Analyst Upgrades

• Cree (CREE) and Rubicon Technology (RBCN) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• Children's Place (PLCE) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Lockheed Martin (LMT) to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Copano Energy (CPNO) to outperform from market perform at Morgan Keegan.
• Motorola Mobility (MMI) to neutral from reduce at Nomura.
• Parker-Hannifin (PH) to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Akamai (AKAM), ShoreTel (SHOR), AMB Property (AMB) and ProLogis (PLD) to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AAPL, AEO, CREE, DELL, HPQ, IBM, LMT, MMI, MYGN, PH ...

Analyst Calls: AAPL, AEO, CREE, DELL, HPQ, IBM, LMT, MMI, MYGN, PH ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American International Group Inc. (AIG) said its Q1 earnings doubled, easily topping analysts' expectations.
• Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC) said Q1 revenue grew, but disappointing earnings dragged down shares.
• Chevron Corp. (CVX) had strong Q1 earnings and boosted its dividend, but Gulf spill concerns weighed on shares.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) Q1 earnings topped consensus estimates but it also said same-store sales slipped.
• Freddie Mac (FRE) said its lost $8 billion in Q1, less than a year ago, and requested further bailout funds.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: AIG, Chevron, Freddie Mac, Kraft Foods, Playboy, Visa ...

Earnings Highlights: AIG, Chevron, Freddie Mac, Kraft Foods, Playboy, Visa ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 08 May 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of Sequenom (SQNM) are in danger of breaching key technical support as traders pan the company's first-quarter earnings report. Thursday, SQNM confessed to a loss of 27 cents per share, right in line with analysts' expectations. Revenue arrived at $10.6 million, outpacing consensus forecasts for $10.2 million. So, why did the stock slip more than 12% lower in morning trading?

Traders are likely eyeing two unsavory data points in Sequenom's report. Gross margin dropped year-over-year from 60.6% to 50.5%, while research and development (R&D) expenses jumped from $8.8 million to $11.2 million on an annual basis. Additionally, Sequenom predicted that it won't be ready to file for a premarket approval on its noninvasive T21 test until the end of 2012.

Continue reading Sequenom Set to Breach Support After Earnings

Sequenom Set to Breach Support After Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Profit Taking Meets Colliding Metrics (SQNM, MON, PALM, NEM, AAPL)

Closing Bell: Profit Taking Meets Colliding Metrics (SQNM, MON, PALM, NEM, AAPL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: From FOMC to Greece to Rumors (GE, SQNM, BTIM, HOG, NBG, CBS)

Closing Bell: From FOMC to Greece to Rumors (GE, SQNM, BTIM, HOG, NBG, CBS) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

UnitedHealth (UNH) closed at $33.08. President Obama announced a proposal giving the federal government new power to block excessive rate increases by insurers as part of the health care bill. March put option implied volatility is at 39, June is at 38, versus its 26-week average of 40, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Three stocks with IV rise on Feb 22: Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) +14%, Sequenom (SQNM) + 11%, Salix Pharma (SLXP) +14%, according to IVolatility.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) at 19.94; 10-day moving average is 22.91, 50-day is 21.47, 200-day moving average is 24.95.

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

Options Update: UnitedHealth Volatility of 39 Near 20-Month Lows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: When We All Love the PIIGS (NBG, SQNM, PG, ERTS, KO)

Closing Bell: When We All Love the PIIGS (NBG, SQNM, PG, ERTS, KO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: The Much-Needed Pullback Begins, Maybe (JPM, INTC, JNJ, PAA, BARE, SQNM)

Closing Bell: The Much-Needed Pullback Begins, Maybe (JPM, INTC, JNJ, PAA, BARE, SQNM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: When bond yields dominate stocks (LVLT, HD, AMD, INTC, SQNM, DELL)

Closing Bell: When bond yields dominate stocks (LVLT, HD, AMD, INTC, SQNM, DELL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Bulls hold the high ground (AXP, STP, PG, TXN, SQNM, MRVL)

Closing Bell: Bulls hold the high ground (AXP, STP, PG, TXN, SQNM, MRVL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) Q1 profit fell despite strong sales of Plavix and Abilify.
• Check Point Software Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: CHKP) was downgraded based on its guidance.
• Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) strong Q1 results were boosted by early debt retirement.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) strong Q1 results were driven by Madagascar 2.
• Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ENDP) Q1 results led to an analyst's downgrade.
• E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) widened its Q1 loss, sending shares sharply lower.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: P&G, DreamWorks, E*Trade, Netflix, Under Armour, Humana and more

Earnings highlights: P&G, DreamWorks, E*Trade, Netflix, Under Armour, Humana and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 02 May 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Look for Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) to be smacked hard by selling pressure today. Late Wednesday, the company reported that improper handling of research and development test data and results by its employees has delayed the launch of its Down's Syndrome test. Sequenom said it's forming a special committee to investigate employee activity related to the tainted test data.

The company's SEQureDx tests the DNA of a fetus, via the mother's blood, in order to determine whether their blood groups are compatible. Although Sequenom can no longer rely on previously announced test data and results, Chief Executive Harry Stylli asserted, "We are not back at square one" on a conference call.

Continue reading Sequenom spirals lower on Down's Syndrome test delay

Sequenom spirals lower on Down's Syndrome test delay originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Intermune (NASDAQ: ITMN) closed at $11.72. ITMN's Pirfenidone Capacity data is expected soon. ITMN February 12.5 straddle is priced at $7.40, April 12.5 straddle is at $9.80 and July 12.5 straddle is priced at $14.10 according to Track Data, suggesting large price movement.

Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM) closed at $23.09. SQNM will present Down's syndrome data after the market close today. SQNM February option implied volatility is at140; March is at 120; above its 26-week average of 103, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Continue reading Options Update: Developmental companies' volatility elevated into data

Options Update: Developmental companies' volatility elevated into data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM) makes the MassARRAY system, a nucleic acid analysis platform that identifies and quantifies genetic target materials. The system is composed of electronic analysis equipment, related software and various consumables. It is used in biomedical research, livestock testing, oncology diagnoses, molecular medicine, noninvasive prenatal testing, and infectious disease identification. Customers include clinical research laboratories, biotechnology concerns, and universities.

The company surprised the Street last week, when it announced a successful trial of its prenatal test used to detect Down-syndrome in a mother's blood. In blinded studies involving 200 clinical samples, Sequenom's proprietary test identified all Down-syndrome samples with no false positives. The company pointed out that current testing options have a detection rate of 70-90%, with false-positive rates as high as 5%. Management said it will start a study of several thousand samples in the fourth quarter, in preparation for a U.S. launch of the test in the first half of 2009.

Continue reading Sequenom (SQNM): Shares cycle in bullish 'pennant' formation

Sequenom (SQNM): Shares cycle in bullish 'pennant' formation originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Jefferies initiated AU Optronics (NYSE: AUO) with a Buy rating and $25 target and believes LCD trends will be healthy in 2008 despite a soft economy.
  
• General Steel (NYSE: GSI) shares were started at Merriman with a Buy rating, as the firm believes strong demand for steel in China should last for years and finds the valuation attractive at current levels.
  
• Cantor believes Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM) is positioned to establish sustainable market leadership as a provider of genome analytical products and molecular diagnostics. Shares were assumed with a Buy rating and $12 target.

• UBS initiated Altria Group (NYSE: MO) with a Buy rating and $30 target.
  
• Canaccord Adams assumed Drugstore.com (NASDAQ: DSCM) with a Buy rating and $3.50 target.
  
• Goldman Sachs initiated DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) with a Buy rating and $30 target.

Analyst initiations: MO, AUO, GSI and SQNM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Nollenberger believes Big 5 Sporting Goods' (NASDAQ: BGFV) shares are fairly valued and would likely get more constructive near the $20 level and initiated shares with a Neutral rating.

• ThinkEquity said Nutrition 21 (NASDAQ: NXXI) has a number of clinically proven nutritional supplements that target the rapidly growing obesity and diabetes markets, and initiated shares with a Buy rating.

• SMH Capital initiated shares of Sonic Solutions (NASDQ: SNIC) with a Buy rating, on the belief that shares have been oversold.

• ThinkEquity is positive on AeroGrow's (NASDAQ: AERO) proprietary aeroponic technology and recurring revenue model and initiated shares with a Buy rating.

• Leerink Swann started shares of Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM) with an Outperform rating as MEDACorp researchers are positive regarding the company's MassARRAY system for genetic analysis, which is well-positioned for growth in follow-on SNP fine-mapping studies; Leerink anticipates in 2008, the company will launch iPLEX 3, which is currently in development, and reduce the cost of acquiring fine-mapping SNP data...

• Dover (NYSE: DOV) was initiated at Morgan Stanley with an Overweight rating.

• Merrill started Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM) with a Neutral rating.

• Pacific Crest started Wipro Ltd (NYSE: WIT) with a Sector perform.

• Susquehanna initiated Herman Miller (NASDAQ: MLHR) with a Positive rating.

• RBC Capital initiated Warren Resources (NASDAQ: WRES) with an Outperform rating.

Analyst initiations 7-31-07: AKAM, BGFV, DOV and SNIC originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.