China Becomes Worlds Large Oil Importer.According to the most recent EIA data China has become the world̢۪s largest oil importer, surpassing the U.S. China's incoming shipments rose to 6.12 million bpd in December, while U.S. imports fell to 5.98 million bpd. This was the lowest level since February 1992. Upgrades Charles Schwab (SCHW):Bernstein raised their rating from Market Perform toOutperformand placed a target price of $23.00 on the company.Pre-market: 16.51 +0.11 (0.67%) Dean Foods (DF):Key Bank raised their rating from Hold toBuyand placed a target price of $21.00 on the company. Downgrades Duke Energy (DUK): ISI Group lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral. Neutral Foster Wheeler (FWLT):Stifel Nicolaus lowered their rating from Buy toHold. McDermott International (MDR):Global Hunter lowered their rating from Buy toNeutraland lowered their target price from $14.00 to $11.00. McDermott International (MDR):Key Bank their rating from Buy toHold. Southern Co. (SO):Citigroup lowered their rating from Buy toNeutraland lowered their target price from $48.00 to $46.00.Pre-market: 44.52 -0.31 (-0.69%) Coverage Initiated Coach (COH):Sterne Agee initiated coverage with aBuyrating and target price of $58.00. Gap (GPS):Sterne Agee initiated coverage with anUnderperformrating and target price of $29.00. Ross Stores (ROST):Sterne Agee initiated coverage with aNeutralrating and target price of $61.00. Tiffany&Co. (TIF):Sterne Agee initiated coverage with aNeutralrating and target price of $68.00. TJX Cos. (TJX):Sterne Agee initiated coverage with aBuyrating and target price of $50.00. Coverage Reiterated/Price Target Changed Celgene (CELG):Cantor Fitzgeraldreiterated theirBuyrating and raised their target price from $115.00 to $121.00. Pre-market: 103.90 -1.72 (-1.63%) Earning Reports Boyd Gaming (BYD):Reported EPS of -$0.31 missing estimates by -$0.18. Transocean (RIG):Reported EPS of $0.91 beating estimates by +$0.11.Pre-market: 53.50 +1.35 (2.59%) Markets: Futures at 7:00: Dow -0.39%. S&P; -0.33%. Nasdaq -0.46%. Crude -0.11%to $90.58. Gold +0.22% to $1575.80. Europe:London -0.42%. Paris +0.19%. Frankfurt -0.32%. Asia:Japan +0.40% to 11652. Hong Kong -1.50% to 22538. China-3.62% to 2273. India -0.21% to 18878. ...read more
By RL Paler Investment Advisors, LLC March 04, 2013
Android Phones Dominate iPhone.Google’s (GOOG) Android based phones are widening their dominance over Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone. Technology research company Gartner reports that in Q4 Android smartphones market share rose to 69.7% from 51.3% in 2011, while Apple's iOS declined to 20.9% from 23.6%.AAPLPre-market: 468.90 +1.00 (0.21%)GOOGPre-market: 781.58 +0.88 (0.11%) Upgrades Avon Products (AVP):B. Riley Caris raised their rating from Neutral toBuy.Pre-market: 20.85 +0.06 (0.29%) Comcast (CMCSA):Credit Suisse raised their rating from Neutral toOutperform and raised their target price from $40.00 to $48.00.Pre-market: 42.10 +3.13 (8.03%) Western Union (WU):Compass Point raised their rating from Sell toNeutral.Pre-market: 14.00 -0.34 (-2.37%) Western Union (WU):CLSA raised their rating from Sell toUnderperform.Pre-market: 14.00 -0.34 (-2.37%) Zimmer Holdings(ZMH):Argusraised their rating from Hold toBuyand placed a target price of $90.00 on the company. Downgrades Dell (DELL):Maxim lowered their rating from Buy toHoldand placed a target price of $13.65 on the company.Pre-market: 13.78 -0.01 (-0.07%) Dell (DELL):Bernstein lowered their rating from Outperform toMarket Performand placed a target price of $13.65 on the company.Pre-market: 13.78 -0.01 (-0.07%) Fossil(FOSL):FBR Capitallowered their rating from Market Perform toUnderperformand placed a target price of $95.00 on the company. Pre-market: 107.99 -2.66 (-2.40%) HJ Heinz (HNZ):UBS lowered their rating from Buy toNeutraland maintained their target price of $62.00.Pre-market: 60.15 -0.73 (-1.20%) WellPoint (WLP):Monness Crespi lowered their rating from Buy toNeutral.Pre-market: 64.50 -1.51 (-2.29%) Earning Reports Calpine (CPN):Reported EPS of $0.22 beating estimates by +$0.26. Dean Foods (DF):Reported EPS of $0.20 missing estimates by -$0.10.Pre-market: 17.49 -0.90 (-4.89%) Deere(DE):Reported EPS of $1.65 beating estimates by +$0.25.Pre-market: 93.70 -0.27 (-0.29%) Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS):Reported EPS of $0.82 missing estimates by -$0.03. Henry Schein (HSIC):Reported EPS of $1.26 beating estimates by +$0.06. Thomson Reuters(TRI):Reported EPS of $0.60 beating estimates by +$0.04. Vonage (VG):Reported EPS of $0.10 beating estimates by +$0.04.Pre-market: 2.60 +0.18 (7.44%) Markets: Futures at 8:00: Dow +0.14%. S&P; +0.20%. Nasdaq +0.28%. Crude+0.42% to $97.91. Gold -0.16% to $1647.10. Europe:London +0.18%. Paris+0.25%. Frankfurt +0.25%. Asia:Japan -1.04% to 11251. Hong Kong, China closed. India +0.24% to 19608. ...read more
By RL Paler Investment Advisors, LLC February 13, 2013
Facebook to be added to NASDAQ 100.The social media site Facebook (FB) will be added to the NASDAQ 100 index next Wednesday. The company will replace Infosys (INFY), which is moving to the NYSE. FB Pre-market: 27.88 +0.42 (1.53%)INFYPre-market: 43.71 -0.32 (-0.73%) Upgrades Tupperware(TUP):Argus raised their rating from Hold toBuyand placed a target price of $72.00 on the company. American International (AIG):Argus raised their rating from Hold toBuyand placed a target price of $40.00 on the company. Pre-market: 33.63 +0.31 (0.93%) Bob Evens Farms (BOBE):KeyBancraised their rating from Hold toBuyand placed a target price of $45.00 on the company. Waste Management (WM):Goldman Sachs raised their rating from Neutral toBuyand raised their target price from $33.00 to $42.00.Pre-market: 33.23 +0.60 (1.84%) PNC Financial (PNC):Compass Point raised their rating from Neutral toBuy.Pre-market: 55.40 +0.32 (0.58%) Downgrades NVIDIA(NVDA):Oppenheimerlowered their rating from Outperform toPerform. Pre-market: 11.90 -0.20 (-1.61%) Liberty Media (LMCA):Wunderlichlowered their rating from Buy toHoldand lowered their target price from $117.00 to $110.00. Intel (INTC):Raymond James lowered their rating from Market Perform toUnderperform. Pre-market: 19.91 -0.06 (-0.30%) Coverage Initiated Honeywell(HON):Stifel Nicolausinitiated coverage with aBuyrating and target price of $72.00. Pre-market: 60.65 +0.13 (0.21%) Cummins(CMI):Robert W. Bairdinitiated coverage with anOutperformrating and target price of $119.00. Pre-market: 98.73 +1.42 (1.46%) United Technologies (UTX):Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with aNeutralrating and target price of $84.00. Earning Reports Pandora Media (P):Reported EPS of $0.05 beating estimates by +$0.04. Pre-market: 7.97 -1.48 (-15.66%) Brown-Forman(BF.B):Reported EPS of $0.80 beating estimates by +$0.02. Toro (TTC):Reported EPS of $0.00 beating estimates by +$0.01. Markets: Futures at 7:45: Dow +0.43%. S&P; +0.21%. Nasdaq +0.04%. Crude +0.11%to $88.60. Gold +0.37% to $1702. Europe:London +0.18%. Paris +0.26%. Frankfurt +0.20%. Asia:Japan +0.39%. Hong Kong +2.16%. China +2.87%. India +0.23%. ...read more
By RL Paler Investment Advisors, LLC December 05, 2012
When the economy tanked in the early 2000s most people began to worry about the state of their bank's health. At the present time, however, banks are beginning to stabilize and hire more workers as they iron out the remaining wrinkles in their business. Those interested in banking should have a wide r... ...read more
Banks and credit unions have been in the news a lot lately for many reasons. This has led many people to wonder if there are any difference between a bank and a credit union and have started to compare banks with credit unions. The two has similarities, but then they also have many differences as well... ...read more