Archive for January, 2010
(AAPL) Apple’s Earnings Report Surprises With Record Quarter
Apple (AAPL) blew by the Zacks Consensus Estimate after the bell reporting fiscal first-quarter 2010 earnings per share of $3.67 compared to the estimate of $2.08. The company saw both record revenue and profits. It was almost a perfect quarter for the technology giant. iPhone...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DF) Dean Foods Analyst Downgrades Shares to Neutral
We downgrade our recommendation for Dean Foods (DF) to Neutral, meaning the stock will perform in line with the broader market. Earnings for the last quarter beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny, supported by the company’s cost management initiatives. However, consolidated...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ACOR) Acorda Therapeutics’ Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Clearance
Recently, Acorda Therapeutics Inc. (ACOR) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its oral drug Ampyra (dalfampridine) which aims to improve walking speed in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). The company expects to launch the drug...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | ContinuedThe Smart Grid Initiative: The First Great Infrastructure Project of the 21st Century
by David Fessler, Energy and Infrastructure Expert Monday, January 25, 2010: Issue #1182 You don’t have to look around too much to find the latest buzz on renewable energy sources and the companies behind them. Since oil prices began rising and the movement toward a cleaner,...
25Jan2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(ETR) Entergy Corporation Issues Earnings Guidance
Entergy Corporation (ETR) indicated that it expects fourth quarter 2009 earnings to be approximately $1.63 per share and operational earnings approximately $1.74 per share compared to its results of $0.89 per share and operational results of $0.99 per share in fourth quarter...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DGX) Quest Diagnostics Beats Expectations – Guides In-Line
Quest Diagnostics’ (DGX) fourth quarter earnings per share of 97 cents beat both the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny and the 87 cents reported in the year-ago period. Revenues for the quarter increased 2.7% to $1.8 billion. Clinical testing revenues, which account for most...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FDO) Family Dollar Stores Raises Dividend
Family Dollar Stores Inc. (FDO), the operator of self-service retail discount store chains, recently boosted its quarterly dividend by 14.8%. The Board approved an increase in annual dividend to 62 cents (or 15.5 cents quarterly) from 54 cents a share (or 13.5 cents quarterly). The...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(IBN) ICICI Bank Limited’s Profit Increases
ICICI Bank Limited’s (IBN) 2010 fiscal third quarter (ended December 31) net earnings rose 6% sequentially to INR11.01 billion (US$237 million). The results were primarily driven by a decrease in loss provisions and reduced operating expenses. However, net earnings of ICICI...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TROW) T. Rowe Price Group Buys 26% of Unit Trust of India Asset Management Company Ltd
On Jan 20, T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW) announced the purchase of the 26% share of the Unit Trust of India Asset Management Company Ltd. (UTI AMC) and UTI Trustee Company Pvt. Ltd., for INR 6.5 billion or US$142.4 million. The deal was being mulled over by the management since...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SEE) Sealed Air Meets Earnings Expectations
Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) posted third-quarter EPS of 40 cents, in-line the Zacks Consensus Estimate and slightly higher than the prior-year EPS of 39 cents. Through its stringent cost-control measures and global manufacturing strategy, the company managed to offset the impact...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MGI) MoneyGram International Announces Partnership With The Bank of China
Expanding its presence in China, on Jan 19, MoneyGram International Inc. (MGI) has announced its partnership with Bank of China, to enhance its money transfer service business by extending its service to the bank’s 10,000 domestic branches across the country, over a period...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TGT) Target Corporation Sets Growth Targets
Target Corp. (TGT) stated that it will focus more on store renovations rather than new openings in 2010. The Minnneapolis-based big-box retailer said that it will spend about $1 billion to remodel approximately 340 stores. The company’s renovation program includes expanded...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PX) Praxair Incorporation Expands to Costa Rica
Recently, Praxair, Inc. (PX) started its new air separation plant in San Jose, Costa Rica. In addition to meeting increasing demand for oxygen, nitrogen and argon from industrial and medical customers in Costa Rica, the new facility positions Praxair to supply distributors in...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AKS) AK Steel Corporation Beats Earnings Expectations
Shares of AK Steel Corporation (AKS) gained more than 6% after the company reported a net income of $39.8 million or 36 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2009, in contrast to a net loss of $430.6 million or $3.87 per share for the fourth quarter of 2008. Reported earnings...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ITW) Illinois Tool Works Analyst Coverage Initiated at Neutral
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW), a manufacturer of a diversified range of industrial products and equipment, was recently initiated as “Neutral.” Illinois has grown through its ability to develop new and improved products and numerous acquisitions. Improvisation and development...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($F) Ford-United Auto Workers Dispute Continues
Leaders of United Auto Workers (UAW) have voted to protest Ford Motor Co.’s (F) decision to restore some benefits for white-collar workers. They claimed that the automaker’s move would violate its contract with the union after the union workers had made concessions. However,...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PNRA) Panera Bread Company Issues Robust Earnings Outlook
The earnings outlook for Panera Bread Company (PNRA) remains strong ahead of its quarterly results next month. While the prospects of many of its peers continue to be weighed down by the weak economic environment, the upscale bakery chain last week reported robust same-store...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FAST) Fastenal Analyst Coverage Initiated at Neutral
We have initiated coverage on Fastenal Co. (FAST) with a Neutral recommendation and a target price of $45. Founded in 1967 and based in Winona, Minnesota, Fastenal is a leading national distributor of industrial and construction supplies and has 2,369 stores in Canada, Mexico,...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PLD) ProLogis Obtains European Loan Arranged by Goldman Sachs Group
ProLogis (PLD), a leading global provider of distribution facilities, has recently obtained European property funds totaling €622 million, collateralized by various assets in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Poland and the U.K. The financing has a weighted average rate...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HAL) Halliburton Company Barely Beats Earnings Expectations
Halliburton Company (HAL) — one of the largest oilfield service providers in the world — reported marginally better–than-anticipated fourth-quarter results, benefiting from increased activity in North America. Earnings per share from continuing operations, excluding...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFSL) Washington Federal’s Earnings Fall Short
Washington Federal’s (WFSL) first fiscal quarter (ended Dec 31, 2009) earnings of 7 cents per share were a nickel short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This also compares unfavorably with the earnings of 23 cents in the year-ago quarter. The results continued to be impacted...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MSCC) Microsemi Corporation Sees Stronger 2010
Microsemi Corporation’s (MSCC) first quarter earnings for fiscal 2010 were in line with the consensus. Revenue The company reported revenue of $112.8 million, which was up 2.9% sequentially and down 13.6% year over year. Revenue was within management’s guided range of a 1-4%...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($AAPL) Market Bullish on Apple Pre-Earnings
Apple Inc. (AAPL) rose 3.55% to $204.78 after hours ahead of its first-quarter of fiscal 2010 earnings. The company will report earnings today after the market close. As per the Zacks Consensus Estimate, Apple’s earnings are expected to increase 17% to $2.08 in the first quarter...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MASI) Masimo Corporation Announces Positive Results From Clinical Study
Masimo Corporation (MASI) recently announced positive results form its 21-month clinical study on the impact of the Masimo Patient SafetyNet remote monitoring and clinician notification system. Results indicated that continuous pulse oximetry monitoring and clinician notification...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JAVA) Sun Microsystems and Oracle Corporation Merger Gets OK from EU
Sun Microsystems, Inc. (JAVA) said that Oracle Corporation’s (ORCL) acquisition of the company had been approved by the European Commission. While struggling to generate profit, its results not showing any spark and continuing to be hit hard by the recession, Sun Microsystems,...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AUXL) Auxilium Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer Announces EU Review Process
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AUXL) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) recently announced that the review process of their Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Xiaflex has commenced in the European Union. Pfizer was informed by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) that the Xiaflex...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AYE) Allegheny Energy to Issue Notes
Allegheny Energy Inc.’s (AYE) subsidiary Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company (TrAILCo) will issue $450 million aggregate principal amount of 4.0% unsecured notes due 2015. TrAILCo will also enter a new $350 million, three-year unsecured revolving credit facility concurrently...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFSL) 2010 U.S. Bank Failures Tally Reaches Nine
Regulators shut down 5 more banks in Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington; pushing up U.S. bank failures to 9 so far in 2010. Though the economy is showing signs of gradual recovery, bank failures continue unabated as U.S. regulators on Friday closed down five...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BHI) U.S. Drilling Rig Count Climbs Again
In its weekly release, Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) reported a rise in the U.S. rig count (number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the country), reflecting intensified drilling activity by the producers in response to higher commodity prices. Rig...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SHW) Existing Homes Sales Plunge
The National Association of Realtors reported this morning that in December Existing Homes Sales plunged 16.7% from November, to an annual rate of 5.45 million. That rate was, however, 15.0% below the extremely depressed 4.74 million rate in December 2008. While inventories also...
25Jan2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued