Archive for August, 2009
(C) Citi Cards May Levy Annual Charges
In order to offset potential losses from new legislation signed by President Obama, rising credit card defaults and increasing unemployment, Citigroup (C) is considering charging its credit card customers an annual fee. In May, the president signed the Credit Card Accountability,...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(UTX) United Technologies Reaches China
Yesterday, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX), UTC Fire & Security (UTCFS) Incorporatedreased its stake in GST Holdings Ltd. (GST), the leading fire-alarm system provider in China. UTCFS, through its affiliate United Technologies Far East Ltd. (UTFE), first acquired...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MOT) Motorola Wins First Long Term Evolution Contract
Motorola (MOT) recently announced that its Home & Network Mobility business unit was selected as a key development partner of KDDI Corp.’s next-generation LTE (Long Term Evolution) network. This is Motorola’s first public order for LTE technology. KDDI is the second-largest...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HNZ) Heinz Reaffirms Guidance
Heinz (HNZ) reported modest results for the first quarter with earnings of 67 cents per share, which was 5 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 62 cents. However, earnings were down 6.9% year over year. Quarterly net sales fell 4.5% year over year to $2.47 billion, primarily...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DT) T-Mobile Unveils myTouch 3G
Deutsche Telekom’s (DT) wireless unit T-Mobile USA launched myTouch 3G smartphone across the U.S. and Puerto Rico yesterday. The highly anticipated handset will feature in more than 4,000 RadioShack Corp. (RSH) stores. This is T-Mobile’s latest effort to counter strong competition...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PEG) PSEG Nuclear Files License Renewal
PSEG Nuclear, a Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) company, has appealed to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for renewing the operating licenses of its New Jersey-based Salem and Hope Creek facilities by another 20 years. The NRC is likely to take around 22-30...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Wells Fargo Sued for Home Credit
The banking unit of Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) has been accused by an Illinois homeowner of illegally reducing the size of customers’ home equity lines of credit by undervaluing customers’ houses. Home equity lines of credit allow homeowners to borrow against their...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JNJ) J&J Gets FDA Warning
We are disappointed with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) warning to Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) on clinical trial related issues. The agency cautioned the company for not maintaining proper records and checks during the trial of ceftobiprole. Ceftobiprole is a broad-spectrum...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | ContinuedInvesting 101: Six Factors That Determine Your Investment Portfolio Value
by Alexander Green, Advisory Panelist Imagine trying to tackle algebra, geometry, or calculus without understanding basic mathematics. Clearly, you wouldn’t get far. Yet it’s not uncommon to run into investors who are knee deep in option trading, currencies, short selling,...
20Aug2009 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(MS) Morgan Stanley Exits its Shanghai Office
The real-estate investment arm of US bank Morgan Stanley (MS) recently agreed to sell its top-end office building in Shanghai to Soho China for 2.45 billion yuan or nearly $359 million. The Exchange, a 52-storey office and retail complex also known as Dong Hai Plaza, is situated...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($GOOG) Getting Smart With Your Portfolio
Tony Daltorio, The Investment U Research Team Many of us are familiar with the 1960s TV show “Get Smart” which starred Don Adams as bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart – Agent 86. Perhaps the most famous gadget used by Maxwell Smart was his shoe phone. Today we don’t...
20Aug2009 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(ALGN) Align Settles Litigation – new strategic collaboration with Ormco
Align Technology, Inc. (ALGN) has settled all pending litigations and begun a new strategic collaboration with Ormco Corporation, a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation (DHR). Shares of Align reacted positively to this news with the price increasing roughly 28% to close at $13.00...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MRK) Merck received a favorable ruling in a major patent-infringement suit
Merck (MRK) received a favorable ruling in a major patent-infringement suit yesterday against the largest generic player, Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA), on its top-selling drug Singulair. Teva was seeking the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval for selling a generic...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CTSH) Cognizant Plans to Hire in U.S.
Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH) recently announced expansion of operations at its Phoenix delivery center. New Jersey-based Cognizant is a leading provider of consulting, technology and business process outsourcing services. The company’s Phoenix center will initially...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EXPE) Initiating Expedia: Outperform Rating
We are initiating coverage of Expedia, Inc (EXPE) with an Outperform rating. The stock has had a great run since the beginning of the year, with the share price increasing nearly 149%. Most of the increase has come on the heels of the company reporting better than expected results...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CSII) Cardiovascular Systems Better Than Expected Results
Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSII) reported better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. For the quarter, its loss per share was 40 cents, better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 58 cents and the year-ago loss per share of $2.34. Quarterly results Sales Net...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LMT) Lockheed Links to Smart Grid
Lockheed Martin (LMT) recently joined forces with privately owned Black & Veatch to garner a better slice of utilities modernizing in response to the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Smart Grid Investment Grant Program. This $4.5 billion program is part of the DOE’s...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AAPL) iPhones Catch Fire the Wrong Way? – several incidents of exploding iPhones and iPods
Recently, several incidents have been reported against exploding Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPhones and iPods. The incidents took place in certain European Union (EU) member states, prompting the European Commission to ask for clarification from manufacturer Apple. It appears that the...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EBAY) eBay Dangles a Carrot – expects the new policies to encourage the best sellers
eBay Inc. (EBAY) recently revised its incentive scale in an attempt to pacify ruffled sellers who are facing shrinking profit margins. The company also expects the new policies to encourage the best sellers to stick with eBay. The company now promises a 20% discount to top-rated...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GME) GameStop Earnings Plunge
GameStop Corporation (GME), the biggest video game retailer, reported dismal second-quarter results with a low-single-digit decline in the top line, but a double-digit fall in the bottom line. These were driven by sluggish demand for video game consoles and new software due to...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LTD) Limited Surpasses Expectations – company has raised its outlook for full-year 2009 earnings
Amid a challenging global retail environment, Limited Brands Inc. (LTD) was able to deliver better-than-expected second quarter 2009 results. Limited’s second quarter EPS (excluding one-time items) were 19 cents, well above the expected range of 11 cents to 16 cents, surpassing...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) Leading Indicators Up Slightly Again
The Conference Board’s Leading Indicators Index rose 0.6% in July, its fourth consecutive monthly increase. Though the increase was slightly less than expected, it clearly suggests that the recession is bottoming. Aiding the index were improvements in the interest rate...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MMM) 3M Brings Stethoscope with Bluetooth
3M Co. (MMM) recently launched its Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, an auscultation device that wirelessly transfers heart, lung and other body sounds through Bluetooth technology to a software for further analysis. This will help enhance clinicians’ natural abilities...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(KR) New Jobless Claims Disappoint
Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 576,000, an increase of 15,000. This was in stark contrast to the expected decline to the 550,000 level. The four-week moving average rose by 4,250 to 570,000. This is the second week in a row it has risen. To be sure, we are...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DVN) Devon Energy Earnings Surprise – EPS of 85 cents surpassed estimates by 49%
Devon Energy (DVN) posted better-than-expected results for the second quarter of 2009 due to record production volume and favorable service and supply costs across all major operating segments. Adjusted EPS of 85 cents surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 28 cents. This,...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SHLD) Sears Reports a Mixed Bag – improvement in the balance sheet
Sears Holding Corporation (SHLD), the fourth largest broadline retailer in the U.S., has reported relatively modest second quarter results with a decrease in year-over-year revenue and net income, and improvement in the balance sheet. Sears reported total revenues of $10.6 billion...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NVS) FDA Approves Novartis MS Drug
Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Novartis Pharma’s (NVS) Extavia, a branded version of interferon beta-1b, which is used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Novartis obtained the rights to seek approval for its own branded version...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ARRY) Array Meets Expectations
Last week, Array BioPharma Inc. (ARRY) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 55 cents per share which was in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company had a loss of 68 cents in the year-ago quarter. Net loss for fiscal 2009 was $2.67 per share, compared with $2.04 last...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AXP) New Credit Card Laws in Effect Today
Effective today, new lending and interest rate laws will force credit card companies to provide customers with more time to pay their bills. The companies will also need to warn customers in advance of any major changes to the terms of their accounts. The regulations are intended...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RGS) Regis Beats Low Expectations – Management has taken steps to strengthen its balance sheet
Regis Corporation’s (RGS) fourth quarter operating earnings of 59 cents per share were ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents per share. Earnings also topped the prior-year period results of 55 cents per share. Results reflect the benefits of the cost containment...
20Aug2009 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued