Insiders' Blog

Visa (V) Shares Lower Despite Analyst Upgrade Nov 6, 2009 11:22AM

Shares of Visa (NYSE: V) are trading modestly lower today despite an Argus upgrade this morning. The stock is currently down 0.4% to around $79.23.

The firm raised its investment rating on Visa from Hold to Buy. The firm also set a $100 price target, which would represent potential upside of about 26% from today's price.

To see all the upgrades/downgrades on shares of Visa, visit our Analyst Ratings page.

Visa, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates retail electronic payments network worldwide.

Dually Upgrade on GE (GE) Working, Stock Up 5% Nov 6, 2009 09:48AM

Investors are reacting positively to the two upgrades of General Electric (NYSE: GE) today. Shares are up 5.9% to $15.42

Both Oppenheimer and Sandford C. Bernstein raised their ratings on GE to Outperform today.

Oppenheimer cited a sum-of-the-parts analysis and said the significant underperformance in GE since the middle of October provides a favorable entry point.

Oppenheimer raised their price target on GE to $18 and Bernstein raised their target to $19.

Evergreen Solar (ESLR) Shares Tumble Amid Numerous Analyst Downgrades Nov 6, 2009 09:38AM

Shares of Evergreen Solar (Nasdaq: ESLR) are getting whacked today following yesterday's 9% rise amid mixed Q3 results. The stock is currently down more than 7% to around $1.44 as we have three analysts out with downgrades this morning:

• Citi cuts the stock from Hold to Sell, also reducing its price target from $3 to $1
  
• Pacific Crest downgrades from Sector Outperform to Sector Perform
  
• Ardour Capital lowers from Hold to Reduce

To stay up-to-date on all the market-moving analyst calls on shares of Evergreen Solar, visit our Analyst Ratings page.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of solar power products primarily in the United States and Europe.

Oppenheimer Gets Bullish on GE (GE), Upgrades to Outperform Nov 6, 2009 08:25AM

Oppenheimer upgraded General Electric (NYSE: GE) today from Perform to Outperform and raised their price target from $17 to $18, citing a conservative sum-of-the-parts analysis.

The firm said the significant underperformance in GE since the middle of October provides a favorable entry point.

Oppenheimer sees the risk of external capital needs as minimal and sees signs of stabilization in GECC portfolio quality and notes that the core Infrastructure businesses are undervalued.

Some key points to support their buy rating included:

• At only 1.0x tangible book value, we estimate GECC is worth $38B currently.
  
• Before Infrastructure, we estimate $25B for GE's 80% stake in NBCU
  
• At $160B current enterprise value, implied Infrastructure valuation is only $95B or 6x EV/EBITDA, compared to 8.5x for industrials average
  
• While GECS remains a burden, the core industrial business has held up relatively well so far.

The firm's EPS estimates remain unchanged at $1.00 for 2009; $0.95 for 2010, $1.20 for 2011 and $1.40 for 2012.

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Bulls and Bears Place Their Bets On BioCryst (BCRX) Nov 6, 2009 07:55AM

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BCRX), which has been en fuego recently after receiving orders from the U.S. for 10,000 courses of intravenous peramivir for H1N1, could be a battleground stock today.

Today the New York Times reported that late Thursday the government announced orders for intravenous versions of Tamiflu and Relenza, which are much cheaper than BioCryst's peramivir.

The Times suggests BioCryst could give up their gains on the news.

But bulls claim that BioCryst's star is just starting to shine, as swine flu spreads across the country. The beginning of the Times article describes the case of a woman on her death bead from swine flu that recovered after receiving BioCryst's drug. Biotech investors often invest in hope - and the hope for peramivir looks promising.

Either way, up or down today, the BioCryst story it not ending it has just started.

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