Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE: ADP) Cut to Neutral at Citigroup; Cut to Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) Cut to Underweight at Morgan Stanley.
E*TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) Reiterated Buy with $22 Target at Argus.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) Started as Perform at Williams Capital.
Inergy Midstream, L.P. (NYSE: NRGM) Started as Outperform with $26 target at Credit Suisse.
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ: LRCX) Maintained Outperform with $56 target price at Credit Suisse.
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) Raised To Outperform From Market Perform By Leerink Swann
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) Raised to Buy at Citigroup; Maintained Outperform and raised target to $125 at Credit Suisse.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) Raised to Positive at Susquehanna.
Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) Cut to Neutral at Nomura.
Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.

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JON C. OGG

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) Cut to Market Perform at William Blair.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) Cut to Market Perform at William Blair; Reiterated Outperform at Credit Suisse; Raised target to $90 at Argus.
Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) Maintained Neutral but cut estimates and target to $87 at Credit Suisse.
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) named Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Leap Wireless International Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP) maintained Neutral but target to $4 from $10 at Credit Suisse.
News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS.A) Removed from the Conviction Buy List at Goldman Sachs.
Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM) named Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ: ORCL) Reiterated Outperform on Focus List at Credit Suisse.
Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Polycom Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM) Raised to Buy at Argus.
PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) Cut to UNderperform at BofA/ML.
Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.

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JON C. OGG

AMC Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: AMCX) Started as Sell at Stifel Nicolaus.
Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc. (NYSE: AHT) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN) named Bear of the Day at Zacks.
DENTSPLY International (NASDAQ: XRAY) named Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) Reiterated Hold at Argus.
Equity One Inc. (NYSE: EQY) Raised to Hold at Citigroup.
F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) Started as Hold at Jefferies.
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (NYSE: IVN) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Maidenform Brands, Inc. (NYSE: MFB) named Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Precision Drilling Corporation (NYSE: PDS) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Riverbed Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: RVBD) Started as Underperform at Jefferies.
Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Sanderson Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAFM) Added to Conviction Buy List at Goldman Sachs.
Tudou Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: TUDO) Started as Buy at Deutsche Bank.

With gold and silver bouncing after what looked like a bursting bubble, here is a list of the top-rated precious metals funds expected to win in uncertain times from Zacks.

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JON C. OGG

The $64 question, of course, is which company will get the orders for those 5,000 new planes. The main players now are Boeing and its arch-rival, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. NV (OTC: EADSY), maker of the Airbus planes. China’s three largest carriers, Air China Ltd. (OTC: AIRYY), China Southern Airlines Co. (NYSE: ZNH), and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (NYSE: CEA), all currently include both Boeing and Airbus planes in their fleets.

But a new Chinese aircraft maker, Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, or Comac, is readying a new aircraft to go into production in 2016 that competes with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’s A320. It’s a fair bet that China’s airlines will take as many of the Comac planes as they can afford.

Of the 5,000 planes that Boeing predicts will be needed in China over 20 years, Comac expects to provide more than 2,000. That may be a pretty aggressive target for a company that has yet to deliver even one plane, but the single-aisle, narrow-body configuration is the sweet spot for aircraft size in the domestic Chinese market, and Comac’s C919 is aimed right at the Boeing 737 and the Airbus 320.

Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) has also signed an agreement with Comac to develop a plane to compete with Boeing’s 737, which Ryan now flies exclusively.

The Chinese government has directed the country’s carriers to begin placing orders for the Comac C919, and that’s already happening. China Southern has ordered 20 of the C919s, as have Air China and China Eastern Airlines. Two smaller privately-held Chinese carriers have ordered a total of 16 of the Chinese-made craft.

The Chinese carriers are also ordering Boeing and Airbus planes in pretty large numbers.  China Southern has placed orders for 67 Airbus planes and 64 Boeing planes, which includes 10 of the new 787 Dreamliner. Air China is adding 81 Airbus planes and 81 new Boeing planes, including 15 Dreamliners. China Eastern has placed orders for 86 Airbus planes and 15 Boeing Dreamliners.

Air travel will become more affordable in China, and the country’s vast size is well-served by regional jets such as the 737, the A320, and the prospective C919. By far the largest part of the 5,000 projected orders will be for these regional jets. If China’s own Comac gets 40% or more of the orders, that still leaves plenty for Boeing and Airbus. It’s just less than the 100% the companies are used to fighting over.

