Analyst Upgrades

• Tyson Foods (TSN) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Carmike Cinemas (CKEC) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• Ambow Education (AMBO) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Johnson Controls (JCI) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Dynex Capital (DX) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• Ensco (ESV) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• York Water (YORW) to buy from hold at Brean Murray.
• Mid-America Apartment (MAA) to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• Cheniere Energy Partners (CQP) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Forest Oil (FST) to positive from neutral at Susquehanna.
• Tractor Supply (TSCO) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: DISH, DTV, JCI, LULU, MOS, MTN, POT, RIG, TSCO, TSN ...

Analyst Calls: DISH, DTV, JCI, LULU, MOS, MTN, POT, RIG, TSCO, TSN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Sapient (SAPE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Kroger (KR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Harman (HAR) to overweight from neutral and Deutsche Bank (DB) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Savient (SVNT) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• LabCorp (LH) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) and Landstar System (LSTR) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Tyson Foods (TSN) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Host Hotels (HST) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• SPX Corp. (SPW) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AXP, COF, DB, DFS, DNDN, HST, KR, ROC, SAFM, STJ, TSN ...

Analyst Calls: AXP, COF, DB, DFS, DNDN, HST, KR, ROC, SAFM, STJ, TSN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Has Tyson's Pull-Back Created an Opportunity?

Has Tyson's Pull-Back Created an Opportunity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Blockbuster Inc. (BBI) Q1 net loss was in line with estimates and same-store sales declined, shares also fell.
• CA Inc. (CA) shares sold off on high volume following the Q4 earnings miss and disappointing guidance.
• Cigna Corp. (CI) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings and higher revenue, and reaffirmed its full-year outlook.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) beat Q3 earnings and revenue expectations in the "strongest quarter in our history."
• Dean Foods Co. (DF) lower Q1earnings beat analysts' estimates, but shares fell on heavy volume afterward.
• Denny's Corp. (DENN) bested consensus estimates and year-ago EPS by a penny, but said same-store sales fell.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ...

Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 May 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Tyson Foods: Meandering into the new year

Tyson Foods: Meandering into the new year originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pigs at the Minnesota state fair have tested positive for the H1N1 "swine" flu virus in preliminary tests.

Confirmation tests are pending, but this could be bad news and cause panic within the pork industry. Pork belly futures and companies like Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD), Tyson (NYSE: TSN), and Hormel (NYSE: HRL) are a few that could be affected.

Continue reading Swine flu hits pigs -- will pork panic follow?

Swine flu hits pigs -- will pork panic follow? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wall Street was probably encouraged by something else as well. If you take a look at the actual release, head on down to the statement of cash flows. Last year at this time, Tyson generated $144 million in cash from operations during the six-month period. This year, the company made $407 million from operations. Some nice changes in working capital helped out.

Continue reading Tyson beats estimates, stock rallies -- can you buy now?

Tyson beats estimates, stock rallies -- can you buy now? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares surged after earnings easily topped Q4 expectations.
• AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) reported that its Q4 earnings fell while its revenue rose marginally.
• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) posted a big loss and lower revenue due to strikes and design changes.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) reported that Q4 profit fell despite higher revenue and lowered its guidance.
• Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) lower Q4 profit topped analysts' estimates, sending shares higher.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) reported a Q4 net loss and announced additional job cuts.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Amazon, Boeing, Caterpillar, Hershey, AT&T and others

Earnings highlights: Amazon, Boeing, Caterpillar, Hershey, AT&T and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's a quick look at some of Monday's earnings results:

Netflix Inc.'s (NASDAQ: NFLX) fourth-quarter earnings jumped 45% percent to nearly $23 million, or 38 cents per share, which surpassed analysts' estimates. Revenue in the period rose 19% to $360 million. The company ended 2008 with 9.4 million subscribers, a gain of 718,000 customers from the end of September. Shares fell $0.29, less than 1% Monday.

Amgen Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AMGN) fourth-quarter profit grew 15% percent to $961 million, or 91 cents per share, mostly due to lower expenses. Revenue was $3.75 billion about the same as last year. Results included $60 million in restructuring costs a year ago. Shares rose $1.22, or 2.3%, but fell in after-hours trading.

