The unofficial closing bells put the DJIA up more than 33 points to 12,878.43 (0.26%), the NASDAQ rose more than 2 points (0.07%) to 2,904.08, and the S&P 500 rose 0.20% or nearly 3 points to 1,347.05.

There were several analyst upgrades and downgrades today, including Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) started as ‘underweight’ at Barclays; IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) started as ‘buy’ with a $230 target price at Sterne Agee (our coverage here); AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) cut to ‘underperform’ at BofA/ML; Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) cut to ‘sell’ at Brean Murray; and Zoltek Cos. Inc. (NASDAQ: ZOLT) cut to ‘underperform’ at Needham (our coverage here).

Earnings reports since markets closed last night have led to some price changes as of the last half hour of trading today: Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) is up 2.67% at $64.88 after posting a new 52-week high of $65.79 earlier today; ArcelorMittal AS (NYSE: MT) is up 3.5% at $22.19; BP plc (NYSE: BP) is down -0.41% at $46.68; Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) is up 1% at $68.71 (our coverage here); Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) is down -2.6% at $51.99; and Louisiana-Pacific Corp. (NYSE: LPX) is down -6.5% at $8.31 (our coverage here).

Our preview of tomorrow’s earnings releases is here.

Other standouts from today include the following stocks:

The McClatchy Co. (NYSE: MNI) is up 21% at $2.71. The newspaper company reported stronger-than-expected earnings today on cost-cutting.

Coinstar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR) is up 16.5% at $58.90 after posting a new 52-week high of $60.81 earlier today. The video rental company will join with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) to offer a streaming video service to compete with Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) and others. More coverage here and here.

Standard Pacific Corp. (NYSE: SPF) is up 15.8% at $4.69 after posting a new 52-week high of $4.85 earlier today. The homebuilder posted good earnings today and reported that orders are up 8% in January.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. (AMEX: NSU) is down more than -30% at $4.43. The junior gold miner issued a preliminary 2012 outlook that included a sharp drop in production and in its reserves estimates.

BioSante Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX) is down more than -18% at $0.86. The company is the target of a new lawsuit charging it with misrepresentation. We have more coverage of BioSante here.

Stay tuned for Wednesday. San Francisco Federal Reserve president John Williams is giving a speech. We have noted the following events on the schedule (all times Eastern):

• 7:00 a.m. – Mortgage Bankers Association purchase applications report
• 10:30 a.m. – EIA weekly petroleum status report
• 1:00 p.m. – Treasury 10-year note auction

Your email address

subscribe

terms and conditions

Paul Ausick

We have compiled previews using Thomson Reuters consensus data and have added color on each if applicable.
 
Annaly Capital Management Inc. (NYSE: NLY) is going to be closely watched by the dividend investors because of that 13% implied dividend yield.  The mortgage REIT is expected to report $0.56 per share.

Bp Plc (NYSE: BP) has recovered handily from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.  This is an ADR so its earnings will be converted from U.K. Pounds… The estimate is $1.57 per share and the stock is up well over 50% from when its shares sold off so much in 2010.  Keep in mind that this was a $60 stock before the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) is not so hot after the Super Bowl and we are six weeks from the next mega-event in sports.  Estimates are $0.67 EPS and $210.25 million.  This one remains expensive at almost 22-times full 2012 earnings expectations and it is only about $2.00 shy of a 52-week and all-time high.

Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ: CERN) is expected to report $0.53 EPS and $586.86 million in sales.  At $63.20, the 52-week trading range for the healthcare information technology and support company is $53.93 to $74.39.

Church & Dwight Co. (NYSE: CHD) is expected to report $0.51 EPS and $694.32 million.  At $45.50, the 52-week range is $33.83 to $47.00.  This consumer products company remains at a large valuation premium to its larger consumer products rivals and it also has a much lower dividend yield.

Aixtron SE (NASDAQ: AIXG) Raised to Equalweight at Morgan Stanley.
Alcatel-Lucent SA (NYSE: ALU) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN) Cut to Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
Corrections Corporation of America (NYSE:CXW) named as Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK) Raised to Equal-Weight at Morgan Stanley.
Honeywell International (NYSE: HON) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) Reiterated Buy and raised target to $95 at Argus.
Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Microchip Technology (NASDAQ: MCHP) named as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
OmniVision Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE: PAA) Raised to Outperform at Wells Fargo.
Rackspace Hosting, Inc. (NYSE: RAX) Raised to Buy at Kaufman Bros.
St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: TEVA) Reinstated as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Trimble Navigation Limited (NASDAQ: TRMB) Started as Buy at Janney.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) Cut to Neutral at R. W. Baird.
Whole Foods Market Inc. (NYSE: WFM) named Bull of the Day at Zacks.

Your email address

subscribe

terms and conditions

Cabela’s Inc. (NYSE: CAB) Started as Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
Hercules Tech Growth Capital (NASDAQ: HTGC) named Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Micron Technology Inc. (NYSE: MU) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. (NYSE: MSM) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) Raised to Neutral at Janney.
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan; Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE: THO) named Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Treehouse Foods Inc. (NYSE: THS) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.

Your email address

subscribe

terms and conditions

JON C. OGG

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) is down more than 2% premarket to $8.22, relative to a 52-week range of $6.01 – $15.31. Wells Fargo kept the investment bank’s shares at “market perform.”

Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG) is up 3.15% premarket to $34.85, relative to a 52-week range of $26.64 – $35.09. The company reported positive 2Q profit. 

Emerson Electric Company (NYSE:EMR) is down 1.6% premarket to $46.13, relative to a 52-week range of  $41.37 – $62.24. The company was downgraded to “hold” by Argus.

LDK Solar Co., Ltd (NYSE:LDK) is down more than 5.5% premarket to $5.83, relative to a 52-week range of $4.65 – $15.10. The company was cut to “underperform”at Wells Fargo.

Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) is down 2.4% premarket to $6.03, relative to a 52-week range of $4.82 – $11.75. 

NuPathe Inc (NASDAQ:PATH) is down by more than 50% to $2.01, relative to a 52-week range of $3.30 – $9.74. The company’s migraine drug has not been approved by the FDA.

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: MDRX) Reiterated Buy with $27 target at Argus.
Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE: ANR) Started as Neutral at JPMorgan.
AMC Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCX) Started as Buy with $42 target at BofA/ML.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) Maintained Outperform with $14 target at Credit Suisse.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBRL) Cut to Neutral at SunTrust.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) Cut to Hold at Argus.
The Jones Group Inc. (NYSE: JNY) Raised to Buy with $14 target at BofA/ML.
LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Cut to Underperform at Wells Fargo.
Perry Ellis International (NASDAQ: PERY) Raised to Buy with $26 target at BofA/ML.
Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) Reiterated Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) named Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: HOT) Maintained Outperform but cut target to $64 at Credit Suisse.
SunCoke Energy Inc. (NYSE: SXC) Started as Outperform with $19 target at Credit Suisse.
VistaPrint NV (NASDAQ: VPRT) Cut to Neutral as Bear of the Day at Zacks.

Your email address

subscribe

terms and conditions

JON C. OGG

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) is the leading dividend payer on this list with almost 3.9% dividend payout and a payout ratio of 37.5%. Lockheed boasts a whopping return on equity of 68%, easily the highest on this list per our screening criteria.  With shares currently trading around $77.50, the 52-week range is $67.68 to $82.43.

Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) pays a dividend of 2.7%.  Emerson’s quarter-over-quarter earnings growth is 36.25%, second only to Honeywell (HON) in this group of companies that were screened.  With shares trading near $51.50, the 52-week range is $42.69 to $62.24.

General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD) pays a 2.6% dividend. With a payout ratio of 24.5%, the company boasts the best dividend coverage in this group. Its year-over-year earnings growth of 9.9% is the lowest among these five companies.  Its forward P/E of about 9.2 is also near the lowest. With shares currently trading around $71, the 52-week range is $55.46 to $78.27.

3M Co. (NYSE: MMM) pays a dividend of 2.4% and the company’s return on equity is above 28%.  Its year-over-year earnings growth is 24.6%. With shares trading around $91.50, the 52-week range is $72.72 to $97.95.

Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) pays a dividend of 2.3%. Honeywell’s  annual earnings growth is 26.4% and quarterly earnings growth of almost 39.5% leads this group of companies.  With shares currently near $57, the 52-week range is $37.68 to $62.28.

Investors generally tend to migrate to dividend stocks and there is good news on all of these.  These companies have all raised dividends recently or are anticipated to raise their dividends this year or next.

