Archive for January, 2010
(FCG) Contrarian Investing – Why It’s Last Call for These Three Contrarian Investment Opportunities
by Louis Basenese, Small Cap and Special Situations Expert Friday, January 15, 2010: Issue #1176 When salmon swim against the current, they know they’re taking a big risk. They know they’re easy prey for bears. Many get killed. When investors swim against the current –...
15Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(GS) Obama Administration Reveals Plan for Bank Tax
On Thursday, the Obama Administration unveiled its proposal of imposing a tax on about 50 of the nation’s largest financial firms in order to recover the losses incurred by the government on its $700 billion bailout program to rescue the financial system. On approval of...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TGT) Target Corporation Resumes Stock Repurchase
Target Corporation (TGT) said it is resuming its $10 billion share repurchase program authorized by its Board in November 2007. The announcement came on the heels of better-than-expected retail and credit card segment results, and active management of capital expenditures, which...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CF) CF Industries Holdings Ends Terra Pursuit
Shares of chemical manufacturer CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) fell 1.82% and closed at $93.19 after it pulled out its offer to acquire rival fertilizer company, Terra Industries Inc. (TRA). CF Industries announced yesterday that it is no longer pursuing the acquisition deal. Deerfield,...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AMX) Is America Movil Consolidating?
In an effort to consolidate its position in the fiercely competitive Mexican wireless market, Latin America’s largest wireless carrier America Movil (AMX) is reportedly planning to acquire Mexican wireline operators Carso Global Telecom and Telmex Internacional (TII) or Telint....
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($BP) Energy Information Administration Natural Gas Down Due to Weather
In its weekly release, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a slightly larger-than-expected 266 billion cubic feet (Bcf) drop in natural gas supplies for the week ended Jan. 8, 2010. The inventory decline was the sixth in as many weeks and significantly exceeded...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EBAY) e-Commerce Stock Review – January 2010 – Industry Outlook
The Electronic Commerce, or e-commerce, industry is one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy. The industry is still evolving, so data collection and evaluation are particularly difficult. Consequently, one has to rely largely on surveys by both government and private agencies. According...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DFG) Delphi Financial Group Issues $250 Million of Senior Notes
Delphi Financial Group Inc. (DFG) announced yesterday the issuance of $250 million of its 7.875% senior unsecured notes. The net proceeds from this offering will be used for general corporate purposes Incorporatedluding the repayment of corporate debt, which may include the repayment...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(C) Will Citigroup Cap Cash Bonuses?
According to a report from the Financial Times today [our earlier posting of this story did not cite FT], Citigroup Inc. (C) may cap cash bonuses for 2009 at below $100,000. The 2009 bonus pool at the company is expected to be similar to the 2008 level, which was low compared...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ADSK) Analysts Are Initiating Autodesk at Neutral
Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) is well positioned to benefit from a recovery in the economic environment, but we do not expect a significant impact until the second half of fiscal 2011 (ending Jan. 2011). Therefore, we remain Neutral on the stock, given our long-term confidence about...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TQNT) TriQuint Semiconductor Upgrades Earnings Guidance
TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. (TQNT) reported preliminary results for the fourth quarter of 2009. The company now expects revenues of around $190 million, up from the previous guidance of $175 million to $185 million. The increase in guidance has been primarily due to increased...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DTE) DTE Energy Confirms Earnings Guidance
DTE Energy Co. (DTE) confirmed its fiscal 2009 earnings per share guidance of $3.20 to $3.40. In addition, DTE Energy confirmed its 2010 outlook of $545 million to $610 million in operating earnings. The company also received a regulatory approval by the Michigan Public Service...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AEP) Industrial Production Rises
Industrial Production rose by 0.6% in December, matching both the revised November increase (previously 0.8%) and consensus expectations. However, when you dig just a bit below the surface, the report was weaker than expected. Manufacturing output actually declined 0.1%, and...
15Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JPM) JPMorgan Chase & Company Adds 24 Mortgage Centers
In an effort to extend its helping hand toward struggling homeowners who have to make their mortgage payments, JPMorgan Chase & Company (JPM) said on Monday that it is almost doubling its nationwide network by adding 24 more Chase Homeownership Centers Incorporatedluding...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(C) Wall Street Brings It On Itself
We seem to have come a long way from this time last year, when Wall Street was on its death bed in desperate need of a bailout. Storied brokerage houses such as Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch had disappeared altogether, while many other household-name titans...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HIW) Highwoods Properties Keeps Strong Leasing
Highwoods Properties, Inc. (HIW), a real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently signed a leasing agreement for its 16,000 square feet of industrial space at 412 Gallimore Dairy Road in Greensboro, North Carolina. The deal was signed with Sedgefield Interior Landscapes,...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FPL) FPL Group Subsidiary Halts Investment in Florida
Florida Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of FPL Group Inc. (FPL), announced the suspension of projects worth $10 billion in Florida, following the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) turning down its proposal to raise base rates. These projects represented the company’s...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CUTR) Cutera Offers Preliminary Results
Cutera, Inc. (CUTR) recently reported preliminary revenue results for its fourth quarter. For the quarter, Cutera expects revenues to be roughly $15 million, compared to $17.9 million in the year-ago period. The company is expected to report its fourth quarter and full fiscal...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TEG) Integrys Energy Group Sells Power Assets
Integrys Energy Group Inc. (TEG) announced that an affiliate of its non-regulated subsidiary Integrys Energy Services Inc., sold some of its power generation assets in northern Maine and New Brunswick, Canada to Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. The sale of its two power...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MRO) Marathon Oil Corporation Update Shows Weak Refining to Hurt
Houston-based integrated oil major Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO) provided an interim update for the fourth quarter of 2009 (covering the first two months of the quarter). Recovery in crude oil prices and robust production is expected to benefit the company’s upstream segment....
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Wells Fargo Reorders Fund Offering
In an effort to re-align its product portfolio, on Wednesday, Wells Fargo & Co.’s (WFC) investment manager division, Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC and its affiliate Evergreen Investment Management Company, LLC announced their intention to reduce the size of their mutual...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MRK) Merck Aims to Expand Gardasil
Recently, Merck (MRK) submitted study data to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related to the use of Gardasil in women in the age group of 27-45 years. Gardasil, one of the most significant products in Merck’s portfolio received FDA approval in June 2006 for preventing...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SJR) Shaw Communications’ Report Exceeds Expectations
Shaw Communications Inc. (SJR) exceeds expectations in its first quarter of fiscal 2010. Quarterly revenue of little over $874.2 million was up 22% year-over-year and also above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $870 million. The year-over-year improvement was primarily due to...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ZZ) Sealy Corporation Reports Quarterly Profit
Sealy Corp. (ZZ), the largest global manufacturer of bedding products, has reported strong fiscal 2009 fourth quarter results with earnings of 2 cents per share compared to a loss of 45 cents in the year-earlier quarter. The earnings also exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BGG) Briggs & Stratton’s Report Offers No Surprises
Briggs & Stratton Corporation (BGG) reported fiscal second quarter earnings of 6 cents per share, which is in-line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Quarterly earnings were flat compared to last year as a decline in revenue was offset by lower manufacturing costs and lower...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HRS) Harris Corporation – Bullish Forecasts and Strong Momentum
Harris Corp. (HRS) is outperforming the market on bullish forecasts. Analysts polled by Zacks are calling for earnings of $3.86 per share for the fiscal year ending June 2010, an upward revision of 54 cents over the past 3 months. Company Description Harris is an international...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AEP) American Electric Power Company Enters New Supply Deal
American Electric Power Company Inc. (AEP) entered into an agreement to sell wind energy to Southwestern University in Georgetown. The City of Georgetown will purchase the energy through American Electric Power subsidiary, AEP Energy Partners and sell it to the university for...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PRU) Prudential Financial Analysts Initiate Coverage at Neutral
We are initiating our coverage on the shares of the Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU) with a Neutral recommendation. Prudential has one of the best collections of businesses in the U.S. life insurance sector, with strong positions in high margin businesses and a significant diversification....
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MEE) Massey Energy Company Inks Contract With Jindal
U.S. Coal producer Massey Energy Company (MEE) signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Jindal Steel & Power Limited for the development and operation of underground coal mining projects, with focus on potential projects in India, Mongolia, Australia and the United...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WHR) Whirlpool Corporation – Consensus Estimates Move Higher Ahead of Earnings Report
Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) has seen international sales jump, especially in Brazil. WHR is trading with a forward P/E of 13.03. Company Description Whirlpool manufactures home appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, cooking and countertop appliances. The company owns...
14Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued