Archive for April, 2011
(MGI) MoneyGram International Analyst Reiterates Neutral Rating on Shares
We reiterated our recommendation on MoneyGram International Inc. (MGI) at Neutral. The company’s fourth quarter loss was lesser than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by decreased operating expenses and moderate revenue growth. Higher money transfer transaction volumeswere...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RRGB) Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Expands in California
Colorado-based Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. (RRGB), which currently operates 450 restaurants across the United States and Canada, is set to open a new restaurant in Woodland, California on April 25, 2011. The company, in order to drive revenue at the new location, intends to...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WRB) W.R. Berkley Sees A.M. Best Debt Rating Action
A.M. Best reiterated issuer credit ratings (ICR) and debt ratings of “a-” on senior unsecured notes and “bbb” on trust preferred securities of W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB). The outlook for all ratings is stable. A.M. Best’s ratings reflect a favorable debt-to-capital...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JPM) JPMorgan Chase & Co First Quarter 2011 Earnings Preview
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is scheduled to report its first quarter 2011 results before the market opens on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is $1.16 per share, representing a growth of about 57% over the year-ago quarter. Going by past...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(UBS) UBS AG Faces FINRA Fines
UBS AG (UBS) has hit the headlines again, this time for a wrong reason. Its wealth management services unit has been fined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for misleading investors about the risks associated with certain notes of Lehman Brothers Holdings...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DAL) Airline Industry Outlook – April 2011 – Industry Outlook
In a major turnaround, the airline industry recorded $16 billion in profits last year, after losing $16 billion in 2008 and $9.9 billion in 2009. But 2010 was most likely an earnings peak, as a host headwinds have come together to bring down industry profits. The International...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FAST) Fastenal’s Quarterly Report Beats Estimates
Fastenal Co. (FAST) reported a profit of $79.5 million in the first quarter of 2011, up 42% from $56.0 million in the year-ago quarter. This translates into earnings of 54 cents per share, which has surpassed the year-ago earnings of 38 cents per share by 42.1%. Reported earnings...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) Ford is the Auto Industry’s Number One Again
by Tony D’Altorio, Investment U Research Tuesday, April 12, 2011 As most people know, the 2009 winter was troublesome for the U.S. automobile industry. A perfect storm of high fuel prices, the global financial mess and the disappearance of consumer confidence struck it dead...
12Apr2011 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(DLLR) Dollar Financial Corporation Prices Share Offering
Dollar Financial Corporation (DLLR) has priced its previously announced public offering of 6 million shares at $20.75 per share, to use the proceeds to help fund its acquisition of Purpose U.K. Holdings Limited in the U.K. However, Dollar Financial earlier planned to underwrite...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AA) Company News for April 12, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• Level 3 Communications (NASDAQ:LVLT) and Global Crossing Limited (NASDAQ:GLBC) have entered into a agreement under which Level 3 will acquire Global Crossing in a stock-for-stock transaction • Endo Pharmaceuticals’ (NASDAQ:ENDP) said that it would buy urological...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AA) Stock Market News for April 12, 2011 – Market News
Markets shed a few points, on Monday, as investors remained concerned about companies missing their earnings estimates. Lower oil prices pulled back the energy sector while blue chips managed moderate gains and outpaced the broader market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ITRI) Itron to Supply Meters to BC Hydro
Itron Inc. (ITRI) has been chosen by British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro) to supply two million new electric meters over the next two years as part of its Smart Metering Program. With this announcement British Columbia has moved a step closer to modernization. Under the terms of...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LUK) Leucadia National to Raise Stake in Jefferies Group
Leucadia National Corporation (LUK) recently announced that it will increase its stake in Jefferies Group Inc. (JEF), a full service investment bank. The company, in response to Jefferies’ $500 million stock offering, will purchase $125 million of the investment bank’s...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BHI) U.S. Drilling Rig Count: Up Another 6 Units
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), primarily reflecting an increase in the tally of land rigs. The Baker Hughes rig count, issued...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MS) Morgan Stanley – Bear of the Day
The implementation of Basel III is expected to reduce Morgan Stanley’s (MS) flexibility with respect to its capital in the near term. Though the company’s Tier 1 common ratio is expected to be below the Basel III minimum, given the lengthy period of implementation...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TSCO) Tractor Supply Company – Bull of the Day
On the back of strong same-store sales, improved merchandise mix, prudent inventory management and effective cost control, Tractor Supply Co. (TSCO) posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter 2010 results. The quarterly earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.62. Furthermore,...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GE) General Electric to Build Solar Panel Factory
General Electric Company (GE) has developed a thin solar panel technology and intends to build a new factory in the United States to make its new solar product. Upon completion, the new U.S. factory will exceed the size of any existing solar panel facility in the country. The...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(KIRK) Kirkland’s Analyst Continues Shares at Underperform
We currently maintain an Underperform rating on Kirklands’s Inc. (KIRK). Although the company’s healthy balance sheet supports its investment to bring about a better merchandise mix in its stores, the company’s susceptibility to the global economic downturn — coupled...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GOOG) Why Publishers Can’t Stand Google’s Universal Library
by Alexander Moschina, Investment U Research Tuesday, April 12, 2011 For seven years now, Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) has been scanning every book it can get its hands on. Its goal? To take out-of-print, public-domain titles and make them available on the web – for free. The internet...
12Apr2011 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(PFG) Principal Financial Group Expands in Mexico
Principal Financial Group, S.A. de C.V., has agreed to acquire HSBC AFORE, S.A. de C.V. (HAFO) from Grupo Financiero HSBC, S.A. de C.V., as announced by The Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG). HSBC Afore, SA de C.V., is the pension funds management business of Grupo Financiero...
12Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PG) The Procter & Gamble Company Recalls Shades of Clairol
The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) voluntarily recalled ten shades of its Clairol Natural Instincts in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The recall was intended to withdraw a mismatched ColorFresh Revitalizer sachet in the kits that the company expected would not create a...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RDSA) Shell Partners Chevron in Australia
Global integrated energy company Chevron Corporation (CVX) announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Australian unit of Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDSA) to sell a certain stake of its Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. Financial terms of the deal were...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GOOG) Google’s ITA Software Acquisition Cleared by Department of Justice
Google Inc’s (GOOG) acquisition of ITA Software — which has been pending for many months — was finally cleared by the Department of Justice on April 8, 2011. The acquisition received strong opposition from travel companies, such as Expedia Inc. (EXPE), competitors...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GD) General Dynamics Gets Contract
General Dynamics Corporation’s (GD) Information Technology business unit has been awarded a contract under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Information Technology Support Services 4 (ITSS4) program. The multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HON) Honeywell Teams Up with Boeing
Honeywell International (HON) is collaborating with The Boeing Co. (BA) to create an integrated security and building management platform to improve safety and operations at large facilities. The solution will leverage Honeywell’s extensive security and building management...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AER) Company News for April 11, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) agreed to enter into a consent decree with the Justice Department with regard to its purchase of ITA Software Inc. The company will be subject to compulsory licensing and government monitoring of travel search and services. Google will have to impose...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AMR) Stock Market News for April 11, 2011 – Market News
Concerns about a possible government shutdown coupled with record high crude prices jolted the markets on Friday, as commodities touched new highs. Crude prices touched a 30-month high, spreading significant concerns over the economy recovery derailing and investors kept away...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BBBY) Bed Bath & Beyond Fourth Quarter 2010 Earnings Beat Estimates
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter 2010 results on the heels of double-digit growth in sales and higher margins. Earnings rose 30.2% to $1.12 per share from the year-ago quarter earnings of 86 cents a share, handily surpassing its earnings...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DRYS) DryShips Incorporated – Bear of the Day
We reiterate our Underperform recommendation on DryShips, Inc. (DRYS). The company’s fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 financial results were well below the Zacks Consensus Estimates. The drybulk shipping industry is facing serious challenges, where the vessel rate collapsed...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(VFC) V.F. Corporation – Bull of the Day
V.F. Corporation’s (VFC) fourth-quarter 2010 earnings of $1.78 per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and jumped almost 10% from the prior-year quarter on the heels of robust sales across all brands and improved margins. We believe the acquisition of Rock and...
11Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued