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Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades (UHAL, ATML, BBBY, EXH, FORM, IHS, LEAP, NKE, QCOM, RDN, S, TGT, TGB, TXM, RIG)

Administrator — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:22:33 +0000

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

AMERCO Inc. (NASDAQ: UHAL) Raised to Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) Raised to Buy at Gleacher & Co.
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) Raised to Market Perform at FBR.
Exterran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EXH) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
FormFactor Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) Added to Top Pick List at Citigroup.
IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS) Reiterated Buy and raised target to $100 at Argus.
Leap Wireless International Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) Reiterated Hold at Argus.
QUALCOMM Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) Raised to Buy at Stern Agee.
Radian Group Inc. (NYSE: RDN) Reiterated Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) Maintained Outperform and $8 target at Credit Suisse.
Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) Raised to Outperform at BMO.
Taseko Mines Ltd. (AMEX: TGB) Cut to Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) Cut estimates on Japan at Argus.
Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) Reiterated Hold 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: ATML, BBBY, EXH, FORM, IHS, LEAP, NKE, QCOM, RDN, RIG, S, TGB, TGT, TXM, UHAL

Select Tech Stocks Hitting 52-Week Lows (ARRS, ARTG, ATMI, CSC, FORM, TINY, HPQ, LOCM, PLXS, POWI, PGI)

Administrator — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:11:43 +0000

Investors are opting out of many smaller and larger technology names in case this slowing becomes a true double-dip recession. Despite the selling that has already been seen and despite what had been a positive trade tape, we are seeing many smaller and larger technology names putting in new 52-week lows today. The ongoing reports of slower demand, sluggish sales, elevated inventories, cautious or weak economic data, and more have brought on an exit away from more speculative growth names in favor of a defensive investment climate. We are tracking Arris Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS), Art Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARTG), ATMI Inc. (NASDAQ: ATMI), Computer Sciences Corporation (NYSE: CSC), FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), Harris & Harris Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TINY), Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ), Local.Com Corporation (NASDAQ: LOCM), Plexus Corp. (NASDAQ: PLXS), Power Integrations, Inc. (NASDAQ: POWI), and Premiere Global Services, Inc. (NYSE: PGI) as these have all either touched their 52-week lows or have put in new 52-week lows this Monday. We have outlined each with added color, trading data, and any relevant news as to what the prospects are.

Arris Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRS) still has a $1 billion market cap, but this name has been brutally punished over the last month from $12.00 to under $8.50 this morning. The $8.41 low of the trading day barely broke under the 52-week low as the range had been $8.42 to $13.75. Avondale cut its rating on Friday a few weeks after it missed earnings and guided lower for quarter ahead. As it makes equipment for the broadband communications sector, investors have other companies with more solid predictability to choose from.

Art Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARTG) has nothing to do with art but does offer a range of e-commerce software solutions and it is now very close to being worth under $500 million in market cap. If that occurs, some holders may have to liquidate shares or lighten up on shares and some others may no longer be able to keep the company in their investable universe. With shares hitting $3.18, that touches the same 52-week low as the range is $3.18 to $4.88.

ATMI Inc. (NASDAQ: ATMI) is in the high-performance materials business to developers in chips, flat-panel makers, and life science sectors. Despite having beat earnings a month ago, the low of $12.77 today went under the prior 52-week trading range was $12.88 to $22.05. Despite estimates having been trimmed, growth is still currently projected for 2010 and 2011.

Computer Sciences Corporation (NYSE: CSC) was in a broader 52-week grouping on Friday, so this IT and business processing outsourcing giant is a repeat offender on the 52-week low list. Friday wasn’t its first 52-week low in a while either.

FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) is into semiconductor wafer probe card products and its $422 million market cap is not insulating it from the recent slowing of the chip and PC cycle. The $8.34 trading range this morning broke under the prior 52-week range of $8.45 to $26.08. This one loses money now and is expected to keep losing money from operations.

Harris & Harris Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TINY) is one without any fresh news, but as things are becoming more cautious in general investors are not really wanting to endorse a venture capital or incubation company involved in nanotechnology and smaller technology despite the upside potentiality that could exist down the road. With a low of $3.73 today, its prior 52-week range was $3.80 to $6.75. The company recently gave a net asset value for itself of $4.51, so this is now at a 17% discount to its NAV if you care about such metrics. It is also now under the 4.25 million shares secondary offering of late 2009 at $4.75 per share. Unfortunately, it was also unsure on the IPO market and said it did not need as large of a Silicon Valley presence earlier this year.

Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ) hit $38.61 and is a repeat offender on the 52-week low list after breaking under the old range of $39.33 to $54.75. Its $91 billion market cap should have the even higher priced 3PAR deal over Dell be nothing more than a line-item. Unfortunately, investors are still treating the Mark Hurd fiasco as an excuse to keep selling at a time when many of the general spending trends are weakening.

Local.Com Corporation (NASDAQ: LOCM) is generally too small to note, however it is one of the companies that if it ever gets cheap enough is one we think could be acquired. It is also more of an internet play than a pure technology play. With more of the larger players focusing on more and more local search, Local.com finds itself in an attractive position even if ad rates may not be what they were before. Its low of $3.56 this morning went under the old 52-week trading range of $3.61 to $8.85.

Plexus Corp. (NASDAQ: PLXS) is a contract manufacturer for OEMs and other technology companies. The company recently lost a little over a week of production from a fire at a Romanian facility this month. The drop to $30.00 this morning has seen some recovery but the shares are still well under the $23.80 to $39.66 prior range.

Power Integrations, Inc. (NASDAQ: POWI) makes high-voltage and analog integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion. Even if the economy slows further, with an $820 million market cap it always could fall into that category of companies still attractive to a larger buyer. Growth is still expected here in 2010 and 2011 in both revenues and earnings, and it is now close to an at-market multiple of earnings. The low of $29.36 took out the lows of its prior range of $29.79 to $46.30 over the last year.

Premiere Global Services, Inc. (NYSE: PGI) is another surprise to see hitting 52-week lows. The communications player is still often classified wrongly by many investors despite its changes in recent years and we still continue to think of it as an attractive roll-up candidate in the ongoing consolidation phase of tech and communications. Shares have recovered off the low of $5.33 today, but that took out the old 52-week range of $5.35 to $10.64.

There are just about always new stocks hitting 52-week lows despite what the broad tape indicates on any given day. When you see many names in related sectors hitting 52-week lows, it becomes impossible to not recognize a trend. Many of these companies are reaching levels that the valuation is becoming very attractive. Unfortunately, technology buyers generally like to buy growth over attractive valuations. There is also that ongoing belief that companies hitting 52-week lows are doomed to keep hitting 52-week lows.

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

JON C. OGG

Filed under: HI/LOW, PC Companies, Semiconductor, Technology Companies, Telecom, Trading Alert, Value Investing Tagged: ARRS, ARTG, ATMI, CSC, FORM, HPQ, LOCM, PGI, PLXS, POWI, TINY

Top 10 Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (ARMH, BWLD, DVA, F, FORM, GFI, HMY, NSC, NVAX, X)

Administrator — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:02:02 +0000

These are ten of the top analyst calls seen so far this Tuesday morning from the upgrades, downgrades, and initiations from Wall Street firms:

ARM Holdings plc (NASDAQ: ARMH) targets raised at Nomura and at Goldman Sachs.
Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
DaVita, Inc. (NYSE: DVA) Cut to Hold at Jefferies.
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) was kept on the Conviction Buy List at Goldman Sachs and the price target was raised to $16.00 from $15.00.
FormFactor Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Gold Fields Ltd. (NYSE: GFI) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMY) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC) Raised to Outperform at Wells Fargo; Cut to Sector Perform at RBC.
Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX) Started as Buy at Lazard.
US Steel Corp. (NYSE: X) Reiterated Buy but target raised to $73 at Goldman Sachs.

