Broader Markets Set To Open Strong
Stocks appear set to open higher
Tuesday, exactly one week before the Christmas Holiday.
Veeco Instruments
(
VECO |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) said
that the company’s DVD recording and editing application will be part of the
Dell
(
DELL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) bundling of PCs.
Cepheid
(
CPHD |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) rolled out and delivered
the prototype GeneXpert DNA detection system to the U.S. Army Medical Research
Institute of Infectious Diseases. The system was developed using Department of
Defense funding.
UBS Warburg downgraded Neurocrine
Biosciences
(
NBIX |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) from Strong Buy to Buy due to current valuation, but
raised its price target to $62 from $58.
Solectron
(
SLR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) posted Q1 earnings
of 5 cents a share, in line with analysts’ estimates and lower than earnings for
the same quarter a year ago of 31 cents. Sales for the company fell 44.6% to
$3.15 billion, outpacing analysts’ estimates of $2.985 billion.
Merrill Lynch upgraded Waddell
Reed
(
WDR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) from Buy to Strong Buy.
Interlogix Inc.
(
ILXI |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) has agreed
to be acquired by GE Industrial Systems
(
GE |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) for $38.86/share in a cash (50%)
and stock (50%) deal.
KOS Pharmaceuticals
(
KOSP |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
received final approval from the FDA to market the company’s Advicor tablets.
Lennar Corp.
(
LEN |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) said that Q4
earnings will beat First Call estimates of $1.81 a share. The homebuilder sees
earnings outpacing estimates by more than 25%.
DB Alex Brown is cautious on
semiconductor equipment makers.
Jefferies & Company downgraded
video game maker Electronic Arts
(
ERTS |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) from Buy to Hold.
Morgan Stanley re-initiated coverage
on GlobeSpan
(
GSPN |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) with a Strong Buy rating and a price target of $35.
Specialty retailer Pier 1 Imports
(
PIR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
posted Q3 earnings of 26 cents a share, which was in line with analysts’ estimates
and outpacing earnings from the same quarter a year ago by 2 cents.