Archive for March, 2011
(HGR) Hanger Orthopedic Group – Bull of the Day
We upgrade our recommendation on Hanger Orthopedic Group (HGR) to Outperform based on our assessment of the company’s forecast-beating fourth-quarter fiscal 2010 results and increased visibility on its business prospects. Earnings for the quarter topped the Zacks Consensus...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DTV) DIRECTV Fourth Quarter 2010 Earnings Scorecard
DIRECTV (DTV) reported excellent fourth quarter 2010 financial results, where both the earnings per share (EPS) and revenues exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The robust result was combined with a massive $6 billion share buy-back program. Management is also confident that...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BJ) Stock Market News for March 23, 2011 – Market News
The three-day rally of the markets was halted on Tuesday with investors adopting a cautious stance as ensuing unrest in the Middle East pushed crude prices higher. Also, the lack of any new information on the crisis in Japan provided little strength to the indices to extend their...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AGP) Company News for March 23, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) announced the launch of its highly anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which will be available at more than 20,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada at a base price of $499 • Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) analysts downgraded shares of AMERIGROUP...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SIRI) SIRIUS XM Sued by Star Act Howard Stern Over Performance-Based Stock Awards
Satellite radio service provider SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (SIRI) is facing a lawsuit from none other than its star performer Howard Stern. Recently, Mr. Stern has complained that SIRIUS XM failed to pay him stock awards that it granted based on a specific subscriber growth target....
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AOL) Company News for March 24, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• According to a regulatory filing, the Federal Reserve rejected Bank of America’s (NYSE:BAC) plan for a hike in its dividend in the second half of 2011 • Colgate Palmolive (NYSE:CL) announced its plans to buy the Sanex personal care brand from Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL)...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AA) Stock Market News for March 24, 2011 – Market News
Materials stocks took the markets modestly ahead over hopes of rebuilding after an earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan. Weak US new home sales data took the markets to session lows during the day before rebuilding hopes pumped in modest momentum. However, the day saw very tight...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BA) Boeing Announces Israeli Carrier EL AL Airlines Ordered Four 737-900ERs
The Boeing Company (BA) said the national Israeli carrier EL AL Airlines ordered four Next-Generation 737-900ERs (extended range) and reserve options for future aircraft. Boeing will receive roughly $343.2 million for the four-airplane order. The Boeing 737-900ER is the most...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(VZ) Verizon Communications Issues Debt
The largest wireless carrier in the North America, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) announced a debt issuance of $6.25 billion. The issue will spread over five tranches of $1 billion three-year floating-rate notes, $1.5 billion three-year fixed-rate notes, $1.25 billion five-year...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NVTL) Novatel Wireless – Bear of the Day
We reaffirm our long-term Underperform recommendation on Novatel Wireless (NVTL) following its fourth quarter 2010 financial results, which fell well below the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Novatel provided a very weak first quarter 2011 financial outlook. The company cited lower...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(IBM) International Business Machines Enhances IT Portfolio
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has unveiled a new and improved services portfolio to provide advanced and innovative technological services and solutions for its clients. IBM’s advanced outsourcing services has been developed keeping in mind the client-specific...
25Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) Beyond “Peak Oil” – Thoughts on Oil & the Middle East
A book that I have read and highly recommend is Twilight in the Desert by Matthew Simmons, who was a Houston-based analyst and investment banker in the energy field for several decades. He died last year. He is best known for championing the ‘Peak Oil’ thesis, which...
24Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MT) Steel Industry Outlook – March 2011 – Industry Outlook
The global Steel industry is rather concentrated in structure, with a few producers accounting for the lion’s share of sales. ArcelorMittal (MT) is the world’s largest steel company, with projected crude steel production of 90.6 million tons in 2011. Steel products can be...
24Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FITB) Fifth Third Bancorp Announces Higher Dividend
Fifth Third Bancorp’s (FITB) board of directors increased the cash dividend to 6 cents per share on its common stock. First quarter 2011 cash dividend of 6 cents represents an increase of 5 cents from Fifth Third’s previous quarterly dividend of 1 cent, an increase of...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AXR) Home Sales Take Another Dive – ValuEngine Ratings for Home Builders Show Duress
We had poor home sales data last week–new housing starts came in at their lowest levels since 1974. Today, we got even more. New home sales fell yet again and came in at a new record low. The US Commerce Department–which has been keeping this data set almost...
23Mar2011 | valuengine | 0 comments | Continued(BK) Bank of New York Mellon Announces Dividend Increase and Share Repurchase
Following the Federal Reserve’s approval of its comprehensive capital plan (CCP), Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BK) joined the other U.S. banks in announcing quarterly dividend increase and share repurchase. BNY Mellon declared a quarterly cash dividend of 13 cents per...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AGNC) American Capital Agency Announces Secondary Offering
American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses on investments in mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), has recently announced a secondary offering of 28 million common shares totaling...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DTG) Dollar Thrift Automotive Group — Special Situation
This morning my Barchart new high screener detected price movement on Dollar Thrift Automotive Group (DTG) so I added it as a short term holding in the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio. Recently there have been several suitors looking to acquire this company. In the...
23Mar2011 | Shawn | 0 comments | Continued(TWGP) Tower Group Incorporated – Bear of the Day
We are downgrading our recommendation on Tower Group, Inc. (TWGP) to Underperform from Neutral as we think that a lower interest rate environment and higher expense ratio due OneBeacon’s Personal Lines system integration, as well as other systems-related initiatives, will...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SCHS) School Specialty Incorporated – Bull of the Day
Recently, School Specialty (SCHS) has witnessed a rise in supplies orders. We believe that the company’s improved pricing initiatives, product line-up, ecommerce systems and sales endeavors will help in regaining the lost market share from earlier. Management also reaffirmed...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Wells Fargo & Company Raises Dividend – Announces Buyback
Wells Fargo & Company’s (WFC) Board of Directors recently approved a special first quarter 2011 cash dividend of 7 cents per share on its common stock. Combined with a quarterly dividend of 5 cents per share declared in January 2011, the special dividend brings the total...
23Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AGNC) American Capital Agency Corporation Announces Secondary Offeringg
American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses on investments in mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), has recently announced a secondary offering of 28 million common shares totaling...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ERJ) Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. Jets for Alitalia
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A., or Embraer (ERJ) agreed to deliver fifteen EMBRAER 175 and five EMBRAER 190 jets to Alitalia, a leading Italian airline. The delivery is expected to begin in the third quarter 2011. EMBRAER 175 and EMBRAER...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(APOL) Apollo Analyst Maintains Shares at Neutral
We have maintained our long-term ‘Neutral’ recommendation on Apollo Group Inc. (APOL) with a target price of $42.00 per share. Moreover, the company has a Zacks #3 Rank, implying a short-term ‘Hold’ rating on the stock. Phoenix, Arizona based Apollo Group Inc. is a leading...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NFLX) Netflix to Stream “House of Cards” Broadcast Drama Show
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) is in talks to acquire the internet streaming rights of a 26-episode drama, called “House of Cards,” even before the show hits the small screen. The drama series, starring Kevin Spacey, is slated to be the first original TV series by the company. Netflix...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(USB) U.S. Bancorp Announces Increased Dividend – Plans Share Buyback
On Friday,U.S. Bancorp’s (USB) board of directors approved an increase of 150% in the dividend rateon its common stock. On an annual basis, the dividend comes to 50 cents per share, or 12.5 cents per share on a quarterly basis. The increased dividend for the quarter will be...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(C) Citigroup Announces Plans for Dividend and Reverse Stock Split
On Monday, Citigroup Inc. (C) announced a reverse stock split plan of its common stock and its intention of reinstating dividend payment to shareholders. According to the nature of the reverse stock split, 10 shares of issued and outstanding Citi common stock will be combined...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(APC) Stock Market News for March 22, 2011 – Market News
Markets ended in the green for the third consecutive day as indices moved higher on Monday, bolstered by bullish sentiments over big ticket mergers and acquisitions. Signs of the nuclear crisis in Japan stabilizing added to the cheer and the Dow crossed its psychological mark...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(C) Company News for March 22, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• On Sunday AT&T (NYSE:T) announced its plans to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG in a cash-and-stock deal worth $39 billion. However, the deal could face regulatory issues since it would reduce the number of wireless carriers with national coverage to four • Charles...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DFG) Delphi Financial Analyst Reiterates Shares at Neutral
We are maintaining our Neutral recommendation on the shares of Delphi Financial Inc. (DFG) following the release of fourth quarter 2010 results. Delphi’s fourth quarter earnings were a dime ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, aided by favorable underwriting and investment...
22Mar2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued