Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Goldman Sachs, Syngenta, The Mitsui Group and KB Home

Business Wire, Nov 29, 2007

CHICAGO -- 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: Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Syngenta AG (NYSE: SYT), The Mitsui Group (Nasdaq: MITSY) and KB Home (NYSE: KBH).

See the latest posts to the Analyst Blog by visiting: http://at.zacks.com/?id=2673

Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

Zacks Rank Upgrades

Another morning for the bulls on Wall Street has generally treated the following stocks kindly, all of which get boosts to their Zacks Rank as of the opening bell today:

Good as Goldman

Top global investment banker Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) has just been upgraded from a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) today. With the new announcement of an excellent bonus pay-out to Goldman employees expected for the end of this year, it's clear good times have not run dry for the Wall Street giant.

The consensus six-month EPS estimate for Goldman Sachs shares is currently $242.17, but according to Zacks' calculations, we're expecting the share price to hit $248.90. Currently, the shares are experiencing a pop this morning, as its bonus expectation meets a second-straight bull market. Goldman is up $11.30 thus far, which amounts to a 5.3% gain in share price.

Syngenta's Fields of Green

Global agribusiness giant Syngenta AG (NYSE: SYT) -- among the world leaders in commercial seed supply and crop protection -- is currently getting a favorable nod from brokers, as its Zacks Rank rises from a #2 (Buy) to a #1 (Strong Buy). With extra attention being paid these days to food quality and ethanol energy expansion, the Swiss-based company appears to be firing on all cylinders.

Here's what Zacks senior European markets analyst Santiago Burgaleta, CFA had to say in his latest report on the company: "We remain buyers of Syngenta...The depth of its product mix, robust business model, and highly regarded management team support our positive view on the stock." SYT shares are up about $1 this morning, or roughly 2%.

Upgrade & Pullback for Mitsui

Though shares of Japanese media conglomerate The Mitsui Group (Nasdaq: MITSY) were just today upgraded to a Zacks Rank of #1, its shares are trading down, possibly on mixed views today of Asian markets in general. Its share price has fallen about 2.7%, or $11.85, in what has in most cases been a very favorable market this morning.

The Mitsui Group is a global empire comprising more than 860 subsidiaries and associated companies. It has operations in chemicals, foodstuffs, general merchandise, iron and steel, machinery, nonferrous metals, textiles, energy, and real estate and service industries.

KB Home Hits Firm Ground

After what can only be described as a disastrous August quarter earnings report, brokers have doubtless begun to get a bit more hopeful regarding the outlook of KB Home (NYSE: KBH), the large-cap domestic home builder. Though the market has proven unkind for the single-family residence developer of late, the Zacks Rank for the company has gone up from a #5 (Strong Sell) to a #3 (Hold).

Shares of KBH are up four-and-a-quarter percent thus far today, trading at around $19.75 per share. KB Home is a builder of single-family homes with domestic operations in several Western states. Domestically, the company builds innovatively designed homes which cater primarily to first-time homebuyers, generally in medium-sized developments close to major metropolitan areas. Internationally, the company also builds commercial projects and high density residential properties such as condominium complexes.

See the latest posts to the Analyst Blog by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=2645

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