Best Wall St. Stocks Today:

Stocks are mixed this Monday morning with an upside bias so far despite the negative impact of H-P affecting the DJIA.� DJIA futures are trading higher by 0.3% and S&P futures are up 0.35%.� In Europe, the FTSE is up 1.3%, the DAX is up 1.2%, and the CAC is up 0.5%.� In Asia, Japan was down by -0.7% and Hong Kong closed up 0.6%.

Nymex WTI crude is higher this morning at $81.50 per barrel.� Traders are keep
ing an eye on Gold after Friday, and prices are higher around $1,206.00 per ounce.

Treasury bond prices were firm in longer-dated maturities: yield on the 10-Year 2.82% is and the yield on the 30-Year was 4.00%.

Monday morning’s major media headline snapshot from Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg, and more is available here.

The Unusual Suspects for the Week Ahead covers ARO, APEI, IRE, BRK-A, BRK-B, CSCO, DNDN, GSAT, HPQ, RIMM, SD, TGT, TNH, DIS, GLD.

These are today�s top economic data:
NO MAJOR DATA on MONDAY

Major earnings are from Tyson, McDermott, WellCare, Hospitality Trust, DISH, Macerich, and King Pharma.

You can join our free daily email distribution list to hear more about dividend trends, analyst upgrades and downgrades, top day trader and active trader alerts, news on Buffett and other investment gurus, IPOs, secondary offerings, private equity, and more.

JON C. OGG

Best Wall St. Stocks Today: RIMM,MSFT

Google Inc.’s� (NASDAQ:� GOOG)� Android mobile phone operating system continues to eat away at the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:� AAPL) iPhone’s lead in the smartphone market.

According to ChangeWave survey of 4,000 respondents, completed Sept. 23,��� 37 percent of consumers planning to buy a smartphone in the next 90 days, 37% say they prefer the Android OS � a 7 point jump from an earlier survey and a new all-time high for the Go
ogle operating system.� ChangeWave has found a six-fold increase six-fold increase in consumer preference for the Google OS in a year�s time.

Apple eked out a 1 percentage point victory with 38 percent of respondents indicating an interest in making a purchase.� Demand, though, has dropped off from the 50 percent level seen in June as the hoopla surrounding the iPhone 4 launch died off.� The Cupertino, Calif.-based company does lead in customer satisfaction with the iPhone OS registering a 74 percent reading to Google’s 65 percent.

The data are hardly a surprise.� Other research outfits including comScore have reported the same thing for months.� The open question remains for investors is how will Google ever make money from Android, which it gives away for free.� Experts say the search giant probably will sell advertisements on the OS but consumers may not tolerate marketing messages sent over their mobile device which they didn’t request and may have to pay their carriers for the privilege of receiving.

ChangeWave’s findings underscored Research In Motion’s (RIMM) continued problems.�� A pitiful 6 percent of respondents said they were interested in buying a BlackBerry and 31 percent of customers said they were very satisfied withe the product.� No respondents said they were interested in the Palm, whose OS registered a satisfaction rating of 32 percent.� Only 1 percent of respondents showed a preference for Microsoft Corp.’s � (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Mobile OS, whose satisfaction rating was 24 percent.

Apple can hardly be counted out of the smartphone market, but the pressure is on to create a spectacular iPhone 5.� Anything less will disappoint Apple investors and give another leg up to Android.

–Jonathan Berr

RIM's platform serves all BlackBerrys, but operating-system differences among models challenge app developers

While it gears up for the release late this year, barring any more delays, of a new, modern operating system (BlackBerry 10) and at least one new handset capable of running it, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) has another problem that may be tougher to address: a lack of apps. A big part of the reason is market fragmentation, something that a new OS and accompanying smartphone are likely to make worse in the short term.

Fragmentation has long been associated with Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform, where a slew of manufacturers including Samsung (PINK:SSNLF), Motorola (NYSE:MMI), and HTC all design and sell their own smartphones, making fragmentation difficult to avoid.

But RIM manufactures all of its own handsets and those devices run only RIM�s own operating system, so how can the BlackBerry market be fragmented? The problem lies in RIM’s strategy to offer a wide range of handsets aimed at different customer demographics. In the past few years alone, the company has released several BlackBerry models, including the Bold, Curve, Pearl, Storm, Style, Torch, Tour, and 8800 series. Most models have been through multiple iterations, and in a recent Reuters interview, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins revealed that only 20% of existing BlackBerry users are running a recent version of the operating system.

So while core BlackBerry functions (such as email and voice) are supported across the lineup, other functions are not. The differences in the operating systems among the various models leave developers with two options: design apps to fit only the most-basic BlackBerry operating system features so they can be used on most models, or design apps to work with the advanced features of the new operating systems, which means reaching a significantly smaller slice of the BlackBerry market.

No easy fit

As an app developer, how do you develop for a platform whose phones are running an operating system that might be years old? Even worse, among recent BlackBerry smartphones, display resolution varies from 480 x 320 pixels up to 800 x 480 pixels, and some models are touchscreen-capable, while others are not. When you can’t count on any uniformity in display resolution or input method, development is a significant challenge.

To understand a major reason Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has managed to draw over half a million apps to its App Store, consider how much easier it is for developers to write software for the entire Apple mobile user base. There are multiple variations of the iOS operating system, but under 10% of iOS devices are running the oldest system software; within weeks of the release of iOS 5 (the latest version), nearly 40% of iPhone users had already upgraded. Even the oldest iOS version is still capable of running a significant percentage of apps in the App Store.

Apple has also been very strategic with hardware development. All app-capable iOS devices, including the least expensive iPod Touch, have touchscreen capability. Early model iPods and iPhones had a 480 x 320 pixel display, with more recent versions boasting a “retina” 960 x 640 upgrade. The numbers are important: the pixel count has increased, but the aspect ratio remains the same. This means old apps can run on new devices with no changes through pixel-doubling (although screen elements would appear less sharp), while upgrading them to take full advantage of higher resolution displays doesn’t mean redesigning the graphics, just scaling up.

Will More BlackBerry apps matter?

There will always be processor-intensive apps that require the latest iPhone in order to run properly (typically games), or apps that require a GPS that an iPod Touch lacks, but these are a small percentage of the total. The net result is that instead of only being able to reach consumers who happen to own the latest and greatest Apple device, developers can count on reaching a high percentage of all iOS devices at minimal additional development cost.

While RIM’s PlayBook tablet offers the ability to support Android apps (should developers choose to port them), if this capability comes to BlackBerry smartphones, developers are going to face the fragmentation challenge again: is it worth the effort to port an Android app, given that only the most current round of BlackBerry hardware will be capable of running it? Is that limited market worth pursuing?

Apps and users are in a bit of a chicken and egg quandary when it comes to smartphones. Do more apps bring more users, or do more users bring more app developers? Unfortunately, RIM finds itself entering 2012 and what it hopes will be a revitalization of its BlackBerry smartphone business, while trailing significantly in both areas.

 

NTAP: FBN Ups To Buy; Indirect Sales Hold Promise

FBN Securities’s Shebly Seyrafi this morning raised his rating on shares of NetApp (NTAP) to Outperform from Sector Perform, with a price target of $45, writing that the company’s “indirect” sales channel is increasing sales far faster than its direct sales business, and should increasingly drive overall revenue results.

A sum-of-the-parts valuation of the stock would suggest it could be worth as much as $58, but Seyrafi’s sticking with the lower target given “near-term risks” such as Europe’s economic crisis and the disruption of the hard disk drive industry as a result of flooding in Thailand.

NTAP shares have been under pressure since the company last Wednesday reported fiscal Q2 revenue below analysts’ estimates. The stock is down 17% since Wednesday.

Despite the deceleration in revenue growth to 6% in the quarter, Seyrafi thinks the company’s “core” revenue, excluding its acquisition of startup Engenio, can return to a 14% rate in the fiscal year ending in April 2013:

While it is true that NTAP�s direct sales have lost share to the competition (EMC (EMC) and HDS [Hitachi Data Systems]) over the past two quarters, its indirect channel business remains robust. As shown graphically in this report, NTAP�s indirect business has grown at a 4-yr. CAGR of 23% (and 34% Y/Y in the latest quarter), while its direct business has grown at a 4-yr. CAGR of 4% (and – 14% Y/Y in the latest quarter). Our key point is that with direct now accounting for only 20% of revenue (vs. 28% the year before), NTAP�s overall business will be more and more determined by its indirect business, for which we are still projecting a robust 18% growth in F2013/Apr.

NetApp stock today is down $1.01, or almost 3%, at $33.74.

Stocks fall on global growth jitters

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- U.S. stocks fell Thursday, as investors were rattled by worries of a global growth slowdown.

Both China and Germany reported soft manufacturing data, which caused jitters to pulse through the markets throughout the trading day.

Signs of a continued resurgence of employment in the United States couldn't help investors shake the funk. The number of Americans filing for unemployment claims hit a 4-year low.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) shed 78 points, or 0.6%. The S&P 500 (SPX) lost 10 points, or 0.7%. The Nasdaq (COMP) dropped 12 points, or 0.4%.

Commodities also dropped sharply, as investors feared how a global slowdown might affect consumer and industrial demand.

Copper and oil fell about 2%. All 10 Dow sectors were down, with oil and gas producers, including Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500) and Exxon (XOM, Fortune 500), among the biggest decliners. Caterpillar (CAT, Fortune 500) and Alcoa (AA, Fortune 500) were also big drags on the blue chip index.

Still, traders say volumes have been abnormally low this week, indicating that investors don't have strong convictions about the direction of the market.

"We're in that deadzone between earnings right now," said Douglas DePietro, head of equity trading at Evercore, referring to the fact that quarterly corporate results are several weeks away. "The market is pretty listless this week."

Stock market's next hurdle: Peak Earnings

Early Thursday, a reading on Chinese manufacturing compiled by HSBC showed the index hit a four-month low in March. The new reading came in at 48.1, down from 49.6 in February.

A reading below 50 indicates the sector is contracting, and HSBC said that a significant drop in new orders acted as the primary drag on manufacturing. Reflecting a broader slowdown, China lowered its growth target and hiked gasoline prices in recent weeks.

A reading on manufacturing activity in Germany showed the eurozone stalwart also hit a soft patch in March, as the sector registered only a marginal expansion.

U.S. stocks faltered Wednesday, after the latest report on existing home sales damped enthusiasm about the economy.

Overall, stocks have been supported this year by rising hopes for the U.S. economy and easing concerns about the debt crisis in Europe. But given the strength of the recent rally, analysts say a period of uneven trading is to be expected.

So far this year, the Dow is up 7%, the S&P 500 has gained 11% and the Nasdaq has surged 18%.

World markets: European stocks closed lower. Britain's FTSE 100 (UKX) shed 0.8%, the DAX (DAX) in Germany lost 1.3% and France's CAC 40 (CAC40) fell 1.6%.

Asian markets ended mixed. The Shanghai Composite (SHCOMP) slid 0.1%, while the Hang Seng (HSI) in Hong Kong ticked up 0.2% and Japan's Nikkei (N225) added 0.4%.

Buyout season is back for private equity

Japan's Ministry of Finance reported the island nation enjoyed a trade surplus in February. A deficit had been expected, and the announcement buoyed stocks.

Economy: The government reported that first-time claims for unemployment benefits in the week ended March 17 dropped to 348,000, a four-year low and a better number than analysts had expected.

The Conference Board's Leading Economic Indicators index for February increased by 0.7%, more than the expected 0.6% uptick.

Companies: Dollar General (DG, Fortune 500) shares popped after the retailer reported earnings of 85 cents per share on $4.2 billion in revenue, topping projections. The company said same-store sales increased 6.5% over the quarter.

FedEx (FDX, Fortune 500) shares dropped, despite reporting better-than-expected earnings and sales, citing record holiday shipping. The company, seen as a proxy for the health of the broader economy, said it expects its 'solid performance' to continue.

