Tiffany (TIF), Amazon (AMZN): S&P Gainers

NEW YORK (TheStreet) - Tiffany and Amazon were among the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 on Tuesday.

The S&P 500 fell 4.23 points, or 0.3%, to close at 1,405.52.

Shares of Tiffany rose 6.68% to $73.27 on about eight times the stock's average daily trading volume of 1.9 million shares. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $178.4 million, or $1.39 a share, down from earlier earnings of $181.2 million, or $1.41 a share. Analysts, on average, anticipated a profit of $1.42 a share.

Tiffany's 2012 outlook includes a projected 10% increase in global sales led by the Asia/Pacific region and the Americas and between a 16% and 19% increase in earnings per share to a range of between $3.95 and $4.05.

Tiffany shares trade at an estimated price-to-earnings ratio for next year of 16.18X; the average for specialty retailers is 16.1X.

Thirteen of the 23 analysts who cover Tiffany rate it at hold; 10 analysts give the stock a buy rating.

TheStreet Ratings gives Tiffany a B grade with a buy rating and a $79.64 price target. The stock has risen 10.58% year to date.

Amazon shares increased 3.67% to $192.33 on about double the stock's average daily trading volume of 5.49 million shares. The online retailer agreed to acquire Kiva Systems, which makes robots used in warehouses, for $775 million in cash after Monday's closing bell.

Amazon shares trade at a forward P/E is 49.1X; the average for broad-line retailers is 20.6X. For comparison, both Wal-Mart and Costco have lower forward P/Es of 11.43X and 20.72X, respectively.

Twenty-three of the 39 analysts who cover Amazon rate it at buy. Fifteen analysts give the stock a hold rating and one rate it at sell.

TheStreet Ratings gives Amazon a C+ grade and hold rating. The stock has risen 11.11% year to date.

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Other top-performing S&P 500 stocks Tuesday include:

• Bank of America : The stock rose 2.94% Tuesday to $9.81. The stock has increased 76.44% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Bank of America a C- grade and hold rating.
• Williams : The stock increased 2.89% Tuesday to $31.30. The stock has fallen 5.21% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Williams a B- grade with a buy rating and $38.14 price target.
• NetApp : The stock rose 2.84% Tuesday to $45.31. The stock has increased 24.92% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives NetApp a B grade with a buy rating and $50.05 price target.
• Urban Outfitters : The stock increased 2.52% Tuesday to $28.51. The stock has risen 3.45% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Urban Outfitters a B- grade with a buy rating and $32.32 price target.
• Citigroup : The stock rose 2.45% Tuesday to $38.08. The stock has increased 44.74% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Citigroup a C+ grade and hold rating.
• Western Digital The stock increased 2.33% Tuesday to $39.08. The stock has risen 26.27% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Western Digital a B- grade with a buy rating and $44.89 price target.
• Cisco : The stock rose 2.14% Tuesday to $20.57. The stock has increased 13.77% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives Cisco a B grade with a buy rating and $23 price target.
• J.C. Penney : The stock increased 2.1% Tuesday to $36.98. The stock has risen 5.21% year to date. TheStreet Ratings gives J.C. Penney a C+ grade and hold rating.

--Written by Alexandra Zendrian in New York.

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