Archive for September, 2010
Sep 13: Treasury Budget – Economic Highlights
Today at 2:00 PM EST, the Department of Treasury will release the balance of the Treasury Budget for August, with an anticipated deficit of $103.5 billion, following the reported $165.043 billion deficit in July. Upcoming Releases Treasury Budget (09/13 at 2:00 PM EST) Retail...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | ContinuedSep 14: Business Inventories – Economic Highlights
Business Inventories increased by 1.0% in July to $1,375.7 billion, higher than the consensus estimate of a 0.8% increase. Business inventories had increased by 0.5% in June, and currently stand 2.4% more than July 2009 levels. The inventories/sales ratio was 1.26 at the end...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TWC) Time Warner Cable Plans Cooperative Agreement With Cox Communications
According to Reuter, Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC), the second largest cable MSO in the U.S. may enter into an agreement with privately-held cable operator Cox Communications, for mutual co-operation of their respective cable systems in California . The cable systems are roughly...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PBM) Catalyst Health Solutions Acquires FutureScripts
Expanding its pharmacy benefit management (PBM) solutions, on Monday, Catalyst Health Solutions Inc. (CHSI) announced the purchase of all the PBM units of Independence Blue Cross (IBC) ? FutureScripts LLC and FutureScripts Secure LLC ? for an all cash transaction of $225 million....
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ITW) Illinois Tool Works Acquires Panreac Group
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) recently acquired Europe-based chemical company, Panreac Group. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Panreac Group serves particularly the laboratory, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. The acquired company, founded in 1941,...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(KR) U.S. Auguest Retail Sales Report Better than Expected
Retail Sales were better than expected in August. Total retail sales rose 0.4%, a tick better than the 0.3% consensus expectation, and are up 3.6% from a year ago. However, July was revised down from 0.4% growth to 0.3% growth, which makes the overall level of retail sales about...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DXPE) DXP Enterprises Incorporated – Consensus Estimates Rise
DXP Enterprises Inc. (DXPE) recently reported second quarter results which saw sales rise 6.6% over the year ago period. DXPE has a price-to-sales ratio of just 0.4. DXP Enterprises distributes pumps, bearings, seals, hoses, fluid power, electrical and industrial supplies. DXP...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(KIRK) Kirkland’s Incorporated – Bear of the Day
Kirkland’s (KIRK) reported meager second-quarter 2010 results with earnings of $0.16, which was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.02. The company’s susceptibility to the global economic downturn coupled with stiff competition, severely undermines the company’s...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JPM) U.S. Bank Failure Tally Hits 119 in 2010 – Horizon Bank Fails
Following a lull in bank failures for the last week of August and the first week of September, U.S. regulators last Friday shuttered Bradenton, Florida-based Horizon Bank, pushing up U.S. bank failures to 119 so far in 2010. This compares with a total number of 140 bank failures...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ARST) Company News for September 13, 2010 – Corporate Summary
• Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) announced plans to raise at least $12.5 billion in fresh capital to meet stricter capital requirements and increase its stake in Postbank from 30% currently • Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) confirmed its intentions to acquire ArcSight (NASDAQ:ARST)...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RIMM) Research In Motion Earnings Preview
Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) is on the verge of declaring its quarterly financial results that may turn out to be very critical for its future operations. On September 16, after the closing bell, the company will announce its second quarter results of fiscal 2011. Despite generating...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | ContinuedStealth Stocks Weekly Update With Dennis Slothower – Monday, September 13, 2010
Summary of Recommendations Remain defensive as the market is subject to wild swings as fundamentals deteriorate while the Fed continues to prop up stock prices in roller coaster conditions. Market Commentary Stocks advanced on Monday, mostly on the opening, on hopes the economy...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RCI) Rogers Communications and Astral Sign Agreement
Canadian communications and media company Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) and Canada’s leading broadcaster of premium pay-and-specialty television services Astral signed an agreement, whereby Rogers’ customers will be able to access an array of exciting channels such...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AME) AMETEK Incorporated – Strong Second Quarter Results
AMETEK Inc (AME) reported a second quarter sales increase of 13% from the same period in 2009. The company also saw orders jump 33% in the quarter. AMETEK is a global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electro-mechanical devices. It is based in Pennsylvania and has a...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SNP) Sinopec, CNOOC Step up for Brazilian Oil and Gas Companies Bid
China’s initiative to acquire overseas properties seems likely to continue with the recent bidding process for stakes in assets owned by the Brazilian oil and gas companies OGX SA. Sinopec (SNP) and CNOOC Ltd. (CEO) were likely to launch a joint bid for this $7 billion deal,...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BBT) BB&T Corporation – Bear of the Day
We are downgrading our recommendation on BB&T (BBT) to Underperform based on concerns related to rising non-interest expenses and deteriorating credit quality. Higher non-interest expense was among the negatives in BB&T’s second quarter earnings report. Current...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EMC) EMC Leads The External Storage Market
EMC Corp. (EMC) gained market share in the external storage market during the second quarter ended June. According to technology research firm IDC, EMC is leader in the external storage market. According to IDC, EMC’s market share improved to 25.7% in the reported quarter from...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ALV) Autoliv Incorporated – Bull of the Day
Autoliv (ALV) maintains a stable market share globally, supported by the increasing importance of vehicle safety needs. Furthermore, the company aims to tap huge market potential by expanding into low-cost countries. The company’s balance sheet is solid with low debt and...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SRDX) SurModics Analyst Maintains Neutral Rating on Shares
SurModics (SRDX), headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is a provider of surface modification and drug delivery technologies to the healthcare industry. Following the changes in operational structure affected in 2008, the company currently operates through the following business...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ICE) IntercontinentalExchange Launches System for Credit Default Swap Market
For the first time in the industry, IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (ICE) launched the Novation Consent=Confirmation (C=C) initiative through its ICE Link platform on Sept 12, in order to smooth the credit default swap (CDS) processes in the market. Over the past year, regulators...
14Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TIVO) TiVo Announces Partnership with Samsung
A leading provider of advanced television services and personal video recorders (PVRs), TiVo Inc. (TIVO) announced a partnership with the premier provider of home solution and telecommunication technologies Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Under the collaboration, the companies will...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) Goldman Sachs Analyst Upgrades Shares to Neutral
We are upgrading our recommendation on Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) to Neutral considering its business model, competitive position in the market, the impact of the recent regulatory reforms and the company’s strategic efforts to comply with them. Goldman’s second quarter...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PHG) Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV Launches Next Generation Diagnostic System
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV (PHG) has launched its next generation of cardiac ultrasound system, iE33 xMATRIX. The new system will provide a more efficient solution for echocardiograms in adults. The new cardiac ultrasound system is an add-on to various offerings and developments...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SII) Schlumberger International Analyst Maintains Neutral Rating
Following the completion of the Smith International Inc. (SII) merger, we maintain our Neutral recommendation for Schlumberger Limited (SLB) shares as we believe that the investment case has not changed to that tune. While the merger diversifies the company’s offerings, the...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AIG) American International Group Rejected by Taiwan on Unit Sale
Earlier today, Taiwanese regulators rejected American International Group Inc.’s (AIG) bid to sell its Taiwanese unit Nan Shan Life Insurance Co. to a Hong-Kong based consortium, according to Reuters. The $2.15 billion bid by the consortium, which comprises Primus Financial...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HRS) Harris Corporation Raises Dividend
Harris Corporation (HRS) increased its quarterly cash dividend to 25 cents per share versus a prior quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, which will be paid on September 17, 2010, to shareholders of record as of September 8, 2010. The annual dividend rate also increased...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(KIRK) Kirkland’s Incorporated – Bear of the Day
Kirkland’s (KIRK) reported meager second-quarter 2010 results with earnings of $0.16, which was below the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.02. The company’s susceptibility to the global economic downturn coupled with stiff competition, severely undermines the company’s...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) Ford Motor Company – Bull of the Day
Ford Motor Company (F) looks forward to widening its market share through its accelerated product transformation plan: “One Ford.” Incorporating key objectives such as shifting focus from trucks to small cars, delivering more vehicles from fewer core platforms and...
13Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LLL) L-3 Communications Holdings Gets $170 Million Contract
L-3 Communications Holdings Inc.’s (LLL) subsidiary L-3 GCS has been awarded a $170 million contract by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The five year contract is for supplying Panther Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) manpack satellite communications systems...
12Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MCD) McDonald’s Reports That August Sales Up
McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) posted global comparable sales growth of 4.9% in August thanks to strong beverage sales. Comparable sales growth stepped up from 2.2% in August 2009. Barring Europe, the fast-food restaurant operator witnessed an uptrend across its domestic and international...
12Sep2010 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued