Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Sohu.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOHU), Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN), Dollar Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: DLLR), Indevus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IDEV) and Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENDP).
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Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:
Sohu.com a Buy Up to $70
Sohu.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOHU) is the second-largest internet portal and one of the most well-known online brands in China.
Sohu’s pipeline for its new online games remains strong and is expected to drive meaningful growth in late 2009 and 2010. We are encouraged by the company’s growing cash balance as well as its debt free balance sheet. We believe that the current stock price does not fully reflect the company’s intrinsic value. Concerns relating to online ad spend and China’s macro economy in 2009 still remains. As such, we maintain our Buy rating on the shares of SOHU.
Priceline.com Downgraded
We are downgrading Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) from Hold to Sell. In our opinion, the stock's recent move from the high $40s to about $80 (a rally of ~65%) should be sold.
Recall that the company indicated that it began experiencing an accelerated deterioration in European travel in the third quarter. Global economic conditions have not improved since that time, and Zacks Investment Research believes the global slowdown will accelerate in 2009.
Dollar Financial Improving
Dollar Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: DLLR) of Berwyn, PA is an international financial services company serving under-banked consumers. DLLR provides a range of consumer financial products and services primarily consisting of check cashing, short-term consumer loans, Western Union money orders and money transfers, along with other conveniences such as utility bill payments, currency exchange, and tax preparation.
DLLR's 1Q09 (ended September 30, 2008) diluted earnings of $0.55 per share were ahead of consensus estimates. The company continued to deliver outstanding revenue growth (17.0% during the reported quarter), despite a difficult economic environment. Net income increased 12.9%, based on strong growth especially in the U.S. markets, as a result of acquisitions.
Indevus Acquired - Take the $$$
Just two short weeks ago, we initiated coverage of Indevus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IDEV) with a Buy rating and $6 price target. Paramount to our investment thesis was the eventual approval of Nebido in late calendar 2009.
We were encouraged by the fact that management has come to an agreement with the FDA on the re-filing of the Nebido NDA, and believed that approval will be a transformational event for Indevus. We were also bullish on the rest of the pipeline.
Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENDP) must agree, having just signed a definitive merger agreement with Indevus worth up to $7.50 per share to Indevus shareholders. We are advising clients to take the money as such, our rating is now Hold.
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