Friday's Analysts' Upgrades and Downgrades
CHANGE IN RATINGS
Amerigroup
( AGP) downgraded at Goldman Sachs to Neutral from Buy based on valuation and less attractive risk/reward. Shares are up 46% since June 18 upgrade. Note limited room for multiple expansion, as shares already trade at a premium to most peers. Price target at $40.
Auxillium Pharma
(AUXL)
initiated at Morgan Stanley with an overweight rating and $36 price target.
Clearwire
(CLWR)
downgraded at Wachovia to Market Perform. Stock has bounced 23% on takeover speculation, which is unlikely to materialize.
Expedia
(EXPE) - Get Report
upgraded at Citigroup from Hold to Buy. Stock has pulled back 18%, which discounts the company's online advertising potential. $38 price target.
FedEx
(FDX) - Get Report
downgraded at Baird from Outperform to Neutral. $113 price target. Ongoing domestic freight should continue to slow and affect near-term earnings.
Hawaiian Electric
(HE) - Get Report
upgraded at Baird to Outperform from Neutral based on valuation. Believes earnings will materially improve reflecting recently-granted rate relief. Sets $27 target price.
Health Net
(HNT)
upgraded at Goldman Sachs to Buy from Neutral based on valuation. Shares have lowest P/E multiple in peer group and have potential for recovery and 13%-15% EPS growth next year. Price target at $58.
Hewlett Packard
(HPQ) - Get Report
upgraded at Morgan Stanley from equalweight to overweight with a $60 price target.
JC Penney
(JCP) - Get Report
upgraded at Credit Suisse to Neutral from Underperform. Cites after bad quarter, market is beginning to discount more appropriate expectations for sales and margins. Maintained $42 target price.
Microsemi
(MSCC)
downgraded at JP Morgan to Neutral. Company posted a lower book-to-bill ratio and is operating with excess capacity. See limited near-term upside potential.
Nuvasive
(NUVA) - Get Report
downgraded at Wachovia to Market Perform. Estimates also cut, as management is investing heavily into growing the business.
Quanta Services
(PWR) - Get Report
downgraded at Suntrust to Neutral rating from Buy. FY 2008 EPS estimates dips to $0.87 form $0.98.
Starbucks
(SBUX) - Get Report
downgraded at Baird from outperform to neutral following a mixed Q4 and outlook.
Sunoco
(SUN) - Get Report
upgraded at Bernstein from Market Perform to Outperform. $89 price target. Stock looks attractive for a seasonal trade.
Target
(TGT) - Get Report
downgraded at UBS to Neutral rating from Buy. Price target slashed to $58 from $78 and FY 2008 EPS estimates cut to $3.80 from $4.02.
Tyco International
(TYC)
upgraded at Citigroup from Sell to Hold. Stock is down 29% since July, and margins could expand despite slowing revenue growth. $42 price target.
Windstream
(WIN) - Get Report
downgraded at Bear from Outperform to Peer Perform. Company is no longer attractively valued compared with its peers, and debt covenants will prevent any near-term buyback activity.
WNS
(WNS) - Get Report
upgraded at Deutsche from Hold to Buy. Company posted a strong quarter, and has very few mortgage customers. $25 price target.
Three Major Oil stocks upgraded at Deutsche: MRO was upgraded to Buy. The ratings on COP and CVX were also raised to Hold, based on higher forward oil price forecasts.
STOCK COMMENTS / EPS CHANGES
BEA Systems
( BEAS) 2008 estimates raised at Goldman to $0.64 from $0.47. Q3 results showed improved license revenues, continued strength in services growth and a jump in operating leverage. Shares not rated.
Frontline
(FRO) - Get Report
numbers lowered at Jefferies. Price target dips to $40 from $44 and FY 2008 EPS estimates drop to $2.05 from $2.26. Reiterates Hold rating.
J.C. Penney
(JCP) - Get Report
2008 estimates cut at Goldman to $4.56 from $5.07. Q3 results were light on EBIT, and management slashed Q4 guidance well below previous numbers due to gross margin pressure. Target cut to $58 from $67 and maintained Neutral rating.
Pantry
(PTRY)
numbers lowered at Jefferies. Price target slashed to $40 from $50 and FY 2008 EPS estimates drop to $1.95 from $2.10. Reiterates Buy rating.
Starbucks
(SBUX) - Get Report
numbers lowered at UBS. Price target dips to $37 from $38 and FY 2008 EPS estimates $1.05 from $1.07. Reiterates Buy rating.
Starbucks price target cut at Goldman to $27 from $35 after management lowered forward guidance, reflecting higher dairy costs and soft macro environment affecting U.S. traffic. Maintained Buy rating.
Suntech Power
(STP)
numbers raised at Jefferies. Price target jumps to $76 from $45 and FY 2008 EPS estimates upped to $2.29 from $1.78. Reiterates Buy rating.
Tyco
(TYC)
price target trimmed at Goldman to $40 from $43 after company reported inline Q4 results but issued weak guidance. Company did not achieve traction in ADT margin improvement and experienced slowdown from postponement of retail contracts. Maintained Sell rating.
