Lennar is upgraded to 'overweight,' and Yum Brands is downgraded to 'underperform.'
But a positive surprise doesn't necessarily mean growth and some companies still to report are in sectors more likely to disappoint.
Panera Bread is upgraded to 'outperform,' and Yelp is initiated with a 'market perform.'
While it remains to be seen just how much damage Sandy will do to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, it's certainly unusual.
All of these companies have boosted their payouts for 25 consecutive years.
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