Posts for Ticker ‘CRA’

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (A, CRA, CNQR, GLW, AZO, BHP, CERN, GOL, ORLY)

These are the top pre-market analyst upgrades and downgrades we have seen with just about two hours until the market opens this Monday morning:

Agilent (A) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Celera (CRA) Raised to Overweight at Thomas Weisel.
Concur Tech (CNQR) Raised to Buy at Piper Jaffray.
Corning (GLW) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
AutoZone (AZO) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
BHP Billiton (BHP) Cut to Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Cerner (CERN) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
GOL Linhas Areas Inteligentes (GOL) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
O’Reilly Auto (ORLY) Cut to Neutral at UBS.

JON C. OGG
March 23, 2009

Posted on: March 23, 2009 – 6:50 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , ,

The 52-Week Low Club (CSE)(SGY)(CRA)(HERO)

angrybear6 CapitalSource (CSE) Ratings cut from Fitch. Drops to $2.02 from 52-week high of $17.04.

Stone Energy (SGY) Posts a loss for the last quarter. Sells down to $5.30 from 52-week high of $73.96.

Celera Corp (CRA) Outlook is below estimates. Plunges to $6.76 from 52-week high of $17.56.

Hercules Offshore (HERO) Still dropping after booking large impairment. Down to $1.95 from 52-week high of $39.47.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: February 18, 2009 – 3:52 pm in HI/LOW, , , ,

This Week’s BioHealth & Biotech Top Stories

We saw another exciting week full of news for key developments in drug stocks, biotech stocks, medical device stocks, and other companies involved in various aspects of health care and medicine.  Below are some of the stock tickers we covered over at BioHealthInvestor.com this week:

  • STOCK TICKERS: ABT, BSX, MDT, JNJ, SRDX, ANPI, BAYRY, MAXY, AMGN, CRA, INGN, CELG, MRK, SNY, GSK, AKRX, ARYX

This week we saw another FDA Approval in stents as Abbott’s (NYSE: ABT) XIENCE drug-eluting coronary stent was approved for marketing.  While this is causing a resurgence in stents, this space is about to become highly competitive (stocks covered: ABT, BSX, MDT, JNJ, SRDX, ANPI).  Introgen (NASDAQ: INGN) has a new twist for head and neck cancer… give it a cold, literally.  Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) actually won out as a competitor’s bone marrow disease trials failed to meet expectations.  Merck (NYSE: MRK) was an FDA decision winner as it gets to keep its lead on the cervical cancer vaccine market in the U.S. tied up for at least 6-months longer than it was anticipated (stocks covered: MRK, SNY, GSK).

This may be a tiny company, but a patent was awarded in bone marrow and stem cell transplants.  While a biotech turned over its hemophelia treatments to a larger company, hemophelia treatments may be better off now (stocks covered: BAYRY, MAXY, AMGN).  Vaccine awards are going to keep sales up at one small vaccine maker.  One Alzheimer’s Disease treatment that originally had high hopes has bitten the dust.  P&G walked away from a partner this week, killing a tiny biotech (stocks covered: PG, ARYX).

And on the front for reviews:

  • Do you remember all the hype and hopes for synthetic blood?  This looks like the last player has gone on to greener pastures.
  • What is a good investment that has backed way off from highs that should show steady growth in the China health care sector?  We evaluated one potential company for this.

These issues are more stock issues than anything else:

Have a happy and safe LONG Fourth of July weekend.  I think there is a new treatment on the market for burnt hand trauma from fireworks, but the FDA has it on hold until next February.

Jon C. Ogg
July 4, 2008

Posted on: July 4, 2008 – 7:31 am in Biotech, Healthcare, Medical, The Week, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Week’s Top BioHealth Issues For Next Week (PFE, TEVA, CRA, IVGN, CMED, ANPI, ISRG, VVUS, CELG)

One key stock to watch next week is Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE). While it has been in the land of the boring forever, watchers are looking to see if it will put in a rival bid over the $4.6 Billion Daiichi Sankyo bid from Japan for a majority stake in India’s number one generic drug maker Ranbaxy.

Speaking of Generics, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: TEVA) was weak all week after Mylan Inc. (NYSE: MYL) has signed a pact with India’s NATCO Pharma Ltd. to produce a generic version of Teva’s multiple sclerosis treatment called Copaxone.  As this  was an old favorite buy in generic investor hearts you can imagine this will be covered frequently this next week since the stock is now 15% off of its highs and closer to a 52-week low.

We know that Invitrogen (NASDAQ: IVGN) is buying Applera’s Applied Biosystems (NYSE: ABI) unit.  But what about Celera Group (NYSE: CRA)?  Traders may be looking for the "next merger candidate"and that might fit logically.

