Archive for April, 2010
(WFC) Wells Fargo Agressive on Home Affordable Modification Program
In an attempt to reduce the number of foreclosed homes across the U.S., on Wednesday Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) announced that it continues to proceed swiftly with its extensive and incessant use of the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) along with its other...
15Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Bank of America Selects Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
On Wednesday, Bank of America Corp. (BAC) (BofA) announced the appointment of a new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Charles H. Noski, effective May 11. The appointment was one of a kind since BofA is well known for promoting executives to such positions...
15Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CPIX) Cumberland Pharmaceuticals’ Ibuprofen Safety and Efficacy Beats Acetaminophen
Recently, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CPIX) announced results from a meta-analysis comparing the safety and efficacy of Caldolor (ibuprofen) and acetaminophen. The data, which was published in the March edition of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, revealed that ibuprofen was...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(UTI) Universal Technical Institute Analyst Selects Neutral Rating
We have recently downgraded our recommendation on Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) to Neutral from Outperform with a target price of $24.00. The company provides postsecondary technical education, offering undergraduate degree, diploma, and certificate programs to students...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TEF) Telecom Italia Misses Earnings Expectations
Telecom Italia (TI) has announced full-year 2009 result with earnings per ADS of $1.15 missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.44. Net income dipped 27.4% year-over-year to €1.58 billion ($2.2 billion) on account of weak performance from the carrier’s domestic operation,...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PGR) Progressive’s Earnings Report Beats Estimate
Progressive Corp. (PGR) reported first quarter earnings of 44 cents per share compared to earnings of 35 cents in the year-ago period. Excluding the impact of realized gains and losses, the company earned 41 cents per share in the quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TLB) The Talbots Incorporated Swings to Profit
The Talbots, Inc. (TLB) reported fiscal 2009 fourth-quarter results before the opening bell on Tuesday. The company swung to a net income of $4.1 million from a net loss of $361.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Excluding certain special items, earnings per share came in at...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DAI) Daimler AG Affirms 2010 Outlook
Daimler AG (DAI) has confirmed its guidance for 2010, provided while releasing the sales and earnings results for 2009. The company continues to expect earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of €2.3 billion ($3.1 billion) for the year. Daimler expects revenue to grow during...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MSFT) Oracle Increases Investment in the MySQL Open-Source Database
In order to compete against Microsoft Corp’s (MSFT) SQL Server and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) in the database space, Oracle Corp. (ORCL) announced its decision to increase investment in the MySQL open-source database. The details on the investment were not...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CSX) CSX Corporation Beats Earnings on Increasing Revenues
CSX Corporation’s (CSX) first quarter earnings of 78 cents per share were ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents. Earnings were up 22% from 64 cents in the year-ago quarter. Results were helped by increased revenues due to volume improvement in chemicals, agricultural...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GWW) W.W. Grainger’s Earnings Report Misses Estimates
W.W. Grainger (GWW) reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2010. During the quarter, net earnings were $97 million up from $94 million in the year-ago quarter. EPS was $1.31, up 5% from $1.25 reported in the same quarter of fiscal 2009. Reported EPS was slightly below...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(YUM) Yum! Brands Earnings Report Surpasses Estimates
Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM) reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2010 results, driven by strong performances in its China and YRI divisions. Yum!’s quarterly earnings of $0.59 a share (excluding special charges) comfortably surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.53,...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RDSA) Royal Dutch Shell Analyst Assigns Neutral Rating
We are maintaining our Neutral recommendation on Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA) with a target price of $64. In terms of assets, Royal Dutch Shell owns a strong and diversified portfolio of global energy businesses that offers attractive long-term growth opportunities. The group’s...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AIG) American International Group Unit Sells 53 Planes for $2 Billion
American International Group Inc.’s (AIG) aircraft leasing unit, International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), has announced yesterday that it has agreed to sell 53 aircraft to Macquarie Aerospace Limited, an indirect subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited, for $1.99 billion. However,...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CEA) Semiconductor Stock Review – April 2010 – Industry Outlook
The Semiconductor Industry serves as a driver, enabler and indicator of technological progress. Developments in the industry determine the way we work, transport ourselves, communicate, entertain ourselves and respond to our environment. The PCs we work on, the cars we drive,...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NRG) NRG Energy Wins Green Contract From New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) received a 10-year contract from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for power generated using renewable biomass fuel at its Dunkirk Generating Station in western New York. The project, which is expected to come online...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PXD) Pioneer Natural Resources Drills New Well in Eagle Ford
Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD) successfully drilled its fourth well in the Eagle Ford Shale play in South Texas. This well is significant for the company as it produces the highest condensate amount as well as the largest combined gas and liquids volume in this play...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CMCSA) Significant Growth of Mobile Data and Video Traffic
Significant growth of mobile data and video traffic resulted in an unexpected future growth catalyst for the cable MSOs in the U.S. Increasing deployment of 3G mobile networks and massive growth of high-end feature rich smartphones promulgate requirements to expand coverage and...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MET) MetLife Sells Taiwan Business to Waterland Financial Holdings
On Tuesday, Thomson Reuters reported that MetLife Inc. (MET) may dispose of its insurance business in Taiwan to Waterland Financial Holdings Co., a tiny financial firm in Taiwan, who has agreed to purchase it for $114 million (T$3.6 billion). However, the final decision by both...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HAL) Halliburton Earnings Preview – Drilling Activity Picking up in North America
Halliburton Co. (HAL) – one of the largest oilfield service providers in the world – is scheduled to report its first quarter 2010 results on Monday, Apr 19, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter is 25 cents per share (with an upside...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CBST) Cubist Pharmaceuticals Initiates Mid-stage Trial
Recently, Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST) began a mid-stage trial of one of its pipeline candidates, CB-183,315. The drug is being studied to treat patients suffering from diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile also known as C. difficile-associated diarrhea or CDAD. The phase...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WDFC) WD-40 Company – Analyst Earnings Estimates Moving Higher
WD-40 Co. (WDFC) has a Zacks #1 Rank. Its stock trades at 17.2x fiscal 2010 consensus EPS estimates and 15.8x fiscal 2011 consensus EPS estimates. Growth and Income Analysts estimate that WD-40 Co. will grow its earnings per share at 11.5% annually for the next 3 to 5 years....
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GILD) Gilead Sciences Earnings Preview – Fourth Quarter Highlights
Gilead Sciences (GILD) is scheduled to release its first quarter 2010 earnings on Apr 20, 2010. The company is expected to earn 96 cents during the quarter, according to the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Fourth quarter highlights Gilead reported revenue of $2.03 billion, up 42%,...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FRX) Forest Labs Earnings Preview – Third Quarter Highlights
Forest Labs (FRX) is all set to announce its fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2010 results on Apr 20. The company expects to report fiscal 2010 earnings towards the higher end of its guidance range of $3.40 – $3.50 per share on revenues of $4.1 billion. Third Quarter...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SOHU) Sohu Earnings Preview – Estimate Revisions
Sohu.com Inc. (SOHU) is set to report its first quarter 2010 results before the opening bell on Apr 26, 2010. During the fourth quarter conference call, the company provided its first quarter guidance. For the first quarter of 2010, Sohu expects total revenue in the range of...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(UTI) Universal Technical Institute Analyst Assigns Neutral Rating
We have recently downgraded our recommendation on Universal Technical Institute Inc. (UTI) to Neutral from Outperform with a target price of $24.00. The company provides postsecondary technical education, offering undergraduate degree, diploma, and certificate programs to students...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BP) BP Moves Further Into The Alternative Energy Space
BP plc (BP) is increasingly moving forward to alternative energy space. The company is planning to invest more than $1 billion this year in alternative energy projects. BP had spent approximately $1.3 billion last year for various alternative programs. Since 2005, the company...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XOM) Inflation “Chicken Littles” Have Been Wrong
The Consumer Price Index rose just 0.1% in March, after being unchanged in February and rising 0.2% in January. Over the last year, it is up 2.3%. If one strips out food and energy costs, prices were unchanged on the month, after rising just 0.1% in February and actually falling...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TSCO) Tractor Supply Company – Earnings Estimates Surge
Tractor Supply Co (TSCO) recently updated their quarterly outlook that included a sharp increase in sales. The news sent shares to all-time highs. Company Description Tractor Supply Co. operates over 900 farm and ranch stores across 44 states. The company caters to rural lifestyles...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GTIV) Gentiva Health Services – Analysts Now Expect 2010 Earnings Growth of 20.3%
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV) grew revenue in 2009 as it focused on its home health and hospice segments. The company is cheap, with a forward P/E of 11.3. Company Description Gentiva Health Services provides home health and hospice services in over 380 communities nationwide...
14Apr2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued