo! taps Rhapsody for online music sales originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) MTV unit is setting up a partnership with online music operator RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) to create an online music store to try to compete with the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes store. MTV's large marketing budget and substantial reach on cable TV will be the key to the effort.

Large wireless operators Verizon Wireless and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), the largest carrier in Europe, will distribute the service. Apple has a music distribution deal with AT&T (NYSE: T) based on its exclusive sales arrangement for the iPhone.

While most competitors to the Apple music store and player powerhouse have done little, the new venture has a chance. Unlike projects like the Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Zune, Verizon and Vodafone has close to 150 million wireless customers between them. The would rival the number of iPods in the market. MTV's global brand as the top music video channel should also help.

However, these deals almost always fall apart because there are too many parties with different agendas. RealNetworks would like to boost its flagging Rhapsody online music store. MTV would like to find some success outside its cable distribution and the two wireless carriers would like to have a product to compete with the iPhone/iTunes juggernaut.

But, that is a lot of moving pieces with competing interests. Apple can sleep soundly tonight.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

MTV: Another challenge to Apple's (AAPL) iTunes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) was upgraded to Buy from Hold with a $160 target at Citigroup following yesterday's pullback; they believe Mac should remain strong through year-end, Q3 consensus estimates look conservative and believe production cuts should not be a surprise.

• Roth Capital upgraded shares of Ariba (NASDAQ: ARBA) to Buy from Hold as they believe shares work higher over then next few quarters; they expect seasonally strong September and December quarters and believe that revenue bottomed last year.

• Goldman added EMC Corp (NYSE: EMC) to its Conviction Buy List, citing Q2 results and multiple product cycles.

• Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) was raised to Market Perform from Underperform at BMO Capital following better than expected Q2 results and guidance.

• RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Soleil on valuation after reporting solid Q2 earnings...

• PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse.

• BWS Financial raised Xoma (NASDAQ: XOMA) to Buy from Hold.

• Matrix upgraded McGraw-Hill Cos (NYSE: MHP) to Buy from Hold.

• Matrix also raised Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) to Strong Buy from Buy.

• Wachovia upgraded St. Joe Co (NYSE: JOE) to Market Perform from Underperform.

Upgrade summary 8-01-07: AAPL, ARBA, EMC, RNWK and RTN originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is trying to convince [subscription required] the Justice Department that it should seek to extend its anti-trust oversight of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). A U.S. District Court agreed in 2002 to keep track of Microsoft's anti-competitive behavior.

Of course that was back in the day when Microsoft was using its Windows operating system to crush companies with competing browsers, like Netscape, and competing media platforms, like RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK).

Google claims that because Microsoft's Vista OS has been found to make it difficult for PCs to run the Google desktop search function, that the government should continue to keep an eye on Redmond. The government's current watchdog role ends in November.

Google is telling the government that it cannot take care of itself. If Microsoft is the originator of future bad behavior, it cannot come back to the courts with a new case. Microsoft is too big and too bad to be controlled.

It is an argument that is too clever by half. Google is not Netscape and it is not RealNetworks. It competes with Microsoft on an even footing. It does not need the help of the federal government to make sure that Vista does it no harm. If its problems persist beyond November, it can always come back with a new complaint. But Microsoft probably gets the message.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Google wants more chains on Microsoft originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has complained to the Justice Department that Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) new Vista operating system made it difficult for companies to run desktop search functions on the system from the world's largest software company.

Rather than put up a fight over the antitrust implications, Microsoft has made changes to Vista to avoid a battle with both federal and state governments. The Justice Department and seventeen states have agreed to Microsoft's solution to the problem.

Perhaps Microsoft is getting wise in its old age. Or, perhaps it is getting timid. The company has been hit with antitrust actions in Europe and the U.S. over matters that range from using its operating system to give its internet browser advantages over Netscape to harming RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) by pushing the Window Media Player with its operating system. Microsoft ended up paying billions of dollars in fines and settlements.

The news certainly represents a change for heart. Microsoft has gotten out in front of the problem rather than waiting to fight an accusation brought by a government agency.

For better or worse, this is a new Microsoft.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Microsoft gives up without a fight originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The New York Times reported over the weekend that the top antitrust official at the Justice Department was helping Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), urging investigators to reject complaints of antitrust practices at both the federal and state level.

The world's largest software company may have needed the help. The Wall Street Journal writes [subscription required] that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) prepared a detailed report that was given to the government in April. The report detailed how Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista, puts rivals at a disadvantage. At the core of the complaint is the allegation the Microsoft's desktop search, which helps users look for data on their own PCs, makes it difficult for customers to download rival products.

If the government decides to push the issue, Microsoft could be in for another long round of antitrust prosecution. It has already paid out penalties to Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) for hurting the Netscape browser franchise and to RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) for unfair competitive practice in the media players space. The European Union is still fighting with Microsoft about how it has abused its monopoly power in the region.

Google is shrewd. Anything that ties up Microsoft in its flagship OS business takes resources away from the company's other ventures, such as the search market. It also allows Google a better footing as it goes to market with word processing and spread sheet products of its own.

And Google does not even have to pay the legal fees.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

Google offers evidence against Microsoft originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RealNetworks (NASDAQ: RNWK) has released a news multimedia player that could give the likes of Viacom (NYSE: VIA), CBS (NYSE: CBS) and other large media companies fits.

Real has been producing software players for PCs and cell phones for over a decade. But, the new player will allow consumers to take video from all major formats including Flash, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) Quicktime, and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows Media and store them on the PC hard-drive. The player will also allow users to rip video from sites like YouTube, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO).

Acccording to TechCrunch: "Every content creator will now be challenged by the real possibility that if their product is DRM free, it's likely to be ripped from the original source site and even burned to CD." And Barron's writes: "Once you capture the video, the software provides an easy way to send links to the content to other people."

So video pirates and video sharing buffs have YouTube in a bottle. Video can be captured on a PC hard-drive and sent to as many other computers as the user would like. Hard to trace. It is not as if a copy of Saturday Night Live is on the front page of YouTube. Instead, its is being hidden and sent out from a PC hidden somewhere among the other tens of millions of PCs around the world.

Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.

New RealPlayer: big content company nightmare originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Prudential raised shares of Schering-Plough Corp (NYSE: SGP) to Overweight from Neutral to reflect management's activity on the deal front and recent data on the drug TRA.

• ThinkEquity upgraded shares of Jones Soda Co (NASDAQ: JSDA) to Accumulate from Source of Funds after disappointing Q1 results. The firm believes results will get better in FY07 as the canned soda roll-out continues and high fructose corn syrup inventory is depleted.

• RealNetworks Inc (NASDAQ: RNWK) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at JP Morgan, citing valuation.

• Bear Stearns upgraded shares of Westwood One Inc (NYSE: WON) following reports the company hired UBS AG (UBS) to help find potential buyers.

• KeyBanc Capital markets raised Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) to Buy from Hold based on accelerating same-store sales at Olive Garden.

• Bear Stearns raised Plantronics, Inc (NYSE: PLT) to Peer Perform from Underperform.

• SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upgraded Career Education Corp (NASDAQ: CECO) to Neutral from Reduce.

• Credit Suisse upped Estee Lauder Cos (NYSE: EL) to Outperform from Neutral.

• Needham upgraded shares of Andrew Corp (NASDAQ: ANDW) to Buy from Hold.

• Wedbush upgraded Crocs, Inc (NASDAQ: CROX) to Strong Buy from Buy with a $95 target.

Analyst upgrades 5-04-07: CROX, DRI, EL, JDSA and RNWK originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 May 2007 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Baird upgraded J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc (NASDAQ: JBHT) to Outperform from Market Perform based on strong trends in Intermodel, valuation, and a $500M share buyback.

• Pacific Growth upgraded shares of Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) to Buy from Neutral citing valuation.

• Buckingham upgraded International Flavors (NYSE: IFF) to Accumulate from Neutral following the company's Q1 report.

• RealNetworks Inc (NASDAQ: RNWK) was raised to Buy from Accumulate at ThinkEquity after its Q1 report.

• Susquehanna upgraded Marchex Inc (NASDAQ: MCHX) to Positive from Neutral. Susquehanna has increased confidence that Marchex will be able to increase monetization via Yahoo!'s (YHOO) Panama upgrade, improving 2008 TAC rates and increased value of owned sites following a major upgrade for 2H07.
  

• Jefferies raised Symantec Corp (NASDAQ: SYMC) shares to Buy from Hold with a $21 target.

• JP Morgan upgraded Comverse Technology Inc (NASDAQ: CMVT).

• Raytheon Co (NYSE: RTN) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Lehman Brothers.

• SPX Corp (NYSE: SPW) was raised to Neutral from Underperform at Needham.

• Wachovia upgraded IntercontinentalExchange, Inc (NYSE: ICE) to Outperform from Market Perform.

Analyst upgrades 5-03-07: CMVT, IFF, JBHT, RTN and SYMC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 May 2007 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Goldman Sachs upgraded Dell Inc (NASDAQ: DELL) to Buy from Neutral with a $28 target to reflect the potential for buyback as well as other growth steps in the company's turnaround efforts.

• JetBlue Airways Corp (NASDAQ: JBLU) was upgraded to Neutral from Reduce at UBS.

• Time Warner Inc (NYSE: TWX) Inc was upgraded to Outperform from Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.

• Prudential upgraded Spectrum Brands Inc (NYSE: SPC) to Neutral from Underweight with a $5 target on valuation.

• United Technologies Corp (NYSE: UTX) was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral with a $79 target at Credit Suisse as the firm believes management can achieve better results across the company's commercial business.

• JP Morgan upgraded Applied Biosystems, Inc (NYSE: ABI) to Neutral from Underweight.

• Matrix USA upgraded Realnetworks, Inc (NASDAQ: RNWK) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

• Calyon upgraded Red Lion Hotels Corp (NYSE: RLH) to Add from Neutral with a $14 target.

• Prudential upgraded PDL BioPharma Inc (NASDAQ: PDLI) to Overweight from Neutral with a $28 target.

• Citigroup added Caterpillar Inc (NASDAQ: CAT) to its Recommended List.

Analyst upgrades 3-26-07: Dell, JetBlue & Time Warner upgraded today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RealNetworks Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK) traded for $12 in December. On a good day, the stock now changes hands at $8.

Real is one of the internet stock survivors of the 2000 crash. For one day in 2000, it hit $96. At that time, though, it was in a different business. The company was the only true competition for Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Media Player. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has a competing product called QuickTime, but the battle for the multimedia PC player was between Real and MSFT.

As Real started to lose ground, it did two things. First, it used its player platform to build a music and game download business. Then, it sued Microsoft for antitrust violations for trying to push its player out of the market.

Real won the suit and collected $761 million. That left the company with almost $700 million in cash against a market cap of less than $1.3 billion.

Continue reading A RealNetworks bottom?

A RealNetworks bottom? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Nokia Corp (NYSE: NOK) to Buy from Hold citing increased emerging markets demand, valuation, and expectations for upcoming N76 and Barracuda.

• Oppenheimer also upgraded SanDisk Corp (NASDAQ: SNDK) to Buy from Neutral with a $50 target, as the firm believes the worst of seasonal price declines has occurred and that 2007 Samsung royalty revenues appear intact.

• Goldman Sachs upgraded shares of RealNetworks Inc (NASDAQ: RNWK) to Neutral from Sell, citing valuation.

• Vertex Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: VRTX) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Bank of America, citing valuation.

• American Technology added Cephalon, Inc (NASDAQ: CEPH) to its Focus List as the firm believes the recent pullback provides a buying opportunity. The brokerage believes it sees a significant near-term catalyst with Nuvigil's PDUFA date of March 31, 2007.

• Lehman upgraded Xilinx, Inc (NASDAQ: XLNX) to Overweight from Equal-Weight. Goldman upgraded Amdocs Ltd (DOX) to Buy from Neutral with a $41 target; the firm expects Amdocs to benefit from the health 2007 telco fundamentals.

• UBS upgraded J.C. Penney Company (NYSE: JCP) to Buy from Neutral on valuation.

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Radian Group Inc (RDN) in conjunction with their upgrade of MGIC Investment Corp (MTG), to Buy from Hold, to reflect the planned merger.

Analyst upgrades 3-12-07: Nokia picked up the call, upgraded to Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies upgraded RealNetworks, Inc (NASDAQ: RNWK) to Hold from Underperform with an $8 target on valuation.

• JP Morgan raised The Boeing Co (NYSE: BA) and L-3 Communication Holding's (NYSE: LLL) rating to Neutral from Underweight citing valuation.

• Yesterday's "China Effect" on the U.S. markets have created a buying opportunity in Research in Motion Ltd; ThinkEquity upgraded shares of Research in Motion Ltd (NASDAQ: RIMM) to Buy from Accumulate with a $165 target.

• Ciena Corp (NASDAQ: CIEN) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.

• Wachovia upgraded Fresh Del Monte Produce inc (NYSE: FDP) to Market Perform from Underperform based on an improving banana outlook and cost environment.

• Citigroup upgraded Nestle (OTC: NSRGY) to Buy from Hold to reflect the company's improved cash flows.

• Bear Stearns upgraded BEA Systems Inc (NASDAQ: BEAS) to Peer Perform from Underperform.

• Stephens upgraded Sanderson Farms Inc (NASDAQ: SAFM) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a $35 target.

Analyst upgrades 2-28-07: Boeing flies higher, shares upgraded at JP Morgan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.