Posts for Ticker ‘FFIV’

Top 10 Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades, Initiations (CHK, EOG, FFIV, FCX, MOT, NVLS, SAP, STJ, STM, TSCO)

These are this Thursday morning’s top ten analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations we have seen from Wall Street research calls:

Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
EOG Resources (NYSE: EOG) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) Raised to Neutral at UBS; Raised to Buy at Canaccord Adams.
Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) Raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Raised to Overweight at Thomas Weisel.
Novellus Systems (NASDAQ: NVLS) Raised to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) Cut to Neutral from Buy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) Raised to Buy at UBS.
STMicroelectronics NV (NYSE: STM) Cut to Sell at RBS.
Tractor Supply Co. (NASDAQ: TSCO) Cut to Underweight at Piper Jaffray.

You can join our open email distribution list to get updates on top analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader alerts, IPO’s, secondary offerings, Warren Buffett and other guru activity, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
OCTOBER 22, 2009

Top 10 Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades, Initiations (AAPL, GOOG, CME, FFIV, HOG, ICE, NDAQ, NTRI, SGMS, URBN)

These are the top ten stocks seeing analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations from Wall Street early this Friday morning:

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was given a cautious call from Oppenheimer, noting that it could report in-line or even slightly disappointing revenues of $9 to $9.2 billion.   Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG): Stifel Nicolaus raised target to $650; UBS raised target to $635; JPMorgan raised target to $608; Goldman Sachs raised target to $635; BofA raised target to $640; Citi raised target to $640.

CME Group (NYSE: CME) Raised to Outperform at KBW.
F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) Raised to Outperform at RBC.
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) Raised to Outperform at KBW.
NASDAQ (NASDAQ: NDAQ) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
NutriSystem (NASDAQ: NTRI) Raised to Buy at Janney Montgomery
Scientific Games (NASDAQ: SGMS) Cut to Neutral at JP Morgan.
Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ: URBN) Started as Buy at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

You can join our open email distribution list to get updates on top analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader alerts, IPO’s, secondary offerings, Warren Buffett and other guru activity, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
OCTOBER 16, 2009

Top Pre-Market Analyst Downgrades (ABB, BCS, CPO, CYNO, FFIV, GG, HMA, HBC, MBT, NWS, TRI, VIA, VIP)

Burning_money_picThese are some of the top pre-market analyst downgrades we have seen early this Friday morning:

  • ABB (ABB) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • Barclays (BCS) Cut to Sell at RBS.
  • Corn Products (CPO) Cut to Sell at Deutsche Bank.
  • Cynosure (CYNO) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Goldcorp (GG) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Health Management (HMA) Cut to underweight at Barclays.
  • HSBC (HBC) Cut to Sell at RBS.
  • Mobile TeleSystems (MBT) Cut to Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.
  • News Corp. (NWS) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Thomson Reuters (TRI) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Viacom (VIA) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Vimpelcom (VIP) Cut to Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.

Jon C. Ogg
January 16, 2009

Top Pre-Market Analyst Upgrades (ARMH, BMRN, CYBX, FFIV, GPS, JNPR, LTD, MSFT, MYGN, NVTL, CRM)

These are the top pre-market analyst upgrades and positive calls we are seeing from Wall Street firms this Friday morning with more than two hours until the open.

  • Arm Holdings (ARMH) Raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.
  • Biomarin Pharma (BMRN) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
  • Cyberonics (CYBX) Raised to Buy at PiperJaffray
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) Started as Outperform at William Blair.
  • Gap Inc. (GPS) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
  • Juniper Networks (JNPR) Started as Outperform at William Blair.
  • Limited (LTD)  Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
  • Microsoft (MSFT) Raised to Outperform at Oppenheimer.
  • Myriad Genetics (MYGN) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
  • Novatel Wireless (NVTL) Raised to Neutral from Sell at Piper Jaffray.
  • Salesforce.com (CRM) Raised to Outperform at Baird.

Jon C. Ogg
November 21, 2008

Early Bird Analyst Downgrades (BBT, CB, TRAK, FFIV, HTZ, JNPR, NYB, NYX, SVVS, PCU)

These are some of the analyst downgrades and negative calls coming from Wall Street this Wednesday morning:

  • BB&T (BBT) Cut to Underperform at FBR.
  • Chubb (CB) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
  • DealerTrack (TRAK) Cut To Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) Cut to Underperform at Merrill Lynch.
  • Hertz (HTZ) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • Juniper Networks (JNPR) Cut to Underperform at Merrill Lynch.
  • New York Community Bancorp (NYB) Cut to Underperform at FBR.
  • NYSE Euronext (NYX) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • SAVVIS (SVVS) Cut to Hold at Jefferies.
  • Southern Copper (PCU) Cut to Underperform at Merrill Lynch.

Jon C. Ogg
September 24, 2008

Top Pre-Market Analyst Upgrades (DBD, FFIV, FSLR, GILD, GHL, WM)

There are surprisingly few analyst calls today, but these are some of the top positive calls and upgrades with more than two hours to the market open:

  • Diebold (DBD) Raised to Buy at Wedbush Morgan.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) Raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
  • First Solar (FSLR) Started as Buy at Societe Generale.
  • Gilead Sciences (GILD) Raised to Outperform at Baird.
  • Greenhill & Co. (GHL) Raised to Outperform at Wachovia.
  • Washington Mutual (WM) Raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs.

Jon C. Ogg
September 12, 2008

Top Pre-Market Analyst Upgrades (EHTH, FFIV, FDRY, LEN, OXPS, SGP, TWTI)

These are some of the top upgrades or positive analyst calls we have seen this Tuesday morning in early pre-market trading hours:

  • eHealth (NASDAQ: EHTH) Raised to Perform from Underperform at Oppenheimer.
  • F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) Started as Buy at Pacific Growth.
  • Foundry Networks (NASDAQ: FDRY) Started as Buy at Pacific Growth.
  • Lennar (NYSE: LEN) Raised to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
  • OptionsXpress (NASDAQ: OXPS) Started as Market Outperform at JMP Securities.
  • Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) Raised to Overweight from Equal-weight at Lehman Brothers.
  • Third Wave (NASDAQ: TWTI) Cut to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.

Jon C. Ogg
July 15, 2008

Early-Bird Technology Upgrades & Downgrades (ARMH, FFIV, MFE, MOT, NOK, NOVL, QCOM, TIBX)

These are the earl-bird upgrades and downgrades we are seeing in Telecom, Tech, and I.T. on this Friday morning with about two and a half hours to open:

  • ARM Holdings (NASDAQ: ARMH) raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
  • F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) started as Buy at Deutsche Bank.
  • McAfee (NYSE: MFE) Started as Outperform at R.W.Baird.
  • Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Started as Underperform at Credit Suisse.
  • Nokia (NYSE: NOK) Downgraded to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
  • Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL) Raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
  • Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
  • Tibco Software (NASDAQ: TIBX) Raised to Hold from Underperform at Jefferies.

Full Med-Bio Analyst Upgrade/Downgrade summary from BioHealthInvestor.com: BMY, EHTH, IMCL, BABY, NUVA, ONXX, OSIP, ZMH

Jon C. Ogg
June 27, 2008

Key Tech Upgrades & Downgrades (AMCC, CTXS, SCOR, EBAY, FFIV, GRMN, LSI, MFE, MCHP, OMTR, SONS, SYMC, THQI, WDC)

Below are some of the key upgrades and downgrades from Wall Street analysts seen in the technology sectors this morning:

  • Applied Micro (AMCC) raised estimates at Goldman Sachs.
  • Citrix Systems (CTXS) raised estimates at Goldman Sachs.
  • comScore (SCOR) started as Outperform at Oppenheimer.
  • eBay (EBAY) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Citigroup (thanks for that timely call Citi, they might get the most useless call of the week); maintained buy but target lowered to $38 at Goldman Sachs.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) raised to Outperform at Baird.
  • Garmin (GRMN) raised to Outperform at Oppenheimer.
  • LSI (LSI) raised estimates at Goldman Sachs.
  • McAfee (MFE) raised to Buy at Citigroup; raised to Outperform at Bear Stearns.
  • Microchip Tech (MCHP) raised to Outperform at Morgan Keegan.
  • Omniture (OMTR) started as Outperform at Oppenheimer.
  • Sonus Networks (SONS) raised to Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.
  • Symantec (SYMC) raised estimates at Goldman Sachs.
  • THQ Inc. (THQI) downgraded to Sell at Broadpoint.
  • Western Digital (WDC) raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank; estimates raised at Goldman Sachs.

Jon C. Ogg
January 24, 2008

Pre-Market Stock News (January 24, 2008)

We are full blown into earnings season now.  These are not all of the stocks in the news, but this is a good portion of the news in individual stocks for traders to review this morning:

  • Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) priced its secondary of 51,000,000 shares of common stock at $19.25 per share.
  • AT&T (T) $0.71 EPS vs. $0.71 estimate; new share buyback plan of up to 400 million shares.
  • Becton Dickinson (BDX) $1.07 EPS vs $1.04 estimate; raised guidance before charges.
  • Cabot Micro (CCMP) $0.51 EPS vs $0.47 estimate.
  • Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST) shares rose another 7% to $21.72 after beating earnings and raising guidance.
  • Danaher (DHR) $1.12 EPS vs. $1.12 estimate.
  • DuPont (DD) noted as strong value without earnings risk according to Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money.
  • eBay (EBAY) shares fell over 5% after beating earnings but lowering guidance; Meg Whitman retires as CEO but stays on board.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) shares rose almost 20% after beating earnings.
  • Ford (F) -$0.20 EPS vs. -$0.19 estimates; CEO will be on CNBC at 12:15 PM EST.
  • IBM (IBM) noted as strong value without earnings risk according to Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money.
  • Lennar (LEN) -$0.42 EPS vs, -$1.61 est.; but losses were before -$7.50 per shares in charges; sees 2008 continuing weakness.
  • Lockheed Martin (LMT) $1.89 EPS vs. $1.69 estimate; sees 2008 EPS $7.05 to $7.25 vs. prior guidance $6.19 to $7.15 and vs. $7.29 estimate.
  • Microsoft (MSFT) reports earnings after the close today with estimates at $0.46 EPS on revenues of $15.94 Billion.
  • Napster (NAPS) msic rental service is now available to NTT DoCoMo subscribers.
  • Netflix (NFLX) earnings were above plan and guidance was too; shares indicated up slightly.
  • Nokia (NOK) announced its market share rose to 40% and posted a 57% gain in earnings overseas.
  • Plexus Corp. (PLXS) raised guidance to $0.46 to $0.51 EPS on revenues of $440 million to $460 million, compared to estimates of $0.42 & almost $430 million;shares rose 8.3% to $21.50 in after-hours trading.
  • Polycom (PLCM) posted $0.42 EPS on revenues of $263.3 million vs. estimates of $0.39 & $252.5 million; shares rose some 7.7% to $24.00.
  • Potash (POT) announced it would repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares.
  • Qualcomm (QCOM) posted $0.46 EPS and non-GAAP EPS at $0.52 EPS on $2.44 Billion in revenues.  Estimates were $0.53 EPS on revenues of $2.41 Billion, 6% to $38.90 after-hours.
  • Symantec (SYMC) beat earnings; raised guidance; shares rose 8.5% at $16.55.
  • THQ (THQI) traded down 8% after disclosing net profit drops on charges from discontinued titles.
  • Trimble Navigation (TRMB) shares rose 15% at $27.45 after raising current guidance and reaffirming 2008 revenues.
  • Western Digital (WDC)  $1.35 EPS vs. $1.04 estimate; sees next quarter $0.85 to $0.91 EPS  & $2 Billion revenues vs. estimates of $0.80 & $1.9 Billion; shares rose by almost 7%.
  • World Acceptance (WRLD) $0.54 EPS vs. $0.46 estimates.
  • Xerox (XRX) $0.41 EPS vs $0.41 estimate; sees next quarter $0.25 to $0.28 vs. $0.28 estimate; sees 2008 $1.31 to $1.35 EPS versus $1.31 estimates.

Jon C. Ogg
January 24, 2008

After-Hours Stock Gappers (January 23, 2008) (FFIV, TRMB, SYMC, PLXS, PLCM, CBST, WDC)

We have covered some of the earnings movers in after-hours already, but with earnings season now running full-tilt there are many other stocks that are gapping up.  Here are some of the more active stocks gapping higher:

  • F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) posted a 21% drop in earnings but gave adjusted EPS guidance above street projections; announcing a $200 million share buyback plan probably didn’t hurt either.  This one is volatile as can be with a 52-week trading band of $18.11 to $46.94.  Shares closed down 1% at $20.18 on the day, but shares are up almost 20% at $24.20 after the bell.
  • Trimble Navigation (NASDAQ: TRMB) must have gotten tired of all the negative valuation calls on GPS systems.  The company raised its Q4 2007 earnings and revenue guidance and reiterated its 2008 revenue plan.  Its $250 million buyback plan for common stock didn’t do any disfavors.  Shares closed down over 2% at $23.85 today, but shares are up 15% at $27.45 after-hours; 52-week trading range is $22.51 to $43.15. 
  • Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) probably got tired of us calling them a turnaround that hasn’t turned and its CEO John Thompson must not like us calling him out.  We’re glad because we actually like the company and its strategy, even if Wall Street has disagreed with the plan for longer than holders care to recall.  We even recently noted that the company looks like it is changing some of its stripes.  The data security software and storage provider put next quarter guidance at $0.33 to $0.35 non-GAAP EPS on revenues of $1.5 to $1.54 Billion; First Call had targets at $0.30 & $1.48 Billion.  Shares rose 1.6% to $15.26 after touching a new 52-week low today and shares are now up about 8.5% at $16.55.
  • Plexus Corp. (NASDAQ: PLXS) rose 7% in normal trading to $19.84.  But the company raised guidance to $0.46 to $0.51 adjusted EPS on revenues of $440 million to $460 million, compared to estimates of $0.42 & almost $430 million.  That was enough to take shares up another 8.3% to $21.50 in after-hours trading.
  • Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM) showed that video and IP phones are still selling well after a report of $0.42 EPS on a 41% gain in revenues to $263.3 million.  First Call had estimates at $0.39 & $252.5 million.  Shares were down 1.3% at $22.28 in regular trading but shares rose some 7.7% to $24.00 in the after-hours session; its 52-week trading range is $21.38 to $36.61.
  • Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CBST) closed down 0.5% at $20.23 in normal trading, but then the company posted earnings on strong sales of Cubicin.  The company posted a non-GAAP EPS for all of 2007 at $1.20 on $194.7 million in revenues.  At year-end Cubist had $398.3 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments.  It now sees Cubicin sales in 2008 to reach $370 to $385 million, while analysts expect total revenues of just under $384 million.  Volume was a bit thin but its shares rose another 7% to $21.72 in after-hours trading; its 52-week range is $17.01 to $25.72.
  • Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) didn’t want to be left out of the fun.  The number two hard drive maker posted earnings of $1.35 EPS, well above the $1.04 consensus estimate; Revenues were $2.2 Billion versus a $2.05 Billion estimate.  This one had already raised guidance.   Now the company targets the coming quarter at $0.85 to $0.91 EPS with revenues up to $2 Billion, while estimates from First Call are $0.80 & $1.9 Billion.  This one traded up 3.7% to $24.94 today, but shares rose another 7% to $26.65 in after-hours trading .  Maybe companies that raise guidance can really be trusted to beat that guidance.  This was our top buyout candidate into 2007 when the private equity firms could have acquired it on the cheap, but that’s their loss.

Have a great night and get ready for Microsoft earnings Thursday after the close.

Jon C. Ogg
January 23, 2008

52-Week Low Club (ABK, AKAM, C, CPKI, EBAY, FFIV, FUL, NMX, PMI, ZQK, SGMS, STXS, TTI, XRX, ZBRA)

After the financial meltdown and after the new tech wreck, many of the same stocks and same REIT’s keep appearing over and over on the list of new 52-week lows.  Here are some others that might not have normally caught your eye:

  • AMBAC Financial (ABK) was down big after it came clean and ran the gauntlet, but this one went from bad to worse by closing down a whopping 38% at $12.97.  Ouch!
  • Akamai Tech (AKAM) closed down almost 4% at $25.88; prior 52-week range was $25.97 to $59.69….. so much for pushing out online video and media faster being a solid business.
  • Citigroup (C) just cant catch a break with a new year low close of $26.24.  Maybe being a stronger manager might help Pandit.  Dear Vikram, Welcome to running a troubled public company.
  • California Pizza Kitchen (CPKI) after its warnings closed down over 17% at $10.10; $12.20 to $25.23 prior range.
  • eBay (EBAY) was a bit of a shock to see, although if you take the retail, tech, and internet angle it’s not a huge stretch.  The good news is that this was only intra-day with a low of $27.67 at the open.  It closed up 0.5% at $28.09 and the prior 52-week range was $27.85 to $40.73.
  • F5 Networks (FFIV) took a downgrade to Hold from Buy at Jefferies; shares closed down 8% to $20.68; prior range $21.07 to $46.94.
  • H B Fuller (FUL) manufactures and markets adhesives and specialty chemical products worldwide.  It fell 11.3% to $19.57; prior low $20.56; posted lower Q4 earnings
  • NYMEX Holdings (NMX) closed down 7.5% at $103.98, 52-week range is $105 to $148; maybe that raised CEO bonus might not be the best idea.
  • PMI Group (PMI) won’t find any sympathy anywhere, shares closed down 7.5% at $7.77.
  • Quicksilver (ZQK) can’t be a big shock since it warned on earnings yesterday; -5.3% at $7.04.
  • Scientific Games (SGMS) wasn’t just bad, it was a slaughter at -30% to $19.45; prior range $28.15 to $40.70.  It lost a contract and took a downgrade.
  • Stereotaxis (STXS) received an additional approval from FDA but it warned on earnings in a significant manor that caused an investor and trader revolt in what was already down and out.  It fell down 22% to $8.84; prior range $9.66 to $16.88.
  • Tetra Technologies (TTI) is a geographically diversified oil and gas services company that provides niche products and services focused on well completion and on late-life production enhancement and decommissioning.  Maybe that business isn’t great anymore?  It warned Monday about a shortfall and today was just as bad or worse. This one closed down 8% to $14.38, and its prior 52-week range was $14.38 to $30.20.
  • Xerox (XRX) hit intra-day 52-week lows and if this isn’t an endorsement of a slowdown in the big business climate then what the hell is?  Shares hit a low of $13.59, but closed barely over the prior 52-week low at $13.88; 52-week range $13.84 to $20.18.
  • Zebra Tech (ZBRA) can’t be too big of a shock with retail slowing and its bar code tech is retail dependent (sans-drugs); stock fell almost 3% to $30.17; prior range is $30.95 to $42.50.

Jon C. Ogg
January 16, 2008

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (ADCT, ADSK, BSX, EL, FFIV, PCZ, TLAB, GTS, VRTX)

These are not at all the only analyst calls that 247WallSt.com is looking at today in an active negative market, but these are 10 of the more influential calls that may stand out in an otherwise cautious or negative market:

  • ADC Telecom (NASDAQ: ADCT) raised to Outperform at Morgan Keegan.
  • Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) cut to Hold from Buy at Jefferies.
  • Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) raised to BUY from Neutral at Banc of America.
  • Estee Lauder (NYSE: EL) raised to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
  • F5 Networks (NASDAQ: FFIV) cut to Hold from Buy at Jefferies.
  • Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley; estimates lowered at Goldman Sachs (and likely many more).
  • Petro Canada (NYSE: PCZ) downgraded to Neutral from outperform at Credit Suisse.
  • Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB) raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS (large call option buying recently).
  • Triple S management (NYSE: GTS) started after quiet period: Outperform at Credit Suisse, Outperform at Oppenheimer, and Neutral at UBS.
  • Vertex (NASDAQ: VRTX) raised to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America.

Jon C. Ogg
January 16, 2008

Pre-Market Analyst Calls (June 27, 2007)

BRKR raised to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
CYT raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.
FFIV cut to Neutral at Baird.
FIRE raised to Buy at Jefferies.
KSS raised to Outperform at Baird.
MLNM raised to Mkt Perform at FBR.
MOS cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
MTH started as Hold at Deutsche Bank.
PHM started as Hold at Deutsche Bank.
PRXL raised to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
RYL started as Buy at Deutsche Bank.
TRS started as Buy at Goldman Sachs.
TSO cut to Sell at Citigroup.
VLO cut to Sell at Citigroup.
VMSI cut to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.

Jon C. Ogg
June 27, 2007

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