Archive for January, 2010
(CPHD) Cepheid’s H1N1 Test Earns Emergency Use Authorization
Recently, Cepheid (CPHD) received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Xpert Flu A Panel test, which is for identifying the H1N1 influenza virus in less than one hour. Given the swine flu scare, we expect Cepheid to benefit...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(M) Macy’s Plans to Close Five Stores
Macy’s, Inc. (M), one of the leading department store retailers in the United States, recently announced the closure of five underperforming stores located in Boise, Idaho; Waterford, Michigan; St. Ann, Missouri; Missoula, Montana and Burlington, New Jersey. Following the closures,...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NKTR) Small-Cap Biotech Stocks: Why This Sector Is Set for a Huge Year
by Marc Lichtenfeld, Healthcare Expert Wednesday, January 6, 2010: Issue #1169 Now that we’re into the first week of 2010, let’s talk about the Super Bowl. But not the one in Miami, featuring a bunch of guys with pads and helmets. I’m talking about the healthcare sector’s...
6Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | ContinuedCan The Battered Auto Sector Mount a Real Recovery In 2010?
This analysis is from Sheena Martin, Contributing Editor, Investment U Wednesday, January 6, 2010 After another brutal year, the auto industry summoned up some end-of-year strength in 2009, with analysts projecting annualized sales of cars and trucks to top 11 million in December. If...
6Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(PCY) Why Even Debt Looks Better In Emerging Markets
by Tony Daltorio, Investment U Research Wednesday, January 6, 2010 It’s a new year, even if Wall Street doesn’t seem to recognize it. They still seem stuck on years gone by, when the west held all the power and didn’t have quite so much to worry about in the form of debts...
6Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(AA) Alcoa Cutting Jobs at Two Tennessee Plants
U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. (AA) has plans to eliminate jobs at its Tennessee operations due to lower demand for aluminum can sheet. The company is cutting 90 jobs at its Blount County plant and 145 jobs at a sister operation in Indiana as it seeks to trim its work force to...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CAM) Cameron International Wins Chevron Subsea Deal
Oil drilling equipment maker Cameron International Corp. (CAM) announced the receipt of a $230 million contract from energy behemoth Chevron Corp. (CVX). The deal calls for Cameron to provide subsea production systems to Chevron-operated Jack & St. Malo fields in the deepwater...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GR) Goodrich Corporation Wins Northrop Grumman Supply Contract
Goodrich Corp. (GR) received a $49 million supply contract from Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) to provide a number of composite components for eight Virginia Class nuclear fast attack submarines, collectively referred to as Block III. Goodrich’s Engineered Polymer Products...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BMRN) BioMarin Pharma’s Drug Cleared in Europe
BioMarin Pharma Inc. (BMRN) announced recently that its drug candidate 3, 4-diaminopyridine amifampridine phosphate (3,4-DAP), indicated for treating Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS), has received marketing approval from the European Commission. In October 2009, the Committee...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PAC) Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico Passenger Traffic Up
Earlier this week, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (PAC) announced an increase of 0.4% in total passenger traffic for December 2009, compared to the year-ago period. Domestic passenger traffic increased 1.8%, while international passenger traffic decreased 2.1%...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DISH) DISH Network Offers Unique TV Everywhere Service
DISH Network Corp. (DISH) has unveiled its unique TV Everywhere services. TV Everywhere is a suite of integrated products designed to maximize the convenience and ease of watching TV anytime and anywhere. The customers of DISH Network need to pay one time for the content and...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MESA) Mesa Air Group’s Mesa Airlines Files Chapter 11
Mesa Airlines, a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group (MESA), announced yesterday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, hoping to shed the financial obligations arising from leases on airplanes it no longer needs. Currently, the company has approximately 40% non functioning...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SOHU) Sohu Upgraded to Neutral by Analysts
We are upgrading Sohu.com, Inc. (SOHU) to Neutral from our previous Underperform rating and setting a price target of $65. Strength in the company’s online games and portal business is encouraging. We expect the company to achieve the estimates for 2009 and advise investors...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ADM) Institute for Supply Management’s Services Index Up
The Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing (services) index rose to 50.1 in December from 48.7 in November, effectively saying that the service side of the economy is neither expanding nor contracting (50.0 is the dividing line). This is in marked contrast to the...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) U.S. Auto Industry Stands Up
The U.S. auto industry showed signs of revival last month in the absence of any federal government incentive program such as “Cash for Clunkers.” Auto sales soared 15% to 1.03 million in December after the market bottomed in November. Sales exceeded 1 million for the...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EMC) EMC Corporation Buys Archer Technologies
EMC Corp. (EMC), a leading information infrastructure solutions provider and data storage company announced the acquisition of Kansas-based Archer Technologies, a privately-held governance, risk and compliance (GRC) software provider. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Archer’s...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MNKD) MannKind Awaits US Food and Drug Administration Decision
The next few days will be very crucial for MannKind (MNKD). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to decide on the company’s lead product candidate Afresa, which is an inhaled insulin for the treatment of type I and type II diabetes, within January 16, 2010. We...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ANGO) AngioDynamics Beats Estimates
AngioDynamics, Inc. (ANGO) reported second quarter fiscal 2010 earnings per share of 13 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 11 cents and the year-ago earnings of 12 cents. The company also reported an expansion in its top-line and raised the sales outlook for the entire...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) Metals & Mining Stock Review – January 2010 – Industry Outlook
The Metals & Mining Industry encompasses the extraction (mining), as well as the primary and secondary processing, of metals and minerals. The industry is rather concentrated in structure, with a few producers accounting for the lion’s share of sales. Geographically, the...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TAM) TAM S.A. Signs Agreement with LAN Airlines S.A.
Towards the end of 2009, TAM S.A. (TAM) and Argentina subsidiary of LAN Airlines S.A. (LFL) signed the flight codeshare agreement in order to offer more convenience and comfort to passengers wishing to travel between Brazil and Argentina. The agreement goes into effect for flights...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($F) Ford Motor’s Chinese Joint Venture Surges Sales
Changan Ford Mazda, a tie-up between Ford Motor Co. (F), Chongqing Changan Auto Co. and Mazda Motor, has posted a staggering 55% rise in sales to 316,139 vehicles in 2009, driven by the Chinese Government’s incentives to push auto sales. In December alone, the joint venture...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(E) Eni SpA Joins New Venture in Venezuela
Eni SpA (E) joins with Venezuela’s state-owned oil firm PDVSA for a joint venture that will start producing heavy crude oil in the country’s Orinoco region. The joint venture is planning to start construction in 2011, with a commencement of production in 2014. The deal is...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MT) ArcelorMittal Issues Convertible Bonds
Recently, leading steel maker ArcelorMittal (MT), through its wholly owned subsidiary in Luxembourg, announced the issuance of a $750 million bond mandatorily convertible into preferred shares of the subsidiary. The bond was placed privately with a Luxembourg affiliate of Calyon...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CRUS) Cirrus Logic Incorporated – Earnings Estimates Climb Into Next Report
Cirrus Logic Inc. (CRUS) continue to set new highs after beating Wall Street’s expectations. Analysts continue to raise forecasts heading into the next report date. Company Description Cirrus develops analog and mixed-signal circuits. The semiconductor maker supports various...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WRB) W.R. Berkley Corporation – Bear of the Day
We are downgrading our recommendation on the shares of W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB) to Underperform from Neutral. W.R. Berkley’s third quarter earnings report showed lower premiums written, reflecting the overall competitive business environment and pricing pressures....
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SAM) Boston Beer Company – Earnings Estimates Advance
Boston Beer Co., Inc. (SAM) just hit a new 52-week high as shares rallied into the new year. Estimates are up on the company’s better than expected Q3 results from early November. Company Description Boston Beer Company, Inc. produces and sells specialty alcoholic beverages...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ARW) Arrow Electronics Incorporated – Expect Earnings to Grow by 38.85%
Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW) recently raised its fourth quarter guidance as its components business picked up. ARW has surprised on estimates the last four quarters by an average of 6.65%. Company Description Arrow Electronics provides products and services to industrial and...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SLM) SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae) – Bull of the Day
We are upgrading our recommendation on the shares of SLM Corporation, or Sallie Mae (SLM) to Outperform. The company’s third quarter earnings were well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by an increase in loan originations and improvements in the credit markets. However,...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RL) Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation – Topped Consensus Estimate by 37%
Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) recently upped its quarterly dividend to 10 cents per share, doubling the previous quarter’s payout. The company’s dividend yield of 0.5% is a competitive one in an industry that virtually offers no income. Company Description Polo...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AIG) American International Group Sells Canadian Mortgage Unit
As part of its effort to repay the bailout money it received last year when it was at the edge of collapse, American International Group Inc. (AIG) will sell its Canadian mortgage insurance business to a private investor group of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. With about...
6Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued