24/7 Wall St. » DGX

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ALL, AMZN, BX, CTL, CB, DRI, FSL, GEOI, GOOG, JDSU, LNKD, BTU, PEG, DGX, TLB, TRV, UIS, UNH, URBN, WSH)

Administrator — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:25:40 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Wednesday morning.

Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) Started as Hold with $225.00 price target “due to low margins through 2012″ at Canaccord Genuity.
The Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) Raised to Buy with $20.00 price target at Argus.
CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) named as value stock of the day at Zacks.
Chubb Corporation (NYSE: CB) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Cut to Hold from Buy at Argus.
Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (NYSE: FSL) Reinstated as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
GeoResources, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEOI) Started as Buy with $43 price target “on a concentrated Eagle Ford/Bakken exposure” by Canaccord Genuity.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) was initiated with a ‘Buy’ rating and $725.00 price target “on robust growth and great value” by Canaccord Genuity.
JDS Uniphase Corporation (NASDAQ: JDSU) Started in new coverage as Buy with a $14.75 price target at Jefferies.
LinkedIn Corporation (NYSE: LNKD) Started as Buy with $85 price target as “growth trumps valuation” by Canaccord Genuity.
Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) Downgraded to Neutral from Buy with $43 price target by Goldman Sachs.
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE: PEG) Downgraded to Neutral from Buy with $33 price target at Goldman Sachs.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) Started as Hold with $51 target at Auriga.
The Talbots, Inc. (NYSE: TLB) maintained Neutral with $3.00 fair value by Janney Capital Markets.
Travelers Cos. Inc. (NYSE: TRV) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) added to the US Focus List at Credit Suisse.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) Maintained Neutral with $23.00 price target at Janney Capital Markets.
Willis Group Holdings, PLC (NYSE: WSH) named Bear of the Day at Zacks.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: ALL, AMZN, BTU, BX, CB, CTL, DGX, DRI, FSL, GEOI, GOOG, JDSU, LNKD, PEG, TLB, TRV, UIS, UNH, URBN, WSH

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ALU, AIG, DK, GRPN, HD, ING, K, MDVN, PIR, DGX, TOL, VE, PAY, WES, YRCW)

Administrator — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:22:59 +0000

These are some of Monday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls.

Alcatel-Lucent SA (NYSE: ALU) Cut to Sell at Citigroup; Cut estimates and target at Argus.
American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) named as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DK) named value stock of the day at Zacks.
Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) Started as Buy at Benchmark.
The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) Raised to Outperform at RBC.
ING Groep NV (NYSE: ING) Cut to Hold at Soc-Gen.
Kellogg Co. (NYSE: K) Cut to Market Perform at William Blair.
Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (NYSE: PIR) Started as Outperform at Wells Fargo.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) Raised to Outperform at RBC.
Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Veolia Environnement S.A. (NYSE: VE) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
VeriFone Systems, Inc (NYSE: PAY) Started as Buy at Citigroup.
Western Gas Partners. L.P. (NYSE: WES) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
YRC Worldwide. Inc. (NASDAQ: YRCW) Maintained Underperform and target cut to $0.05 at Credit Suisse; maintained neutral with losing share at Zacks.

See the top analyst upgrades and downgrades of the prior week here.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: AIG, ALU, DGX, DK, GRPN, HD, ING, K, MDVN, PAY, PIR, TOL, VE, WES, YRCW

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (AIXG, BAC, BCSI, CSC, GOOG, HAIN, HPQ, HD, HSP, MMI, ODP, PAAS, DGX, REGN, SXL)

Administrator — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:18:52 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Wednesday morning.

Aixtron SE (NASDAQ: AIXG) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) Maintained Buy but lowered target to $14 at Credit Suisse.
Blue Coat Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: BCSI) Downgraded at Piper Jaffray, BofA/ML, Sten Agee, and Needham.
Computer Sciences Corporation (NYSE: CSC) Maintained Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) Cut to Sell with $500 target at S&P Equity Research (late Tuesday).
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN) Raised to Outperform at RBC.
Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) Cut to Market Perform at BMO.
Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) Reiterated Buy with $44 target at Argus.
Hospira Inc. (NYSE: HSP) Raised to Hold at Citigroup.
Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) Raised to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP) Raised to Neutral at UBS.
Pan American Silver Corp. (NASDAQ: PAAS) Raised to Buy at Canaccord Genuity.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) Raised to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
Sunoco Logistics, LP (NYSE: SXL) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear more about analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader and active trader alerts, dividend trends, news on Buffett and other investment gurus, IPOs, secondary offerings, private equity, and more.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: AIXG, BAC, BCSI, CSC, DGX, GOOG, HAIN, HD, HPQ, HSP, MMI, ODP, PAAS, REGN, SXL

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (AMZN, AMCC, AUO, CLNE, DPZ, GOOG, HFC, IPG, MAR, MHP, MRH, NFLX, NWS, DGX, TEVA, UAL)

Administrator — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:24:59 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Wednesday morning.

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (NASDAQ: AMCC) Cut to Hold at S&P Equity Research (late-Tuesday).
AU Optronics Corp. (NYSE: AUO) Cut to Underweight at Barclays.
Clean Energy Fuels Corporation (NASDAQ: CLNE) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE: DPZ) Reiterated Buy with $30 target at Argus.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
HollyFrontier Corporation (NYSE: HFC) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG) Started as Outperform at Wells Fargo.
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) Raised to Outperform at Baird.
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (NYSE: MHP) Raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.
Montpelier Re Holdings (NYSE: MRH) Cut to Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS) Cut to Hold at Argus.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) Started as Neutral at JPMorgan.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) Started as Buy with $58 target at Argus.
United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: AMCC, AMZN, AUO, CLNE, DGX, DPZ, GOOG, HFC, IPG, MAR, MHP, MRH, NFLX, NWS, TEVA, UAL

The 24/7 Wall St./Flame Index: Companies With The Worst News (July 7)

247wallst — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Nothing compared to the negative press News Corp (NYSE: NWS) has gotten in the last three days as its The News of The World is accused of tapping the phone of a dead girl and erasing messages in a full mailbox to leave room for more.

The Flame Index started as a research tool in 2008 at the NY Innovation Design Lab (nyidlab). It was used as a general metric to evaluate companies and their risk in the media. Publicly traded Fortune 500 companies are used as a measure to calculate an overall market of negative news and the companies are ranked within that market.

Rank	Company	Ticker	Score	Change in Rank	Comments
3	News Corp.	NWSA	52.659	+585	One of its UK paper, The News of the World, hacks dead girl’s phone
4	National Oilwell Varco	NOV	45.259	+252	Buys Ameron International for $772 million
7	ConocoPhillips	COP	34.577	+553	Oil leaks hurt China output
18	KeyCorp	KEY	25.337	+382	New debt card cap will cost $60 million.
21	Novartis	NVS	24.63	+557	Russian police search its offices
27	Quest Diagnostics	DGX	23.777	+497	UK competitor say Quest overcharged government by $1 billion
35	Pfizer	PFE	22.07	+462	Drug Lyrica does well in Japanese tests
38	eBay	EBAY	21.805	+636	UK Twitter account hit by hackers
42	Autodesk	ADSK	21.379	+508	Large exposure to EU economic slowdown
43	Kellogg	K	21.349	+367	More concern and agri-product costs are up

Data and ranking provided by the Flame Index.

Filed under: General, Research Tagged: ADSK, COP, DGX, EBAY, K, KEY, NOV, NVS, NWS, PFE

The Week’s Market Losers: Best Buy, Altria, And More

247wallst — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:29:03 +0000

Investment bank UBS suggested that smartphone sales have slowed and the the weakest companies in the sector, which includes Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI) , might be crippled long-term

Best Buy (NYSE: BBI) was hit with a racial profiling suit.

