HealthSpring a value from the bottom up
Posted on November 12, 2009 at 12:20 pmThe analysts at Zacks say Franklin-based HealthSpring scores well on a screen that emphasizes cash flow. The health insurer (Ticker: HS) is on track to spin off more than $150 million in cash from operations this year.
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No inflation worries here
Posted on November 10, 2009 at 7:23 am
Dirk van Dijk breaks down the components of interest-rate policy and says the Fed is best off sitting tight for a good bit longer.
While it is true that the implied inflation has been climbing since it almost hit zero last year, it is not at levels that suggest inflation is going to skyrocket. This means that the Fed should be far more concerned about getting the economy moving again. Any move to tighten up monetary policy by raising interest rates would be a serious mistake.
Also: If you read to the end of van Dijk’s piece, you’ll see some thoughts about the price of gold and the idea that — gasp — supply and demand, not a bunch a wily speculators, may actually be driving the commodity’s price.
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Analyst action: Healthways, Pinnacle, Synovus
Posted on October 26, 2009 at 12:46 pm
After Healthways’ big gain following its Q3 report, Stifel Nicolaus analyst Tom Carroll has lowered his rating on the disease manager (Ticker: HWAY) to ‘hold’ from ‘buy.’ The valuation-based call is diametrically opposed to that of Art Henderson at Jefferies, who on Friday upgraded Healthways and raised his target to $20. So far, Carroll is winning: Healthways is down 7 percent today.
At Zacks Investment Research, shares of Pinnacle Financial are now on the ‘exclusive’ list of stocks investors should sell or avoid in the coming months. Pinnacle (Ticker: PNFP) last week reported a larger-than-expected loss.
And in related regional banking news, Wunderlich analyst Kevin Reynolds has some strong words on Synovus Financial Group, the parent of The Bank of Nashville. Reynolds has dropped Synovus to a ’sell’ and slapped a price target of $1.50 on the shares — half the price at the open today. The company last week posted a loss of more than $400 million and its stock (Ticker: SNV) has fallen more than 60 percent this year.
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Tractor Supply breaks technical barrier
Posted on August 14, 2009 at 1:21 pmZacks sees good things ahead for shares of Tractor Supply (Ticker: TSCO) now that the stock has broken through $45.
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Look for TSCO to surprise
Posted on July 21, 2009 at 7:51 amZacks Investment Research says Tractor Supply investors could be in for another treat this week when the company reports Q2 earnings. Shares of the Brentwood-based retailer (Ticker: TSCO) have risen 58 percent in the past year.
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CCA takin’ names
Posted on May 11, 2009 at 2:47 pmZacks analyst Sean Smith says Corrections Corp. (Ticker: CXW) has the upper hand on its main competitors and “is poised to win additional contracts as federal and state needs continue to increase.”
CXW’s business model offers a relatively high level of visibility, with long-term contracts with its state and federal customers. In light of the large amount of uncertainty in the broad market presently, we view this level of visibility favorably.
On an unrelated note, the company also is eliminating about 50 positions at one of its Florida facilities.
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Analyst action: Gaylord, CCA, First Horizon
Posted on April 3, 2009 at 8:20 amWachovia Capital Markets analyst Jeff Donnelly says investors should expect Gaylord to be range-bound after its recent burst from $5 to $9. He has downgraded the stock (Ticker: GET) to ‘market perform.’
Zacks’ Sean Smith says Corrections Corp.’s big federal contract win validates the company’s business model and sets it up for more such deals in the future. He has reitereated his ‘buy’ on the Nashville-baed company’s shares. (Ticker: CXW)
Citigroup has lowered its rating on First Horizon shares (Ticker: FHN) from ‘buy’ to ‘hold.’ The bank’s strong balance sheet is no longer a catalyst for price appreciation, its analysts said.
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Zacks bumps AmSurg to ‘buy’
Posted on March 16, 2009 at 3:20 pmSenior analyst Chris Kallos says the surgery center company has been oversold amid the nervousness over Medicare payments and other health care reform talk. His new price target is $20, more than 20 percent above where the shares (Ticker: AMSG) closed this afternoon.
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Zacks: Hotels holding line on pricing
Posted on at 9:46 amThe investment research firm says occupancy rates show no signs of turning up soon, but hotel operators are doing the right thing by sticking to its room rate guns.
Ultimately, the ability of lodging companies to maintain room rates as much as possible should have the most significant impact on their ability to weather the downturn. Cutting rates meaningfully should be an absolute last ditch effort to survive, because changes in rate have the biggest impact on the bottom line, and are hardest to recoup when the operating environment improves.
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Time to buy CCA
Posted on January 28, 2009 at 2:05 pmSo says Zacks, who consider the stock’s current price an “attractive entry point.” Corrections Corp. shares (Ticker: CXW) are down 47 percent in the past six months.
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Zacks still negative on Tractor Supply
Posted on at 7:58 amDespite the company’s relatively rosy outlook, the research firm continues to emphasize the weak consumer spending environment.
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Another downgrade for Tractor Supply
Posted on January 9, 2009 at 7:48 amZacks analyst Rob Plaza says the company’s earnings multiples will contract in 2009 and has downgraded its shares (Ticker: TSCO) to ’sell.’
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Zacks sees more lean times for restaurants
Posted on December 31, 2008 at 1:07 pmThe consumer will stay at home or settle for a Big Mac for a good while yet, which means the share prices of public chains are headed nowhere for now.
A lot of the near-term pain is baked into the prices. But we think the upturn in sales will come later and be more gradual than investors are anticipating — in the third quarter of 2009 at the earliest.
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