Baird adds major chains to retail coverage - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and The Home Depog with the hire of senior research analyst Peter Benedict will leadthe firm’s researcu coverage in the hardlines/broadlines sector from Baird’sz Stamford, Conn., office. Milwaukee-based Baird said Thursdayh it has initiated coverage of the followingh stocks with thefollowinhg recommendations: BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. BJ, neutral), Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST, neutral), Lowe’s Companies Inc. LOW, outperform), PetSmart, Inc.(NASDAQ: PETM, Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT, outperform) The Home Depot Inc. HD, outperform), Tractor Supply Co. TSCO, outperform); and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT, outperform).
Prior to joining Baird this year, Benedic was a senior research analyst covering retail hardlines at Wachovia Securities andat CIBC. He earned his bachelor’ds degree in economics from Middlebury College and his MBA from ColumbiwaBusiness School. In addition to Baird’s consumer and retail analystsd include: Mitch Kummetz, active/outdoor; Erika Maschmeyer, consumer and retailp softlines; Craig Kennison, consumer/automotive services; and David restaurants.
Baird’s consumer research team covers more than60