PulseCheck Update: Blockbuster on Life Support. Does anybody not invested in Blockbuster in some way believe the company will survive as an independent chain of standalone video stores? The company's options continue to narrow after its announcement that it may need to seek bankruptcy protection, as we reported earlier this week. 
Share:  PulseCheck Update: <span class="company">Blockbuster</span> on Life Support. Does anybody not invested in <span class="company">Blockbuster</span> in some way believe the company will survive as an independent chain of standalone video stores? The company's options continue to narrow after its announcement that it may need to seek bankruptcy protection, as we reported earlier this week. Tweet this 

Fast Food Breakfasts Feeding McDonald's Bottom Line. As McDonald's Corporation (MCD)continues to deliver impressive results in a difficult economy we are pleased to offer a complimentary download of relevant excerpts from Plunkett Research's Food Industry Almanac. The Almanac also features a spotlight on Wal Mart (WMT) and covers topics such as organic and "functional" foods, ethanol and the growing use of RFID technology. 
Share:  Fast Food Breakfasts Feeding <span class="company">McDonald</span>'s Bottom Line. As <span class="company">McDonald</span>'s Corporation (MCD)continues to deliver impressive results in a difficult economy we are pleased to offer a complimentary download of relevant excerpts from Plunkett Research's Food Industry Almanac. The Almanac also features a spotlight on Wal Mart (WMT) and covers topics such as organic and "functional" foods, ethanol and the growing use of RFID technology. Tweet this 

Boston Scientific (BSX) fell the most in 17 months on Monday after the company's announcement it had stopped shipment and is retrieving inventory of all of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators in the US. The latest bad news is Goldman Sachs' decision to place BSX on its Conviction Sell list. Goldman previously had the company at Neutral. 
Share:  Boston Scientific (<span class="company">BSX</span>) fell the most in 17 months on Monday after the company's announcement it had stopped shipment and is retrieving inventory of all of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators in the US. The latest bad news is Goldman Sachs' decision to place <span class="company">BSX</span> on its Conviction Sell list. Goldman previously had the company at Neutral. Tweet this 

Research Roundup: Citigroup Out of ICU. Citigroup (C) has been on a roll this week, sparked off on Tuesday by CreditSights‘ upgrading of the company's stock and debt to Overweight. As TheStreet.com reports, CreditSights termed Citi's stock a "screaming bargain" and declared Citigroup "back from the brink and back in business.". CreditSights' comments were followed by a bullish interview of Vikram Pandit in the Financial Times : … the Citi chief claims to have the formula that could take the company from last year's $8bn loss to, if you follow his maths, as much as $20bn in earnings from its core business by 2012. 
Share:  Research Roundup: <span class="company">Citigroup</span> Out of ICU. <span class="company">Citigroup</span> (C) has been on a roll this week, sparked off on Tuesday by CreditSights‘ upgrading of the company's stock and debt to Overweight. As TheStreet.com reports, CreditSights termed Citi's stock a "screaming bargain" and declared <span class="company">Citigroup</span> "back from the brink and back in business.". CreditSights' comments were followed by a bullish interview of Vikram Pandit in the Financial Times : … the Citi chief claims to have the formula that could take the company from last year's $8bn loss to, if you follow his maths, as much as $20bn in earnings from its core business by 2012. Tweet this 

There are some notable exceptions to the negative rating outlook among regional banks including U. S. Bancorp (USB), PNC Financial Services (PNC) and New York Community Bank (NYB). These three banks carry stable rating outlooks owing to better than average asset quality and a comparatively healthier financial outlook. Generally, the regional banks are more susceptible to further downgrades than the larger institutions, given their concentration in traditional lending activities and greater exposure to commercial real estate (CRE) losses. 
Share:  There are some notable exceptions to the negative rating outlook among regional banks including U. S. Bancorp (<span class="company">USB</span>), PNC Financial Services (PNC) and New York Community Bank (NYB). These three banks carry stable rating outlooks owing to better than average asset quality and a comparatively healthier financial outlook. Generally, the regional banks are more susceptible to further downgrades than the larger institutions, given their concentration in traditional lending activities and greater exposure to commercial real estate (CRE) losses. Tweet this 

In our last roundup of analyst comments at Alacra Pulse on , Netflix (NFLX) had just been downgraded by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Susquehanna Financial and Kaufman Bros. Now Cannaccord Adams has initiated coverage with a buy rating and a price target of $85. ". We remain confident that the company can benefit from aggressive new subscriber adds due to the digital transition as the majority of new web enabled CE devices come with Netflix preloaded. 
Share:  In our last roundup of analyst comments at Alacra Pulse on , Netflix (<span class="company">NFLX</span>) had just been downgraded by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Susquehanna Financial and Kaufman Bros. Now Cannaccord Adams has initiated coverage with a buy rating and a price target of $85. ". We remain confident that the company can benefit from aggressive new subscriber adds due to the digital transition as the majority of new web enabled CE devices come with Netflix preloaded. Tweet this 

We lowered the corporate credit rating on Western Refining Inc (WNR). (Western) to ‘B' from ‘B+' and placed the rating on CreditWatch with negative. implications. 
Share:  We lowered the corporate credit rating on Western Refining Inc (<span class="company">WNR</span>). (Western) to ‘B' from ‘B+' and placed the rating on CreditWatch with negative. implications. Tweet this 

Research Roundup: First Solar Losing its Shine? First Solar (FSLR), once the darling of the clean energy world, appears to be falling out of favor. Today the stock was downgraded to Underweight by JPMorgan, which also slashed its price target to $85 from $140. 
Share:  Research Roundup: <span class="company">First Solar</span> Losing its Shine? <span class="company">First Solar</span> (FSLR), once the darling of the clean energy world, appears to be falling out of favor. Today the stock was downgraded to Underweight by JPMorgan, which also slashed its price target to $85 from $140. Tweet this 

Noted bank analyst Dick Bove today lowered his price target for Goldman Sachs , due to expected lower first quarter trading activity. Standard & Poor's believes securities related businesses at big banks will continue to perform well in 2010, albeit below the highly robust levels of early 2009. We are pleased to offer a complimentary download of S&P's Industry Report Card on the topic. 
Share:  Noted bank analyst Dick Bove today lowered his price target for <span class="company">Goldman Sachs</span> , due to expected lower first quarter trading activity. Standard & Poor's believes securities related businesses at big banks will continue to perform well in 2010, albeit below the highly robust levels of early 2009. We are pleased to offer a complimentary download of S&P's Industry Report Card on the topic. Tweet this 

As European telecoms companies face the prospect of more cost cutting as their margins get squeezed, we are pleased to offer a complimentary download of  Wright Investors' Service's analysis of BT Group (BT.A) . Selected highlights: On the £21.39 billion in sales reported by the company in 2009, the cost of services sold totalled £9.10 billion, or 42.5% of sales (i.e., the gross profit was 57.5% of sales). This gross profit margin is very slightly better than the company achieved in 2008, when cost of services sold totalled 42.8% of sales. 
Share:  As European telecoms companies face the prospect of more cost cutting as their margins get squeezed, we are pleased to offer a complimentary download of  Wright Investors' Service's analysis of <span class="company">BT Group</span> (BT.A) . Selected highlights: On the £21.39 billion in sales reported by the company in 2009, the cost of services sold totalled £9.10 billion, or 42.5% of sales (i.e., the gross profit was 57.5% of sales). This gross profit margin is very slightly better than the company achieved in 2008, when cost of services sold totalled 42.8% of sales. Tweet this