Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Buffalo Wild Wings, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Halliburton Co., Dendreon Corp. and Phase Forward Inc.

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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: Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL), Dendreon Corp. (NASDAQ: DNDN) and Phase Forward Inc. (NASDAQ: PFWD).

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Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

Buffalo Wild Wings' Hot Results

Cash-strapped consumers are cutting visits to most casual dining restaurants, but Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) has the formula to keep them coming back.

The restaurant best known for its chicken wings and sports bar reported that same-store sales surged 6.4% in 1Q09, fueling a 31% rise in EPS before impairment charges to $0.47, in line with both consensus and Zacks' estimates.

Bullish On Bristol-Myers

We continue to believe the shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) are attractive at their current price based on valuation, strong expected EPS growth and progress in reinvesting in higher growth opportunities. The recently announced $1 billion extension in cost cuts in 2012-2013 and extension of the Abilify agreement with Otsuka are the latest examples that management is taking meaningful steps to prepare for the loss of exclusivity of Plavix.

Management's 2009 EPS guidance of $1.85 - $2.00 implies growth of between 6% and 15%. Revenue is expected to grow in the low-single digits, which includes a significant foreign exchange headwind. Reaffirmed was guidance of EPS growing at a CAGR of at least 15% from 2007 through 2010.

Halliburton Results Support Sell Rec

Halliburton Co.'s (NYSE: HAL) first-quarter earnings were largely in-line with expectations, though revenue numbers were modestly off. Results were down significantly from the year-earlier level due to the sharp cyclical downturn, particularly in the all-important North American market.

Management indicated continued lack of visibility with respect to the length and depth of the downturn, though they did mention that the North American margin squeeze may be close to bottoming out. But the slide on the international front, admittedly never as severe as in North America, is just getting underway.

DNDN Study Removes Uncertainty

Yesterday (April 28), Dendreon Corp. (NASDAQ: DNDN) shares swung widely before the final data of IMPACT trial were reported. Share price of this tiny biotech company rose as high as $25 and then declined to as low as $7.5 per share, which prompted a brief probe and trade halt by the NASDAQ market oversight body.

We believe the wild ride reflected investors' nervousness about the data of the company's phase III IMPACT trial for Provenge.

Phase Forward Up on Solid Q1

Shares of Phase Forward Inc. (NASDAQ: PFWD, Buy) are up an impressive 17% in trading today following the company's release of its fiscal Q1 results yesterday.

Both revenue and non-GAAP EPS beat our and consensus estimates with in-line guidance for Q2. Revenues of $49.4 million came ahead of our $48 million estimate, while non-GAAP EPS of $0.15 easily beat our $0.12 estimate.

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