Paul Ausick

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE: BBVA) Started as Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Banco Santander S.A. (NYSE: STD) Started as Neutral at Credit Suisse.
El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) Reiterated Buy as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
El Paso Electric Co. (NYSE: EE) Cut to Hold at Argus.
Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) Maintained Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Gold Fields Limited (NYSE: GFI) Reiterated Buy as Value at Zacks.
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) Reiterated Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Harmonic Inc. (NASDAQ: HLIT) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
HCA Inc. (NYSE: HCA) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Mentor Graphics Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) Raised to Buy at BofA/ML.
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) Reiterated Outperform and raised target to $310 at Credit Suisse; Reiterated Sell at Janney Capital; Maintained as Buy with $300 target at Canaccord Genuity.
PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) Started as Outperform at RBC.
Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) Cut to Market Perform at Raymond James.
Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) Raised to Outperform at RBC.
The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TJX) Started as Buy at BofA/ML.
ValueClick, Inc. (NASDAQ: VCLK) Raised to Overweight at Piper Jaffray.

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JON C. OGG

Each of these either had big news that will carry into next week or they are expected to have events on deck this week.  We have also given color and some expectations on each, if applicable.  A full earnings calendar is available here with detailed previews for the sector-moving key stocks set to release earnings.  You can also review Friday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades, as well as see our own Top 7 Analyst Calls of the Week to see the research notes that offer significant insight into equity issues.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) had a great Friday after getting a $1 billion or so buyout offer from Liberty Media.  Shares rose 29.9% to $18.33, above the $17 offer from John Malone.  Tuesday is when its eReader is supposed to launch.  With shares above the buyout offer price, investors will be hopping for more.  B&N’s 52-week trading range is $8.45 to $20.45 and this was a $40+ stock within the last five years.

Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: BRLI) was given a very cautious article in Barron’s over the weekend called “There Will Be Blood.”  Barron’s cites the clinical-testing company as having spent much of its early history with rogue bankers and brokers and questions whether or not it can overcome its past.  It also questions its earnings quality and new products.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) hosts its annual investor meeting on Tuesday (May 24) and it would seem as though shareholders would have plenty to be angry about with all of the delays and problems it has had.  Still, with shares only down 4% from the 52-week high it may be hard for those holders to have too much bad to say.

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTICD) rose by 23.8% to $2.08 on Friday after announcing that it will meet with the FDA’s Office of Oncology Drug Products in early June  to discuss the re-submission of its new drug application for pixantrone’s accelerated approval as a treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  Shares were up another 26% at $2.63 in the after-hours with almost an additional 200,000 shares traded after the closing bell.

Cheniere Energy, Inc. (AMEX: LNG) is going to remain in focus this coming week and shares should have some volatility a bit higher since the stock rallied over 30% on news that it was approved to begin LNG exports from its terminal.  Shares were up 30.5% at $10.04 on Friday, and it traded over 13 million shares.

Express Scripts Inc. (NASDAQ: ESRX) was given a very positive article in Barron’s called “A Prescription For Success” as the PBM is poised to capitalize on a coming surge in demand for generic drugs bringing a strong second-half of 2011. Be advised, at $59.98 its 52-week range is $41.55 to $60.79 and its Thomson Reuters estimates of $3.20 and $3.93 give it forward earnings multiples of 18.7-times 2011 earnings and about 15.25-times 2012 earnings.

Gold miners in them that hills… Barron’s wrote a piece called “For Gold Miners, Big Nuggets of Hope” and it talked up shares of Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM), Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE: ABX), and Goldcorp, Inc. (NYSE: GG).  These are different picks than Tom Winmill gave us from the Midas Fund in our exclusive interview on Friday, but the thesis is much the same.

Allied Irish Banks plc (NYSE: AIB) is up 2% at $2.98 and the Bank of Ireland (NYSE: IRE) is up 2.5% at $2.00.

The New Ireland Fund, Inc. (NYSE: IRL) closed at $6.99 on Wednesday and we have yet to see formal trading indications in the pre-market.

Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) is up 2.9% at $27.37.

Elan Corp. PLC (NYSE: ELN) is up 1.6% at $6.33.  Warner Chilcott plc (NASDAQ: WCRX) has yet to show formal trading indications in the pre-market trading.

Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) and Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP) are both Irish for a day… shares have not traded pre-market but are indicated higher.  Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) is up 2.15% at $55.07 in pre-market trading.

Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) is up 1.2% at $24.59.  If people are drinking more today, chances are that they are smoking more and probably bringing in a few non-smokers as well.  It’s just a day thing!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

JON C. OGG

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was down 5.5% at $11.88 late in the session on more than double normal trading of over 12.3 million shares.

AMR Corporation (NYSE: AMR) was down over 6% at $6.99 on about 250% of normal volume with over 25 million shares traded.

United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL) was down 9.6% at $24.33 on nearly triple volume of 13.3 million shares.

Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) was down 7.2% on about 250% of normal volume with more than 31.8 million shares late in the day.

US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) was down 6.15% at $9.12 on more than triple volume of over 18 million shares late in the session.

JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) was down 6.5% at $5.70 on near-double volume with more than 9.1 million shares having traded late in the session.

Guggenheim Airline (NYSE: FAA) was down 5.4% at $37.05 right before the close on about quadruple normal volume of over 83,000 shares.

One standout shocking drop, due to how small of a drop was seen, was Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY) with shares down only 2.3% at $29.51 late in the trading day.  Its volume was not even above 100% at 395,000 with about 20 minutes to close.

JON C. OGG

The old rules did not permit an airline based in the home country of a manufacturer to qualify for export credits when buying a plane from a manufacturer from outside the country. The effect falls hardest on smaller carriers, like Ryanair Holdings plc (NASDAQ: RYAAY), which have used the export credits to reduce the financing costs of buying new aircraft.

Large carriers like Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL) did not qualify for the credits, and have wanted the rule change for some time.

Under the new rules, export credit providers, like the US Export-Import Bank, will charge fees to those airlines that qualify for the credits that will bring the financing charges more in line with commercial rates. The fees will not rise more than 10% from quarter to quarter. Existing export financing rules will be allowed through the end of 2012.

Ryanair and other members of a group that benefited from the old rules wanted extended financing through the end of 2013. The new rules could effectively double the financing charges for these airlines.

Boeing and Airbus favored the old rules, fearing that the higher financing costs will reduce demand for their passenger planes, which would lead to production cuts. Some critics of the old rules pointed out that the export credits artificially boosted demand for new aircraft during the recent recession, when commercial credit was hard to get.

It remains to be seen what the impact on Boeing and Airbus orders will be, but a good guess would be “not much.” The large airlines should benefit from a more market-driven cost of financing. They were concerned that smaller airlines able to receive the export credits were poaching their routes. Makers of smaller jets should feel no impact, except for the certainty that comes from having an agreement. The major impact will be on carriers like Ryanair, where higher financing costs could stifle growth.

Paul Ausick

Allied Irish Banks, plc. (NYSE: AIB) is up 9% premarket to $1.39, relative to a 52-week range of $0.76-$4.95.

Aixtron AG (NASDAQ: AIXG) is 5% to $36.83, relative to a 52-week range of $22.42-$38.96.

Bank of Ireland (NYSE: IRE) is up 8% to $2.85 this morning, relative to a 52-week range of $1.38-$10.57.

Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) is up 21% on mid- to heavy volume this morning after announcing plans to collaborate with pioneer corporation. Shares of MVIS are at $2.06, relative to a 52-week range of $1.28-$3.84.

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is down 3% premarket on moderate volume to $185, relative to a 52-week range of $48.52-$209.24.

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OREX) is up a whopping 150% from $4.76 to $11.90 premarket after the FDA approved a key weight loss drug. Shares of OREX are now trading well above the prior 52-week range of $3.81-$8.88.

Ryanair Holdings plc. (NASDAQ: RYAAY) is up 2.3% premarket compared to a trading range of $21.55-$33.38.

Vivus Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) is up more than 20% on heavy volume to $9.54, relative to a 52-week range of $4.69-$13.68. The biopharmaceutical company announced favorable study outcomes of a drug in phase III.