Archive for August, 2009
MasterCard Partners with CyberShift to Offer Expense Management Automation
Amidst the turbulent economy, companies are looking for ways to reduce costs. Workforce and expense management solution is the newest mantra to manage costs effectively, streamline processes and accomplish back-office time savings. Companies also focus on controlling and reducing...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JCI) Johnson Controls Closing Plant
Wisconsin-based Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) is reportedly planning to close its assembly and manufacturing plant in Botetourt County by May 2010 after orders declined by about 30% in the last few months. The Botetourt facility, near Bonsack, has been part of the company’s...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CHL) China Mobile Goes for “Ophones”
China Mobile (CHL) has reportedly entered into a strategic agreement with Taiwan-based High Tech Computer Corp (commonly known as HTC) today to jointly develop 3G smartphones in China. The joint-venture will design and develop handset models (called “Ophones”) based...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Obama Keeps Bernanke – Is This the Right Call?
President Obama is reappointing Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman. Though there will be those in Congress who disapprove, it is highly probable that Bernanke will keep his job after January 31st. The move is part of a broader plan to keep the Obama economic team in place. A White...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Wells Fargo Going Slow on Wachovia
Six months after acquiring Wachovia Corp., the Wells Fargo (WFC) name and stagecoach logo have yet to be seen in the Kansas City area. Indeed it will not be visible till the next year. San Francisco-based Wells Fargo has been moving slowly to consolidate Wachovia Bank into its...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AAPL) Top Technology Equity Funds – Mutual Fund Commentary
Today we are featuring top-performing “Technology” equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of companies that deal in advanced technologies. Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Technology Equity Funds. 3...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(STI) Stock Market News for August 25, 2009
Major average closed essentially flat Monday as cautious investors chose to halt last week’s buying spree and wait for next round of economic data. Treasury prices advanced ahead of the next round of note auctions. Oil prices rose to their highest level this year, sending...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CXO) Concho Resources Inc. – Earned 34 Cents vs. 19 Cents Estimated
Concho Resources Inc (CXO) remains volatile, but bullish, following its latest earnings report. Company Description Concho Resources is an oil and natural gas exploration company. Most of the company’s properties are located in New Mexico and Texas. Concho also is involved...
25Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(USO) These Three Commodities Are Set to Move – Are You Ready to Profit?
by Lee Lowell, Advisory Panelist If you’re looking for what I call a “blast-off” move, look no further than the sugar market. Since April, the commodity has embarked on an extreme upside move, shooting to highs not seen since sugar hit $0.45 per pound in 1981. The chart...
25Aug2009 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(IBM) LEAP Options: Put Time on Your Side With This Trading Strategy
by Karim Rahemtulla, Advisory Panelist Recently, I covered the profitable and simplistic world of LEAP options – a simple way to trade using long-term options that have an expiration date of one to three years. And it’s this time component that is a critical factor when...
24Aug2009 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(ROST) Ross Stores, Inc. – Consensus Estimate Jumps on Strong Results
Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) recently announced second-quarter earnings of 82 cents per share, eclipsing the previous year’s 54 cents and matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Sales jumped 8% year-over-year, while comparable store sales improved by 3%. Management said the...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JAS) Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. – Average Estimate is $1.10, up from $0.99
Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. (JAS) analysts continue to raise estimates after solid sales growth in the second quarter. Sales Increasing On Aug 6 the company reported net sales for the second quarter of $419.4 million, up from $403 million. Same store sales increased 1.8% since last year,...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HELE) Helen of Troy Limited Consensus Estimates Continue to Rise
Helen of Troy Limited (HELE) continues to see higher Zacks Consensus Estimates for earnings. Forecasts are at $1.97 per share for the year ending February 2010, which is above last month’s $1.90. For the following year, the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.16 climbed last...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(R) Ryder Recently Recognized for its Green Initiatives
Ryder System Inc. (R), a leading supply chain, warehousing and transportation solutions provider, has been recently recognized for its green initiatives and strong commitment to supply chain sustainability. The company was named as “Inbound Logistics Green Supply Chain Partner”...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PTR) PetroChina to Begin Building a Natural Gas Plant in Inner Mongolia
PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR) has discovered solid gas flow at an onshore well in the east Sulige gas field, China. Daily output from this well is 610,000 cubic meters. Discovered in 2000, the Sulige field has a projected 534 billion cubic meters of natural gas. It is located...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(QCOM) Viewership Rating for Mobile TV
FLO TV Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM), together with its partner Rentrak Corp. (RENT) recently decided to launch the industry’s first comprehensive audience measurement and reporting system. This innovative technique will provide details of advertising...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CCE) Coca Cola Enterprises Inc. – Dividend Raised
Coca Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) recently broke above a key level of short-term resistance after reporting better than expected second-quarter results on July 29. Second-Quarter Results Sales were mostly flat from last year, up .5% to $5.9 billion. Earnings came in at 67 cents...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CF) CF Extends Terra Exchange Deadline
CF Industries Holdings (CF) announced today that it has extended the expiration date of its exchange offer for all of the outstanding shares of Terra Industries (TRA) common stock until Aug. 31. The offer was scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 21. Since January...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SMTC) Semtech Beat Estimates by 17.3%
Semtech Corporation’s (SMTC) second-quarter earnings beat the consensus by 3 cents. Revenue of $66.3 million exceeded consensus estimates by 17.3% and was higher than management’s expectations of $62-65 million, or up 4-8% sequentially. Total revenue increased 10.4% sequentially...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($AIG) Relief for U.S. Taxpayers
Losses for U.S. taxpayers are expected to reduce a bit as the Federal Reserve on Friday raised the estimated value of the assets that were used to address Bear Stearns’ and American International Group’s (AIG) rescues during the height of the financial crisis last year. Per...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AN) Cash for Clunkers Program Expires
Today, the extremely popular vehicle exchange program “Cash for Clunkers” will complete its tenure. “Cash for Clunkers,” a.k.a. the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), introduced by the U.S. Government in late July, is a $3 billion cash incentive program. The...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XOM) Stock Market News for August 24, 2009
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s encouraging words about the economy and a jump in existing home sales sent US stock surging to their highest level this year and brightened hopes that an economic recovery is imminent. Treasuries tumbled and corresponding yields rose...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GFG) 2nd Largest Bank Failure in ’09
Regulators shut down 4 more banks including Guaranty, the 2nd largest this year; total failed banks in ’09 reach 81 U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered more four banks Incorporatedluding Guaranty. The shutdown of Guaranty, a unit of Guaranty Financial Group Inc. (GFG),...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PG) P&G Finds Buyer for Drug Business
Warner Chilcott, a specialty drug maker, recently announced plans to acquire Procter & Gamble Co.’s (PG) prescription drug business for about $3 billion. Last December, P&G had announced its intention to restrict making new investments in the pharmaceutical division...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SNP) Sinopec Reports Steady Growth in Oil and Gas Volumes
Sinopec (SNP) recently reported results for the six months ended June 30. Net income for the period increased significantly from the year-earlier level to RMB 33.2 billion ($4.87 billion). The positive results reflect a steady growth in oil and gas volumes and profit from the...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(OPXT) Opnext Management is Still Cautious
Earlier this month, Opnext Inc. (OPXT) reported revenues of $85.3 million in its fiscal first quarter, up 1.3% year over year and 2.0% sequentially. The company experienced a rebound in 10G sales in both datacom and telecom applications. 40G sales returned to more normalized...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ALTH) Crucial Time for Allos Therapeutics
We are awaiting the decision of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) cancer advisory committee regarding approval of Allos Therapeutics’ (ALTH) Pralatrexate at a meeting scheduled for September 2, 2009. The company is seeking FDA approval for Pralatrexate for the...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(COP) ConocoPhillips Signs Production Sharing Contracts
ConocoPhillips (COP) inked an agreement with the Greka unit of China-based Green Dragon Gas Ltd. (GDG) to develop wells at Greka’s Chinese coal bed methane (CBM) production sharing contracts. Under the terms of the agreement, ConocoPhillips will make an initial payment of...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SSI) Stage Stores Posts Modest Results
Stage Stores Inc. (SSI) reported modest results for the second quarter with earnings of 24 cents per share, which was a penny above the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, earnings were down 4% year over year. Net sales for the quarter declined 8.3% year over year to $342 million....
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GE) GE Ties Up with EuroMaint Rail
GE Transportation, an operational unit of General Electric Co. (GE) and EuroMaint Rail recently announced a partnership on rolling stock services and technology for the railway industry that will provide consumers with an expanded range of services. EuroMaint Rail, with headquarters...
24Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued