International Business News - Analyst http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif An analyst initiating coverage of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. gave the specialty home retailer a rating of "Underperform" in a research note Friday. Friedman, Billings, Ramsey analyst Stephen Chick gave the Union, N.J.-based retailer a $26.50 per-share price target--representing a roughly 18 percent downside from the company's current stock price. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/bed-bath-beyond-issued-underperform-rating.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:34:02 EDT A Lehman Brothers analyst on Friday reduced her fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year estimates for homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. In a research note Friday, Megan Talbott McGrath estimated the Red Bank, N.J.-based builder will post losses of $1.70 per share in the fourth quarter and $3.38 per share for fiscal 2009. She previously forecast losses of $1.10 per share and $1.68 per share in the fourth quarter and full year, respectively. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/analyst-reduces-fiscal-4q-estimates-for-hovnanian.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:11:44 EDT A Cowen & Co. analyst said Friday wing chain Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. may benefit from better-than-expected chicken-wing costs. Analyst Paul Westra in a note to investors estimated that Buffalo Wild Wings paid about $1.15 per pound for chicken wings in the third quarter. Westra said he had expected chicken wing prices of about $1.20 per pound. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/analyst-lower-costs-to-benefit-buffalo-wild-wings.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:59:54 EDT A Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. analyst reiterated his "Market Perform" rating on Zions Bancorp, after meeting with the regional bank's management and visiting some of its troubled residential construction credits in Arizona. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080905/fbr-reiterates-market-perform-rating-on-zions.htm Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:47:01 EDT Shares of Nelnet Inc. declined Thursday after a Credit Suisse analyst raised his earnings projections for the student lender but said it will be difficult to maintain that level of profit after next year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080904/nelnet-shares-slip-on-analyst-note.htm Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:41:29 EDT Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst David George reiterated an "Outperform" rating on Fifth Third Bancorp shares on Thursday, citing the regional bank's relatively stable outlook. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080904/robert-baird-reaffirms-outperform-on-fifth-third.htm Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:37:07 EDT An analyst on Thursday upgraded shares of Estee Lauder Cos., confident that President Fabrizio Freda can help drive positive changes at the cosmetics and fragrance company. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080904/analyst-upgrades-shares-of-estee-lauder.htm Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:59:58 EDT An analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. downgraded Time Warner Inc. Wednesday, saying the stock would be fairly valued after the media company splits off Time Warner Cable. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080903/time-warner-downgraded-by-sanford-bernstein.htm Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:34:57 EDT The Travelers Cos. is among insurers with a significant amount of exposure to the Gulf Coast region--which was recently hit by Hurricane Gustav--according to analyst reports Tuesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080902/analysts-travelers-exposed-to-hurricane-gustav.htm Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:16:30 EDT A Wall Street analyst on Tuesday urged investors to buy shares of CNinsure Inc., applauding its second-quarter results and calling a new distribution agreement promising. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080902/cninsure-edges-higher-on-upbeat-analyst-note.htm Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:03:28 EDT Allstate Corp. is among the insurance companies with the most exposure in the Gulf Coast region affected by Hurricane Gustav, according to analyst reports Tuesday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080902/analysts-allstate-has-big-exposure-to-gustav.htm Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:46:55 EDT Sandler O'Neill & Partners analyst Kevin Fitzsimmons on Friday reiterated a "Hold" rating on Wachovia Corp. shares, saying that he is encouraged by the bank's focus on maintaining sufficient capital levels. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080829/analyst-wachovia-focused-on-preserving-capital.htm Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:18:54 EDT Shares of Tiffany & Co. continued to rise Friday after the jewelry retailer said its second-quarter profit doubled and raised its 2008 earnings outlook. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080829/analyst-says-tiffany-benefiting-from-sales-abroad.htm Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:54:07 EDT Analysts on Friday remained upbeat on Zale Corp.'s progress in reducing inventory, after the jewelry retailer posted a smaller-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter loss and forecast fiscal 2009 profit above analyst estimates. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080829/analysts-tout-zales-4th-quarter-results.htm Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:32:46 EDT A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analyst on Friday withdrew ratings and price targets for MBIA Inc. because the investment bank is acting as an adviser for a deal involving the bond insurer. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080829/goldman-withdraws-ratings-price-target-for-mbia.htm Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:10:49 EDT Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Damon DelMonte on Thursday reiterated a "Market Perform" rating on Independent Bank Corp., after the bank announced that it had issued $30 million of subordinated debt in a private placement. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/kbw-maintains-market-perform-on-independent-bank.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:20:23 EDT An analyst on Thursday cut her third-quarter earnings estimate and price target for exchange operator CME Group Inc., but increased her 2009 estimate to include expected profit from CME's recent acquisition of Nymex Holdings Inc. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/analyst-reduces-3q-earnings-estimate-for-cme-group.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:17:01 EDT An analyst cut her profit projections for Morgan Stanley Thursday amid continued deterioration in the credit and investment banking markets. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. analyst Lauren Smith now expects Morgan Stanley to earn 73 cents per share in its fiscal third quarter, which ends Aug. 31. Smith previously expected Morgan Stanley to earn 78 cents per share during that period. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/analyst-cuts-estimates-for-morgan-stanley.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:33:39 EDT Analysts at Keefe Bruyette & Woods noted Thursday that funding costs are continuing to rise at Sallie Mae, the nation's largest student lender, for its sales of student loans packaged together as securities. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/analysts-cite-rising-costs-for-slm.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:22:36 EDT An analyst cut her estimates and share price target for investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Thursday, citing the continued downturn in the credit markets. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080828/analyst-cuts-lehman-estimates-price-target.htm Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:08:57 EDT