Viacom "equal weight"

04/17/07 - Lehman Brothers

NEW YORK, April 17 (newratings.com) - Analyst Anthony J DiClemente of Lehman Brothers maintains his "equal weight" rating on Viacom Inc (VIA.B). The target price is set to $43.

In a research note published yesterday, the analyst mentions that the incremental Print and Advertising costs at the company’s Paramount division are expected to have increased by $150 million in 1Q07. Viacom’s cable networks business is likely to post 7.4% revenue growth for the quarter, backed by 6.9% and 10.3% revenue growth in the Domestic and International divisions, respectively, the analyst says. The company is likely to miss the consensus EPS expectations, Lehman Brothers adds.