Analyst Upgrades

• Goodrich (GR) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Ford (F) to neutral from underperform and CenterPoint Energy (CNP) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Dollar Financial (DLLR) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Alterra Capital (ALTE) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) and P.F. Chang's (PFCB) to buy from neutral, as well as SunTrust (STI) to neutral from sell, at Janney Capital.
• Arch Capital (ACGL), Axis Capital (AXS), PartnerRe (PRE), Everest Re (RE) and Transatlantic (TRH) to buy from hold, as well as W. R. Berkley (WRB) to hold from sell, at Citigroup.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CAKE, CNP, EW, F, GR, NDAQ, NYX, RGLD, STI, SWN ...

Analyst Calls: CAKE, CNP, EW, F, GR, NDAQ, NYX, RGLD, STI, SWN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If last autumn you scooped-up shares of independent natural gas/oil play Southwestern Energy (SWN), which I first wrote about on June 5, 2009, at a price of $42.38, during their late summer swoon, you made the correct call, as SWN, as outlined, bottomed at/near $30.

And it goes without saying that Southwestern's business model remains attractive. The company is likely to record large increases in production in the immediate years ahead, and its low-cost producer status is appealing.

Continue reading Is Southwestern Energy Headed for $40 and Beyond?

Is Southwestern Energy Headed for $40 and Beyond? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy Releases 2011 Production Forecast

Southwestern Energy Releases 2011 Production Forecast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: Is a Bottom in Place at $30?

Southwestern Energy: Is a Bottom in Place at $30? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The shares of independent natural gas/oil play Southwestern Energy (SWN), which I first wrote about on June 5, 2009, at a price of $42.38, are trending in the wrong direction: down.

SWN has totally misbehaved during the past 10 months. Specifically, Southwestern Energy's chart has formed a bear-hug -- a bearish technical pattern, and that will have to be reversed for the shares to become attractive again. Hence, the stand aside noted in May remains in-place.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: Continue to Stand Aside

Southwestern Energy: Continue to Stand Aside originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: EOG Resources and Southwestern Energy Volatility Elevated originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first wrote about Southwestern Energy (SWN) on June 5, 2009, at a price of $42.38, and shares of independent natural gas/oil play have totally misbehaved during the past five months. Hence, it's probably best to stand aside at this juncture.

Specifically, Southwestern Energy chart has formed a bear hug -- a bearish technical pattern, and that will have to be reversed for the shares to become attractive again.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: Share Dip Calls for Caution

Southwestern Energy: Share Dip Calls for Caution originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 May 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Baidu (BIDU) closed at $549.16. March put option implied volatility is at 29, April is at 33, June at 40 and September is at 41, versus its 26-week average of 42, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing near-term price movement.

Financial Select Sector (XLF) closed at $15.35. March put option implied volatility is at 25, April is at 26, June is at 29, versus its 26-week average of 26, according to Track Data.

Three stocks with IV rise on March 9; American Intl Group (AIG) 17%, CMC Metals (CMC) +13%, Southwestern Energy (SWN) +4% according to IVolatility.

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

Options Update: Baidu Volatility Low as Shares Near Record High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As analyzed in December 2009, the stock of Southwestern Energy (SWN), which I first wrote about on June 5, 2009, at a price of $42.38, formed a a short-term double-top near $50. But I still like the shares at this juncture, for the following reasons:

First, the sell-off from double-top appears to have found support at/near $41. Second, the mild uptrend dating back to mid-2009 remains in place.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: Still Attractive

Southwestern Energy: Still Attractive originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: A low-profile gem

Southwestern Energy: A low-profile gem originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy is in an oil/natural gas sweet spot

Southwestern Energy is in an oil/natural gas sweet spot originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It goes without saying that natural gas/oil plays are favored in this neck of the woods.

And with good reason: natural gas and oil, which, by the way, was down (but only briefly), and never out -- will represent preferred U.S. energy sources for at least the next decade. And with the aforementioned in mind Southwestern Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) is worth a review.

Continue reading Southwestern Energy: Well-positioned for the next natural gas boom

Southwestern Energy: Well-positioned for the next natural gas boom originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

During July, the prices of oil exploration and coal stocks mentioned in my newsletter tumbled precipitously. For example, Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI) and Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) lost roughly a quarter of their value by the end of July and Ultra Petroleum (NYSE: UPL) and Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN) which had been up over 40% through June ended July up a relatively paltry 4% and 11% respectively.

I find this interesting because it violates one of the basic theories I have about what moves stock prices. This beat-and-raise theory says that if a company beats earnings estimates and raises its guidance, then the stock will rise. Otherwise it will fall. In the case of these four companies, each of them with the exception of Ultra which did not report, reported doubling or tripling of earnings and raised their guidance.

So why did their stocks fall? In the case of the oil and gas companies, it could be because of declining oil prices. Those peaked at $146 a barrel and recently traded at $127. But I am not aware of any diminution in the price of coal for which demand is strong due to Chinese and Indian infrastructure investment among other factors. Coal is used to make steel and to fire up power plants.

Continue reading Is the commodity bubble bursting?

Is the commodity bubble bursting? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.