Price Targets on (ABMD) (ANF) (ANN) (CCM) Updated

Price targets on shares of Abiomed (NASDAQ: ABMD), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE: ANN) and Concord Medical Services Holding Ltd (NYSE: CCM) were updated by analysts.

Wunderlich raised their price target on Abiomed (ABMD) to $24.00.

Wedbush raised their price target on Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) to $82.00.

UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) raised their price target on AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (ANN) from $34.00 to $37.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) cut their price target on Concord Medical Services Holding Ltd (CCM) to $7.00.

Price Targets on (VRTX) (VRX) (WFMI) (SINA) Updated by Analysts

Price Targets on Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX), Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX), Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) and Sina (NASDAQ: SINA) were updated by analysts.

Dawson James raised their price target on Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) from $48.00 to $67.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

RBC Capital raised their price target on Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) from $46.00 to $51.00. They have an “outperform” rating on the company.

Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) raised their price target on Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFMI) from $47.00 to $50.00. They have an “underperform” rating on the company.

Susquehanna raised their price target on Sina (SINA) from $99.00 to $136.00.

Price Targets on (CPN) (CRI) (EGLE) (ETR) (FLIR) Updated by Analysts

Calpine (NYSE: CPN), Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE: CRI), Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc (NASDAQ: EGLE), Entergy Corp. (NYSE: ETR) and FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) get price targets updated today by analysts.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) raised their price target on Calpine (CPN) from $18.75 to $19.50.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) raised their price target on Carter’s, Inc. (CRI) from $30.00 to $33.00. They have a “hold” rating on the company.

Citigroup cut their price target on Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc (EGLE) from $4.50 to $4.00.

Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) cut their price target on Entergy Corp. (ETR) from $73.00 to $70.00. They have a “hold” rating on the company.

Needham & Company raised their price target on FLIR Systems, Inc. (FLIR) from $35.00 to $42.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

Pentair (PNR) (NSC) (ODFL) (PH) (PMTC) Price Targets Adjusted

Price targets on Pentair, Inc. (NYSE: PNR), Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC), Old Dominion (NASDAQ: ODFL), Parker-Hannifin Co. (NYSE: PH) and Parametric (NASDAQ: PMTC) adjusted by analysts.

FBR Capital raised their price target on Pentair, Inc. (PNR) from $38.00 to $41.00. They have a “market perform” rating on the company.

Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) raised their price target on Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC) from $78.00 to $79.00.

Deutsche Bank raised their price target on Old Dominion (ODFL) from $40.00 to $44.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

MKM Partners cut their price target on Parker-Hannifin Co. (PH) from $105.00 to $102.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

Longbow Research raised their price target on Parametric (PMTC) from $26.00 to $28.00. They have a “buy” rating on the company.

Hess (HES) (HGIC) (EQIX) (GLW) (FTNT) Price Targets Adjusted

Price targets on Hess Corp (NYSE: HES), Harleysville Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HGIC), Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX), Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) and Fortinet, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT) adjusted by analysts.

Kaufman Brothers raised their price target on Equinix, Inc. (EQIX) from $83.00 to $85.00. They have a “hold” rating on the company.

RBC Capital raised their price target on Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) from $44.00 to $48.00. They have an “outperform” rating on the company.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) raised their price target on Corning Inc. (GLW) to $25.00. They have a “neutral” rating on the company.

Oppenheimer raised their price target on Hess Corp (HES) from $84.00 to $94.00. They have an “outperform” rating on the company.

RBC Capital cut their price target on Harleysville Group Inc. (HGIC) from $37.00 to $35.00. They have a “sector perform” rating on the company.

Medifast (MED) (ATHN) (GRT) LXRX) - New Ratings and Price Targets

New ratings and price targets on Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED), AthenaHealth (NASDAQ: ATHN), Glimcher Realty Trust (NYSE: GRT) and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: LXRX).

Oppenheimer initiated coverage on AthenaHealth (ATHN). They placed an “Underperform” rating and a price target of $30.00 on the firm.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) initiated coverage on Glimcher Realty Trust (GRT). They placed a “Neutral” rating on the stock.

Wedbush initiated coverage on Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (LXRX). They placed an “Outperform” rating and a price target of $3.00 on the company.

Capstone initiated coverage on Medifast, Inc. (MED). They placed a “Buy” rating on the shares.

Agilent (A) (ABFS) (BBBY) (EFII) (HXL) PTs Changed

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A), Arkansas Best Corp (NASDAQ: ABFS), Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY), Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFII) and Hexcel Co. (NYSE: HXL) all had their price targets adjusted Tuesday, April 26, with all but Arkansas Best Corp. getting a boost from analysts.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) raised its price target on Agilent Technologies Inc. (A) from $55.00 to $56.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the company.

Piper Jaffray cut its price target on Arkansas Best Corp (ABFS) from $27.00 to $25.00. They have a “Neutral” rating on the firm.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) raised its price target on Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) from $62.00 to $65.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the them.

Brean Murray boosted its price target on Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFII) from $18.00 to $23.00. They have a “Buy” rating on EFII.

Jefferies increased their price target Hexcel Co. (HXL) to $22.00. They have a “Hold” rating on the HXL.

Hecla (HL) (PCL) (PGN) PTs Boosted on April 26

Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL), Plum Creek Timber Co. (NYSE: PCL) and Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) all had their price targets raised on April 26.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) raised its price target on Hecla Mining (HL) from $12.00 to $13.00. They have a “Buy” rating on Hecla.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc boosted its price target on Plum Creek Timber Co. (PCL) to $40.00. They have a “Market Perform” rating on Plum.

Jefferies increased their price target on Progress Energy (PGN) from $47.50 to $48.00.

WESCO (WCC) (WFT) (HON) (ESV) Price Target Changes

Price targets on WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), Weatherford (NYSE: WFT), Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) and ENSCO PLC (NYSE: ESV) were changed on April 25th, with analysts weighing in on the up and downside of the movements.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) boosted their price target on WESCO International, Inc. from $69.00 to $70.00.

Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) cut their price target on Weatherford from $28.00 to $26.00. They have a “Buy” rating on the stock.

Oppenheimer raised their price target on Honeywell International Inc. from $68.00 to $73.00. They have an “Outperform” rating on the stock.

Jefferies raised their price target on ENSCO PLC from $64.00 to $67.00. They have a “Buy” rating on ENSCO.

PG&E (PCG) Upgraded by Credit Suisse (CS)

Shares of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) were upgraded by Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) from "Neutral" to "Outperform," citing the headwinds facing the company have been identified and at the current price are overstated, as they see limited fundamental downside going forward.

Credit Suisse says shares of PCG are trading cheap to its peers at this time, considering the company's 7%+ rate base growth, earnings visibility with decoupling, forward rates and cost of capital set through 2012, a 2013 ROE reset to 10.5%, limited risk to Diablo Canyon, and realistic outcomes from San Bruno are not that negative.

They have a EPS estimate for 2011-2013 of $3.73, $3.92, and $3.74.

PG&E Corporation were trading at $44.71, down $0.15, or 0.35 percent, as of 12:10 PM EDT. The price target on the company was boosted from $45 to $50 by Credit Suisse.

Citigroup (C) Gets "Buy" Rating from Sterne Agee

Citing the strong balance sheet of Citigroup (NYSE:C), Sterne Agee analyst Todd Hagerman initiated coverage on the giant bank with a "Buy" rating on Friday.

Hagerman said Citigroup "continues to steadily improve its capital flexibility with the steady reduction in non-core assets and re-allocation of capital towards higher return, better growth business"

As for his take on Citigroup and emerging markets, he said the company gets an "outsized contribution from emerging markets and Asia," accounting for close to 60 percent of the company's revenue.

Citigroup was trading at $4.60, up $0.02, or 0.44 percent, as of 12:30 PM EDT. Hagerman has a price target of $6 a share on Citi.

Intel (INTC) Drops on Earnings Cut

Shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) dropped today after FBR Capital Markets slashed its earnings per share estimates on the in the first quarter from 51 cents a share to 48 cents a share.

Concerns over the impact of growing tablet sales on PCs and notebooks were the impetus behind the earnings being lowered, according to FBR.

Sales of Sandy Bridge also appear to be weaker than expected, putting pressure on Intel.

Intel was trading down at $20.01, falling $0.45, or 2.20 percent, as of 12:36 PM EDT. FBR also dropped its price target on Intel from $27 to $25 a share.

Stern Killing Sirius (SIRI) with Lawsuit?

Shares of Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ:SIRI) are falling out of favor, and the recent lawsuit against the company by Howard Stern could put another nail in the coffin of the company.

One analyst slashed his price target on Sirius and downgraded the company from "Buy" to "Hold" on the news of the lawsuit.

Wunderlich Securities analyst Matthew Harrigan concluded the stock's current price "likely cannot accommodate the uncertainty engendered by the suit - even if it ends up being meritless."

That speaks of high valuation and fragility as to the company growing in an increasingly challenging economic environment that is changing so quickly it's impossible to make solid conclusions concerning the prospects of a company; especially one so dependent on another industry to be successful, as Sirius is with the auto industry, which is under even more pressure after the earthquake in Japan.

Concerning the lawsuit, Sirius said it was "surprised and disappointed" by it.

Harrigan cut his price target on Sirius from $2 a share to $1.65. Sirius closed Wednesday at $1.669, down $0.036, or 2.11 percent.

IBM (IBM) Downgraded on Growth Challenges

With the share price of IBM (NYSE:IBM) having the potential to reach levels which would be highest in 15 years when measured against the overall tech sector Sanford Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi cut his rating on the company from "Outperform" to "Market Perform."

He said at his price target ($173), the shares of IBM would be at their "highest level versus the technology sector in over 15 years.”

Sacconaghi added that, "In Q4, IBM reported record signings of $22.1B, up 18% YoY and well above consensus estimates of $18B-$19B. While we are encouraged by IBM’s strong signings, IBM did benefit from three very large deals during the quarter, including its first $1B+ signings since Q406. Longer- term, we remain cautious about the secular attractiveness and sustainable growth rate of outsourcing, and note that revenue growth over the last 4 years have been very modest among major domestic players."

IBM was trading at $153.62, falling $5.40, or 3.40 percent, as of 12:25 PM EDT.

Potash (POT) Price Target Lowered by Credit Suisse (CS)

Making adjustments to reflect the recent three-for-one stock split of Potash Corp. (NYSE:POT), Credit Suisse lowered their price target on the giant fertilizer company.

Credit Suisse said, "Our 2011 EPS estimate goes from US$9.63 to US$3.21, our 2012 EPS estimate goes from US$10.50 to US$3.50, and our 2013 EPS estimate goes from US$10.77 to US$3.59.

"We are adjusting our target price from US$189 to US$60."

Concerning the recent price increase implemented by Potash, Credit Suisse noted, "The potash markets remain extremely tight, and price increases are rising at a faster pace than we expected. Over the past week, POT announced a U.S. domestic price increase of US$45/short ton to US$560/ton that will take effect immediately. While we have not yet modeled in this latest price increase, we believe there is a strong likelihood that it goes through. Our channel checks indicate that there continue to be delays in domestic potash deliveries while some distributors are showing interest in booking summer volumes at this time.

"Meanwhile, in offshore markets, BPC recently announced a US$50/ton price increase to US$520-530/ton to take effect for May deliveries. Indian potash contracts have yet to be settled, but given rising spot prices, we expect Indian prices to settle well above our US$420/ton forecast for a 12-month contract."

Potash closed in New York at $61.60, gaining $1.60, or 2.67 percent.

Citigroup (C) Bearish on First Solar (FSLR)

Citigroup (C) analyst Timothy Arcuri wasn't impressed with the spin of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) in its latest earnings report, and is a bear with the company.

He called the profit outlook of an additional 37 cents "of low quality," citing the majority of that coming from 12 percent tax rate as against a 13 percent break, and lower start-up expenses.

Concerning foreign exchange impact, Arcuri noted the assumptions “have crept higher, creating risk in the event the Euro goes the other way.”

He boosted his 2011 EPS estimate from $9.05 to $9.58 while slashing his revenue estimate from $3.8 billion to $3.7 billion.

First Solar closed Friday at $155.72, dropping $8.96, or 5.44 percent. Citigroup maintains a "Hold" rating on them and a price target of $150.

Newmont (NEM) Still a "Buy" Says Goldman (GS)

Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE:NEM) continues to be attractive in the eyes of Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), which said in a report Friday that they're maintaining their "Buy" rating on the giant miner.

Goldman Sachs wrote in a note to clients, "Despite inflationary headwinds in FY2010, Newmont reported net income of $2.3Bn (a 76% increase), and $3.2Bn of operating cash flow. Adjusted net income rose 39% from the previous year to $1.9Bn. Adjusted EPS of $3.85/sh was above the consensus estimate of $3.77/sh and our estimate of $3.54/sh. Gold operating margin increased by 30% to $737/oz, as realized gold price outpaced cost increase. The company ended the year with $5.6Bn in cash and marketable securities. Our Buy rating reflects our positive view of NEM's strong leverage to gold price and discount to its peer group."

Newmont was trading at $54.30, falling $0.46, or 0.84 percent, as of 2:46 PM EST. Goldman has a price target of $73.95 on Newmont.

Ford's (NYSE:F) EPS, PT Slashed by Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS)

How quickly analysts can change their outlook on a company, especially after weaker than expected earnings results as in the case of Ford Motor (NYSE:F), which had its EPS estimates and price target on them cut be Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS).

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said, "N. America accounted for most of the 4Q shortfall, suffering a sharp increase in launch and engineering costs as Ford brings to market a very high volume of new models. While we underestimated the inflation in launch-related costs, we do not believe the 2.4% global auto division margin Ford produced in 4Q accurately reflects the company’s fundamental position. More perplexing to investors, in our view, was how margins were cut in half despite sales that surprised positively, up 14% sequentially. This is an industry where if you get the top-line right, you usually get your earnings right. Frequently, as last week showed, this is not the case."

Jonas lowered his EPS estimate for full year 2011 from $3.00 to $2.40.

Ford was trading at $15.53, falling $0.36, or 2.23 percent, as of 12:57 PM EST. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Ford from $23 to $21.

Ford (NYSE:F) Shares Beaten Down on Falling Expectations

Shares of Ford Motor (NYSE:F) continue to take a big hit today, after plummeting 13 percent on Friday, as expectations for the automaker continue to fall, as commodity costs rise.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) analyst Patrick Archambault lowered his outlook on Ford Sunday, saying, "Our new estimates reflect higher and more back-end loaded fixed costs than we previously modeled."

He added that over the long haul he sees the increase in costs as important to retaining product leadership, adding, "we see these outlays as essential to extending Ford's product leadership."

Fixed cost inflation was boosted to $2.6 billion for 2011, up from the prior estimate of $1.5 billion.

Goldman maintains their "Buy" rating on Ford, which was trading at $15.88, falling $0.40, or 2.43 percent, as of 1:52 PM EST. Goldman lowered their price target on Ford from $22 to $20.

EQT's (NYSE:EQT) Capital Productivity Improving Slightly, Story the Same

While capital productivity is getting a slight improvement in 2011, EQT (NYSE:EQT) still looks like they're not going to surprise anyone, although they had their price target bumped up by Canaccord.

Canaccord says, "We are increasing our target from $35 to $38 to reflect higher E&P capital productivity and price realizations...In our view, EQT’s -60% premium (’11E EBITDA) to the group is unwarranted given a weaker CFPS growth (’11-’13E) outlook. Our target is underpinned by a $5 longterm gas price forecast and EQT’s -90% production weighting toward gas. Our revised capital productivity assumption generates ’11 estimated production growth of 32%, which is 2% above guidance and 1% above our prior forecast."

Canaccord Genuity reiterates a 'Sell' rating on EQT Corp. (EQT), which closed Friday at $46.55, losing $0.20, or 0.43. They raised their price target on EQT to $38.