Goodrich (GDP) (KWK) (SD) (WLL) (COG) (TRGP) Ratings, Price Targets

Goodrich Petroleum (GDP), Quicksilver Resources (KWK), SandRidge Energy (SD), Whiting Petroleum (WLL), Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) and Targa Resources (TRGP) ratings and price targets.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) initiated coverage on Goodrich Petroleum (GDP). They have a "Neutral" rating on the company.

Citigroup initiated coverage on Quicksilver Resources (KWK). They have a "Neutral" rating on the company.

Citigroup initiated coverage on SandRidge Energy (SD). They have a "Buy" rating on the company.

Citigroup initiated coverage on Whiting Petroleum (WLL). They have a "Buy" rating on the company.

Citigroup initiated coverage on Cabot Oil & Gas (COG). They have a "Buy" rating on the company.

Morgan Keegan initiated coverage on Targa Resources (TRGP). They have an "Outperform" rating and price target of $57.00 on the company.

Cabot (COG) (STBA) (SUSS) (TC) (COLB) (CPSI) Ratings, Price Targets

Cabot Oil & Gas (COG), S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA), Susser Holdings Co. (SUSS), Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. (TC), Columbia Banking (COLB) and Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (CPSI) ratings and price targets.

Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Cabot Oil & Gas (COG). They placed a “Neutral” rating and a price target of $84.00 on the company.

Zacks Investment Research upgraded S&T Bancorp, Inc. (STBA) from a “Neutral” rating to an “Outperform” rating.

Imperial Capital upgraded Susser Holdings Co. (SUSS) to an “outperform” rating.

Stifel Nicolaus lowered its price target on Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. (TC) from $12.00 to $10.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Zacks Investment Research upgraded Columbia Banking (COLB) from a “Neutral” rating to an “Outperform” rating.

Morgan Keegan lowered its price target on Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (CPSI) to $66.00.

Vertex (VRTX) (URBN) (WPI) (CL) (CMA) (COG) Ratings, Price Targets

Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), Watson Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (WPI), Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL), Comerica (CMA) and Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) ratings and price targets.

Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) reiterated its “Buy” on Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN). They have a price target of $31.00 on the company.

Canaccord Genuity lowered its price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) from $43.00 to $33.00. They have a “Hold” rating on the company.

Piper Jaffray (NYSE:PJC) reiterated its “Overweight” on Watson Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (WPI). They have a price target of $78.00 on the company.

Credit Agricole upgraded Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) from a “Sell” rating to an “Underperform” rating.

Sterne Agee reiterated its “Buy” on shares of Comerica (CMA). They have a price target of $35.00 on the company.

Pritchard downgraded Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Chesapeake (CHK) (RA) (PLXT) (REXX) (APEI) (COG) Get New Coverage

Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK), RailAmerica, Inc. (NYSE: RA), PLX Technology Inc (NASDAQ: PLXT), Rex Energy (NASDAQ: REXX), American Public Education (NASDAQ: APEI) and Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE: COG) get new analyst coverage.

Morgan Keegan initiated coverage on RailAmerica, Inc. (RA). They placed an “Outperform” rating and a price target of $20.00 on the company.

Wunderlich initiated coverage on PLX Technology Inc. (PLXT). They placed a “Hold” rating and a price target of $3.50 on the company.

Brean Murray initiated coverage on Rex Energy (REXX). They placed a “Hold” rating on the company.

Wunderlich initiated coverage on American Public Education (APEI). They placed a “Buy” rating and a price target of $54.00 on the company.

Brean Murray initiated coverage on Chesapeake Energy (CHK). They placed a “Buy” rating and a price target of $40.00 on the company.

Brean Murray initiated coverage on Cabot Oil & Gas (COG). They placed a “Buy” rating and a price target of $98.00 on the company.

Kinross (KGC) (RJF) (UPL) (MXIM) (COG) (DEP) Downgraded

Kinross Gold Corporation (NYSE: KGC), Raymond James (NYSE: RJF), Ultra Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: UPL), Maxim Integrated Products Inc. (NASDAQ: MXIM), Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE: COG) and Duncan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: DEP) downgraded by analysts.

Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC) was downgraded by Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) from an “Outperform” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Raymond James (RJF) was downgraded by Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Ultra Petroleum Corp. (UPL) was downgraded by Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE:WFC) from an “Outperform” rating to a “Market Perform” rating.

Maxim Integrated Products Inc. (MXIM) was downgraded by Longbow Research from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) was downgraded by Goldman Sachs from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating.

Duncan Energy Partners L.P. (DEP) was downgraded by Ladenburg Thalmann from a “Buy” rating to a “Neutral” rating. They have a price target $44.00 on the company.

Apple (AAPL) (COG) (GOOG) (JPM) (WYNN) EPS Estimates Raised

Apple, Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE: COG), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN) EPS estimates raised by analysts.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) boosted its EPS estimate on Apple (AAPL). They have a “buy” rating and a price target of $500.00 on the company.

Jefferies raised its EPS estimate on Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE: COG). They have a “buy” rating and a price target of $85.00 on the company.

Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) raised its EPS estimate on Google Inc. (GOOG). They have an "outperform” rating and a price target of $700.00 on the company.

Barclays Capital increased its EPS estimate on JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). They have an “Overweight” rating and a price target of $60.00 on the company.

Jefferies raised its EPS estimate on Wynn Resorts, Limited (WYNN). They have a “buy” rating and a price target of $189.00 on the company.

Cabot (COG) Jumps on Marcellus Gas Production

Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. (NYSE:COG) was the top performer in the S&P 500 Wednesday, closing up over 7 percent on reports of strong natural gas production at its Marcellus shale projects.

The company said it generated over 400 million cubic feet per day of natural gas production from the fields after it upgraded a compressor station. Before that production came in at 310 million cubic feet a day.

Also helping the company, as well as most of the energy sector, was the boost in oil prices, as light sweet crude oil for July delivery climbed $1.73 to settle at $101.32 a barrel and July Brent crude was up $2.40 to settle at $114.93.

The U.S. Department of Energy also released a report saying U.S. commercial crude inventories rose 600,000 barrels in the week ended May 20, significantly beating the 1.3 million barrel fall in crude stocks projected.

Cabot closed Wednesday at $57.25, gaining $3.78, or 7.07 percent.

Ex-Dividend for (ACV) (APOG) (BTU) (COG) (CSV) is May 13

The ex-dividend date for Alberto Culver Company (ACV), Apogee Enterprises (APOG), Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU), Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) and Carriage Services Inc. (CSV) is May 13.

Alberto Culver Company (ACV) has a dividend of $0.09 and a yield of 0.91 percent.

Apogee Enterprises (APOG) has a dividend of $0.08 and a yield of $0.53 percent.

Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) has a dividend of $0.09 and a yield of 0.53 percent.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) has a dividend of $0.03 and a yield of 0.23 percent.

Carriage Services Inc. (CSV) has a dividend of $0.03 and a yield of 1.54 percent.

Dividend Yields for (HP) (MEE) (RRC) (COG) (EP)

Indicated dividend yields for Standard & Poor's 500 Index companies Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP), Massey Energy Co (MEE), Range Resources Corp (RRC), Cabot Oil & Gas Corp (COG) and El Paso Corp (EP).

These dividend data indicate dividend yields of companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index as of Saturday, April 30. The yield is determined by taking the latest declared dividend, annualized and divided by the price of the stock. Payout ratios are calculated based on latest quarterly dividend paid divided by earnings.

Helmerich & Payne Inc (HP) has a dividend yield of 0.36 percent on a declared dividend of $0.06. The payout ratio is 6.5 percent.

Massey Energy Co (MEE) has a dividend yield of 0.35 percent on a declared dividend of $0.06. The payout ratio is na.

Range Resources Corp (RRC) has a dividend yield of 0.28 percent on a declared dividend of $0.04. The payout ratio is 69.3 percent.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp (COG) has a dividend yield of 0.21 percent on a declared dividend of $0.03. The payout ratio is 24.2 percent.

El Paso Corp (EP) has a dividend yield of 0.21 percent on a declared dividend of $0.01. The payout ratio is 11.3 percent.

Price Targets on (BIDU) (ARW) (CBT) (CEVA) (CFR) Raised

Price Targets Baidu.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW), Cabot Co. (NYSE: CBT), Ceva Inc (NASDAQ: CEVA) and Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE: CFR) raised by analysts.

Miller Tabak raised their price target on Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW) from $50.00 to $54.00.

Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Baidu.com, Inc. (BIDU) from $144.00 to $172.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) raised their price target on Cabot Co. (CBT) from $44.00 to $50.00. They have a “neutral” rating on the company.

RBC Capital raised their price target on Ceva Inc (CEVA) from $24.00 to $28.00. They have a “sector perform” rating on the company.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (CFR) from $63.00 to $64.00.

Cabot Oil & Gas (COG), Range Resources (RRC), Chesapeake Energy (CHK), EOG Resources (EOG), Console Energy (CNX) Led the S&P 500

Stocks fell for the second straight session as continued violence in Libya fueled concerns about oil disruptions in the Middle East, sending oil prices up to two-and-a-half-year highs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 107 points, or 0.9%, at 12,106. The S&P 500 finished lower by 8 points, or 0.6%, at 1,307, and the Nasdaq shed 33 points, or 1.2%, at 2,722.

The energy sector showed the mildest losses during Wednesday's session, with Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM) trading at the top of the Dow along with Kraft Foods (KFT).

Market sentiment was bearish, with 61%, of shares trading on the New York Stock Exchange ending in the red while 36% advanced. Volume on the NYSE was 1.1 billion shares while 2.3 billion shares changed hands on the Nasdaq.




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Cabot Oil & Gas (COG), Herbalife (HLF), Endologix (ELGX) Chico’s (CHS) All Move Up Big

Cabot Oil & Gas (COG), Herbalife (HLF), Endologix (ELGX) Chico’s (CHS) were among the biggest market movers today, as far as in positive territory, all on beating earnings estimates or upgrading estimates.

Cabot Oil & Gas jumped the most in the S&P 500, rising 12 percent to $44.71. The natural gas producer reported fourth-quarter sales of $216.9 million, beating the average analyst estimate of $212.4 million. Raymond James also upgraded the stock from “underperform" to “market perform.”

Endologix climbed the most in the Russell 2000 Index, soaring 22 percent to $6.69. The maker of medical devices said that it had net income of 15 cents a share in the fourth quarter. That was far above the estimated loss of 1 cent a share analysts were looking for.

Chico’s increased 9 percent to $13.14 after climbing as high as $13.30 earlier. FBR Capital Markets said the women’s clothing retailer expects to earn more than $1 a share this year, above FBR’s estimate of 86 cents.

Herbalife was up 6 percent, climbing to $74.02 after rising to $76.27 earlier. The seller of nutritional and weight-loss supplements projected a first-quarter profit of a minimum of $1.17 a share, above the average analyst estimate of $1.10.

Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE:COG) Held Back by Permit Issues

Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE:COG) has a large number of wells ready to be drilled in 2011, with 54 on the horizon, and another 8 in the pipeline. Thirty more are closed to being completed.

They're struggling because of difficulty in relationship to permits, but once that's resolved, should have a big increase in production.

Jefferies rates them as a "Buy" now, while raising their price target on them.

Concerning shale, the firm stated, "Marcellus production could easily top 300 mmcf/d by the end of next year (from -200 mmcf/d currently). Thus, we are modeling a 27% overall production in 2011 versus management indication of a minimum of 20% increase."

Cabot was trading at $35.70, gaining $1.28, or 3.72 percent at 1:14 PM EST. Jefferies has a price target of $42 on them, increasing it from $35. Earnings for full year 2011 was also raised from $0.10 to $0.60.