Zacks Broker Upgrade Highlights: Safeway, Wyeth, U.S. Steel and UnitedHealth

Business Wire, Feb 25, 2008

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Broker Upgrades. Every week, Zacks editor Mark Vickery updates the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the Broker Upgrades include: Safeway Stores (NYSE: SWY), Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) and UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH).

Here are highlights from Friday's Broker Upgrades:

Far and away the most impressive performer today in terms of Average Broker Recommendation (ABR) is supermarket giant Safeway Stores (NYSE: SWY), which rocketed up 0.17 to 1.83 today. This is most likely the result of a strong fundamentals/weak market one-two, which saw Safeway shares drop ten percent after beating estimates in its fourth quarter earnings report, as well offering positive guidance.

With a new FDA approval for its Xyntha hemophilia treatment, Big Pharma staple Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) saw its ABR gain measurably - up 0.13 to 2.16 overall today. Again, the stock traded down on a gloomy day for the Street, so valuation once again makes brokers sit up and take notice.

Commodity-driven stocks seem to be the major success stories early on this year, and today we see how this trend has helped U.S. Steel (NYSE: X). With iron contracts reaching high settlements this week - in an extremely favorable +65% year-over-year comparison - analysts have taken notice and brought up U.S. Steel's ABR from 2.11 to 2.22.

When Warren Buffett likes you, you know that's probably a good thing. UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH), currently among the tried-and-true holdings of Mr. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, is another big winner in ABR today - up 0.07 to 1.83 overall. As analysts and investors begin to hold healthcare stocks in higher regard as of late, it's not too hard to see why the health insurer is reaping the near-term benefits.

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