Archive for January, 2010
(ORCL) Oracle Corporation Takes Over Sun Microsystems
The database software giant Oracle Corp. (ORCL) announced the completion of its pending acquisition of Sun Microsystems Inc. (JAVA), a provider of enterprise computing systems, software and services, for $7.4 billion ($9.50 a share) or $5.6 billion net of Sun’s cash and...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($T) AT&T Meets Consensus Expectations – Wireless Surges
AT&T Inc. (T) has announced fourth-quarter 2009 results, with reported earnings per share of 51 cents matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate. AT&T had a 6% positive earnings surprise in each of the first three quarters of 2009. The fourth-quarter earnings represent an...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) New Orders for Durable Goods Orders Rise a Bit
At first blush, the report on New Orders for Durable Goods was a disappointment. But digging through the details, it is not as bad as it first seems. This report is one where digging through the details is especially important, and just going with the headline total number can...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LIFE) Life Technologies Corporation Beats Expectations – Outlook Positive
Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) reported fourth quarter earnings of 80 cents per share, well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 72 cents. The company reported earnings of 82 cents in the year-ago period. For the full year, Life reported earnings of $3.04, beating the...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BDX) Becton Dickinson and Company Surpasses Consensus Estimates
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) reported first quarter fiscal 2010 earnings per share of $1.30, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.20 and the year-ago earnings of $1.25. Total Revenues Total revenues in the first quarter increased 12% year over year to $1.917 billion....
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CAH) Cardinal Health Beats Expectations and Boosts Estimates
Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) reported second quarter fiscal 2010 earnings per share of 57 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents and the year-ago earnings of 51 cents. Sales Total sales in the reported quarter increased 3% year over year to $24.9 billion. Growth...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AAPL) iPad Strengthens Apple’s Potential – Earnings Estimates Going Up
Apple Inc. (AAPL) introduced the much-anticipated Apple tablet computer called the iPad, which will drive the fortunes of the company. Apple is widely recognized as a leading innovator in the consumer electronics market. While the iPhone and the iPod have been tremendously successful,...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FNM) Initial Jobless Claims Greater Than Expected
We got mixed news in the Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance report. This week, initial jobless claims fell by 8,000 to 470,000, and last week’s figure was revised down to 478,000 from 482,000. However, the level was well above the consensus expectation of 450,000. The...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAX) Baxter International Reports Earnings In-Line
Baxter International Inc. (BAX) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal 2009. For the fourth quarter, earnings per share were $1.03, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate and higher than the year-ago earnings of 91 cents. For full fiscal 2009, earnings...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RTN) Raytheon Company Reports Solid Quarter
Raytheon Company (RTN) has posted strong fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $1.30 per share — better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.24 per share. The company recorded adjusted earnings of $4.89 per share for fiscal 2009, comfortably beating the Zacks Consensus...
28Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(COH) Coach Analysts Initiate Coverage at Neutral
We have recently initiated coverage on Coach, Inc. (COH), one of the leading designers and marketers of fine accessories and gifts, with a Neutral recommendation and a target price of $35.00, as we anticipate it to perform in line with the industry. Headquartered in New York,...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NVO) Novo Nordisk Earns US Food and Drug Administration for Diabetes Treatment
In a major breakthrough, Denmark based Novo Nordisk (NVO) received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Victoza (liraglutide), a once-daily injection for the treatment of type II diabetes in adults. The drug has been approved for use with proper diet, exercise and...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BLK) BlackRock Significantly Outperforms Expectations – Stock Drops
BlackRock’s (BLK) fourth quarter operating earnings per share of $2.39 significantly outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.12, earnings of $2.10 in the sequential quarter and 66 cents in the prior-year quarter. Results reflected robust operating income growth resulting...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ENR) Energizer Holdings Increased Profitability Beats Expectations
Energizer Holdings, Inc. (ENR) posted increased profitability in the first quarter of 2010 on higher sales, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Excluding charges, earnings per share came in at $2.21 in the quarter, well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.84 and up 14.5%...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SII) Smith International Misses Estimates by a Penny
Smith International Inc. (SII) reported fourth quarter 2009 earnings of 9 cents per share, versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 10 cents and the year-earlier performance of $1.00. For the full year 2009, the company reported earnings of 81 cents, a penny below the Zacks Consensus...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HES) Hess Corporation’s Fourth Quarter Surpasses Estimates
