S&P MAINTAINS HOLD OPINION ON SHARES OF CITGROUP (C; 25.64):
Citigroup plans to increase its capital levels by selling non-core businesses and selling more of its mortgages to the secondary market. Provisions seem adequate, as allowances total 175% of non-performing loans. We believe writedowns of the company's riskier assets, including leverage loans and Alt-A securities, will continue, but at a lower level in the coming quarters than in the first quarter. We are reducing our 2008 EPS estimate by $0.86 to $0.19 to account for additional writedowns. We are maintaining our 12-month target price of 26, 1.25 current book value, in line with Citigroup's peers. -S. Plesser
S&P REITERATES HOLD OPINION ON SHARES OF GOOGLE (GOOG; 449.54):
Shares are surging in pre-market trading after Google posts first quarter EPS of $4.12, vs. $3.18, well above our $3.58 forecast. Revenues rose 42%, besting our 30% view. Growth was paced by non-U.S. revenues, which we estimate rose 54% owing to growing markets, share gains and more favorable pricing due partly to quality improvements. We do not think GOOG was materially impacted by slowing domestic, international economies. We are raising our 2008 EPS forecast to $16.18 from $15.80, our 2009 to $19.75 from $19.56, and our 12-month target price to 550 from 500 based on revised DCF analysis. -S. Kessler
S&P DOWNGRADES RECOMMENDATION ON XEROX SHARES TO HOLD FROM BUY (XRX; 14.82):
Xerox posts first quarte non-GAAP EPS of $0.27, vs. $0.24, a penny below our estimate. On a GAAP basis, first quarter loss per share was $0.27, including $0.54 litigation charge, vs. year-ago $0.24 EPS. Revenue rose 13%, but only 1% excluding currency effects and acquisitions. Sales from color product lines rose to 40% of total revenue and we foresee this driving modest revenue growth ahead. Gross margins trended lower. We are reducing our 2008 and 2009 operating EPS estimates to $1.30 and $1.40, from $1.35 and $1.50. We cut our 12-month target price to 16 from 18, based on our revised p-e analysis. -T. Smith, CFA
S&P UPGRADES RECOMMENDATION ON SHARES OF CATERPILLAR TO BUY FROM HOLD (CAT; 78.59):
First quarter EPS of $1.45, vs. $1.23, beats our forecast by $0.15, reflecting strong demand for products used in global mining and energy, as well as machines used to build infrastructure. Demand remains very robust in foreign markets, which accounted for 58% of first quarter sales, while CAT's U.S. business is still sluggish. We are raising our 2008 EPS estimate by $0.20 to $6.10 and starting 2009 at $6.85. We are also raising our 12-month target price by 22 to 104, 17 times our 2008 estimate, to reflect a valuation we believe is consistent with our outlook for an extended upturn in CAT's results. -M. Jaffe
S&P MAINTAINS HOLD RECOMMENDATION ON SHARES OF TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE (TTWO; 25.85):
Electronic Arts (ERTS; 51.50) extends its offer to acquire all of TTWO's outstanding shares to May 16, 2008, and reduces its offer price to $25.74 a share from $26 to account for additional shares to be issued for a shareholders-approved management incentive stock plan. ERTS said that 6.4 million of TTWO's 77 million shares outstanding have been tendered so far. We believe both companies are standing firm and that negotiations will not begin in earnest until we see the first month's sales of Grand Theft Auto IV, to be released on April 29. We still think a deal will be done at about $28. -J. Yin
S&P REITERATES BUY RECOMMENDATION ON SHARES OF HONEYWELL HON 59.28):
Honeywell posts first quarter EPS of $0.85, vs. $0.66, above our $0.77 estimate, on 8% organic sales growth. Free cash flow rose 25% in the first quarter, and operating margins rose 60 basis points to 14% on margin improvement in all segments except transportation. Operating profit growth was led by Specialty Materials, and Automation & Control Solutions. We expect continued refining and petrochemical demand in specialty materials segment and infrastructure demand in emerging markets at automation & control, and raise our 2008 estimate by $0.05 to $3.77, 2009's by $0.05 to $4.20. We keep our 12-month target price of $68. -R. Tortoriello