Posts for Ticker ‘TLB’

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (AMAG, AAPL, BX, JBLU, LAZ, RSH, SF, TLB, TIF, XRX, YHOO)

Bull and Bear ImageThese are the top analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen from Wall Street early this Thursday morning:

AMAG Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AMAG) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) Raised to Outperform at JMP Securities.
The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) Raised to Conviction Buy at Goldman Sachs.
JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Lazard (NYSE: LAZ) Raised to Conviction Buy at Goldman Sachs.
RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) Raised to Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
Stifel Financial (NYSE: SF) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Talbots (NYSE: TLB) was upgraded to Buy at Citi and raised to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) Raised to Buy at Brean Murray.
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) Raised to Buy at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

JON C. OGG

Posted on: September 10, 2009 – 8:49 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (ABX, BGFV, DLR, DISH, HOLX, HGSI, MYGN, PMC, SVNT, TLB)

These are ten of the top pre-market early analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations we have seen from Wall Street early this Tuesday morning:

Barrick Gold (ABX) Cut to Sector Perform at CIBC.
Big 5 Sports (BGFV) Raised to Neutral from Underweight at Piper Jaffray.
Digital Realty Trust (DLR) Cut to Hold at KeyBanc.
DISH Network (DISH) Raised to Outperform at CRedit Suisse.
Hologic (HOLX) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
Human Genome (HGSI) Raised to Buy at ThinkEquity.
Myriad Genetics (MYGN) Started as Outperform at William Blair.
Pharmerica (PMC) Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer.
Savient Pharma (SVNT) Cut to Underperform at Jefferies.
Talbots (TLB) Raised to Outperform at FBR.

JON C. OGG
AUGUST 4, 2009

Posted on: August 4, 2009 – 7:33 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , ,

Top Analyst Downgrades (CRDN, FSLR, NUE, RS, SINA, TLB)

These are some of the top pre-market analyst downgrades and cautious research calls we have seen early this Wednesday morning:

Ceradyne (CRDN) cut to Underperform at Wachovia; Cut to Accumulate at ThinkEquity.
First Solar (FSLR) Cut to Hold at Soleil.
Nucor (NUE) Cut to Hold at KeyBanc.
Reliance Steel (RS) Cut to Hold at KeyBanc.
Sina (SINA) Cut to Neutral at Pali.
Talbots (TLB) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.

JON C. OGG

Posted on: June 10, 2009 – 6:56 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , ,

Ten Women Who Should Be Big Company CEOs

jp-morganTwelve of the Fortune 500 CEOs are women. Just twelve. Over the next year, that number is likely to go up considerably because of a confluence of economic and financial factors that have not existed in years. The first of those is that because of the economy there will probably be higher turnover rates of chief executives at large companies. Next, there are a relatively large number of extremely talented women in the tier of senior management just below the CEO level.  Many of these women who are in the No.2 or No.3 spots at their firms are the same age or older than their current CEOs.  It is then very unlikely that they will become CEO at their current firm. Read More »

Posted on: May 6, 2009 – 8:46 pm in Airlines, Banking, Management Change, Retail, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If 25% Of American Retailers Go Bankrupt, Which Companies Make The List?

R218533_85502524/7 Wall St. has already provided a list of retailers who may well not make it through 2009. According to The Wall Street Journal, "AlixPartners LLP, a Michigan-based turnaround consulting firm, estimates that 25.8% of 182 large retailers it tracks are at significant risk of filing for bankruptcy or facing financial distress in 2009 or 2010."

So, which chains are at risk as the year draws to a close, especially now that holiday numbers are even worse than expected?

Read More »

Posted on: December 28, 2008 – 3:26 pm in Retail, , , , ,

The Black Friday Ten: Retailers Who May Not See 2009 (BONT)(DDS)(TLB)(PIR)(CPWM)(WSM)(CHS)(SKS)(EBHI)(RAD)

Angrybear_3A year ago, not many people would have thought Circuit City would be in bankruptcy now. Linens ‘n Things, Mervyn’s, Whitehall Jewelers and Steve & Barry’s have either shut down or are closing huge numbers of locations since they moved into Chapter 11.

The most astonishing fact about the retail industry now is that the environment has gotten much worse than it was when each of these businesses began to fail. Sales at stores across the country will be down this holiday season. Some analysts believe that the numbers will be as bad as for any fourth quarter in thirty-five years.

Adding to the problem of slow consumer spending brought on by the recession is an unprecedented liquidity crisis. Retailers who need access to capital for inventory, rent, and personnel costs are finding that it is nearly impossible to get access to funds without a pristine balance sheet and a history of substantial positive cash flow.

These troubles point to a number of other retail chains going out of business between now and early next year. Sales on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which is considered the bellwether of holiday sales, will determine the fate of several companies which are now viewed as the weakest operators in the industry.

Read More »

Posted on: November 26, 2008 – 5:57 pm in Retail, , , , , , , , , ,

Insiders Still Face Margin Calls (ALD, EXR, PDFS, TLB, TXCO)

Burningmoney_2Margin calls from corporate insiders to pay personal obligations are still coming, although last week’s pace into this week does not look as severe as in prior periods we have covered.  We have seen such filings from Allied Capital Corp. (NYSE: ALD), Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE: EXR), PDF Solutions Inc.’s (NASDAQ: PDFS), Talbots Inc. (NYSE: TLB), and TXCO Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: TXCO).  These are likely only some of the insider sales that have gone throughas a result of the margin calls.  As you can imagine, these rarelyoccur because things are going so well.

Read More »

Posted on: November 19, 2008 – 12:02 pm in Insider Activity, , , , ,

Top Pre-Market Analyst Downgrades (AVNX, AVNXD, BKC, LVS, LOGI, PSUN, FACE, SHOR, SMA, TLB)

These are some of the top analyst calls we are seeing in pre-market trading this Friday morning:

  • Avanex (AVNXD) Cut to Neutral at Merriman Curhan Ford.
  • Burger King (BKC) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Las Vegas Sands (LVS) Cut to Sell at B of A.
  • Logitech (LOGI) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • Pacific Sunwear (PSUN) Cut to Neutral at Baird; Cut to Market Perform at FBR.
  • Physicians Formula (FACE) Cut to Neutral at Piper Jaffray.
  • ShorTel (SHOR) Cut to Equal Weight at Lehman.
  • Symmetry Medical, Inc. (SMA) Cut to Underperform at Wachovia.
  • Talbots (TLB) Cut to Market Perform at FBR.

Jon C. Ogg
August 22, 2008

Posted on: August 22, 2008 – 6:36 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , ,

Talbots, When Low Growth Is Good Enough (TLB)

Talbots (NYSE: TLB) is seeing shares surge today after the apparel maker and retailer unveiled its strategic plan for long-term growth and for productivity improvement.

For starters, the company reaffirmed its guidance and it sees Fiscal-09 between $0.47 and $0.52.  We have consensus as $0.37 EPS from First Call. Talbots is planning for top-line growth of roughly 3%, based on a slightly negative comparable sales with the Talbots brand being 11% and the J. Jill brand rising by +1%.

As far as productivity, Talbots is becoming a design-led organization that will focus on compelling merchandise that reflect each of its brand’s unique identity. It will streamline operations, control costs and inventories, use innovative marketing, and implement more efficient processes enterprise-wide.

The company has identified its key growth platforms to build its business on going forward that will drive long-term growth, profitability, and enhanced shareholder value.

Shares are up over 10% today at $11.90 in mid-day trading.  Three or four months ago, this news would have probably sent shares south because of low top-line growth.  With a $6.48 to $26.10 trading range over the last year, it looks like the earnings beat will be plenty.  Now it just has to execute this plan.

Jon C. Ogg
April 1, 2008

Jon Ogg produces the Special Situation Investing Newsletter and he can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Posted on: April 1, 2008 – 1:49 pm in Apparel,

Morning Research Calls 7/2/2007

SIA says that May semiconductor sales rose 2.4% from the same month last year.

Piper Jaffray upgrades Packeteer (PKTR)

Lehman starts Take Two (TTWO) at Underweight

Credit Suisse reaffrims Outperform on Staples (SPLS).

Friedman Billings voices near-term challenges at Talbots (TLB) still exist.

Bank of America says its is bullish on Ebay (EBAY) near-term prospect.

Jeffries says RFMD channel sales are still weak.

JMP Securities says investors should buy RIMM and sell MOT based on Apple (AAPL) iPhone intro.

Citi downgraded several homebuilders including Hovnanian (HOV) and Lennar (LEN)

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: July 2, 2007 – 7:40 am in Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,