posted 08-24-2000 05:09 PM         

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Ah the power of analysts. Wow, thank god i'm not an investor in this company:

"Next Level Communications (NXTV: news, msgs) was the biggest downside mover on the Nasdaq, diving 54 percent, or 50 to 41 9/16 and setting an all-time low. Lehman Brothers shaved its rating on the stock to a "neutral" from a "buy." See Ratings Game. In a note to clients, Lehman raised concerns over the company's relationship with Qwest Communications (Q: news, msgs), saying he believes it's likely Qwest will not move forward aggressively with US West's plans to deploy VDSL products that had been started prior to its acquisition by Qwest. And Merrill Lynch lowered its rating on the clobbered stock to "near-term accumulate" from a "near-term neutral," indicating that even with Thursday's sell-off, the stock will probably still be overvalued. Merrill noted that Qwest represents about 70 percent of Next Level's revenues this year and would have represented 50 percent of next year's revenues."

posted 08-21-2000 04:19 PM         

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This columnist has strong opinions of what can we learn from the market's infatuation with Merrill Lynch analyst Henry Blodget. (source: Upside) http://upside.com/texis/mvm/story?id=39983bc60

MutualMinds.com is giving you a chance to become a mutual fund manager. MutualMinds scores how well each stock-picker does. Then, if the SEC approves its application to register mutual fund shares, it will sponsor a fund whose investments are chosen by the community's highest-scoring stock pickers. http://www.mutualminds.com

posted 07-31-2000 12:00 PM         

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Remember when the Nasdaq and the rest of the markets were soaring last spring? Many financial-news websites were soaring right along with them, dispensing money-making tips to investors by the carload. Like so many internet stocks, though, the market slide in April has helped weed out the winners from the losers among the crowd of stock pundits. http://www.business2.com/content/channels/investing/2000/07/25/14836

The internet has democratized investment research--some would say too much so. Can investors find useful stock tips on web sites devoted to rumormongering? (source: Forbes) http://www.forbes.com/columnists/leitzsolan

posted 07-28-2000 01:45 PM         

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One day after Lehman Brothers downgraded Amazon.com, six other firms piled on the hapless stock. Merrill Lynch, Robertson Stephens, SG Cowen, Prudential, Janney Montgomery Scott, and Pacific Crest all lowered their ratings on the giant e-tailer, citing concerns with Amazon's slowing revenue growth.

My question is, do these analysts have access to financial reports or research beforehand that would clue them into the earnings reports and/or warnings? I'm sure the answer to that is yes, most of the time. At the very least, they can read previous financial statements like the rest of us.

What I'd like to see is an analyst making an upgrade/downgrade change BEFORE an earnings report is released. Making it after just gives them an easy out from a previous announcement or price target. Analysts are way too reactionary...

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