Continue reading Monday earnings recap: Netflix, Amgen, Halliburton, Wyeth, Tyson

Monday earnings recap: Netflix, Amgen, Halliburton, Wyeth, Tyson originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Egg producer Cal-Maine Foods Inc. ( NASDAQ: CALM) reported on Monday that its fiscal second-quarter earnings fell 32% to $27.2 million, or $1.14 per share. Revenue rose 7% from a year ago to $238.3 million.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had on average expected a $1.26 per share profit. The company said sales to the institutional and food-service sector in the quarter ended Nov. 29 were slower while feed costs remained high. They added that those prices are likely to remain relatively high and volatile over the year ahead.

Shares fell Monday by $1.97, or 6.7%, and continued to fall in after-hours trading. The share price is still up 4.4% in the past three months, and about the same as it was a year ago.

Shares of rivals Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN), and ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) also declined on Monday.

Based in Jackson, Miss., Cal-Maine is one of the largest fresh shell egg producers in the U.S., selling its products to supermarkets in 29 states. It has a market cap of $588.4 million and its operations include breeding facilities, hatcheries, wholesale distribution centers, feed mills, shell-egg production facilities, pullet-growing facilities, and processing and packing facilities.

Cal-Maine drops on Q2 earnings miss originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) topped estimates but offered an outlook below expectations.
• Best Buy Co. (NYSE: BBY) warned that it many not be able to maintain its earnings momentum.
• Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: CHIC) was upgraded because of its growth potential.
• Focus Media Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ: FMCN) shares tumbled after it reported Q3 numbers.
• HLS Systems International (NASDAQ: HOLI) earnings prospects and management impressed an analyst.
• JCPenney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) reported a lower Q3 profit and lowered its guidance due to the recession.
• KKR Financial Holdings (NYSE: KFN) disappointing Q3 results led to analyst downgrades.
• MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ: MELI) doubled its Q3 profit and beat earnings expectations.
• Nortel Networks Corp. (NYSE: NT) swung to a Q3 net loss and unveiled further restructuring measures.
• Perry Ellis International Inc. (NASDAQ: PERY) posted preliminary Q3 results and lowered its outlook.
• Siemens (NYSE: SI) Q4 net loss widened and it warned about meeting its profit target for the year.
• Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) Q4 earnings were hurt by restructuring costs, revenue rose slightly.
• Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) posted dismal Q4 results and declined to offer guidance for next year.
• Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) solid Q4 results fell short of estimates and it offered a shaky outlook.
• Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) earnings prospects following its equity offering led to an analyst's upgrade.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Starbucks, Best Buy, JCPenney, Agilent, Wells Fargo and others

Earnings highlights: Starbucks, Best Buy, JCPenney, Agilent, Wells Fargo and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) closed at $28.44 Tuesday. HRL is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on November 25. HRL overall option implied volatility of 41 is above its 26-week average of 30 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Sanderson Farms (NYSE: SAFM) closed at $27.49 Tuesday. SAFM filed a $1 billion shelf registration for common and preferred shares on October 9 on the anticipation of using the proceeds to fund acquisitions. SAFM November option implied volatility of 91 is above its 26-week average of 58 according Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Pilgrim's Pride (NYSE: PPC), the largest chicken company in the U.S., closed at $1.40 Tuesday. PPC announced on October 27 lenders have agreed to provide continued liquidity under credit facilities. PPC December option implied volatility is at 239 according to Track Data, suggesting large price fluctuations.

Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD), a processor of packaged meats, closed at $9.49 Tuesday. SFD November option implied volatility of 166 is above its 26-week average of 88 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Tyson (NYSE: TSN) closed $8.05 Tuesday. TSN is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on November 11. TSN November option implied volatility is at 133, December is at 124; above its 26-week average of 54 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

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

Option Update: HRL, SAFM, PPC, SFD, TSN volatility elevated on record low prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So the earnings crunch continues, and here's a look at some companies scheduled to report results this week that are anticipated to be big winners and losers in terms of earnings growth.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect the following to report strong earnings growth when compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA): $4.10 EPS (+53.9%) on revenue of $3.8 billion (+54.6%)
• EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG): $2.34 EPS (+50.0%) on revenue of $1.7 billion (+62.2%)
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP): $0.47 EPS (+44.7%) on revenue of $2.6 billion (+11.5%)
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT): $0.62 EPS (+43.5%) on revenue of $5.3 billion (+7.0%)
• Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES): $2.76 EPS (+38.4%) on revenue of $8.3 billion (+14.6%)
• Murphy Oil Corp. (NYSE: MUR): $2.19 EPS (+35.2%) on revenue of $7.8 billion (+126.2%)
• Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL): $2.08 EPS (+34.6%) on revenue of $1.0 billion (+40.1%)
• U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE: X): $3.91 EPS (+32.0%) on revenue of $5.9 billion (+39.6%)
• Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW): $0.49 EPS (+30.6%) on revenue of $1.7 billion (+21.3%)
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM): $2.52 EPS (+27.4%) on revenue of $144.4 billion (+46.8%)

Clearly expectations are high for oil and energy. Other companies expected to report double-digit earnings growth include Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX), CVS Caremark Corp. (NYSE: CVS), NYSE Euronext Inc. (NYSE: NYX), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), and Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET).

Continue reading The week in preview: High expectations for oil and energy

The week in preview: High expectations for oil and energy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Big Company, Small Town series, featuring large companies and the small towns in which they are headquartered.

Pilgrim's Pride's home roots in the small town of Pittsburg, Texas, perhaps explain why it is the largest chicken producer in the U.S., even ahead of competitor Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) in Arkansas. In 1946, Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim dressed like a standard Pilgrim and tucked a small chicken under his arm when completing orders for customers. He gave away free chicks when he sold chicken feed as a way to expand his market for chicken feed. As of today, Pilgrim's Pride operates chicken processing plants in 13 states and Mexico and processes 44 million chickens per week, resulting in 9 billion pounds of chickens per year and over 528 million chicken eggs per year.

Pilgrim's Pride's operations are almost exclusively located in the U.S. close to its farms, and it has become the second-largest chicken supplier to Mexico as well. It does have processing plants in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Along with such huge chicken-producing numbers come a few problems, as a huge product recall in 2002 due to Lysteria contamination killed seven people and made over 40 customers sick. In 2004, more than 24,000 hens were destroyed after a strain of avian flu was found in Hopkins County, Texas.

Pilgrim's Pride is still based in the same location where it was founded over 60 years ago, but today stands as a completely vertically-integrated company: it owns every process and facility from egg to table, as it says. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Publix Super Markets (OTC: PUSH) and KFC, a division of Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) ,can be counted as some of Pilgrim's Pride's largest customers.

Be sure to check out more Big Company, Small Town posts.

Big company, small town: Pilgrim's Pride, Pittsburg, Texas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Big Company, Small Town series, featuring large companies and the small towns in which they are headquartered.

Like most big companies located in small towns, Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) has a delightfully quirky origin. John Tyson, owner of a battered truck and 500 chickens, opportunist, and debtor in the Depression-era 1930s struck an idea that probably seemed like folly to his neighbors: he'd deliver chickens to Chicago and Kansas City, where they'd get more money.

I'm sure for every story like Tyson's, there were 100 that didn't turn out so auspiciously. But in this tale, the hero comes back to his little Arkansas hometown with a profit and pays off his debts. He keeps on raising and selling birds in points north, eventually devising a plan to keep more of the profits by "vertically integrating" (I'll bet dollars-to-doughnuts he didn't call it that) and incubating his own chicks instead of buying them from a hatchery, as well as milling his own feed instead of buying it from a feed store.

This wasn't the end of Tyson's forethought. He bought a broiler farm in Springdale, Arkansas (beginning the company's history in that town) and started to cross-breed birds designed for meat production, instead of using heritage (or "pedigree") breeds.

Continue reading Big company, small town: Tyson Foods, Springdale, Arkansas

Big company, small town: Tyson Foods, Springdale, Arkansas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Wachovia upgraded Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) to Outperform from Market Perform, as they believe Goldman has a superior capital position relative to competitors and will likely benefit more than any firm from Bear Stearns' (NYSE: BSC) collapse. They have a $180-$185 target range for the stock.
  
• Following Alexza Pharma's (NASDAQ: ALXA) Q4 report, JMP Securities said they have reduced concerns regarding Loxapine timelines and risks. The firm raised Alexza to Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Bernstein on valuation and a positive view on fundamentals.

• Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight at Stephens.
• Citigroup upgraded Teekay Shipping (NYSE: TK) and General Maritime (GMR) to Buy from Hold.
  
• RiskMetrics (NYSE: RMG) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America.

Analyst upgrades: Goldman Sachs, Alexza Pharma, SAP originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Citigroup upgraded shares of Fluor (NYSE: FLR) to Buy from Hold to reflect the company's strong performance and backlog in Q4 and raised their target to $190.50 from $158.
  
• Baird upgraded Forward Air (NASDAQ: FWRD) to Outperform from Neutral citing near-term growth initiatives that are gaining traction.
  
• Citigroup also upgraded shares of McDermott (NYSE: MDR) to Buy from Hold to reflect the company's strong Q4 performance and rising commodity prices.

• RBC Capital upgraded Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) and ProLogis (NYSE: PLD) to Top Pick from Outperform.
  
• Credit Suisse raised China Unicom (NYSE: CHU) to Outperform from Neutral.
  
• Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) and Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) were upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Merrill Lynch.

Analyst upgrades: FLR, FWRD and MDR originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Among the companies reporting on Monday were Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), SanDisk Corp. (NASDAQ: SNDK), and Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN).

Verizon reported fourth-quarter earnings that were in line with expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. The company earned $1.07 billion, or 37 cents per share, in the period ending in December, compared to $1.03 billion, or 35 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Excluding charges for severance costs related to layoffs and a loss on the sale of Verizon's operations in the Dominican Republic, the latest earnings were 62 cents per share.

Revenue for the fourth quarter was $23.8 billion, up 5.5% from $22.6 billion a year ago. The average analyst forecast had been $23.96 billion. For all of 2007, Verizon earned $5.5 billion, or $1.90 a share, on $93.5 billion in revenue, compared to a profit of $6.2 billion, or $2.12 a share, on $88.2 billion in revenue the year before.

Shares were up almost 1% on Monday, to close at $38.11. Shares were at 52-week low of $35.40 last week.

Continue reading Monday earnings recap: Verizon, SanDisk, Tyson

Monday earnings recap: Verizon, SanDisk, Tyson originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Proxy Governance Inc. has recommended that shareholders withhold their support for the board of directors at Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), in light of excessive executive compensation in the face of operational underperformance.

Tyson has underperformed its peer group over the past few years, and Proxy argues that the company's management has not done enough to respond to industry challenges including increased feed costs and export restrictions on beef.

In 2007, Tyson stock declined in value while Richard Bond was paid $24.6 million. Tyson says that "it's apparent they haven't done all their homework." But I think that a CEO getting paid $24.6 million while presiding over the destruction of shareholder value is indicative of a compensation committee that hasn't done its homework: Proxy estimated that Tyson chief executives have been paid 82% more than CEOs at other companies in the peer group.

Executive pay is, as a whole, so out of touch with reality that any company that is overpaying so egregiously that it gets the attention of a proxy advisory firm really doesn't have a leg to stand on. Hopefully Tyson shareholder will send a message to the board.

Proxy firm questions Tyson chief's pay originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) to Buy from Hold on valuation and the potential for protein complex improvement.
  
• Goldman upgraded shares of Unilever (NYSE: UN) to Neutral from Sell to reflect the company's diversified product range and growing exposure to developing and emerging markets.
  
• Bear Stearns raised its rating on Brooks Automation (NASDAQ: BRKS) to Outperform from Peer Perform. The firm cited the company's compelling valuation and growth drivers.
  
• Akzo Nobel (OTC: AKZOY) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at SNS Securities, as they see absolute total return greater than 20%.
  
• CIBC upgraded Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer on valuation following the recent pullback and their analysis of Yahoo's non-operating assets. They believe Yahoo's stake in Alibaba Group is now worth about $4/share and raised their target to $31 from $28.

• First Analysis upgraded Spss Inc (NASDAQ: SPSS) to Overweight from Equal Weight.
  
• UBS upgraded Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY) to Buy from Neutral.
  
• WestLB upgraded Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) to Hold from Reduce.
  
• HSBC upgraded Posco (NYSE: PKX) to Overweight from Neutral.

Analyst upgrades: TSN, UN, BRKS, AKZOY and YHOO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.