Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: ProLogis, Target, Forest Labs and Occidental Petroleum

Business Wire, Oct 5, 2007

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Broker Upgrades. Every Thursday, Zacks editor Mark Vickery updates the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: ProLogis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD), Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT), Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) and Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY).

Here are highlights from Thursday's Broker Upgrades:

Real estate investment trust [REIT] ProLogis, Inc. (NYSE: PLD) sees its ABR rise to 2.0, now that notices from management about acquisitions are moving forward. The company's development pipeline is the largest ever and is expected to generate gains over the next few quarters.

Big-box retailer Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) notes its ABR improved to 1.54. Analysts, in general, believe Target has used its marketing expertise and prowess to transform its trademark "bulls-eye" into a universally recognized symbol, and has, in turn, established its retail format as a unique destination in the eyes of the U.S. consumer. Moreover, TGT's consumables expansion offers strong prospects to drive traffic and sales growth.

Pharmaceutical company Forest Laboratories (NYSE: FRX) has an ABR that has now reached 2.28. According to the company and Zacks Digest report, sales of its depression med Lexapro increased 9% in the most recent quarter, ahead of SSRI-SNRI market growth of 7%, to $552.3 million from $507 million in the year-ago quarter. Forest guides that Lexapro will grow 9%-10% over 2007 based on a combination of market growth, a 6% price increase taken in March 2007, and market share gains of 10 basis points.

An impressive track record of enhanced oil recovery from mature assets and an exploration program focused on low-risk opportunities are a couple reasons Occidental Petroleum's (NYSE: OXY) ABR went up to 2.12. OXY, founded in 1920, is one of the oldest and largest independent oil and gas companies, primarily engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas. The company is also a major producer of a variety of basic chemicals, petrochemicals, polymers, and specialty chemicals.

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