If you would have known that $100 oil was coming just two days ago due to major geopolitical strife in Libya and elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East, the thought might be that the bull market would be a sudden bear market. So far that is not the case and the market was not even down a full percentage point today.

Here were today's unofficial closing bells:

Dow Jones 12,105.78 -107.01 (-0.88%)
S&P 500 1,307.40 -8.04 (-0.61%)
Nasdaq 2,722.99 -33.43 (-1.21%)

Thursday morning, GPS specialist Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) said it lost a patent dispute with Japanese firm Pioneer Corp. The District Court of Dusseldorf in Germany found that two patents owned by Pioneer were infringed by a certain functionality in Garmin's software.

However, Garmin says it has already worked out "minor software revisions that eliminate the narrow functionality at issue in the litigation." As a result, the company doesn't expect any significant impact on its ability to import and sell its navigational products.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) to buy from neutral.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Pulte Group (PHM) to neutral from underperform. Note that Citigroup downgraded the stock.
• Ameristar Casinos (ASCA) was upgraded to neutral from sell at Merriman.
• Citigroup upgraded Kimco Realty (KIM) to hold from sell.
• Mistras (MG) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Devon Energy (DVN) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Garmin (GRMN) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at PacCrest.

The Republicans took the House of Representatives, but not the Senate, in the mid-term elections. That is exactly what the polls indicated ahead of time and just about exactly what the markets were pricing in. Then came Bernanke and the FOMC with the announcement of what exactly the new $600 billion in quantitative easing would look like. That was also priced in. As noted, it was all baked into the cake at current prices. Outside of a decent mood being prevalent today by many, stocks had a hard time deciding whether they wanted to be in the red or in the black.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

DJIA
NASDAQ
S&P500

Top Analyst Calls
ETFs For Quantitative Easing

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman Sachs upgraded BJ's Wholesale (BJ) to neutral from sell and has a $43 target on the stock. Note that private equity firm Green Equity took a 9.5% stake in the company. Shares were also upgraded at Jefferies to buy from hold.
• Stephens upgraded Covenant Transportation (CVTI) to overweight from equal weight after the company positively preannounced Q2 results. The firm raised its target for shares to $12 from $5.
• Leerink upgraded Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA) to outperform from market perform after the company signed a partnership deal with Eisai for U.S. commercialization rights to lorcaserin. The firm believes the deal removes a major concern and upped its target for shares to $6 from $5.
• Fortune Brands (FO) was upgraded to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• KeyBanc upgraded NiSource (NI) to buy from hold.
• Akzo Nobel (AKZOY) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.

"Garmin (GRMN) is a one-time high flyer that lately can't seem to catch a break from investors who are convinced its personal navigation devices (PNDs) are going the way of the Tyrannosaurus Rex," asserts Geoffrey Seiler.

The editor of BullMarket.com explains, "Nevertheless, investors might want to look at its solid balance sheet, large cash position, and overlooked but growing marine, aviation, and sports businesses."

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• American International Group Inc. (AIG) said its Q1 earnings doubled, easily topping analysts' expectations.
• Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC) said Q1 revenue grew, but disappointing earnings dragged down shares.
• Chevron Corp. (CVX) had strong Q1 earnings and boosted its dividend, but Gulf spill concerns weighed on shares.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (CVS) Q1 earnings topped consensus estimates but it also said same-store sales slipped.
• Freddie Mac (FRE) said its lost $8 billion in Q1, less than a year ago, and requested further bailout funds.

Protests and riots in Greece continued as the country's financial situation remained on the edge of the abyss. It seems that even a $144 billion aid package isn't going to be enough to calm the skeptics.

Here were today's closing bell levels:

Dow 10,866.83 -59.94 (-0.55%)
S&P 500 1,165.87 -7.73 (-0.66%)
Nasdaq 2,402.29 -21.96 (-0.91%)

Top Analyst Calls

As the largest player in the navigation device market, there has been lots of anticipation for Garmin's (GRMN) earnings report. Can the company continue its growth? Or is the industry maturing and suffering from new players, like Google (GOOG)?

Unfortunately, things are not looking so good. On news of the of Garmin's Q1 report, the shares are off 5.82% to $35.30. Although, the losses have improved from a daily low of $31.99. In other words, there's much investor uncertainty with the stock.

Honeywell (HON) closed at $45.27 after HON said, "The strong productivity actions taken last year are continuing to benefit the company, and along with improving economic conditions, we now expect our earnings to be near the high-end of our full-year guidance range of $2.20 – 2.40." The 2010 consensus EPS estimate is $2.40. April put option implied volatility is at 21, May and June is at 24, September is at 27; verses its 26-week average of 28 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing near-term price movement.

Three stocks with IV rise on March 31; Liberty Property Trust (LRY) +3%, Arena Pharma (ARNA) +7%, Garmin (GRMN) +5% according to IVolatility.

CBOE Volatility Index-VIX at 17.59; 10-day moving average is 17.28, 50-day is 20.53, 200-day moving average is 23.26.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• American Public Education Inc. (APEI) received an analyst upgrade following the Q4 report and guidance.
• Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) traded higher after it reported swinging to a profit in Q4, but revenue declined year over year.
• Blackstone Group (BX) reported adjusted Q4 earnings, compared to a year-ago loss, and postive renvenue too.
• Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) higher Q2 earnings beat estimates, but shares fell on so-so revenue results.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) lower Q4 earnings beat expectations but net income for the full year rose.
• Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) topped analysts' Q4 earnings expectations but shares fell after it warned of lower margins.

Today could be called the Bernanke cheer. Ben Bernanke managed to successfully convince Wall Street that interest rates were not going to rise any time soon. A slate of favorable earnings also added to spate of news that overseas emerging markets.

These were the unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,374.84 +92.43 (0.90%)
S&P 500 1,105.12 +10.52 (0.96%)
Nasdaq 2,235.59 +22.15 (1.00%)

Top Analyst Calls
Top Stock and Market Rumors

Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) topped analysts' fourth-quarter earnings expectations this morning, but the GPS guru opened with a thud after warning that it expects both gross and operating margins to decline in fiscal 2010. "The margin declines will be primarily driven by an ongoing price decline of approximately 10 percent in the [personal navigation device] industry and increasing R&D investment across our segments," said the company in a statement.

Aside from that cautious note, Garmin's fourth-quarter results and forward-looking guidance were actually much more robust than Wall Street expected. The firm swung to a quarterly profit of $1.43 per share, excluding items, compared to analysts' consensus forecast of 95 cents per share. Gross margin ticked four percentage points higher to 46%, while revenue arrived at $1.06 billion.

Garmin (GRMN) closed at $31.95. GRMN is scheduled to report Q4 EPS on February 24. March option implied volatility is at 51, April is at 50, July is at 48, above its 26-week average of 44 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Three stocks with IV rise on Feb 12; Microsoft (MSFT) +1%, Johnson and Johnson (JNJ) +1%, Visa (V) +1%, according to IVolatility.

Today was one of those weak days where you would tell yourself, "this could have been much worse." China tightened its reserve requirements again ahead of its long week off for the Chinese New Year. Greek concerns were back out that its recession might hamper a bailout. University of Michigan sentiment surveys showed a decline versus just a month ago. And the bias is still sour... Yet today's move was not as bad as it could have been.

Here were the unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,100.66 -43.53 (-0.43%)
S&P 500 1,075.88 -2.59 (-0.24%)
Nasdaq 2,183.53 +6.12 (0.28%)

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