The
Dow (^DJI) closed at its highest level since December 10, 2007, a date previously best known for
Led Zeppelin reuniting to the strains of
Stairway to Heaven.
Highway to Hell has been more like it for
Apple Inc. (AAPL) of late — even after belatedly
agreeing an iTunes deal with AC/DC — and all will be revealed when the tech titan announces earnings after today’s closing bell.
John Boehner actually managed to get through a news conference without blubbering but
No More Tears didn’t do
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) any good, as it slipped 0.74% after reporting results. The House Speaker’s political rival, BlackBerry addicted
President Obama, was just sworn in on a Sunday for the first time since Ronald Reagan, and for once his stock picks actually outperformed the “Teflon President.”
DuPont (DD) gained 1.77% — impressive, but easily bested by
Research In Motion's (RIMM) 13.01% surge to a 13-month high. The high school dropout rate fell to its lowest level since 1976 and, curiously, CliffsNotes owner
John Wiley (JW.A) promptly fell 4.35%. No comment from noted
high school dropout billionaire Richard Branson, whose
Virgin Media (VMED) jumped 1.37% to the best level in its history.
No top-tier economic data due today, but Hump Day of peak earnings week is here.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT),
Amgen (AMGN),
F5 Networks (FFIV),
General Dynamics (GD),
McDonald’s (MCD),
Netflix (NFLX),
Novartis (NVS),
SanDisk (SNDK),
SAP AG (SAP)
Siemens (SI),
Unilever (UN),
United Technologies (UTX),
US Airways (LCC), and
WellPoint (WLP) are all due to report results.
Allot Communications (ALLT): Barclays begins Overweight rated research on the stock.
Cree Inc. (NASDAQ:CREE): The lighting outfit, surging 14.01% before the bell, is picked up at Overweight by Piper Jaffray.
Fidelity National Information Services (FIS): UBS has a fresh Buy, and $42 price objective, on FIS.
Global Eagle Acquisition (EAGL): EAGL is assigned an Outperform recommendation and $13 objective at Imperial Capital, which says it can become the preeminent global distributor of in-flight Internet, movies, and other services.
Harbinger (HRG): Jefferies has a Buy on HRG.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH): The company, a stellar performer since its Initial Public Offering on Friday, is a new Neutral at Nomura.
Starz (STRZA): The stock is started with a Neutral at ISI Group, which has a target price of $17.
Swift Energy (SFY): Canaccord assumes coverage with a Buy and sets a $27 price target.
Workday (WDAY): Shares are a new Neutral at Robert W. Baird, whose target is $55.
(See also:
Stock Downgrades: Ford Hits a Pothole and
Stock Upgrades: Stock Up on Costco.)
No positions in stocks mentioned.
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