Morgan Stanley (MS) announced that it lost $11 million, or 6 cents pers share in its most recent fiscal quarter, versus a profit of $736 million, or 50 cents per share, in the same period last year. Excluding the debt valuation adjustment, the company earned $1.4 billion, or 71 cents per share.
Upgrade Alert for Domino’s Pizza (DPZ)Domino’s Pizza (NYSE:DPZ) was upgraded from Neutral to Buy at Miller Tabak today. The stock closed yesterday at $35.69 on volume of 859,000 shares, below average daily volume of 915,000.In the past 52 weeks, Domino’s Pizza share prices have been bracketed by a low of $17.75 and a high of $42.21 and closed yesterday at $35.69, 101% above that low price. Over the past week, the 200-day moving average (MA) has gone up 0.5% while the 50-day MA has advanced 0.4%.Domino’s Pizza (NYSE:DPZ) has potential upside of 10.2% based on a current price of $35.69 and analysts’ consensus price target of $39.33. The stock should hit resistance at its 50-day moving average (MA) of $36.26, as well as support at its 200-day MA of $31.30.
In trading on Thursday, biotechnology shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 2.2%. Leading the group were shares of Human Genome Sciences (HGSI), up about 101.9% and shares of Anthera Pharmaceuticals (ANTH) up about 15.2% on the day.
Verizon (VZ) announced that it earned $1.69 billion or 59 cents per share for its most recent fiscal quarter, beating Wall Street estimates of 58 cents per share. In the same period last year, the company earned $1.44 billion, or 51 cents per share.
Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL) was upgraded from Market Perform to Strong Buy at Raymond James today. The stock closed yesterday at $23.22 on volume of 8.0 million shares, above average daily volume of 3.3 million.Toll Brothers share prices have moved between a 52-week high of $25.29 and a 52-week low of $13.16 and closed yesterday at 76% above that low price at $23.22 per share. The 200-day and 50-day moving averages have moved 0.17% higher and 0.22% higher over the past week, respectively.There is potential upside of 14.1% for shares of Toll Brothers based on a current price of $23.22 and an average consensus analyst price target of $26.50. The stock should find resistance at its 50-day moving average (MA) of $23.53, as well as support at its 200-day MA of $19.89.
Unit Corp (NYSE:UNT) was downgraded from Strong Buy to Market Perform at Raymond James today. The stock closed yesterday at $40.37 on volume of 393,000 shares, above average daily volume of 289,000.Over the past year, Unit Corp has traded in a range of $33.56 to $63.58 and closed yesterday at $40.39, 20% above that low. Over the past week, the 200-day moving average (MA) has gone down 0.5% while the 50-day MA has declined 0.6%.Potential upside of 54.7% exists for Unit Corp, based on a current level of $40.39 and analysts’ average consensus price target of $62.50. The stock should run into initial resistance at its 50-day moving average (MA) of $45.75 and subsequent resistance at its 200-day MA of $47.71.
Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA) was downgraded from Buy to Neutral at Mizuho today. The stock closed yesterday at $32.26 on volume of 757,000 shares, above average daily volume of 328,000.Potential upside of 20.3% exists for Synaptics, based on a current level of $32.26 and analysts’ average consensus price target of $38.80. Synaptics shares should encounter resistance at the 50-day moving average (MA) of $36.44 and support at its 200-day MA of $30.56.In the past 52 weeks, shares of Synaptics have traded between a low of $21.97 and a high of $39.89 and closed yesterday at $32.26, which is 47% above that low price. In the last five trading sessions, the 50-day moving average (MA) has fallen 0.9% while the 200-day MA has risen 0.4%.
Ahead of upcoming meetings of G20 finance ministers and the semi-annual gathering of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the U.S. is playing a central role in helping Europe- and any suggestion to the contrary is wrong.
Walter Energy (WLT) was initiated today with a buy rating by Bank of America/Merrill Lynch (BAC) with a price target of $75, as the company is less exposed to energy price fluctuations than its peers. Shares are higher by about 1.4 percent.
Goldman Sachs (GS) today had its estimates and price target increased to $150 by UBS through 2013. A buy rating was issued with a price target of $150.
