Seligman portfolio manager Rich Parower likes Symantec (SYMC). He's betting the company's new CEO, Enrique Salem, will light a fire under the sales force. "There have been changes in the sales-force compensation plans, giving them more incentives to sell higher volumes," Parower says. Symantec, which sells anti-virus and enterprise-storage software, is rolling out new products and updates, including a refresh for Altiris, a desktop-systems-management offering. Parower thinks Symantec could trade at 16 times 2011 estimated earnings of $1.60, for a price target around 25. Symantec shares traded last week at about 16.

Belief that computer security products will continue to be in demand

Outperform - Price 16.14 on May 26
by Pacific Crest

Symantec is still seeing some uncertainty surrounding [information-technology] spending....While SYMC doesn't believe that conditions will worsen, it is hesitant to call a recovery for the June quarter, as many customers still appear to be in wait-and-see mode....We believe SYMC shares will appreciate if the company can show stabilization in its business and some predictability on the top line...[and] we believe that the magnitude of cost control...remains underappreciated by investors and that the current consensus estimate, which calls for 40 basis points of margin compression this year relative to fiscal 2009...represent[s] a worst-case scenario [rather] than provid[ing] a probable outcome. While shares have now reset to our initial upgrade price, we are increasingly confident in the story and new management's ability to drive a return to organic growth in key areas such as security and compliance. We reiterate our Buy rating and 21 [target] on these shares -- roughly 12 times our [calendar] 2010 estimate of $1.73. Market cap: $11.75 billion.

The entire mindset of this market is that the worst is over for tech and that we are in 2003, when Microsoft (MSFT), Intel (INTC), Oracle (ORCL) and Cisco (CSCO) just took off, taking a ton of players with them, like Citrix (CTXS) or Corning (GLW) or Symantec (SYMC) and Adobe (ADBE).

Meet Symantec's New Top Dog: Enrique Salem outlines how he'll lead Symantec through a tough economy that's been particularly brutal for the tech sector.
Click here to watch the video.

Symantec (SYMC) upgraded to Overweight from Neutral J.P.Morgan. See attractive valuation based on cash flow from maintenance, and believe investors are essentially getting the consumer business for free. See upside from enterprise security business, which is currently a low profit contributor. Price target at $20.

But how about the stocks on the Nasdaq? The Nazz futures are indicating down huge. Does that make sense? Just because it is happening, does that make sense? Symantec (SYMC), positive article this weekend -- a buy? If the futures take it down, yes. Amgen (AMGN) with new data coming up? Yes. Celgene (CELG), which wouldn't come down last week? Yes.

Symantec (SYMC) was upgraded to Buy at ThinkPanmure. $24 price target. Recent checks suggest a stable core business with solid sales activity. This increased stability within sales is driving productivity and execution. Data loss prevention, endpoint virtualization, security services and on-line back-up are expected to provide upside growth potential.

From a recent Mad Money show:

"Classic 'old' tech, I see nothing that makes me want to buy it."

Shares of Symantec (SYMC) were among the most actively trades stocks on the Nasdaq Tuesday.

Nowhere to go but down in market share.

ended up with sumc as result of several buyout. all of which cost stock holders

poor tech stock

great product, but has not performed well in the last few years

Whats the vision?

backward engineer and code faster

prices

They used to be good

losing focus

Poorly Run