J. Crew: Analyst's Upgrades, Downgrades
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- CHANGE IN RATINGS
Applied Materials
(AMAT) - Get Applied Materials, Inc. Report
rated new Neutral at Susquehanna. $12 price target. Company lacks visibility to suggest sustainable execution.
Boston Scientific
(BSX) - Get Boston Scientific Corporation Report
rated new Hold at Jefferies. BSX was initiated with a Hold rating. $7 price target. It will take time for the new management team to generate growth outside of the slowing core businesses.
Carnival
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upgraded at Goldman to Buy. $44 price target. Expect more cost cuts, which could boost margins.
Check Point
(CHKP) - Get Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Report
upgraded at Morgan Stanley for Equal-weight to Overweight. $44 price target. Company will benefit from increased demand for multi-function network security.
Quest Diagnostics
(DGX) - Get Quest Diagnostics Incorporated Report
rated new Buy at Kaufman. $59 price target. Company is a market leader and can gain more share in the coming years.
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Edison International
(EIX) - Get Edison International Report
rated new Outperform at Oppenheimer. $40 price target. Company should benefit from more constructive regulation in California.
Endo Pharmaceutical
(ENDP) - Get Endo International Plc Report
upgraded at Citigroup from Hold to Buy. $40 price target. Qualitest acquisition makes strategic and financial sense.
Endo Pharmaceutical
(ENDP) - Get Endo International Plc Report
upgraded at Oppenheimer from Perform to Outperform. $40 price target. Qaulitest purchase should add 40 cents to annual earnings.
J. Crew
( JCG) downgraded at Janney from Buy to Neutral. $37 price target. Company is facing increased competition.
Las Vegas Sands
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rated new Market Perform at Wells. Company continues to grow and the market is already pricing in a lot of bad news for Las Vegas.
Medtronic
(MDT) - Get Medtronic Plc Report
rated new Hold at Jefferies. $36 price target. Company is seeing slower growth in its core businesses.
Childrens Place
(PLCE) - Get Children's Place, Inc. Report
rated new Buy at Goldman. $56 price target. Company is in the early stages of turning its margins around.
Range Resources
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rated new Buy at MKM Partners. $50 price target. Company will deliver strong margins, despite lower natural gas prices.
Sociedad Quimica
(SQM) - Get Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA Report
downgraded at Credit Suisse to Underperform from Neutral. Valuation call, stock is already pricing in higher fertilizer prices, Credit Suisse said. Price target lifted to $41 from $36.
Wisconsin Energy
(WEC) - Get WEC Energy Group Inc Report
rated new Neutral at Ladenburg. $63 price target. Company should raise its dividend, but already trades at a premium valuation.
WMS Industries
(WMS) - Get Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. Report
rated new Outperform at Wells Fargo. Company should gain market share and continue to expand margins.
Wynn Resorts
(WYNN) - Get Wynn Resorts, Limited Report
rated new Outperform at Wells Fargo. Wynn Macau continues to perform well and gaming could soon come to Japan.
STOCK COMMENTS / EPS CHANGES
Accenture
(ACN) - Get Accenture Plc Class A Report
estimate tweaked at Barclays. ACN 2011 EPS estimate raised by a penny to $2.99, 2010 maintained at $2.62. Upcoming 4Q10 results should show decent margin expansion and reassurance on client budgets. Maintain Overweight rating and $48 price target.
Amazon.com
(AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report
price target boosted at Barclays to $180 from $132.Reiterate AMZN's Overweight rating on solid ecommerce trends and strong Kindle sales. 2010 and 2011 EPS estimates lifted to $2.54 and $3.39, respectively.
AnnTaylor
(ANN)
target raised at MKM to $24. Fear of a double-dip recession has waned.
Crane
target boosted at FBR. Shares of CR now seen reaching $41. Company is seeing better aerospace demand.
Covance
(CVD)
estimates increased at UBS through 2011. Buyback program should add to earnings. Neutral rating and $44 price target.
Hewlett-Packard
estimate higher at Barclays. HPQ 2011 EPS estimate improved to $5.10, 2010 held at $4.51. More focus on growth & innovation. Reiterate Overweight rating and $50 price target.
Hewlett-Packard
target raised at Kaufman. Shares of HPQ now seen reaching $53. Company is seeing better demand for enterprise hardware.
Jabil
estimates boosted at UBS through 2012. Company boosted guidance and is realizing higher margins. Buy rating and $19 price target.
Monsanto
(MON)
target reduced at Goldman to $64, Goldman Sachs said. Smartstax is not performing as well in the crops. Buy rating.
Motorola
( MOT) target, estimates boosted at Barclays. MOT price target raised a dollar to $10 on steady android progress in 2H10. 2010 and 2011 EPS estimates lifted to $0.41 and $0.54, respectively. Maintain Overweight rating.
Morgan Stanley
(MS) - Get Morgan Stanley Report
numbers cut at Goldman. Shares of MS now seen reaching $30. Estimates also reduced, given lower trading activity. Neutral rating.
Newfield Exploration
(NFX)
price target raised at BofA/Merrill by $3 to $65. Bank of America/Merrill Lynch likes the strong Bakken oil results and the company's ability to grow while showing spending discipline. Maintain Buy rating.
NII Holdings
(NIHD) - Get NII Holdings Inc Report
numbers upped at Citigroup. NIHD estimates were boosted through $55. Recent management meeting suggests that the company can exceed near-term expectations. Buy rating.
Paychex
(PAYX) - Get Paychex, Inc. Report
estimates raised at Credit Suisse. PAYX 2011 and 2012 EPS estimates raised to $1.36 and $1.50, respectively, following strong 1Q11 results. Maintain Neutral rating and $28 price target.
Thor Industries
(THO) - Get Thor Industries, Inc. Report
numbers increased at Citigroup through 2012. Company continues to benefit from cost-cutting. Buy rating and new $38 price target.
Walgreen
(WAG)
estimates raised at Citigroup through 2012. Company is expanding its gross margin. Sell rating and $31 price target.
This article was written by a staff member of TheStreet.