Jim Berdou

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) Reiterated Outperform and raised target to $220 at Oppenheimer; Reiterated Buy with $198 target at BofA/ML; Maintained Buy with $220 target at Canaccord Genuity.
American Capital, Ltd. (NASDAQ: ACAS) Raised to Outperform at Wells Fargo.
Apollo Investment Corporation (NASDAQ: AINV) Cut to Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) Cut to Sell at S&P Equity Research (late-Tuesday call).
BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: BMRN) Cut to Neutral as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF) Maintained Buy but raised target to $65 at BofA/ML.
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) Maintained Neutral but cut target to $22 at BofA/ML.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) Raised to Outperform at Oppenheimer.
First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) Raised to Buy at Kaufman Bros.
IAC/InterActiveCorp. (NASDAQ: IACI) Raised to Buy at Citigroup; Raised target to $39 at BofA/ML.
International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) Reiterated Buy and Raised target to $190 at Argus.
Joy Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYG) Maintained Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Lexmark International Inc. (NYSE: LXK) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) Maintained Neutral but raised target to $135 at BofA/ML
Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE: SWC) Reiterated Outperform and $28 target at Credit Suisse.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TSM) Raised to Conviction Buy List at Goldman Sachs.
Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN) Maintained Buy at Zacks.

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

Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Maintained Neutral but cut estimates at Credit Suisse.
Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) Reiterated Buy with $70 target at BofA/ML.
Ener1, Inc. (NASDAQ: HEV) Reiterated Buy and $5 target at BofA/ML.
Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) Maintained Outperform and $29 target at Credit Suisse.
Genomic Health Inc. (NASDAQ: GHDX) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) Started as Neutral with $32 target at BofA/ML; Started as Neutral with $32 target at Credit Suisse.
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (NYSE: KMP) Resumed as Buy at BofA/ML.
Kinder Morgan Management LLC (NYSE: KMR) Resumed as Buy at BofA/ML.
Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) Maintained Outperform but cut estimates at Credit Suisse.
Owens Corning Inc. (NYSE: OC) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
School Specialty, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCHS) Maintained Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) Reiterated Buy and Raised target to $42 at Argus.
Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE: SWC)
Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) Raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
Tower Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWGP) Cut to Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.

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

24/7 Wall Street has decided to take a look at the biggest companies which will lead in the rebuilding of America’s ailing infrastructure.  A recent report from Infrastructurereportcard.org gave the United States a grade of a “D” and said that the 5-year investment need was $2.2 trillion. What the real tally is may not matter, but America has to rebuild.

In October, Amtrak rolled out a $100+ billion plan to rebuild its network.  President Obama is expected to call for a transportation infrastructure plan in the coming weeks. Finding all of the nation’s infrastructure winners is too long and too daunting of a task. General Electric and many of the nation’s largest diversified companies are all beneficiaries, and some of the key winners are likely to be foreign entities which employ thousands of workers in America.

The companies featured are the ones behind the design, testing, manufacturing, consulting, engineering, and construction of major projects.  We wanted players that will rebuild the water systems, roads, highways, bridges, airports, rail, levees, waterways, utilities, and buildings around the major infrastructure projects ahead.

These are the companies that 24/7 all Street is most focused on for the American infrastructure revival.

1. AECOM Technology Corporation (NYSE: ACM) offers architecture and engineering design services.   Target markets are transportation, environmental, energy, and it serves projects in key infrastructure areas like highways, airports, bridges, wastewater facilities and power transmission and distribution.  AECOM has a market value of about $3.5 billion and it is expected to have 2011 revenues of close to $8.4 billion. It as 50,000 employees.

2. Chicago Bridge & Iron (NYSE: CBI) is technically Dutch now but is a key infrastructure player with 16,000 employees worldwide that executes more than 600 projects a year with a focus in oil & gas infrastructure, steel plate structures in storage and containment and plant manufacturing.  The company has a market value of more than $3.3 billion and it recently forecast that 2011 revenues are expected to reach $4.3 billion to $4.7 billion.  If America is going to get serious on its energy infrastructure ahead, CB&I stands to greatly win.

3. Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR) might sound like an electric utility but it is in engineering and project management services for many industries and many government agencies.  It manufactures major equipment for utilities and industry, power and telecom, heating and air-conditioning, network power, climate technologies, and more.  It also has well over 100,000 employees.  The company has a market value of roughly $44 billion and it just recently gave a forecast of 14% to 17% growth to $24 to $24.5 billion in 2011 revenues.