Tobacco stocks were pressured as Australia pressed for more stringent warnings on packages, a trend which has spread in other developed countries recently

Douglas A. McIntyre

BIGGEST STOCK PRICE LOSERS

FOR WEEK, MONTH (JUNE) AND YEAR-TO-DATE AS OF JUNE 30

S&P 500 WEEK: BOTTOM 10 (24 JUN – 30 JUN)	Ticker	Weekly Price Change (%)	Close Price 30Jun11	Close Price 24Jun11	Market Cap ($Mil)
Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc.	MMI	-4.6	22.04	23.11	7194.7
Best Buy Co. Inc.	BBY	-3.3	31.41	32.48	11665.4
Lorillard, Inc.	LO	-1.5	108.87	110.49	15786.0
Altria Group Inc.	MO	-1.4	26.41	26.79	56374.9
Urban Outfitters Inc.	URBN	-1.0	28.15	28.43	4514.4
McCormick & Co. Inc.	MKC	-0.9	49.57	50.00	6551.9
Windstream Corporation	WIN	-0.6	12.96	13.04	6614.3
Molex Inc.	MOLX	-0.5	25.77	25.91	4099.5
Quest Diagnostics Inc.	DGX	-0.5	59.10	59.41	9466.1
The Sherwin-Williams Company	SHW	-0.3	83.87	84.13	8731.1
Source: Capital IQ

Filed under: Research Tagged: BBY, DGX, LO, MKC, MMI, MOLX, SWH, URBN, WIN

Screening Large Cap Value Stocks (DELL, KMB, DGX)

Administrator — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:42:34 +0000

This week we bring reviews of “value stocks” for long-term investors by 24/7 Wall St. Monday’s focus is mostly on large-cap stocks that are easily recognized and which have large positions in their markets. Generally speaking, value stocks require sub-market P/E ratios (under 15) and these often focus around cash and/or book value. Our “value stock” screens are starting the week out with shares of Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) in tech and computers, Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) in consumer products, and Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) is healthcare diagnostics.

We always have a focus on dividends and the ability to grow payouts. In each of these we have given forward implied P/E ratios, and given more financial data and additional color where applicable. The one issue we always have to throw out in value stocks is that value stocks often lack momentum or catalysts to drive higher share prices. These generally require time and patience to pan out.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is managing to turn itself from a former growth PC player into a value stock, and its shares are holding up better than rival Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ). Being in the PC business now almost seems so 1990s and that is why both Dell and H-P have been trying to migrate into new IT/services and other data center and enterprise efforts. There was a time Michael Dell was considering trying to take the company private.

You already know that the excitement in the PC and consumer electronics segment remains Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL). Dell has still been managing to beat its earnings expectations in each of the last four quarters and Thomson Reuters has earnings estimates of $1.70 EPS for its fiscal year January-2012 and $1.76 EPS for January-2013.

Unlike H-P, Dell is actually close to 52-week highs. At $16.37, its 52-week range is $11.34 to $16.80 and shares are up close to 10% in the last two months. The company has some distractions in its smartphones and it is not considered a huge tablet-PC winner yet. On a forward earnings blend, Dell trades at only 9.5-times forward earnings. Its market cap is $31 billion and the company has nearly $15 billion in cash and investments with which it can make acquisitions, buy back stock, or decide to finally start paying a dividend. If Cisco is a dead stock and can finally start paying a dividend, Dell can as well.

Thomson Reuters has a consensus value of $16.67 for the stock, but this could go back up to $20.00 if Dell wants to be more shareholder friendly (i.e. dividends and buybacks). The biggest concern about both Dell and H-P here is that earnings are coming this week. H-P remains cheaper on forward earnings but the company is considered to be in more disarray with management changes.

As with most value stocks, there is rarely a hurry and being a patient investor can always be more prudent than piling into shares pre-news just because someone says “there is value in the shares.”

Filed under: Large Cap Stocks, Value Investing Tagged: AAPL, CRA, DELL, DGX, HPQ, KMB

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ALKS, AEO, ADM, BHP, CSCO, DOW, GBL, ITW, JNY, MRK, PHG, DGX, RGS, RIO, SKS, TSN, VIA-B)

Administrator — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:30:59 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Tuesday morning.

Alkermes, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALKS) Raised to Outperform at Leerink Swann.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) Cut to Neutral at Janney.
Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) Cut to Underperform at BofA/ML.
BHP Billiton Ltd. (NYSE: BHP) Started as Buy at RBS.
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) Started as Buy at boutique firm BGC Financial.
The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) Maintained Strong Buy as Value at Zacks.
GAMCO Investors, Inc. (NYSE: GBL) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
The Jones Group Inc. (NYSE: JNY) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) Reiterated Buy and $41 target at Argus.
Philips Electronics NV (NYSE: PHG) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Quest Diagnostics, Inc. (NYSE: DGX) reiterated Outperform but on Focus List at Credit Suisse.
Regis Corporation (NYSE: RGS) Kept at Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Rio Tinto plc (NYSE: RIO) Started as Buy at RBS.
Saks Incorporated (NYSE: SKS) Raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) Cut to Underperform at BofA/ML.
Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA-B) Raised to Buy at Argus.

You can join our free daily email distribution list to hear more about analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader and active trader alerts, dividend trends, news on Buffett and other investment gurus, IPOs, secondary offerings, private equity, and more.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: ADM, AEO, ALKS, BHP, CSCO, DGX, DOW, GBL, ITW, JNY, MRK, PHG, RGS, RIO, SKS, TSN, VIA-B

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (ARO, BRCM, CPB, CCL, DMND, HMA, KBH, LPX, DGX, RCL, SLM, S, TSO, TXN, TWC, WRB)

Administrator — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:20:05 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Wednesday morning.

Aeropostale, Inc. (NYSE: ARO) Raised to Hold at KeyBanc.
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) Raised to Outperform at Oppenheimer.
Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) Cut to Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) Started as Neutral with $43 target at Credit Suisse.
Diamond Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: DMND) Cut to Hold at BB&T.
Health Management Associates Inc. (NYSE: HMA) Removed from Focus List at Credit Suisse.
KB Home (NYSE: KBH) Reiterated Hold at Argus; Maintained Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE: LPX) Cut to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) Started as Outperform at Macquarie.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) Started as Outperform and $55 target at Credit Suisse.
SLM Corp. (NYSE: SLM) Cut to Neutral at Zacks.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) Reiterated Outperform with $8 target at Credit Suisse.
Tesoro Corporation (NYSE: TSO) Maintained as Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) Reiterated Buy and $40 target at Argus.
Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) Reiterated Buy at Argus.
W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: ARO, BRCM, CCL, CPB, DGX, DMND, HMA, KBH, LPX, RCL, S, SLM, TSO, TWC, TXN, WRB

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (AA, BRK-B, CCL, CPRT, DD, XOM, GSIC, HCBK, MAR, OI, DGX, TRV, TNK, UTI, WAG, XL)

Administrator — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:22:57 +0000

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street research calls this Tuesday morning.

Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) Reiterated Buy at Argus.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-B) named as Bull of the Day with Outperform rating at Zacks.
Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) Reiterated Hold at Argus.
Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPRT) Started as Buy at BofA/ML.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) Reiterated Buy and raised $62 target at BofA/ML.
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) Reiterated Buy with $100 target at Argus.
GSI Commerce, Inc. (NASDAQ: GSIC) removed from coverage at BofA/ML.
Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCBK) Raised to Neutral at BofA/ML.
Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) Raised to Outperform at Wells Fargo.
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: OI) Raised to Outperform with $36 target at Credit Suisse.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (NYSE: DGX) Raised to Outperform with $65 target at Credit Suisse.
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE: TNK) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) Maintained Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) Raised to Outperform with $36 target at Credit Suisse.
XL Group plc (NYSE: XL) Raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: AA, BRK-B, CCL, CPRT, DD, DGX, GSIC, HCBK, MAR, OI, TNK, TRV, UTI, WAG, XL, XOM