Continue reading Closing Bell: Slow Growth Better Than No Growth (NYT, SLAB, V, MA, ZGEN, JASO)

Closing Bell: Slow Growth Better Than No Growth (NYT, SLAB, V, MA, ZGEN, JASO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) to Buy from Hold on valuation with the stock down 65% in two months as they believe the company has a "best-in-class fundamental story." The firm lowered its target to $25 from $30.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) to Overweight from Equal Weight on valuation and believes near-term cost reductions could provide a positive catalyst.
• Citigroup upgraded New York Times (NYSE: NYT) to Hold from Sell and lowered its target to $5.50 from $7 on valuation and believes the dividend cut will boost the company's liquidity.
• Pantry (NASDAQL PTRY) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Friedman Billings.
• LECG Corp (NASDAQ: XPRT) was raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
• Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) was upgraded at RBC Capital to Outperform from Sector Perform.

• Jefferies downgraded Suntech (NYSE: STP) to Hold from Buy and lowered its target to $6 from $25 as they believe concerns about a convert refinancing in February 2010 will continue to weigh on the stock.
• Credit Suisse cut Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Underperform from Outperform due to expectations for a decline in wireless infrastructure spending.
• ING downgraded shares of Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) to Hold from Buy as they believe it will be challenging for the company to execute asset sales planned at reducing debt in the current environment.

Continue reading Analyst calls: BWLD, SNY, NYT, STP, ERIC, RTP, KTOS, ZGEN

Analyst calls: BWLD, SNY, NYT, STP, ERIC, RTP, KTOS, ZGEN originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Jefferies upgraded shares of Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) to Buy from Hold and raised its target to $26.50 from $25 on valuation as they believe MidAmerican Energy will consummate the merger. The firm points out shares are trading at a 14% discount to the $26.50 offer.
  
• Merriman upgraded Denny's Corp. (NASDAQ: DENN) to Buy from Neutral as they believe the company's restructuring and successful menu and food cost management should stabilize operating margins.
  
• Daimler (NYSE: DAI) was upgraded at Merrill to Buy from Neutral on valuation as they believe the stock is oversold at current levels.
• Taiwan Semi (NYSE: TSM) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at HSBC.
  
• Veolia Environnement (NYSE: VE) was lifted to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.
  
• Goldman raised PMC Sierra (NASDAQ: PMCS) to Buy from Neutral.

Analyst downgrades:

Continue reading Analyst calls: RIMM, NYX, NDAQ, PMCS, DENN, DAI . . .

Analyst calls: RIMM, NYX, NDAQ, PMCS, DENN, DAI . . . originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ZGEN: ZymoGenetics Inc. gaining insider action originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Zymogenetics (NASDAQ: ZGEN)'s lead candidate is rhThrombin, a treatment for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

ZGEN's PDUFA (Prescription Drug User Fee Act) date for rhThrombin is January 17, 2008, if not earlier. ZGEN will provide an overview of company activities at the JPMorgan Health Care Conference on January 8th.

ZGEN January option implied volatility of 205 is above its 26-week average of 75 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risk.

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

Options update 1-7-08: Zymogenetics (ZGEN) January implied aggressive into PDUFA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• CIBC expects Barnes Group (NYSE: B) to benefit from the sustained upswing in the aerospace cycle and robust global execution, starting shares of with a Sector Outperformer rating.

• JMP Securities is positive on MFA Mortgage Investments' (NYSE: MFA) organic yield improvement potential of its short duration portfolio and the company's modest leverage, starting shares with a Market Outperform rating.

• William Blair started shares of Alberto-Culver Co (NYSE: ACV) with an Outperform rating, believing the company is one of the better long-term growth opportunities among mid-cap stocks in consumer products.

• ZymoGenetics Inc (NASDAQ: ZGEN) was started with a Neutral rating at Oppenheimer, since the firm doesn't expect any important new clinical data until Q308.

• Genelabs Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: GNLB) was started with a Buy at Oppenheimer, saying the company has a portfolio of early-stage programs in the treatment of Hep-C that have the potential to be best-in-class...

• Cowen started Maxygen, Inc (NASDAQ: MAXY) with an Outperform.

• Merrill initiated Atheros Communications, Inc (NASDAQ: ATHR) with a Buy rating.

• Jefferies initiated shares of Alcon, Inc (NYSE: ACL) and Chemed Corp (NYSE: CHE) with Buy ratings.

• Rodman initiated Amgen, Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN) with a Market Perform rating.

Analyst initiations 6-14-07: ACV, AMGN, ATHR and B originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• AG Edwards started MasterCard Inc (NYSE: MA) with a Hold rating, citing near-term concerns about the consumer and valuation.

• Credit Suisse initiated Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) with a Neutral rating and $41 target.

• Citigroup initiated ZymoGenetics (NASDAQ: ZGEN) Inc with a Sell rating and $12 target. The firm sees further downside given their belief the Street will lower its Thrombin expectations due to sales disappointment in early 2008.

• Morgan Keegan initiated shares of California Pizza Kitchen (NASDAQ: CPKI) with an Outperform rating, finding shares compelling given the company's substantial unit growth opportunity.

• Buckingham initiated shares of Gentex Corp (NASDAQ: GNTX) with an Underperform with a $14 target, and expects margin pressure to continue.

• Citigroup started POZEN Inc (NASDAQ: POZN) with a Buy rating and $28 target.

• Needham initiated SeaChange International (NASDAQ: SEAC) with a Buy rating and $12 target.

• BB&T started Tarragon Corp (NASDAQ: TARR) with a Buy rating and $13 target, as the firm believes the proposed spin-off of its home-building business would unlock shareholder value.

• Wachovia initiated shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ: CHRW) with an Outperform rating.

• Shares of Brookfield Properties Corp (NYSE: BPO) were started with a Hold rating at Stifel.

Analyst initiations 4-20-07: CHRW, CPKI, MA and TWC initiated today originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.