JON C. OGG

Filed under: Analyst Calls Tagged: ARMH, BWLD, DVA, F, FORM, GFI, HMY, NSC, NVAX, X

Unusual Options Trading Screens (EK, ETFC, ODP, ARNA, FCX, S, FORM, POT)

247wallst — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:33:40 +0000

It is the weekend, and that means that our end-of-week screen for unusual options trading activity is complete. Of course expiration date throws a wrench in any screens, but we found some very unusual options trading in others not tied to options expiration and roll-out trades. We have provided a link through to each for more color and analysis on the specific options and stock moves at VSInvestor.com:

Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) tanked on high stock volume from the KKR deal this week. But the real impressive area was the unusual options trading.

E*TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) is under $2.00, yet options trading is looking very active. Here we gave price triggers to watch out for as possible resistance, if you can use such a thing on a $2.00 stock.

Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP) is very rare to see on the unusual stock options list, yet there it was. The big trade was out to January.

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARNA) was not just impressive. It was a huge winner since it was down and then closed up and saw high options and stock trading. This will be a key watch-list stock for traders this coming week. The options trading may have been a roll-out.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) very active compared to normal volume in options trading, yet not in the stock volume… $1,000 gold is the likely trigger.

Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) was very active in stocks and in options, probably a continued bet that management and operations may need to learn to speak German….

FormFactor Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) may be a hedge or income trade of some sort, but this is a very odd pattern by any measure.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc. (NYSE: POT) saw a bullish bias in the options roll as September-2009 contracts expired.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. You can join our open email distribution list which goes out several times per week for top day trader alerts, options screens, analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPO’s, key secondary offerings, guru investor data on Buffett and others, mergers, and more.

JON C. OGG

Posted in Options, Trading Alert Tagged: ARNA, EK, ETFC, FCX, FORM, ODP, POT, S

Analyst Downgrade Onslaught Continues (ASML, CMG, FORM, GFIG, ICE, KLAC, MSSR, MPEL, MRG, PEET, PRXI, PHM, RGLD, JAVA, TCK, TER, UDR, VNO)

247wallst — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:29:54 +0000

This morning was a shocker on just how many analyst downgrades and very negative calls were out from Wall Street analysts. The sad part is this is only part of the onslaught that we are still seeing.

ASML (NASDAQ: ASML) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
FormFactor (NASDAQ: FORM) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
GFI Group (NASDAQ: GFIG) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
KLA-Tencor (NASDAQ: KLAC) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
McCormick & Schmick’s (NASDAQ: MSSR) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
Melco Crown (NASDAQ: MPEL) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Morton’s Restaurant Group (NYSE: MRG) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea (NASDAQ: PEET) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
Premier Exhibitions (NASDAQ: PRXI) Cut to Neutral at Merriman Curhan Ford.
Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Royal Gold (NASDAQ: RGLD) Cut to Sector Underperform at CIBC.
Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) Cut to Sell from Neutral at Goldman Sachs (added details).
Teck (NYSE: TCK) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
Teradyne (NYSE: TER) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
Vornado (NYSE: VNO) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Jon C. Ogg
January 8, 2009

Posted in Analyst Calls Tagged: ASML, CMG, FORM, GFIG, ICE, JAVA, KLAC, MPEL, MRG, MSSR, PEET, PHM, PRXI, RGLD, TCK, TER, UDR, VNO

The 52-Week Low Club 7/23/2008 (MIR)(CVG)(ADTC)(FORM)

247wallst — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:55:59 +0000

Mirant (MIR) Downgrade from Lehman Brothers. Falls off to $30.90 from 52-week high of $44.61.

Convergy (CVG) Good profits, but cuts forecast. Sells down to $12.69 from 52-week high of $24.30.

A D C Telecommunications (ADTC) Poor outlook with earnings. Drops to $9.70. from 52-week high of $21.

FormFactor (FORM) Oppenheimer downgrade. Dips to $15.56 from 52-week high of $48.48.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Top Pre-Market Analyst Downgrades (ADCT, ALV, CAT, FORM, GMR, GIII, MIR, SNIC, TGT, TOPS, WM, ZMH)

247wallst — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:29:25 +0000

These are some of the top downgrades or negative analyst calls we are seeing this Wednesday morning in early pre-market hours:

ADC Telecom (ADCT) Cut to Neutral at Baird; Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
Autoliv (ALV) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
Caterpillar (CAT) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
FormFactor (FORM) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
General Maritime (GMR) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
G-III Apparel Group (GIII) Cut to Market Weight at Thomas Weisel.
Mirant (MIR) Cut to Equal Weight at Lehman.
Sonic Solutions (SNIC) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Target Corp. (TGT) Cut to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Top Ships (TOPS) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
Washington Mutual (WM) Cut to Sell at Piper Jaffray.
Zimmer Holdings (ZMH) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.

Jon C. Ogg
July 23, 2008

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (ABT, AEIS, AMSC, CREE, DRS, FORM, RAIL, NVS, PNSN, SOV)

247wallst — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:37:44 +0000

These are ten of the impact analyst calls we are seeing this Friday morning:

Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT) started as Buy at UBS.
Advanced Energy (NASDAQ: AEIS) Raised To Overweight By JP Morgan.
American Superconductor (NASDAQ: AMSC) Cut to Hold from Buy at Jefferies.
Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) started as Hold Lazard Capital.
DRS Tech (NYSE: DRS) cut to Neutral at UBS; cut to market perform at FBR.
FormFactor (NASDAQ: FORM) Raised To Overweight From Neutral By JP Morgan.
FreightCar America (NASDAQ: RAIL) Raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) raised to Outperform at Bernstein.
Penson Worldwide (NASDAQ: PNSN) Raised to Overweight at JP Morgan.
Sovereign Bancorp (NYSE: SOV) Raised To Market Perform at KBW.

Jon C. Ogg
May 9, 2008

Jon Ogg produces and edits the "10 Stocks Under $10" weekly newsletter for 247WallSt.com.

Pre-Market Stock News (July 10, 2007)

247wallst — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 07:08:07 +0000

(AA) Alcoa $0.81 EPS vs $0.81e; will likely have to sweeten Alcan bid before getting any approval from Alcan.
(BOT) CBOT holders approve the CME merger offer.
(CACS) Carrier Access lowered guidance.
(CAKE) Cheesecake Factory put revenues at $373.2 million vs $371 million consensus estimate.
(CVTX) CV Therapeutics identified possible anti-diabetic characteristics in Ranexa.
(DELL) Dell has new smaller business initiative being released today.
(ENCY) Encysive announced its CFO is resigning.
(FORM) Form Factor in strategic pact with Elpida for test cost reductions.
(GMST) Gemstar TV-Guide hired UBS to explore strategic alternatives.
(HD) Home Depot issued earnings warning, but stock called flat to marginally higher.
(LXK) Lexmark issued earnings warning.
(SHLD) Sears lowered guidance to %0.98-1.24 EPS (vs. $2.12 est.) because of home appliances and other sales being weaker; increased share buyback plan.
(THRX) Theravance announced positive results from phase II clinical study that met primary endpoints fot staph and other skin based infections.
(UNCA) Unica lowered guidance.
(WDFC) WD-40 $0.44 EPS vs $0.47e; lowered annual EPS guidance.

Jon C. Ogg
July 10, 2007

Pre-Market Analyst Calls (July 10, 2007)

247wallst — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:41:03 +0000

ACAD started as Outperform at FBR.
ALC started as Outperform at RBC.
ARUN started as Buy at Jefferies.
ATVI started as Buy at First Albany.
AZ raised to Buy at UBS.
CHA cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
DRIV raised to Outperform at RBC.
DTV raised to Buy at Citigroup.
EMC started as Mkt Perform at BMO Capital Markets.
F raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
FOLD started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
FORM cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
FVE started as Sector Perform at RBC.
GGG cut to Sector Perform at CIBC.
GM raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
GME started as Buy at First Albany.
GRMN started as Neutral at B of A.
LMIA cut to Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
MU raised to Buy at Jefferies.
PLCM started as Buy at Jefferies.
PNM raised to Hold at Citigroup.
QLGC started as Outperform at BMO Capital Markets.
RACK cut to Sector Perform at RBC.
SMG raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
UNCA cut to Hold at Jefferies.
VOLV raised to Overweight at HSBC.

Jon C. Ogg
July 10, 2007