Notable Stock Picks [Thursday April 14 2011]

1. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP)

 

Years founded: 1993

Estimated number of employees: 2,200

 

CHKP provides IT security solutions globally (mostly firewall and VPN products). It markets and supports software and hardware with their network security, endpoint security, data security, and security management.

 

Competitors:

1. Cisco Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO)

2. Fortinet, Inc. (Nasdaq: FINT)

3. Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE: JNPR)

 

Ratings:

Zacks: 3 (hold)

Yahoo Finance Analyst Opinion: 2.2 (Strong buy 1.0 – 5.0 Sell)

 

Price Targets:

Mean Target:	52.61
Median Target:	52.00
High Target:	60.00
Low Target:	47.00
No. of Brokers:	18

 

Upgrades and Downgrades:

Date	Research Firm	Action	From	To
Jan 6, 2011	Macquarie	Downgrade	Outperform	Neutral
Dec 17, 2010	Wunderlich	Initiated	Hold
Oct 27, 2010	HSBC Securities	Upgrade	Neutral	Overweight
Oct 7, 2010	UBS	Initiated	Buy
Aug 20, 2010	Standpoint Research	Downgrade	Buy	Hold
Apr 26, 2010	FBR Capital	Upgrade	Mkt Perform	Outperform
Feb 17, 2010	Citigroup	Initiated	Buy
Jan 29, 2010	Stifel Nicolaus	Downgrade	Buy	Hold
Oct 2, 2009	Bernstein	Initiated	Outperform
Sep 18, 2009	William Blair	Initiated	Mkt Perform

 

Chart:

From Prophet Chart (CHKP)

 

This is a 5-year chart for CHKP. Consolidation and accumulation, the stock breaks at 25 and rises ever since. Right now, at almost 52, it is too high to buy. You should wait until it falls to around 43 and long this stock. You want to get into this uptrend.

 

CHKP website: www.checkpoint.com

 

 

2. Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG)

 

Years founded: 1998

Estimated number of employees: 24,400

 

GOOG is a multinational public corporation known for its Internet search, cloud computing, and other advertising technologies. Google.com is the most visited website. Its products and services include Android OS development, YouTube, Blogger, etc.

 

Competitors:

1. AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL)

2. Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO)

3. Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU)

 

Rankings:

Zacks: 3 (hold)

Yahoo Finance Analyst Opinion: 1.8 (Strong buy 1.0 – 5.0 Sell)

 

Price Targets:

Mean Target:	724.09
Median Target:	750.00
High Target:	800.00
Low Target:	519.00
No. of Brokers:	31

 

Upgrades and Downgrades:

Date	Research Firm	Action	From	To
Jan 19, 2011	ISI Group	Initiated	Hold
Jan 5, 2011	Canaccord Genuity	Initiated	Buy
Dec 13, 2010	Wedbush	Upgrade	Neutral	Outperform
Oct 15, 2010	Caris & Company	Upgrade	Average	Buy
Oct 12, 2010	Wedbush	Upgrade	Underperform	Neutral
Aug 17, 2010	Wedbush	Initiated	Underperform
May 21, 2010	MKM Partners	Upgrade	Neutral	Buy
May 14, 2010	Caris & Company	Initiated	Average
Feb 25, 2010	MKM Partners	Initiated	Neutral
Jan 22, 2010	Collins Stewart	Downgrade	Buy	Hold

 

Chart:

From Prophet Chart (GOOG)

 

This is a 5-year chart. It is still in the uptrend channel. If it breaks below 550, then sell it. If it breaks above 600, then buy it and hold until above 700.

 

GOOG website: www.google.com

 

 

3. Hasbro Inc. (Nasdaq: HAS)

 

Years founded: 1923

Estimated number of employees: 5,800

 

HAS is a leader in children’s and family entertainment products and services. It designs, manufactures, and markets the games and toys globally.

 

Competitors:

1. JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq: JAKK)

2. Mattel, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAT)

 

Rankings:

Zacks: 3 (hold)

Yahoo Finance Analyst Opinion: 2.1 (Strong buy 1.0 – 5.0 Sell)

 

Price Targets:

Mean Target:	51.14
Median Target:	54.00
High Target:	59.00
Low Target:	40.00
No. of Brokers:	14

 

Upgrades and Downgrades:

Date	Research Firm	Action	From	To
Dec 15, 2010	MKM Partners	Initiated	Buy
Mar 15, 2010	Needham	Downgrade	Strong Buy	Buy
Jan 8, 2010	Wedbush Morgan	Upgrade	Neutral	Outperform
Dec 21, 2009	BMO Capital Markets	Upgrade	Underperform	Market Perform
Nov 9, 2009	Stifel Nicolaus	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Jun 16, 2009	KeyBanc Capital Mkts	Initiated	Buy
May 22, 2009	Morgan Joseph	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Apr 21, 2009	Morgan Joseph	Downgrade	Buy	Hold
Feb 19, 2009	Morgan Joseph	Initiated	Buy
Dec 22, 2008	JP Morgan	Initiated	Neutral

 

Chart:

From Prophet Chart (HAS)

 

This is a 5-year chart. It is still within the channel. I would buy at 39. The lowest it can get is 32. The highest it can get is around 52.

 

HAS website: www.hasbro.com

 

 

4. iGATE Corporation (Nasdaq: IGTE)

 

Years founded: 1996

Estimated number of employees: 8,338

 

IGTE is an information technology firm that specializes in business data processing. It offers various Information Technology solutions to businesses.

 

Competitors:

1. Infosys Technologies Limited (Nasdaq: INFY)

 

Rankings:

Zacks: 4 (sell)

Yahoo Finance Analyst Opinion: 2.0 (Strong buy 1.0 – 5.0 sell)

 

Price Targets:

Mean Target:	22.75
Median Target:	23.00
High Target:	25.00
Low Target:	20.00
No. of Brokers:	4

 

Upgrades and Downgrades:

te	Research Firm	Action	From	To
Apr 13, 2011	Kaufman Bros	Initiated	Buy
Dec 21, 2010	Oppenheimer	Initiated	Outperform
May 3, 2010	Jefferies	Initiated	Buy
Jan 28, 2010	Global Hunter Securities	Initiated	Buy
Jul 22, 2009	Needham	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Oct 13, 2008	Roth Capital	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Sep 10, 2008	Roth Capital	Downgrade	Buy	Hold
Aug 12, 2008	Needham	Downgrade	Buy	Hold
Nov 20, 2007	Roth Capital	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Oct 25, 2007	Roth Capital	Downgrade	Buy	Hold

 

Chart:

From Prophet Chart (IGTE)

 

This is a 2-year chart. It breaks the uptrend channel at 20. It drops back to 15 and rallies up now. I might consider buy this again at 15 if there is a chance later on. If it breaks 20, it can go up to 25 or above.

 

IGTE website: www.igate.com

 

 

5. Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR)

 

Years founded: 1937

Estimated number of employees: 24,638

 

PGR provides auto insurance and other specialty property-casualty insurance in the United States.

 

Competitors:

1. Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL)

 

Rankings:

Zacks: 3 (hold)

Yahoo Finance Analyst Opinion: 2.3 (Strong buy 1.0 – 5.0 Sell)

 

Price Targets:

Mean Target:	22.82
Median Target:	23.00
High Target:	26.00
Low Target:	20.00
No. of Brokers:	17

 

Upgrades and Downgrades:

Date	Research Firm	Action	From	To
Oct 13, 2010	RBC Capital Mkts	Initiated	Outperform
Apr 15, 2010	Credit Suisse	Upgrade	Underperform	Neutral
Mar 29, 2010	Oppenheimer	Upgrade	Underperform	Perform
Mar 26, 2010	FBR Capital	Upgrade	Mkt Perform	Outperform
Mar 26, 2010	JP Morgan	Upgrade	Underweight	Neutral
Mar 25, 2010	Janney Mntgmy Scott	Upgrade	Neutral	Buy
Mar 9, 2010	Citigroup	Initiated	Hold
Jun 22, 2009	FBR Capital	Downgrade	Outperform	Mkt Perform
Apr 16, 2009	Argus	Upgrade	Hold	Buy
Mar 27, 2009	Piper Jaffray	Initiated	Neutral

 

Chart:

From Prophet Chart (PGR)

 

This is the 10-year chart. Honestly, right now, it is very good to buy this stock. It can go up to 25. BUY NOW!

 

PGR website: www.progressive.com


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