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Options Update: Darden Volatility Elevated into EPS

Darden (DRI) April and October put option implied volatility of 34 is above its 26-week average of 28, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement into Q3 results that were reported Thursday after the market close.

Euro Currency Trust (FXE) closed up 70 cents to 141.15. Overall option implied volatility of 11 is near its 26-week month average, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Darden Restaurants: Time to Take Some Profits?

Darden (DRI) logoRestaurant chain Darden Restaurants (DRI), first discussed here on June 25, 2009, at a price of $32.78, has formed a double-top near $51. So now would be a good time to consider taking some profits off the table, if you're in near $33.

However, those investors who can tolerate the risk can maintain their full position and go for an bigger gain, but investors should keep in mind that Darden probably won't clear $60 in 2011. The potential upside is still adequate, but not fantastic.

Continue reading Darden Restaurants: Time to Take Some Profits?

Has Darden's Pullback Created an Opportunity?

Darden (DRI) logo The shares of Darden Restaurants (DRI), first discussed on June 25, 2009, at a price of $32.78, have pulled back after testing $50 this winter, but just view that retreat as an opportunity to scoop-up shares.

However, investors should keep in mind that Darden probably won't clear $60 in 2011, hence the potential, 1-year upside, while still adequate, probably won't be fantastic.

Darden is a restaurant sector survivor. Darden's same store sales (in this case, restaurants) will likely increase about 2% to 2.5% in fiscal 2011, after a roughly flat 2010. That doesn't sound like much of a revenue increase, but in the hard-hit restaurant sector, that's adequate.

Continue reading Has Darden's Pullback Created an Opportunity?

Closing Bell: Few Sellers to Be Found (CCL, DRI, MATK, LEDS, XOMA)

Tuesday saw mixed currents in the markets. The day was just dominated by a complete lack of sellers after stock indexes all opened up again at the highest levels seen in quite some time. Treasury yields fell as bond prices rose due to the FOMC buying nearly $8 billion in the Treasury market today. Equity volume is light, but the sellers must have taken an early holiday. Even the dollar correlation trade seems to be wearing thin.

Here were today's closing bells:

Dow Jones 11,533.16 +55.03 (0.48%)
S&P 500 1,254.60 +7.52 (0.60%)
Nasdaq 2,667.61 +18.05 (0.68%)

Top Analyst Calls

Continue reading Closing Bell: Few Sellers to Be Found (CCL, DRI, MATK, LEDS, XOMA)

Week in Preview: Late Season Earnings from Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, Darden

earnings expectationsCompanies continue to file quarterly reports late in the season, and a few are poised to spread some early holiday cheer for investors this week. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect strong earnings results from Nike (NKE), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) and Darden Restaurants (DRI), among others. Here's a quick look (for more details, see the DailyFinance Week in Preview).

Analysts forecast Nike's fiscal-second quarter earnings to come in at 88 cents per share, a 13.6% increase from the same period of last year. The world's leading athletic footwear maker also is expected to post revenue of $4.8 billion for the three months that ended in November. That's 9.3% more than the same period a year earlier. Note that Nike's earnings have not fallen short of consensus estimates in the past five quarters.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Late Season Earnings from Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, Darden

Analyst Calls: BAC, CMA, DO, HOT, ORCL, RIG, RTN, SBUX, TLB, WYNN ...

Analyst Upgrades

  • Wynn Resorts (WYNN) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Oracle (ORCL) and Alliance Data Systems (ADS) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
  • Saint Joe (JOE) to outperform from market perform at Keefe Bruyette.
  • Starwood Hotels (HOT) to neutral from underperform at RW Baird.
  • Middlesex Water (MSEX) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
  • Consol Energy (CNX) to buy from hold at BB&T.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BAC, CMA, DO, HOT, ORCL, RIG, RTN, SBUX, TLB, WYNN ...

The Recession Ends, and Darden Is Still Standing

Darden Restaurants (DRI) logoIt goes without saying that, given stagnant income and disposable income in many U.S. job classifications, restaurant revenue will face tough-sledding, at least for the immediate two years ahead.

Even so, there are selected restaurant plays that are worthy of consideration, and Darden Restaurants (DRI), first discussed on June 25, 2009, at a price of $32.78, is one.

Darden will likely be among the sector's survivors. DRI's same store sales (in this case, restaurants) will likely increase about 2% to 2.5% in fiscal 2011, after a roughly flat 2010. That doesn't sound like much of a revenue increase, but in the hard-hit restaurant sector, that's adequate.

Continue reading The Recession Ends, and Darden Is Still Standing

Analyst Calls: CTL, HTS, ISRG, MCD, MLM, OSK, RUTH, WMS, YUM ...

Analyst Upgrades
  • Baird upgraded Oshkosh (OSK) to outperform from neutral, citing valuation as it believes post-Iraq U.S. military spending concerns are overdone. The firm keeps a $42 price target for shares.
  • Goldman transferred coverage on CenturyTel (CTL) with a buy from a neutral and has a $42 price target on the stock. The firm believes CenturyTel could increase buybacks and or increase its dividend given free cash generation and low payout ratio.
  • Lazard Capital upgraded Hatteras Financial (HTS) to buy from hold to reflect increased dividend projections. The firm has a $30 price target for shares.
  • EOG Resources (EOG) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at Credit Suisse.
  • Donaldson (DCI) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: CTL, HTS, ISRG, MCD, MLM, OSK, RUTH, WMS, YUM ...

Income Investments: 3 Stocks That Are Boosting Their Dividends

After a volatile May, many folks are looking to companies that pay a regular dividend as a way to limit their risk and provide a bit of steady income. While it's important that the payout is substantial in these type of income investments, it's also important for investors to focus on stocks raising dividends because this helps guarantee that a company won't leave shareholders in the lurch and slash payouts when times get a little tough. After all, if you buy in for the quarterly payday, the last thing you want is for your holdings to slash their dividend payouts or let them languish without any increases.

For all you income investors out there, here are three stocks from the last week that just raised dividends and could be good additions to your holdings:

Continue reading Income Investments: 3 Stocks That Are Boosting Their Dividends

Darden: Restaurant Sector Winner

Darden DRI logoExperienced investors know that in the frugal consumer era, one should move cautiously regarding restaurant plays, due to sector consolidation.

Restaurant chain Darden Restaurants (DRI), first discussed on June 25, 2009, at a price of $32.78, will likely be among the sector's survivors. Here's why.

Continue reading Darden: Restaurant Sector Winner

Darden (DRI): A 'Bargain' in Casual Dining

"Our safety-first portfolio is built using bottom-up, fundamental analysis to choose individual investments; one new buy in our portfolios is Darden Resaurants (DRI)," says James Stack.

The money manager and editor of InvesTech Market Analyst explains, "Darden is a destination dining experience. Unlike the pop-in chain restaurants where the meal is on the way to some other event, Darden's nearly 1,800 locations are in themselves the "event."

Continue reading Darden (DRI): A 'Bargain' in Casual Dining

Darden Races Ahead

Shares of Darden Restaurants (DRI), which I first wrote about on June 25, 2009 at a price of $32.78, have raced ahead. Is there any upside left? Let's see...

Look for Darden's same store sales (in this case, restaurants) to rise 2-3% in fiscal 2011, after a roughly flat fiscal 2010. That doesn't sound like much of a revenue increase, but in the hard-hit restaurant sector, that's adequate.

Continue reading Darden Races Ahead

Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate

10 Valentine's Day stocks to hateNot all companies in these love-struck industries are good buys. Here are 10 stocks to break up with this Valentine's Day.

  • 1-800-Flowers (FLWS): A good gift, but a poorly run company that has posted a loss for three of the past four quarters.
  • Hershey (HSY): Missing out on the Cadbury merger was not so sweet for Hershey.
  • Cardiac Sciences (CSCX): It's hard to have a heart for a company that fails seven out of my eight fundamental screens.

Continue reading Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate

Options Update: Sotheby's Volatility Elevated into EPS and London Contemporary Sales

Sotheby's (BID) closed at $22.45. Sotheby's and Christie's hosted postwar and contemporary art sales in London this week. BID is expected to report Q4 EPS in late February. March option implied volatility is at 63; April is at 58; above its 26-week average of 55, according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) closed at $38.05. Darden is hosting an investor meeting on February 17. March option implied volatility is at 31, July is at 34, below its 26-week average of 36, according to Track Data suggesting decreasing price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21

While most investors are fretting the markets recent contraction, you can be quite confident that "my pal Warren" has a smile on his face, as does Peter Lynch, Ken Heebner, Bill Miller, Bruce Berkowitz, and any number of fellow value investors that know now may be a time of opportunity. That is because they have the experience and understanding to pounce when they have a chance to buy things cheap.

This is the fourth installment of my series to discover just that: cheap stocks. If you would like to get on board from the beginning then review the initial post which screened for stocks with lower than market average P/E ratios, see Serious Money: Market Looks Cheap to Me -- 35 Stocks. In the second installment, I looked at yield and PEG ratios: Serious Money: Still Cheap Market -- 35 Stocks + Yields & Growth. Then I moved on to the the P/S and P/CF metrics in Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks Yet -- From 35 to 26, cutting nine stocks.

Continue reading Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21

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Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA-89.2312,801.23
NASDAQ-23.352,903.88
S&P 500-9.311,342.64

Last updated: February 11, 2012: 10:44 AM

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