Pharmaceuticals

We upgraded our recommendation on Monsanto Company (MON) from Underperform to Neutral based on improved visibility on the yield performance of SmartStax corn seed and RR2Y (Roundup Ready 2 Yield) soybean seed in the coming years. SmartStax and RR2Y posted a decent yield on completion of 95%...

• Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) reported fiscal second quarter earnings of $0.51, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.44, on revenues of $8.6 billion that topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.3 billion • Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO) posted stronger fiscal fourth quarter earnings...

Sanofi-aventis (NYSE: SNY) US and Oxford University have entered into an agreement to conduct multi-phase oncology clinical and epidemiological research with INDOX, India's leading academic oncology network. Through this partnership, sanofi-aventis US and its affiliates will have access to the...

• Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) reported fiscal second quarter earnings of $0.51, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.44, on revenues of $8.6 billion that topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.3 billion • Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO) posted stronger fiscal fourth quarter earnings...

The markets closed with modest gains, yesterday, drifting away from any further late-day sell-off that had affected stocks in the last few days. The indices ended on a winning side, helped by positive economic data and higher profit outlook from package shipper FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX).   The...

Deutsche Bank is increasing its PT on Valeant Pharmaceutical (NYSE: VRX) from $30 to $38. “[This is] based on 14x (in-line with peer group) our 2012 new EPS est,” Deutsche Bank writes. “Primary risks to our thesis and price objective are 1) successful integration of the BVF merger and realization...

The markets closed with modest gains, yesterday, drifting away from any further late-day sell-off that had affected stocks in the last few days. The indices ended on a winning side, helped by positive economic data and higher profit outlook from package shipper FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX).   The...

Randgold Resources Limited (NASDAQ: GOLD) dipped 1.32% to $86.60 in the pre-market session. GOLD's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 7.69%. Shire Plc (NASDAQ: SHPGY) lost 0.42% to $71.70 in the pre-market session. SHPGY's PEG ratio is 1.20. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) fell 0.13% to $27.95 in...

Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq: MYL) today confirmed that the company and its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. have been sued by Shionogi Pharma Inc. and CIMA LABS INC. in connection with the filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Prednisolone Sodium...

Cusick's Corner This has been a nice and orderly Expiration week even with futures and December options coming off over the next 24 hours. The market is watching earnings -- been positive, the bonds -- prices have firmed and the EU -- finance ministers have been quiet. The market is still stuck at...

Cusick's Corner The market continues to rise in the face of the Dollar, DXH11, over .80 the Euro, FXE, hovering at 132 and the Volatility Index VIX is at 17.43, a level that we have not seen since April. I am watching the strength of this uptrend into the After Hours -- I want to see the market...

Shares of Impax Laboratories, Inc. (NasdaqGM: IPXL) are trading up 6.4% at $20.85 per share during the Thursday afternoon trading session. The company announced early on Thursday morning that it had reached an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE: GSK), in which Impax Laboratories will receive...

Shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NYSE: AZN) are lower on the session by 0.23%, currently trading at $49.16. The stock has been moving largely lower over the past three months and is currently hovering between the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying puts on the name today. A...

Alcon Inc. (ACL) recently announced that its board of directors has given the nod for its merger with Novartis AG (NVS). Novartis plans to pay $168 per share to acquire the remaining 23% share of Alcon it does not already own. Per the terms of the agreement, the merger consideration will consist...