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Financial ratings wrap-up: Leap, MetroPCS, Verizon and more

August 13 2008 - 6:00 am ET | Kristen Beckman | RCR Wireless News

The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.

Carrier

--RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on Leap Wireless to $49 from $45 after the carrier reported strong second-quarter subscriber growth. R.W. Baird lowered its estimates on Leap, noting the carrier’s mixed financial results. The company ‘s EPS estimate for 2008 drops from a loss of $1.50 to a loss of $2.34 and for 2009 drops to a loss of $2.53 from a loss of $1.21.

--R.W. Baird raised its estimates on Sprint Nextel after the company reported results it said were modestly better than expected. New estimates are a return of 13 cents rather than a loss of 6 cents for 2008 and a return of 12 cents rather than a loss of 7 cents for 2009.

--Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services raised its rating on Rural Cellular Corp.’s senior secured, unsecured and subordinated notes to A from CCC upon completion of its acquisition by Verizon Wireless. S&P also removed its corporate credit rating of B-.

--Morgan Stanley raised its rating on Qwest to overweight from equal weight and assigned a $4.50 price target to the company.

--RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on MetroPCS to $20 from $17 on inline second-quarter results. R.W. Baird raised its estimates on MetroPCS to 49 cents from 40 cents for 2008 and to 47 cents from 45 cents for 2009.

--RBC Capital Markets raised its price target on NTELOS to $34 from $33 on positive EVDO trends. Lehman Brothers raised its estimates on the service provider to $1.34 from 90 cents for 2008 and to $1.89 from $1.35 for 2009.

--Credit Suisse First Boston raised its estimates on Verizon to reflect second-quarter results and its acquisition of Alltel Wireless. New EPS estimates are $2.62 from $2.56 for 2008 and $2.98 from $2.87 for 2009.

Other

--Credit Suisse First Boston lowered its estimates on SBA Communications after the company reported in-line second-quarter results. New estimate are a loss of 55 cents rather than a loss or 37 cents for 2008 and a loss of 22 cents rather than loss of 3 cents for 2009.

--RBC Capital Markets lowered its price target on InfoSpace to $12 from $14 after the company reported solid second-quarter results. RBC expressed concerns about the company’s ability to increase market share.



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