Archive for March, 2010
(MT) Steel Industry Stock Review – March 2010 – Industry Outlook
The steel industry is rather concentrated in structure, with a few producers accounting for the lion’s share of sales. With companies engaged in the extraction of iron ore and coke coal for the processing of iron and steel, this industry includes metal ore exploration and mining...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HPQ) Hewlett-Packard Revises First Quarter Numbers (Revised)
The world’s largest computer maker Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) recently came out with a revised version of its first quarter 2010 earnings, whereby the company lowered its net profit by $73.0 million, providing for litigation expenses to be paid by its subsidiary, Electronic...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TAL) TAL International Group Incorporated – Estimates Jump
TAL International Group Inc. (TAL) recently restarted its dividend as trade volumes showed improvement over the year ago period as the global recovery took hold. Company Description TAL International acquires and leases intermodal freight containers and chassis to customers worldwide....
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AMKR) Amkor Tech – Earnings Beat Expectations by Over 50%
Amkor Tech (AMKR) topped earnings estimates to bring the bottom line back into the black. Estimates and shares are on their way up. Company Description Amkor makes advanced semiconductor assemblies and provides test services for major semi companies and OEM’s. Offices are...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SLXP) Salix Pharmaceuticals Beats Forecasts but Outlook Disappoints
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (SLXP) reported a net loss of 13 cents per share in the fourth quarter, a penny better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate and company guidance of a net loss of 14 cents. Salix reported a net loss of 12 cents in the year-ago period. Higher product sales...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(OMCL) Omnicell Analysts Maintain Neutral Rating
We recently reiterated our Neutral rating on Omnicell, Inc. (OMCL) with a target price of $15.50. Omnicell reported disappointing results in the fourth quarter and fiscal 2009. In the fourth quarter, earnings per share were 2 cents, below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 3 cents...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SPLS) Office Products Store Staples Hikes Dividend
Staples Inc. (SPLS), the global leader for the supply of office products, recently boosted its quarterly dividend by 9%. The Board has approved an increase in annual dividend to 36 cents (or 9 cents quarterly) from 33 cents a share (or 8.25 cents quarterly). Framingham, Massachusetts-based,...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DNR) Denbury Resources Completes Encore Merger
Following yesterday’s shareholders’ approval, Denbury Resources Inc. (DNR) has completed the merger with Encore Acquisition Company and entered into a new $1.6 billion credit facility as well. In addition, Denbury will assume Encore’s position as obligator on the remainder...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WNR) Western Refining Loss Narrows but Analysts Maintain Sell Rating
Oil refiner and marketer Western Refining Inc. (WNR) reported better-than-expected fourth quarter results, helped by higher sales volumes. Its loss per share, excluding special items, came in at 58 cents, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 65 cents. Western’s encouraging...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BKC) Burger King Holding’s Sales Dip
Burger King Holdings Inc. (BKC), the second largest hamburger chain, hinted that adverse weather conditions in the Central and Eastern part of the U.S. dragged down the U.S. & Canada segment comparable sales. Comparable sales for the segment dropped 8.2% in the two-month...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ROK) Rockwell Automation – Bull of the Day
Rockwell Automation (ROK) has a strong global market presence. The company is focused on further expanding its global footprint in emerging markets, as it expects automation growth rates in the emerging markets to be 50% higher than growth rates in the developed countries. Emerging...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JCOM) j2 Global Communications’ eFax Enters Google’s App-Store
eFax, the flagship product of unified value-added messaging services provider j2 Global Communications Inc. (JCOM), will now be available on the Google Apps Marketplace. Google Inc. (GOOG) recently launched its online storefront called ‘Google Apps Marketplace” for the...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RIG) Transocean Limited Begins Five-Year Deal in India
Transocean Ltd (RIG) yesterday said that its newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship has commenced operations for Reliance Industries in India under a five-year drilling contract. The drillship, Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2, is jointly owned by Transocean and Pacific Drilling Limited....
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HLF) Herbalife – Return on Equity of 64.8% is Far Ahead of Industry Average
Herbalife (HLF) is expected to grow its earnings per share at 13.5% for the next five years. This Zacks Rank #2 stock also pays a decent dividend. Company Description Herbalife Ltd. is a global network marketing company that sells weight-management, nutrition and personal care...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) Ford Motor Company On The Path To Profits
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) just celebrated its first annual profit since 2005. After losing $6.9 billion in 2008, the automaker reported a full-year net profit of $2.7 billion. Initially expecting further losses, CEO Alan Mulally warned that his company wouldn’t be “solidly...
10Mar2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued($AIG) Prudential Insurance Riding The Asian Explosion Straight Up
The American press didn’t really cover the recent, major deal in the global insurance industry. But just because they didn’t pay it any attention, doesn’t mean that you should ignore it too… It indicates one very profitable opportunity you won’t want to miss out...
10Mar2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(ESL) Defense Stocks: Three Companies Beefing Up Homeland Security
There was a time when companies charged with defending the United States had to endure the changing political winds. When hawkish Presidents occupied the White House, defense companies generally fared better than when the Commander-in-Chief was a dove. Then 9/11 happened –...
10Mar2010 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(ABT) Abbott Laboratories on an Acquisition Spree
Abbott (ABT) continues to be in an acquisition mode, recently announcing its intention to acquire Facet Biotech Corporation (FACT) for $27 per share. The total purchase price is approximately $722 million Incorporatedluding Facet’s projected cash and marketable securities of...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LGF) Lions Gate Entertainment – Bear of the Day
Lions Gate’s (LGF) third-quarter 2010 quarterly loss of $0.55 per share was far below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a net loss of $0.22. The company’s net loss per share did improve from a loss of $0.84 delivered in the prior-year quarter, but it fell sharply from...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FDO) Family Dollar Incorporated – Earnings Estimates Are Rising
Family Dollar, Inc. (FDO) recently surged to a new 52-week high after the company raised it’s full year guidance on strong February sales. Company Description Family Dollar operates a chain of self-service retail discount stores for lower to mid-income consumers in the...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AMSF) Analysts Ask How Safe is Amerisafe?
Amerisafe Inc. (AMSF), a specialty provider of high-hazard workers’ compensation insurance, is becoming less attractive to analysts following its fourth quarter 2009 earnings release last week. With a soft market cycle, characterized by increased competition that results in...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FEP) Energy Transfer Partners L.P. Builds New Pipeline
Construction has begun on the Fayetteville Express Pipeline (FEP), a 50/50 joint venture between Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (ETP) and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (KMP). With an initial capacity to transport up to 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas,...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Bank of America Complies With Federal Reserve Ruling – Ends Debit Card Overdrafts
To play by the rules set by the Federal Reserve that will prohibit banks from charging overdraft fees effective July 1, 2010, Bank of America Corporation (BAC) said on Tuesday that it will eliminate such fees on debit card purchases starting June 19, 2010. This move will restrict...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CVX) Chevron Changes Business Strategy to Trim Downstream Business
At a meeting with financial analysts in New York , U.S. energy behemoth Chevron Corp. (CVX) unveiled its business strategy. In particular, the company outlined plans to restructure its struggling downstream (refinery, marketing, and transportation) operation that has seen mounting...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FSLR) First Solar Has Signed a Contract With Pacific Gas & Electric Company
First Solar Inc. (FSLR) has signed a contract with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PCG) to supply renewable electricity from a 300 MW utility-scale photovoltaic solar power facility in Southern California . The Desert Sunlight project is near the Desert Center in eastern...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NVTL) Novatel Analyst Downgrades Stock to Underperform
We downgrade our recommendation for Novatel Wireless Inc. (NVTL) to underperform following its fourth quarter 2009 financial results, which came significantly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Unfavorable product mix has taken a toll on the company’s gross margin. Quarterly...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(T) AT&T Tests 100 Gigabit Ethernet
US telecom behemoth AT&T (T) reported that it has successfully completed a real-time field trial of 100-Gigabit Ethernet technology, a next-generation backbone network standard. The technology is expected to be available commercially over the next few years. In the trial,...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued($CSCO) Cisco Systems’ CRS-3 Redefines Network Speed
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) has announced a super-fast carrier routing system called the CRS 3. Management stated that use of multiple CRS-3s in the network would enable data transfer speeds of up to 322 terabits per second (tbps), significantly higher than the 92 tbps of the CRS-1,...
10Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AMB) AMB Property Aims at Mexico Pension Funds
AMB Property Corp. (AMB), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), recently announced plans to offer a new commercial real estate fund in Mexico that aims to attract investment from private pension administrators, locally known as Afores. AMB had sought the permission of...
9Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BIIB) Biogen Experiences Pipeline Setback
Biotech company Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche recently suffered a setback with one of their pipeline candidates, ocrelizumab, due to safety related issues. Biogen and Roche announced that they have suspended treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients...
9Mar2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued