Analyst Upgrades: Google, Diana Shipping, TECO Energy

Analysts upwardly revised their ratings on Google Inc (GOOGL), Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX), and TECO Energy, Inc. (TE)

Jul 17, 2015 at 9:06 AM

Analysts are weighing in today on Internet issue Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), cargo carrier Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), and utility concern TECO Energy, Inc. (NYSE:TE). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on GOOGL, DSX, and TE.

GOOGL blew past earnings expectations last night, prompting a rush of bullish brokerage attention. Specifically, MKM Partners started coverage with a "buy" rating and $805 price target, while no fewer than 20 other firms upwardly revised their price targets. As such, Google Inc is poised to jump 13.4% at the open. So far this year, the shares have already advanced 13.4% to trade at $601.78, and hit an annual high yesterday of $608.91 -- which is likely to be overtaken this morning. Analysts, in general, have been bullish toward the stock. However, traders at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been bracing for a pullback. GOOGL's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 0.66 rests just 3 percentage points from a 12-month peak.

DSX saw its price target bumped by $1 to $9 at Jefferies. The positive revision reflects the shares' recent rally, adding 27% since their early April two-year low of $6.02 to trade at $7.65. Despite this uptrend, short sellers have been piling on Diana Shipping Inc. During the two most recent reporting periods, short interest on the stock rose 23.5%, and now makes up 6% of its float -- which would take more than a week to buy back, at DSX's typical trading volumes. Also, as we've observed recently, short-term options traders are more put-skewed than usual.

TE, which surged more than 15% yesterday after reports of a potential sale, received an upgrade to "buy" from "neutral" at Mizuho. The brokerage firm also boosted its price target to $24 from $19, representing a move into decade-plus-high territory. Yesterday's surge brought TECO Energy, Inc. about 5% above its year-to-date flatline, and its intraday peak of $22.02 matched a multi-year high from late January. Options traders may be rolling the dice on more upside, too. TE's 50-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 11.76 ranks in the 91st percentile of its annual range.

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