Analysts: LinkedIn Will Do Wonders and 4 New Opinions Investors Must Know Now

By Roger Baettig | March 07 2013 12:06 PM

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Linkedin Corporation (NYSE:LNKD): According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, early Q1 data shows that there has been a rise in LinkedIn user engagement. The firm is still convinced that LinkedIn will have the ability to leverage its large professional network along with driving robust growth. The firm keeps its Buy rating but increased its price target to $190 on the stock.

Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX): Stifel believes that investors will welcome Time Warner’s spin-off of Time, Inc., influencing the firm to keep its Buy rating and raise its price target to $63 from $58 on the stock.

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO): Brean Capital claims that it would use the weakness in American Eagle as a buying opportunity after the company reported lower than than expected Q4 results. The firm thinks that the weakness was due to to unrealistic Street expectations for Q1, and it still believes that American Eagle is the best managed teen retailer in the space, highly visible, and an enduring path to high returns. The firm gives the stock a Buy rating and a $25.50 price target.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX): RBC Capital sees a positive sign for Vertex in the impressive data from Gilead (NASDAQ:GILD) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) regarding their hepatitis C treatment which utilizes Johnson & Johnson’s simeprevir. Vertex is also developing a hepatitis C treatment with the use of simeprevir. RBC Capital is convinced that an all-oral hepatitis C treatment from Vertex bringing in 10 percent market share would have a value of about $5 to $7 per share. The firm does not believe that this upside has been priced into the stock, and it reiterates its Outperform rating on the stock.

PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:PETM): The company provided a 2013 EPS guidance range whose midpoint fell below the consensus outlook, which causes RBC Capital to view the guidance as being conservative. The firm has mentioned that the company’s Q1 sales trends have seen sequential improvement, and it reiterates its Outperform rating on the stock.