How to avoid the looming budget train wreck

ConAgra (CAG, Fortune 500) reported earnings of 51 cents per share on $3.4 billion in revenue, slightly better than analysts had expected. Shares fell.

Athletic apparel maker lululemon athletica (LULU) reported that revenue surged 51.4% to $371.5 million in the fourth quarter, topping analyst estimates.

McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500) said Wednesday that CEO Jim Skinner plans to retire at the end of June, ending a seven-year turn at the helm of the fast-food restaurateur. The company's current president and COO, Don Thompson, will succeed Skinner.

After the bell, Nike (NKE, Fortune 500) reported earnings that beat analysts' estimates. Despite that, shares of the sneaker company dropped in after hours trading.

Currencies and commodities: The dollar strengthened against the euro and the British pound, but fell versus the Japanese yen.

Oil for May delivery slipped $1.92 to $105.35 a barrel.

Gold futures for April delivery fell $7.80 to $1,642.50 an ounce.

Bonds: The price on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury rose, pushing the yield down to 2.275% from 2.29% late Wednesday.  

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012

Now that the holidays are well behind us, it’s time to get down to business! The market is now celebrating the best earnings environment that we will likely witness in our lifetimes, and our focus on sales and profits will be handsomely rewarded as these companies report results in the weeks ahead. What’s more, preliminary GDP estimates are right around the corner, and a favorable reading could really put Wall Street in a buying mood. But these aren’t the only factors pushing our stocks higher. We’ve seen a big shift towards international blue chips, and that means big things for our picks this month.

This combination of a strong earnings season for our picks and a global economic recovery should really boost these stocks the weeks ahead.

Here are my Top Stocks for May.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:Access National Corporation (ANCX)

 Access National Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Access National Bank that provides commercial credit, deposit, and mortgage services to middle market businesses and associated professionals primarily in the greater Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Its deposit products include time deposits, savings accounts, money market deposits, and certificates of deposit. The company?s lending activities comprise commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial and residential real estate construction loans, residential mortgage loans, home equity loans, and consumer loans. It also offers Internet banking, automated clearinghouse transactions, remote deposit capture, and courier services for commercial clients. In addition, the company, through its subsidiary, Access National Capital Trust II, issues redeemable capital securities. It operates from five banking centers in Chantilly, Tysons Corner, Reston, Leesburg, and Manassas, Virginia. Access National Corporation was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:Arabian American Development Company (ARSD)

 Arabian American Development Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates a petrochemical facility located in southeast Texas, which specializes in high purity petrochemical solvents and other solvent type manufacturing. The company, through its 55% interest in Pioche Ely Valley Mines, Inc., owns interests in mining claims in the United States. Arabian American Development Company was founded in 1967 and is based in Sugar Land, Texas.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD)

 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. operates as a semiconductor company in the United States, Japan, China, and Europe. Its microprocessors for server platforms include multi-core AMD Opteron processors; notebook PC platforms consist of the AMD Dual-Core Accelerated Processor E-350, AMD Dual-Core Accelerated Processor C-50, AMD Phenom II Dual-Core Mobile Processor, AMD Phenom II Quad-Core Mobile Processor, AMD Turion X2 Mobile Processor, AMD Turion II Mobile Processor, AMD Turion II Ultra Mobile Processor, AMD Turion Neo X2 Mobile Processor, AMD Athlon II processor, AMD Athlon Neo processor, AMD Athlon Neo X2 Dual-Core processor, and the Mobile AMD Sempron processor products; and desktop PC platforms comprise AMD Phenom II, AMD Phenom, AMD Athlon II, AMD Athlon X2, AMD Athlon, and AMD Sempron processors. It also provides embedded processor products for vendors in industrial controls, digital signage, point of sale/self-service kiosks, medical imaging, set-top box, and casino gaming machines, as well as enterprise class telecommunications, networking, security, storage systems and thin-clients, or computers. In addition, the company offers chipset products, including integrated graphics processor chipsets and discrete chipsets for desktop and notebook PCs, professional workstations, and servers. Further, it provides graphic products consisting of 3D graphics, and video and multimedia products for use in desktop and notebook computers, such as home media PCs, professional workstations, and servers, as well as technology for game consoles. The company's graphics products comprise discrete desktop graphics, discrete notebook graphics, professional graphics, FireStream processors, and game consoles. It serves original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, system builders, and independent distributors through direct sales force, independent distributors, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Sunnyvale, California.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:WD-40 Company (WDFC)

 WD-40 Company engages in the production and sale of consumer products. The company offers a multi-purpose maintenance product, which acts as a lubricant, rust preventative, penetrant, cleaner, and moisture displacer under the WD-40 brand name; multi-purpose drip oil and spray lubricant products, and other specialty maintenance products under the 3-IN-ONE brand name, which are used by household consumers for locksmithing, HVAC, marine, farming, construction, and jewelry manufacturing applications; and line of industrial grade, specialty maintenance products that includes lubricants, penetrants, degreasers, and cleaners designed specifically for the needs of industrial users under the Blue Works brand name. It also provides homecare and cleaning products, such as mildew stain remover and automatic toilet bowl cleaners under the X-14 brand name; long-lasting automatic toilet bowl cleaners under the 2000 Flushes brand name; room and rug deodorizers sold as powder, aerosol foam, and trigger spray products under the Carpet Fresh brand name; an aerosol carpet stain remover and a liquid trigger carpet stain and odor eliminator under the Spot Shot brand name; carpet and household cleaners and rug and room deodorizers under the 1001 brand name; and heavy-duty hand cleaner products, which are sold in bar soap and liquid form under the Lava and Solvol brands. The company markets its products in approximately 160 countries worldwide through mass retail and home center stores, warehouse club stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, automotive parts outlets, and industrial distributors and suppliers. WD-40 Company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:PowerSecure International Inc (POWR)

 PowerSecure International, Inc. provides energy and smart grid solutions to electric utilities and their commercial, institutional, and industrial customers. The company?s products and services include Interactive Distributed Generation power systems, smart grid monitoring for electric utilities, peak shaving and demand response, and standby power dispatch and control products; and switchgear products and systems under the NexGear brand name. It also offers utility infrastructure products and services, including transmission and distribution system construction and maintenance under the UtilityServices brand name; engineering, regulatory consulting, and electric grid system design services under the UtilityEngineering and PowerServices brand names; LED lighting for grocery, drug, and convenience stores under the EfficientLights brand name; other LED-based lighting, including street lights; lighting and efficiency products for commercial and industrial customers under the EnergyLite brand name; and LED lighting and lighting components for OEMs and electronics manufacturers, as well as for commercial, industrial, and consumer lighting applications under the IES brand name. PowerSecure serves electric utilities, as well as commercial, institutional, and industrial customers in the United States, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast regions. The company was formerly known as Metretek Technologies, Inc. and changed its name to PowerSecure International, Inc. in August 2007. PowerSecure International, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

 International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and social networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:AVX Corporation (AVX)

 AVX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and supplies passive electronic components and interconnect products worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Passive Components, Kyocera Electronic Devices (KED) Resale, and Connectors. The Passive Components segment offers surface mount and leaded ceramic capacitors, radio frequency (RF) thick and thin film components, tantalum capacitors, film capacitors, ceramic and film power capacitors, super capacitors, EMI filters, thick and thin film packages, varistors, thermistors, inductors, and resistive products. The KED Resale segment sells ceramic capacitors, frequency control devices, SAW devices, sensor products, RF modules, actuators, acoustic devices, and connectors. The Connectors segment manufactures and sells electronic connectors, inter-connect systems, and memory connectors. The company?s products are used in electronic devices to store, filter, and regulate electric energy. AVX Corporation markets its products through its direct sales force and independent manufacturers? representatives to customers in various industries, such as telecommunications, information technology hardware, automotive electronics, medical devices and instrumentation, industrial instrumentation, defense and aerospace electronic systems, and consumer electronics. The company was founded in 1972 and is based in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. AVX Corporation is a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation.

Good Stocks To Invest In 2012:The Blackstone Group L.P. (BX)

 The Blackstone Group, L.P., together with its subsidiaries, provides alternative asset management and financial advisory services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions, Credit Businesses, and Financial Advisory. The Private Equity segment involves in private equity investing through five general private equity funds and one specialized fund focusing on communications-related investments. This segment engages in various transactions comprising leveraged buyout acquisitions of seasoned companies, transactions involving growth equity or start-up businesses in established industries, minority investments, corporate partnerships, distressed debt, structured securities, and industry consolidations. The Real Estate segment manages general opportunistic real estate funds and internationally focused opportunistic real estate funds. This segment also has debt investment funds targeting non-controlling real estate debt-related investment opportunities in the public and private markets, primarily in the United States and Europe. The Hedge Fund Solutions segment manages funds of hedge funds, and Indian-focused and Asian-focused closed-end mutual funds. The Credit Businesses segment manages credit-oriented funds, CLOs, credit-focused separately managed accounts, and publicly registered debt-focused investment companies. The Financial Advisory segment offers financial and strategic advisory, including corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions advice; restructuring and reorganization advisory; and fund placement services for alternative investment funds. Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. operates as the general partner of the company. The Blackstone Group, L.P. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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$30 Million Question Stumps a Small Town

DIXON, Ill.—Many residents of this small Illinois city knew municipal-finance chief Rita A. Crundwell was in the business of raising horses. They didn't suspect they might have been paying for it.

Now the inhabitants of the town best-known as Ronald Reagan's boyhood home are puzzling over how Ms. Crundwell might have, as federal authorities allege, made off with more than $30 million of the town's money—using part of it to pay for a lavish horse farm on the outskirts of town.

On Wednesday, stunned residents crowded City Hall looking for answers from officials, a day after federal agents led Ms. Crundwell away in handcuffs and the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois made public a complaint alleging that she defrauded Dixon of more than $3.2 million and misappropriated more than $30 million in city funds since 2006. The complaint charged Ms. Crundwell with one count of wire fraud.

American Quarter Horse Journal / Associated Press

Rita Crundwell with one of her horses at a November 2011 competition.

Dixon Mayor James Burke read a statement outlining how irregularities were discovered last fall only when a city worker assigned to fill in while Ms. Crundwell was on extended vacation raised questions about the city's bank statements. Mr. Burke then relayed concerns to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mr. Burke told residents the city is putting Ms. Crundwell on unpaid leave and would try to recoup as much money as possible through asset seizures. He also said ! he didn' t believe additional city employees were involved.

"We realize the main question is, how can someone allegedly steal $30 million and get away with it for so long," said Mr. Burke, who declined to take questions because of the investigation.

Ms. Crundwell was released Wednesday from federal custody with restrictions placed on her travel and assets. Her lawyer, Kristin Carpenter, said that the only thing discussed in court was her client's release and that Ms. Crundwell hasn't entered a plea.

The scale of the alleged crime is jarring for a city that had just $4.2 million of operating revenue last year. The funds Ms. Crundwell is accused of misappropriating amount to nearly $2,000 for each of Dixon's roughly 15,700 residents. Relative to the city budget, a comparable crime in a big metropolis like Chicago, less than 100 miles to the east, would involve billions of dollars.

Authorities alleged Ms. Crundwell, who served as Dixon comptroller since the early 1980s, moved money to and from an array of city bank accounts that she controlled, including a development fund and money disbursed to Dixon by the state. But details of where the funds originated remain unclear.

The U.S. attorney's office declined to elaborate, saying the investigation is continuing.

The 58-year-old Ms. Crundwell, whose official annual salary was $80,000, is accused of using city funds to pay for a lifestyle that mixed J.R. Ewing-style glitz with more down-home comforts. Part of the money allegedly went to fund her horse farm, whose gated entry and barns she emblazoned with the initials "R.C." Other funds were allegedly used to purchase a $2.1 million Liberty Coach Motor Home and a $60,000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. The complaint said she used more than $2.5 million to pay for charges on her personal American Express card between January 2007 and March 2012, including more than $339,000 for jewelry.