Hess Corp. (HES) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.10 per diluted share, easily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 90 cents and the year-earlier loss of 15 cents. The Exploration and Production (E&P) segment posted a $494 million profit in the quarter, compared...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RLI) RLI Corporation Tops Earnings Estimate
RLI Corp’s (RLI) fourth quarter earnings of $1.17 per share were well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents. Results reflected improved underwriting results and favorable reserve development from the prior year’s loss reserves. The company had earned $1.30...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RGS) Regis Corporation Beats Wall Street Estimates
Regis Corporation (RGS) reported fiscal second-quarter 2010 net profit of $18.2 million or 30 cents per share. Excluding an actuarial gain, the company had earned 28 cents a share in the reported quarter. The results were ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 26 cents. The...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ATI) Allegheny Technologies Incorporated Net Down in Fourth Quarter
Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) recorded a net income of $37.8 million or 36 cents in the fourth quarter of 2009, down significantly from last year’s net income of $110.9 million or $1.15 per share. Reported earnings, however, exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ROK) Rockwell Automation’s Earnings Report Outperforms
Rockwell Automation Inc. (ROK) reported better-than-expected results for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2010. The company posted quarterly net income of 54 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 35 cents. However, the first quarter net income was down...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GD) General Dynamics Inches Past Earnings Estimates – Shows Resilience
Before the opening bell, General Dynamics Corporation (GD) reported fourth-quarter EPS of $1.60, sweeping past the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2 cents. However, it fell 2 cents short of the year-ago result. In the reported quarter, the company witnessed weak demand for its Gulfstream...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SAP) SAP AG Matches Consensus Estimates
SAP AG (SAP) reported fourth quarter 2009 earnings per share from continuing operations of 93 cents, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate. For the quarter, U.S. GAAP software and software-related service revenues were euro 2.57 billion, a decrease of 4%. U.S. GAAP total revenues...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PTV) Pactiv Corporation Reports Earnings Beat
Pactiv Corporation (PTV) reported earnings per share from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2009 of 53 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 50 cents. Revenues declined 3% to $854 million from $883 million in 2008, reflecting 7% volume growth, 11% lower...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WLP) WellPoint Beats Consensus Earnings Estimates
WellPoint, Inc. (WLP) reported fourth quarter as well as full-year results for fiscal 2009. The company earned $1.16 per share in the fourth quarter as opposed to $1.34 in the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter was $1.02. For the full-year 2009, Well...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SO) Southern Company Beats Expectations Despite Sales Dip
Electric utility firm Southern Co. (SO) reported modestly better-than-expected fourth quarter results, driven by lower expenses and increased monthly service charges. Earnings per share (excluding one-time items) came in at 31 cents, 5 cents above the prior-year period and a...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SWK) The Stanley Works Beats Earnings Consensus
The Stanley Works (SWK) announced decent results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2009. For the fourth quarter of 2009, Stanley reported an EPS of $0.67 compared to $0.05 in the year-ago quarter. Reported EPS for the quarter was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.76....
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) The Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged
The Federal Reserve decided to leave the Fed Funds rate unchanged at a range of 0 to 25 basis points, just like everyone expected them to do. Below are the current statement and the December statement, along with my analysis of the changes and commentary interspersed. “Information...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($FNM) Wall Street’s Greed: How to End Big Banks’ Grip on the U.S. Economy
Guest Editorial by Shah Gilani, Contributing Editor, Money Morning Wednesday, January 27, 2010: Issue #1184 The Founding Fathers’ worst fears have come true. When they settled in America 234 years ago, they were afraid of any concentration of power in the republic. They were...
27Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(TIF) Tiffany & Company Boosts Shareholder Returns
Tiffany & Company (TIF), the designer, manufacturer and retailer of fine jewelry, recently boosted quarterly dividend by 17.6%. The Board has approved an increase in annual dividend to 80 cents (or 20 cents quarterly) from 68 cents a share (or 17 cents quarterly). The increased...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NLTX) Nile Therapeutics Coverage Initiated at Outperform
We are initiating coverage of Nile Therapeutics (NLTX) with an Outperform rating and a near-term price target of $2.50 per share. Nile is developing CD-NP, a chimeric natriuretic peptide currently in phase II clinical studies for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure...
27Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued