Seagate Technology (STX), first discussed here on July 8, 2009, at a price of $9.50, has seen its stock price erode from about $16.50 to $13.50 during the winter. If you haven't already, now would be a good time to consider taking some profits with Seagate, if you're in near $9.50.

However, those investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position, and go for a bigger gain, but there are risks with STX.

One risk concerns the status of hard disk drive technology. The view from here argues there's at least one more upgrade cycle for desktop PCs -- to Seagate's benefit -- before society shifts to "the computer anywhere/everywhere" era.

Continue reading Seagate Slumps on Mobile Technology Advances

Seagate Slumps on Mobile Technology Advances originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it comes to hard-disk drives, Western Digital (WDC) is the largest publicly traded operator in the U.S. And with its recent deal, it will get much larger. That is, the company has agreed to pay $4.3 billion for the data storage business of Hitachi.

Based on the stock move for Western Digital, investors love the transaction. In early Monday trading, the shares were up a sizzling 17.33% to $35.21.

Continue reading Western Digital Bulks Up with a $4.3 Billion Storage Deal

Western Digital Bulks Up with a $4.3 Billion Storage Deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Medicis (MRX) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray, to outperform from market perform at Bernstein, to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital and to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Wellpoint (WLP) to buy from neutral at Davenport.
• Humana (HUM) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Frontier Oil (FTO) to equal weight from underweight and Resources Connection (RECN) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AMZN, CMCSA, FTO, HUM, MRX, PG, STX, WLP, WWW ...

Analyst Calls: AMZN, CMCSA, FTO, HUM, MRX, PG, STX, WLP, WWW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Verizon (VZ) to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• CSX (CSX) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• AK Steel (AKS) to overweight from neutral, as well as Lorillard (LO) and Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) to neutral from underweight, at JPMorgan.
• Marathon Oil (MRO) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• Corning (GLW) to buy from outperform at CLSA.
• Quest Diagnostics (DGX) to buy from hold at Jefferies and to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Salesforce.com (CRM) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
• Baker Hughes (BHI) to buy from hold at Weeden and to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Western Digital (WDC) and Seagate (STX) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKS, CIEN, CRM, CSX, DGX, GLW, LO, MRO, OXY, STX, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: AKS, CIEN, CRM, CSX, DGX, GLW, LO, MRO, OXY, STX, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Seagate Technology (STX), first discussed here on July 8, 2009, at a price of $9.50, has inched higher in the past four months, rising to about $13.30 from $11.

Further, it you're in near $9.50, that's a roughly 40% gain -- large enough to consider taking some profits with STX.

However, those investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position, and go for a bigger gain, but there are risks.

Continue reading Seagate Technology: Time to Take Some Profits?

Seagate Technology: Time to Take Some Profits? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After the closing bell sounded Wednesday, Seagate Technology (STX) reported its second-quarter results. The tech firm announced that it logged non-GAAP earnings of 33 cents per share ($159 million). The firm's earnings of 33 cents per share matched the consensus estimate, as did the firm's quarterly revenue of $2.72 billion.

STX also reported its performance during the six-month period that ended on Dec. 31, 2010. During this time, the firm's GAAP basis revenue was $5.4 billion, gross margin was 19.9%, net income totaled $299 million, and diluted earnings hit 61 cents per share.

Continue reading Seagate Technology Earnings Meet Expectations

Seagate Technology Earnings Meet Expectations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Stock Losses Becoming Normal, Again (BEZ, ABB, GLD, STX, DECK, BAC)

Closing Bell: Stock Losses Becoming Normal, Again (BEZ, ABB, GLD, STX, DECK, BAC) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Segate Technology (STX - option chain) stock is trading lower today after the company announced this morning it has cut off talks with private-equity firms about taking the company private, saying the potential suitors did not value the company highly enough. STX also announced it has added $2 billion to its stock buyback plan. If you think this stock won't be rising too far in the coming months, then it could be a good time to look at a bearish hedged play on STX.

This morning, STX opened at $13.26. So far today the stock has hit a high of $13.50 and a low of $13.15. As of 12:05, STX is trading at $13.47, down $0.39 (-2.8%). The chart for STX looks bearish and S&P gives STX a negative 2 STARS (out of 5) sell ranking.

Continue reading Seagate Technology Private Equity Talks Fizzle

Seagate Technology Private Equity Talks Fizzle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: A Mixed Day Feels Like a Win (IRE, CLDX, CRUS, GMCR, NFLX, NOVL, STX)

Closing Bell: A Mixed Day Feels Like a Win (IRE, CLDX, CRUS, GMCR, NFLX, NOVL, STX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: Skechers Options Active as Shares Sell Off 18% on Weak EPS originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Talk about close calls. Seagate Technology (STX), first discussed here on July 8, 2009, at a price of $9.50, came within about 80 cents of the $9 sell/stop loss this summer, during a bear-hug pattern plunge from $21.70.

Hopefully, you were able to withstand the swoon and retained the shares, as I still like STX. Here's why.

Seagate's 2010 revenue will likely jump 10% to 15% in fiscal 2010 and another 10% in 2011, propelled higher by adequate PC sales growth and the continued transition to digital content.

Continue reading Seagate Gaps Up After Summer Swoon

Seagate Gaps Up After Summer Swoon originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Amazon.com (AMZN) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.
• Netflix (NFLX) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer and to neutral from sell at Janney Montgomery.
• Janney Montgomery also upgraded BJ's Wholesale (BJ) to buy from neutral.
• RW Baird upgraded Kforce.com (KFRC), SFN Group (SFN) and Young Innovations (YDNT) to outperform from neutral.
• NetSuite (N) was upgraded to neutral from underweight and Select Comfort (SCSS) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Flushing Financial (FFIC) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• National Instruments (NATI) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus.
• RBC Capital upgraded MDS Inc. (MDZ) to outperform from sector perform.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ABC, AMZN, BJ, CAH, GRNB, JCG, N, NFLX, STX ...

Analyst Calls: ABC, AMZN, BJ, CAH, GRNB, JCG, N, NFLX, STX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: The Bulls Return (AGAM, ABK, AIG, C, DV, LULU, STX)

Closing Bell: The Bulls Return (AGAM, ABK, AIG, C, DV, LULU, STX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: JPMorgan Options Active on Mortgage Foreclosure Issues originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Market Whips Around Looking for Footing (APOL, ABK, BAC, GE, GOOG, STX)

Closing Bell: Market Whips Around Looking for Footing (APOL, ABK, BAC, GE, GOOG, STX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Ford (F) to buy from hold and raised its price target to $19.50 from $14.50, citing positive demand trends, sustainable market share gains and strong cash flow.
• BMO Capital upgraded MGM Resorts (MGM) to outperform from market perform with an $18 target, citing stabilizing metrics in Las Vegas.
• Deutsche Bank upgraded TRW Automotive (TRW) to buy from hold, citing better-than-expected production trends, and raised its price target for shares to $52 from $39.
• Dr. Reddy's Labs (RDY) was upgraded to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Pulte Group (PHM) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS and $8.50 price target.
• Vodafone (VOD) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Nomura.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: APOL, F, GR, MGM, PERY, PHM, PLCE, STI, TEN, TRW ...

Analyst Calls: APOL, F, GR, MGM, PERY, PHM, PLCE, STI, TEN, TRW ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first discussed Seagate (STX) here on July 8, 2009, at a price of $9.50, and despite a recent plunge, the shares of hard disk drive manufacturer remain in the catbird seat. Here's why.

Look for Seagate's revenue to increase 20% to 25% in fiscal 2010 and another 10% to 15% in fiscal 2011, propelled higher by strong PC sales and the continued transition to digital content.

Continue reading Is Seagate Undervalued?

Is Seagate Undervalued? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Seagate Technology Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates

Seagate Technology Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 'Ben Graham' Buys: Six-Pack of Foreign Value Stocks

'Ben Graham' Buys: Six-Pack of Foreign Value Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Seagate Technology (STX) and Western Digital (WDC) have been battling it out in the hard drive sector for decades. While larger conglomerates have sold or dumped their hard drive operations, these two companies control the vast majority of shipped digital storage devices globally. Unfortunately for them, the struggles of the PC industry last year may mean a tough road ahead as PC makers strike back to try and reclaim margins that are still quite thin, even as the U.S. economy rebounds.

Continue reading Seagate, Western Digital to Get Hammered on Pricing by the Big PC Vendors

Seagate, Western Digital to Get Hammered on Pricing by the Big PC Vendors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.