Residents said Ms. Crundwell started training for the job of comptroller while in high schoo! l, and w as repeatedly reappointed to the post no matter who was elected mayor. They said she was well-known and well-liked.

Sharon U. Thompson, a real-estate broker, said people assumed Ms. Crundwell earned money from breeding and selling quarter horses, so didn't think twice about her large, meticulously groomed facility. We "can't understand how it could be," Ms. Thompson said.

"This just came out of the blue for everyone," said John R. Thompson, president of the Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who worried the scandal could scare away potential investors in the city.

Write to Mark Peters at mark.peters@dowjones.com

Corrections & Amplifications
Ronald Reagan lived much of his childhood in Dixon, Ill., but was born in nearby Tampico, Ill. An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Dixon as his birthplace.

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Best Wall St. Stocks Today:

Leopard Acquisition Corp. is another special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that has filed to come public via an initial public offering. It has filed to list on the American Stock Exchange, although a ticker has not been designated. 

It lists that it will raise $175 million in unit sales, with each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant with a strike price of $7.50.  JPMorgan is listed as the sole underwriter for the offering.

The company describes itself as a blank check company without any segment focus, although it will focus on industries and businesses in the US and Europe that may offer significant opportunities for value creation for our stockholders.

We frequently issue comments and opinions on these in our open email distribution list.

Jon C. Ogg
March 27, 2008

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he produces the Special Situation Investing Newsletter and he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Updating the Public with Substantial Technological Advancements Through Powerful Public

The human beings brain (so to speak) can be quite unbeatable. It is actually, in this way that it will still come up with innovative developments that had been revolutionizing how persons survive a practically every day. Regretfully, plenty of people develop into unaware of the latest enhancements which are created from diverse fields of knowledge. This mustn’t be the situation because these developments could possibly be large into their present-day lives and one’s destiny. Therefore, public relations are a tool to help make people get up. Through Technology public relations, information and facts about technological developments tend to be cascaded well. People wouldn’t be quit unknowing of some of the most critical news inside their lives. This article will discuss the standard basics surrounding Technology PR.

Just like any alternative campaigns related to public relations, this field needs to employ mass communications so as to deliver the desired proficiently. Exclusively, mass media tools ought to be utilized adequately to ensure that many objectives might be fulfilled with precision and accuracy. In relation to its media as tools, there is used a great evolutionary procedure that made it increase over the years. Listed here are different media forms that had been crucial in seeing the many objectives of public relations.

Most notably, public relations relied on classic media forms for his or her earlier communicative desires. The proper way to describe regular media is the term “tri-media”. This term describes television, radio, and print. These tools are seen as the normally utilized avenue for handling public relations associated activities. Radio is definitely reliable for broadcasting information even on the almost all remote areas. Print media also comes in various forms, defining it as incredibly ubiquitous and television, as everyone knows will be shared through every household on the globe.

Even so, it doesn’t mean they’ve con! tinually stuck out to conventional media forms. As time went by, changes came rushing in and get offered changes which may have enormous effects about media is actually consumed. Currently, communication has become wireless. Despite the distance that people may have collected from one of another, these types of were bridged with wireless communication and completely new media kinds. A demonstration of going to social media. Through social networking sites, folks are in the position to relay information fast along with real time.

Via the powerful entry to a variety of media forms, public relations exercises of which concern technological advancements are taken care of faithfully. Such information are believed for being appropriate and pertinent, hence you should feed these to most people. In our world when problems of kinds and extremes come at practically a day-to-day basis, more knowledge about technology may be of which significant.

Learn more about Technology public relations, Technology PR, public relations here!

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3 Stocks for Those Seeking Safety - SmartMoney.com

Don't expect the stocks below to escape losses entirely if the broad market slides this summer. But history says they hold up relatively well in downturns, making them a good fit for jittery investors who want to stay in the market.

There's plenty to worry about. Spain's 10-year government bonds are flirting with 6% yields, close to what U.S. companies with junk credit ratings pay. That shows that investors aren't fully confident about Spain's ability to ultimately pay what it owes. Spain, whose economy is four times the size of Greece's, has a key bond auction scheduled for Thursday.

In the U.S., earnings season has brought mostly upside surprises, but not much growth. That's because forecasts were lowered so much over the past seven months that positive surprises aren't much of a surprise. If earnings growth is fizzling, and if earnings were what drove stock prices sharply higher over the past three years, then stock gains may now prove harder to come by.

Also See

• 4 Growth Stocks Without the Hefty Price
• How to Invest in a U.S. Manufacturing Boom

Yet stocks remain reasonably priced relative to earnings, and the alternatives look lousy. A 10-year, inflation-protected Treasury bond yields slightly less than zero. Better to swap risky shares for safe ones than to commit more money to sure losses with bonds.

The stocks below have low "betas," which means they have tended to swing less wildly than the broad market in recent years. The have modest prices relative to their earnings, which makes them better suited than pricey stocks to a broad slowing of earnings growth. And they pay healthy dividends, which will be a welcome source of returns if market gains prove smaller in coming years. Lastly, they sell goods and! service s that tend to find stable demand in good and lean years.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT)

Price-to-earnings ratio: 12

Dividend yield: 3.4%

Abbott Laboratories makes drugs, nutritional products and medical devices. On Wednesday, it topped Wall Street's earnings forecasts and, perhaps more important for investors, raised its 2012 guidance. The company reported 4.6% sales growth, including 7.1% growth in its key proprietary drug division and 10.1% growth in nutritionals, which include Similac baby formula and Ensure meal replacement drinks. Abbott plans to spin off its drug business later this year in order to try to attract a higher valuation for its remaining businesses. The company has paid dividends since 1924, and is a member of the S&P Dividend Aristocrats, which have increased their payments for at least 25 years running.

Exxon Mobil (XOM)

Price-to-earnings ratio: 10

Dividend yield: 2.2%

By 2040, world economic output will double, the population will swell to more than nine billion and demand for energy will rise 30%. So says Exxon Mobil in its latest long-term energy forecast. The company right now is enjoying rising profits thanks to high oil prices and strong overseas demand, amid a production boom in U.S. shale fields. But it is also investing heavily in natural gas, whose price has sagged to near decade lows on a glut in supply. That's because Exxon expects demand for natural gas to rise 80% by 2040 as it supplants coal as a fuel for power plants. Energy prices can be volatile, but Exxon stock has been a steady performer, and it trades at a discount of about one-quarter to the b! road mar ket.

Wal-Mart (WMT)

Price-to-earnings ratio: 13

Dividend yield: 2.6%

Wal-Mart raised its dividend payment nearly 9% last month. It also spent $6.3 billion to buy back shares during its fiscal year ended Jan. 31. That's about 3% of its current stock market value, putting the company's total payout to shareholders (dividends plus repurchases) at more than 5.5%. The company has raised its dividend each year since 1974. Last year, Wal-Mart reversed a two-year sales decline at longstanding U.S. stores. Recently, it has signalled a push to better compete for online sales with the likes on Amazon.com (AMZN), creating an e-commerce committee, appointing a Google (GOOG) executive to its board and hiring software developers in India.

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Socially Responsible Hedge Fund Aims for 25% Returns

Socially-responsible money management firm EquityStar Capital Management will launch a new hedge fund in June with plans to invest some of its profits in impoverished African countries.

EquityStar Global Partners will be a quantitative market-neutral fund, trading only the most liquid global companies, the Washington, D.C.-based firm said. The new fund, which is targeting annual returns of between 25% and 35%, features weekly liquidity and no lockup.

In addition to the hoped-for big returns, investors can also feel good about the fund’s other mission of investing in emerging African economies. According to a release, the fund “will help give citizens of emerging nations the confidence to reinvest in their own economy by helping to open up their markets to free trade and encouraging foreign capital.”

“The 2008-2009 market deleveraging left many pricing dislocations within the capital structure. As a result there are multiple opportunities to capitalize on mispriced assets,” Steven Zoernack, portfolio manager, said. “Much of the global equity, debt, currency and commodity markets still retain valuable relative value and unique opportunities.”

EquityStar said it expects to raise $50 million for the fund, set to launch on June 1, by September and $100 million by the end of the year. The fund has a capacity of $1.5 billion.

Strategies And Tips For Day Trading To Help You Succeed

When a trader enters and exits a trade on the same day before closing time, that’s called day trading. This can and is done with stocks, forex, futures contracts and options. There’s a lot of difference between this intraday system and the traditional one, and there are strategies and tools that can be applied to maximize earnings.

The important thing to remember here is that price variations are relatively minute due to the limited time period. This means that in order to pile up sizeable earnings, traders necessarily need to place large amounts on each trade. It also means that it is important to find trades that are liquid and volatile.

There are a few strategies that are commonly used, such as scalping, fading, daily pivots and momentum. Scalping is setting the price target to the first instance of profitability, while fading involves going short on an instrument that has shown rapid upwards movement. This is based on an assumption that the sudden upward surge is likely to reverse before closing.

Those who make use of the temporary surge caused by news reports to time their entry and exits are using Momentum. A trader who buys at the day’s lowest price and sells at the highest is using daily pivots. This requires the trader to get in and out at the precise price point(s) where trends reverse.

For executing such strategies, a trader will need a range of tools, charts and screens. The ones that are necessary include an internet (broadband) connection, and real-time market data and news report subscriptions. Candlestick charts can be used to do price-action analysis.

It’s also essential for those traders to understand and use stop losses. Knowing when to walk away with a loss for the day can save traders from taking risks in an attempt to recoup. Day trading isn’t for everyone, but it is interesting.

Currency news trading materials are extremely important for traders. Plus add a little bit of forex broker review feedings to your mind a! s a trad er.

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Copa Holdings Increases Sales but Misses Estimates on Earnings

Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA  ) reported earnings Feb. 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended Dec. 31 (Q4), Copa Holdings beat slightly on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew significantly and GAAP earnings per share contracted.

Gross margins expanded, operating margins shrank, net margins shrank.

Revenue details
Copa Holdings chalked up revenue of $504.6 million. The 11 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ wanted to see sales of $494.8 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 22% higher than the prior-year quarter's $414.2 million.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
Non-GAAP EPS came in at $1.93. The 12 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $1.95 per share on the same basis. GAAP EPS of $2.36 for Q4 were 15% lower than the prior-year quarter's $2.77 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 43.6%, 360 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 21.0%, 690 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 20.7%, 870 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $506.0 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS! estimat e is $1.97.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $2.12 billion. The average EPS estimate is $7.50.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 147 members out of 170 rating the stock outperform, and 23 members rating it underperform. Among 35 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 32 give Copa Holdings a green thumbs-up, and three give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Copa Holdings is outperform, with an average price target of $84.62.

Can your portfolio provide you with enough income to last through retirement? You'll need more than Copa Holdings. Learn how to maximize your investment income and "Secure Your Future With 11 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks." Click here for instant access to this free report.

• Add Copa Holdings to My Watchlist.

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Coffee And Twitter For Business: My Twitter PR Pitch Lost In The Snow

It takes a lot to convince people who know nothing about social media to hop onto the band wagon. I was meeting with a client one blistery afternoon for some coffee, hoping to sway him to use an account with Twitter for business use. I thought about the pitch of Twitter PR that I had been working on for weeks now and was confident in its potential. I was convinced that using Twitter for business was a wise decision but this client was from an age where computers were science fiction and swaying his opinion was going to prove difficult.

As I entered the coffee bar, I sat down at my usual seat across from the counter and gave Michelle the nod implying I wanted my regular espresso drink and held up four fingers for an extra boost; I was going to need it. I unpacked my notes on Twitter PR and the outline on Twitter for business purposes and skimmed my notes to refresh myself before the client arrived. I have been in marketing for many years now and just incorporated social media into my firm. When I see an opening to make money I go for it and social media was going to be a gold mine.

The client I was meeting was the president of a pogo stick company and his numbers were not doing well. I could see this client of mine falling through the cracks and I liked the guy too much to let him fall flat on his face, even if he never paid on time and was tightfisted. The client has never touched a computer let alone used one and when I say a social media site he thinks I am talking about a newspaper frame. Twitter PR has proved to work wonders for my marketing business and I have no doubts using Twitter for business. Each and every client at the tip of your fingers tweeting about your victory to friends and potential clients each second of the day is what Twitter PR has to offer.

A wave of cold air rushed into the cafe, a slight drift of dirty snow made coffee colored slush on the doormat as my client scampered in from the cold. He was bundled up except for his globular nose and his gray hair peeke! d out fr om under his black fedora. He unpacked himself and placed himself in front of me. As he sat down the words of Facebook PR danced inside my mind and the axiom “Twitter for business” slid on the tip of my tongue, ready to spill out before him. The waitress came by and took my client’s order and quickly left to bring us our drinks. After a second we drank from our steaming cups and exchanged holiday cheer and complaints about the arctic weather forced upon us.

I could not contain myself any further and had to get Twitter PR out of my mind and plant it into his. As I began to speak about using Twitter for business, the client stopped me and thanked me for my concern in his marketing campaign. My client told me of his plans to stop working and close down the business; he had no desire to continue the game any longer and was going to take his winnings and leave the gambling to the upcoming youth of the new business world. He dropped me an envelope and told me to open it after he left and thanked me for all the hard work. I thanked him in return and did as he asked, watching him fade away into the snowy air. Inside the envelope was a check for his last payment and an email address; irony at its best don’t you think?

So, do you think you would like to find out more about how to use Twitter for business? Do you think you would like to find out more about Twitter PR? go to fishbat.com to find out more!. Unique version for reprint here: Coffee And Twitter For Business: My Twitter PR Pitch Lost In The Snow.

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Facebook’s IPO Could Cripple the Social Media Market

The idea of betting big on a hot new IPO in the hopes of making a buck is quickly losing credibility. And it soon might get much, much worse. Facebook � and it�s massive, impending stock offering � could be the nail in the coffin for social media stocks if all does not go according to plan.

As a group, social media stocks have thus far been a rather unimpressive group…

Linkedin Corp. (NYSE:LNKD) continues to find lower ground after its 2011 IPO (it�s currently down more than 21% from its first-day price). Daily deal provider Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ:GRPN) is performing even worse � it�s down more than 25% from its IPO high. Even the Social game maker Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) is still shy of crawling back up to its IPO day high of $11.50.

However, all will be forgiven once Facebook is finally on the market � at least, that�s what some in the financial media would have you believe�

Late last week, we learned that Facebook is finally preparing to file its initial public offering which could raise as much as $10 billion. The offering will place the value of the social networking site somewhere between $75 billion and $100 billion. The $10 billion IPO alone easily places Facebook among the largest offerings of all time � and the biggest U.S. internet IPO by leaps and bounds.

For some perspective, Google�s 2004 IPO netted the search engine (and now-Facebook rival) what now seems like a paltry $1.2 billion.

But what if investors aren�t so eager to own a stake in The Social Network? What if �after a couple of high-flying weeks � the stock begins to fall? Or even worse � what if it tumbles right out of the starting block?

While I can�t try to predict the trend of a stock that does not yet exist, I can tell you this: If shares of Facebook fail to deliver reasonable gains, this new stock will cut down every other stock in the so-called social media sector. After all, if the biggest and best example of the group fails t! he inves tor�s litmus test, how can the others expect to outperform the market?

Needless to say, I don�t recommend buying these stocks. Even without the specter of Facebook looming over the industry, there�s too many unknown factors at work. First, these IPOs have no trading history- and therefore no chart to refer back to. This makes it difficult to gauge sentiment, or what the important emotional price points of the stock will be.

Second, there are major shareholders and big money investors who will probably be selling their shares for a quick buck, especially if the stock debuts higher than its pre-IPO price, which most higher-profile IPOs often do. This has a tendency to drive the share price down even after an initial spike as these early investors sell their shares.

Obviously, the financial media � and even the mainstream media � tend to fall all over the bigger name IPOs, especially these household name companies that are working to go public. Don�t buy into the hype right away�you could get burned.

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Apple Store Outage Very Suspicious; is a Hacker to Blame?

Reports indicate that something new is on the way, but is it all just a cover to hide what's really going on?

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is notorious for taking down its own online store in preparation for the launch of a new product. This process is often a fast one; the last time store.apple.com went down, it was back up within one hour.

Traditionally, Apple replaces the store page with a �we'll be back soon� message to assure customers that everything is running smoothly (and to encourage them to return shortly, of course). There have been no such messages today. While I've heard reports that Apple has said it will be �back soon,� I have yet to see any proof of that myself.

I have repeatedly loaded store.apple.com in three separate browsers (Chrome, Opera and Firefox). Not once have I received the �we'll be back soon� post-it. But I have seen the words, �Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to store.apple.com,� quite a few times.

Earlier today, CNET picked up on a story from 9To5Mac, causing many to believe that this has something to do with the store's temporary death. If that were the case, Apple would have surely let the public know.

But as of 1:08 p.m. EDT, the Apple Store is still down.

While this might not seem too crazy, there were reports that the store re-opened an hour ago, then went back down. Contrary to what people were hoping, that doesn't sound like the beginning of a new product launch.

If Apple was hit by a hacker, why not release a statement to this fact? Personally, I don't think that is something Apple would want to the public to know about. And if the company wanted to hide the truth, it could do so by forcing the launch of something new when the site goes live.

�Oh, but Apple would never do that!� Apple fans will surely cry. �Apple is honest and pure! Apple never lies! Apple never rushes products!�

Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the company's silence has been very suspicious.

Follow me @LouisBedigian

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Buy, Sell or Hold: Bank of America Corp. Could Offer Investors a "Double Play"

Trends, Observations, and Exclusive Opinion

Three SmallCap Tech Plays

CRAY: Supercomputer-Maker Sells to Government, Industry and Academia ��

SEAC: StarHub�s 1.9 Million Mobile Customers will use SEAC Technology

�OIIM: Fabless Semiconductor Co Produces Earnings for Shareholders

First up this morning we have Cray Inc., (CRAY) http://www.cray.com/ currently trading in the $6.26 range on a 3-Month average daily trading volume of 382,584 shares. CRAY has a 52-week high of $9.49 set on 08-05-09 with current trailing twelve month revenues of $237+ million. CRAY makes and sells highly advanced supercomputers and world-class services and support to government, industry and academia. Cray technology is designed to enable scientists and engineers to achieve remarkable breakthroughs by accelerating performance, improving efficiency and extending the capabilities of their most demanding applications. Cray's Adaptive Supercomputing vision is focused on delivering innovative next-generation products that integrate diverse processing technologies into a unified architecture. At $3 off its high, CRAY is undervalued and would be a long-term (1 Yr) �Buy� consideration for me.

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Next up this morning we have SeaChange International Inc., (SEAC) http://www.schange.com/ currently trading in the $9.02 range on a 3-Month average daily trading volume of 212,036 shares. SEAC has a 52-week high of $9.98 set on 08-10-09 with current trailing twelve month revenues of $206+ million and a positive, corresponding diluted EPS of +$0.61. I really like those earnings. In mid-June SEAC�s Intelligent Video Platform was chosen by Singapore�s Starhub for its mobile TV service.� StarHub TV on Mobile offers users the ability to view 24 branded premium pay channels on their mobile handsets. StarHub serves over 1.9 million mobile subscribers and over half a million pay television households. The operator has integrated the SEAC Intelligent Video Platform to optimize personalized streaming video on the mobile platform as part of its unique triple-play �hubbing� strategy. SEAC is also a long-term �Buy� consideration for me. �

Finally this morning we have O2Micro International Limited (OIIM) http://www.o2micro.com/ currently trading in the $6.92 range on a 3-Month average daily trading volume of 243,417 shares. OIIM has a 52-week high of $7.68 set on 04-26-10 with current trailing twelve month revenues of $139+ million and a positive, corresponding diluted EPS of +$0.13. I like those earnings. OIIM is a fabless semiconductor company that makes and sells components for power management and security applications. OIIM serves the electronics manufacturers of communications, computer, consumer, industrial, and automotive products in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and the U.S. OIIM is less than a $1 from its high, but even at this value is very attractive. OIIM ! would be a near-term (3 Mo) �Buy� consideration for me. The Co will announce its financial results for Q2 �10 before the market opens on Wednesday, August 4, 2010.

If you'd like to receive our complete opinions, detailed analysis, and timely trading alerts on CRAY, SEAC, and OIIM,�be sure to Sign-Up for the SCN Newsletter today! It's FREE.�

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Natural gas the next gold, says Gundlach

Investing in natural gas today is similar to buying gold in 1997, before a surge in the precious metal's price, according to Jeffrey Gundlach, chief executive officer of DoubleLine Capital LP.

Gundlach, whose Los Angeles-based firm runs mutual funds with $25 billion of assets, said on a conference call this week that he's adding gas-related holdings to the DoubleLine Multi-Asset Growth Fund. His remarks were reported by the Business Insider and Pragmatic Capitalist blogs. A recording was unavailable yesterday pending a compliance review, according to Talkpoint.com, which hosted the call.

The fund had no more that 4.5 percent of assets in gas and other energy-related commodities as of March 31, according to data posted on the DoubleLine website. Hugoton Royalty Trust and San Juan Basin Royalty Trust, which own stakes in oil and gas properties, were among its holdings.

Natural gas fell below $2 per million British thermal units this month on the Nymex for the first time in a decade. Production increases from U.S. shale formations contributed to the decline. For the year, gas has lost 35 percent.

As 1997 ended, spot gold traded at its lowest price since 1979. The precious metal retreated 21 percent for the year and posted losses in each of the next three years. Since then, the price has risen sixfold, aided by an 11-year winning streak.

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Best Wall St. Stocks Today: ALTR,BAC,SAM,CHK,CRUS,ERJ,EZPW,GTE,XXIA,LL,MYGN,NXY,OKE,PAA,RVBD,SNDK,SYNM

,,ALTR,BAC,SAM,CHK,CRUS,ERJ,EZPW,GTE,XXIA,LL,MYGN,NXY,OKE,PAA,RVBD,SNDK,SYNM

These are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen in Wall Street research calls this Friday.

Altera�Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) Cut to Neutral at Citigroup.

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) Cut to Sell from Underperform at Credit Agricole.

Boston Beer Co. Inc. (NYSE: SAM) Started as Neutral at UBS.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) Cut to Market Perform at Wells Fargo; called “a stock to avo
id on more ‘off balance sheet’ debt and ‘Founders Well’ issues” by Argus.

Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ: CRUS) Started as Buy at Stern Agee.

Embraer�SA (NYSE: ERJ) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ: EZPW) Cut to Underperform at Stern Agee.

Gran Tierra Energy, Inc. (AMEX: GTE) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.

Ixia�(NASDAQ: XXIA) Raised to Buy at Wunderlich.

Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LL) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Myriad Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) Raised to Outperform at Cowen.

Nexen�Inc. (NYSE: NXY) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.

ONEOK�Inc. (NYSE: OKE) Raised to Buy at UBS.

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE: PAA) Started as Overweight at Barclays.

Riverbed Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: RVBD) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan; Cut to Perform at Oppenheimer; downgrades and price target and estimates have been cut at multiple boutique firms.

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank; downgraded or estimate and price targets cut at several other boutique firms.

Syntroleum�Corporation (NASDAQ: SYNM) Started as Market Outperform with $1.80 price target at JMP Securities.

If you enjoyed the top analyst upgrades and downgrades, you can join our free email newsletter that includes analyst summaries each morning sent right to your inbox.� We also cover top issues such as IPOs, special financial exclusives, mergers and more. Sign up in the box below.

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