CHICAGO, Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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: EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (NYSE: DD), The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), Roche Holdings Ltd. (OTC: RHHBY), Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) and Novartis' (NYSE: NVS).

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Here are highlights from Monday's Analyst Blog:

Earnings Preview: DuPont

EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (NYSE: DD) is scheduled to report its third-quarter 2011 financial results on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is 56 cents a share. For the quarter under review, revenue is $8,884 million, according to the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Fiscal 2011 Guidance

DuPont upgraded its full-year 2011 earnings outlook to $3.90–$4.05 per share from its previous forecast of $3.65–$3.85 per share. This revision was attributable to the company's strong earnings results, the expectation for continued global economic growth and about $.05 per share full-year operating earnings from Danisco on an underlying basis. 

The company's estimate for the Danisco acquisition on full-year reported earnings is at present a reduction of $.18 to $.29 per share versus the previous estimate of $.30 to $.45 per share. The current view is based on anticipated full-year Danisco operating earnings of about $.05 per share and significant item charges related to the acquisition estimated to be $.23 to $.34 per share.

In addition to these Danisco charges, the company expects a $.03 per share significant item charge in the third quarter associated with a licensing agreement.

Third-Quarter 2011 Consensus

Analysts considered by Zacks expect DuPont to post third-quarter 2011 earnings of 56 cents a share, reflecting growth of 39.5% from the year-ago quarter. The current Zacks Consensus Estimates for the quarter ranges from a low of 51 cents to a high of 60 cents.

Recommendation

DuPont is a global chemical and life sciences company, employing more than 60,000 people worldwide with a diverse array of product offerings. With over 21,000 patents and 15,000 patent applications worldwide, DuPont sells its products in diverse markets, such as transportation, construction, apparel, agriculture, nutrition and health, packaging and electronics markets.

DuPont faces stiff competition from The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW).

Currently, DuPont has a short-term (1 to 3 months) Zacks #3 Rank (Hold) and a long- term Neutral recommendation.

Roche's MS Candidate Advances

Roche Holdings Ltd. (OTC: RHHBY) reported positive data from a mid-stage trial on ocrelizumab, which is also the second set of data that the company reported within a week. The candidate is being studied to treat patients suffering from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

The study showed that a significant reduction in disease activity was maintained through 96 weeks, similar to the previously-reported 24 weeks.

Results demonstrated that none of the patients who were dosed 600 mg of ocrelizumab developed a new or enlarging brain lesion (as measured by MRI), during the 24-96 week treatment period. Further, the annualized relapse rate (ARR), the rate of clinical attacks or flare-ups per patient-year, was less than 0.2 attacks per patient per year across the 96-week period. The data also showed that two-thirds of the patients who completed the study in the 600 mg group were free of any disease activity (as measured by MRI, relapses or neurological progression) over the 96-week treatment period.

We note that Roche has commenced patient enrollment for a late-stage program (Orchestra) of ocrelizumab. The phase III program consists of two studies – one in patients with RRMS (Opera I and II) and the other in patients with primary progressive MS (Oratorio).

Ocrelizumab is being developed by Roche in collaboration with Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB). According to the agreement Roche is responsible for the development and commercialization of ocrelizumab, while Biogen will receive tiered, double-digit royalties on the US sales of the drug.

On approval, ocrelizumab will face competition from Biogen's Avastin, Novartis' (NYSE: NVS) Extavia, among others.

In the short run, we have a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold rating) on Roche.

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