Net Sales Increase of 4.6 Percent to $284 Million

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Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (RDEN)

F1Q09 Earnings Call

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Filed under: Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Analyst initiations

Analyst upgrades:

• Axys Tech (NASDAQ: AXYS) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Morgan Joseph based on valuation.
  
• Elizabeth Arden (NASDAQ: RDEN) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Wedbush on valuation and the success of the company's Viva La Juicy launch.

Analyst downgrades:

• Keefe Bruyette downgraded Greenhill & Co. (NYSE: GHL) and Evercore Partners (NYSE: EVR) to Market Perform from Outperform on valuation and lowered its estimates to reflect slower than initially expected M&A advisory transactions. Greenhill's target was lowered to $66 from $72 and Evercore's was cut to $14.50 from $16.
  
• Collins Stewart downgraded shares of Thermage (NASDAQ: THRM) to Hold from Buy following the Reliant acquisition to reflect integration and balance sheet concerns.

Analyst initiations:

• Roth Capital views American Oriental (NYSE: AOB) as a cash-rich, multi-faceted pharmaceutical company that is well equipped to handle unforeseen changes in China's Health care market. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating and $10 target.
  
• Jesup & Lamont believes Bristow Group (NYSE: BRS) is well positioned in current downturn as the majority of its business is in production platforms and drilling rigs. The firm started shares with a Buy rating and $37 target.
  
• Barrington initiated BWAY Holding (NYSE: BWY) with an Outperform rating and $9 target. The firm believes the company is an early cycle business that should benefit from cost reduction activity.
• Grand Canyon (NASDAQ: LOPE) was assumed with a Buy rating and $21 target at Piper Jaffray.

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: AXYS, RDEN, GHL, AOB, BWY ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Earnings reports, Estee Lauder (EL), Revlon (REV), Procter and Gamble (PG), Technical Analysis, Stocks to Buy

Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE: EL) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. These are sold in over 140 countries under a variety of established brands, including Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, American Beauty and Grassroots. The firm also operates as a licensee for such fragrance and cosmetic names as Tommy Hilfiger, Kiton, Donna Karan, Daisy Fuentes and Mustang. Estée Lauder sells its products through department stores, specialty retailers, pharmacies and salons, as well as company-owned stores, spas and Web sites. Elizabeth Arden (NASDAQ: RDEN), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Revlon (NYSE: REV) are major competitors.

The firm pleased investors earlier in the month, when it reported fiscal Q4 EPS of 61 cents and revenues of $2.01 billion. Analysts had been looking for 56 cents and $1.93 billion. The CEO noted that strategic investments have enabled the company to continue building worldwide share, as it leverages opportunities in emerging markets. Management also guided Q1 EPS to 18-25 cents (24 cent consensus), FY09 EPS to $2.57-$2.72 ($2.66 consensus) and FY09 revenues to about $8.38-$8.54 billion ($8.38B consensus).

Continue reading Estée Lauder Companies (EL): Price cycles in bullish 'flag'

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Filed under: Earnings reports, Forecasts, Economic data

Even with the stimulus checks, retail sales numbers for June and July have been nothing to cheer about. And this coming week should provide another look at how things have been shaping up in the apparel and accessories arena. A number of companies are scheduled to release quarterly numbers, from upscale retailer Nordstrom to the parent of discounter TJ Maxx, from hipster Urban Outfitters to global giant Wal-Mart. Here's a look at what Wall Street is anticipating.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect the following to report strong earnings growth when compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN): $0.30 EPS (+36.7%) on revenue of $448.5 million (+28.7%)
• Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. (NYSE: EL): $0.56 EPS (+19.6%) on revenue of $1.9 billion (+9.4%)
• TJX Cos. Inc. (NYSE: TJX): $0.46 EPS (+17.4%) on revenue of $4.6 billion (+6.8%)
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL): $0.25 EPS (+16%) on revenue of $346.8 million (+13.2%)
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT): $0.84 EPS (+14.3%) on revenue of $101.7 billion (+9.3%)
• Elizabeth Arden Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEN): $0.22 EPS (+9.1%) on revenue of $237.6 million (-2.1/%)
• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF): $0.93 EPS (+5.4%) on revenue of $872 million (+8.4%)

Continue reading The week in preview: Wal-Mart profits expected to rise, JCPenney's to fall

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Filed under: Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Chicago Merc Exch Hld'A' (CME)

MOST NOTEWORTHY: S1 Corp, CME Group and Elizabeth Arden were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Stephens upgraded shares of S1 Corp (NASDAQ: SONE) to Overweight from Equal Weight after meeting with management to reflect their increased confidence in the company's ability to execute. The firm maintains a $9 target on the stock.
  
• Citigroup upgraded shares of CME Group (NYSE: CME) to Buy from Hold as they find the risk/reward attractive with volumes picking up and consensus estimates at more rational levels. The firm maintains a $485 target.
  
• Oppenheimer raised Elizabeth Arden (NASDAQ: RDEN) to Outperform from Perform on valuation, as they believe the current share price does not adequately reflect potential earnings accretion from the company's licensing agreement with Liz Claiborne (NYSE: LIZ) or restructuring savings.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Double Hull Tankers (NYSE: DHT) was raised to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
  
• Hovnanian (NYSE: HOV) was upgraded at UBS to Neutral from UBS.
  
• BMO Capital upgraded Xyratex (NASDAQ: XRTX) to Outperform from Market Perform.

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Major indices closed up the week here the details:
Nasdaq 2%
Dow Jones 1,3%
S&P 500 1,1%

Here The Weekly Movers:

GAINERS
NetManage, Inc. (NETM)
Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT)
PC Connection, Inc. (PCCC)
Giant Interactive Group Inc (GA)
Morningstar, Inc. (MORN)
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (WWY)
LOSERS
Guaranty Financial Group Inc. (GFG)
Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (RDEN)
Capital Corp. of the West (CCOW)
Cirrus Logic, Inc. (CRUS)
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (USA) (RBA)
Headwaters Incorporated (HW)

Tom Dorsey and Tammy Derosier have a discussions about Options