China Medical Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: CMED) went up big on earnings news this last week and continued to rise even by the end of the week further than the initial reaction.  Technicians may have this one on a momentum screen now.

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANPI) may be of interest after it showed some positive stent data, and its launch of QUILL may all help the perceptions next week on this small molecule company.

It’s always good to know what short sellers are targeting.  The last short selling report showed a huge drop off in the short interest compared to prior reports in large cap biotech stocks like Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN), Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB), Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG), and others.  FULL SHORT INTEREST DETAILS HERE.

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG) was defended by William Blair this last week and shares managed to rally during the week after that news was out.  After seeing a 3-month low traders may focus here next week as a short bottom fishing attempt.

Vivus Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) is hanging tough after a huge gap up in its QNEXA treatment for obesity and for diabetics.  Shares barely closed down on the week, rather impressive for a small cap with a history of not holding gains.  Traders will definitely be keeping their radar eyes on this one for opportunities to buy it up or short it.

Lastly, there was a lot of news on the rheumatoid arthritis front with many companies delivering solid data for drug studies in the debilitating area from companies such as Abbott Laboratories, Array, Eli Lilly, Incyte, J&J, Schering-Plough, and Roche.  Much of the news seems overlooked by the end of a summer week, so watch these for next week.  Solid Developments for Rheumatoid Arthritis (ABT, ARRY, LLY, INCY, JNJ, SGP, RHHBY)

Jon C. Ogg
June 14, 2008

Posted on: June 14, 2008 – 7:31 am in Biotech, Drug companies, The Week, , , , , , , , ,

Applera & Celera Separation, For Real This Time (ABI, CRA)

Applera Corporation had an SEC Filing today saying its Board of Directors has authorized management to pursue a possible separation of the Celera Group (NYSE:CRA) from Applera. The completion of this proposal is subject to conditions such as final Board approval, SEC clearance of the registration, receipt of an opinion of a tax-free status, and more. One interesting issue here is that approval by Applera stockholders is not required.

This separation would be via a one-for-one redemption of the Applera Corporation-Celera Group tracking stock for new Celera Corporation shares.  These will still keep the "CRA" ticker, but it would be a NASDAQ-listed stock.  At Celera’s request, Applera Corporation-Celera Group tracking stock would be de-listed from The New York Stock Exchange.   So it appears that Celera Corporation would become a separate, publicly-traded company, rather than a subsidiary or tracking stock as it is currently.

Kathy Ordonez, currently President of Applera Corporation-Celera Group, is expected to serve as the CEO of Celera, and the company headquarters will be located in Alameda, California.

Applera Corporation-Applied Biosystems Group (NYSE:ABI) common stock would continue to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

There is one potential warning flag that investors should look at closdely here.  On "OUR HISTORY" on the website, the company pans part of the business:

  • While the Celera database business ultimately became profitable, it was clear by 2000 that this was not a sustaining business model, as the public effort caught up and provided free access to genome sequences.

Read More »

Posted on: February 29, 2008 – 3:15 pm in Biotech, , , , , ,

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (MT, T, CRA, ELC, WFR, MSFT, OVTI, RDS, TEN, TXT)

These are not the only upgrades and downgrades on stocks this morning, but these are the main ones that 247WallSt.com is focusing on in early pre-market hours:

  • Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT) raised to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank; also raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
  • AT&T (NYSE: T) downgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
  • Celera (NYSE: CRA) downgraded to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  • Emulex (NYSE: ELX) raised to Outperform at FBR.
  • MEMC (NYSE: WFR) raised to Buy from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  • Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) estimates raised and target raised to $42 at Goldman Sachs.
  • OmniVision Tech (NASDAQ: OVTI) raised to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
  • Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Tenneco Inc. (NYSE: TEN) raised to Outperform at Bear Stearns.
  • Textron (NYSE: TXT) raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.

Jon C. Ogg
January 25, 2008

Posted on: January 25, 2008 – 7:27 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , ,

Earlybird Analyst Calls (June 13, 2007)

AL cut to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
ATV started as Outperform at CIBC.
BBI raised to Buy at Citigroup.
BT raised to Outperform at Bear Stearns.
CEVA started as Outperform at CIBC.
CNI cut to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
CRA started as Underperform at JMP.
CSAR raised to Neutral at UBS.
DF cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
ECA started as Outperform at CIBC.
NGLS cut to Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
NOK started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
OPTN cut to Neutral at UBS.
PSD started as Outperform at R.W.Baird.
SAPE raised to Outperform at RBC.
TMX cut to Hold at Citigroup.
VDSI raised to Outperform at FBR.
VRNT raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
WCC raised to Buy at UBS.

Jon C. Ogg
June 13, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Posted on: June 13, 2007 – 6:18 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,