Archive for April, 2011
(FDO) Family Dollar Stores Risk-Reward Balances
Family Dollar Stores Inc.’s (FDO) strategic initiatives to improve merchandising, marketing and store operations have resulted in sustained growth in the top and bottom lines. Management now expects a growth of 8% to 10% in net sales, 5% to 7% in comparable-store sales and...
4Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RDSA) Royal Dutch Shell plc Signs Agreement to Sell Downstream Unit
Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDSA) has entered into an agreement with Chilean business conglomerate Quinenco for the sale of a majority of its downstream business located in that country. The total consideration of the deal has been settled at approximately $614 million. Both companies...
4Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(STI) Ally Financial Files for Initial Public Offering
Ally Financial, the former finance unit of General Motors (GM), filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday. This will allow the bailed-out auto and mortgage lender to repay its dues to the Treasury. During the height of the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, Ally...
4Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XOM) U.S. Energy Department Reports Oil Stocks Up – Gasoline Supply Sinks
The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed a steep build-up in crude stockpiles with supplies at the key delivery hub of Cushing hitting a record high. The agency’s report further revealed that distillate stocks added to their supplies and refinery run-rates...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FHN) First Horizon National Analyst Downgrades to Underperform
We have downgraded our recommendation on First Horizon National Corp. (FHN) to Underperform from Neutral as the company suffered a loss in the fourth quarter of 2010 following the repayment of the bailout money in late December 2010. FHN reported a loss of $49.0 million or 20...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ARAY) Accuray Analyst Lifts Shares to Outperform
We upgrade our recommendation on Accuray Incorporated (ARAY) to Outperform following our assessment of its healthy second-quarter fiscal 2011 results and increased visibility on the stock. We are upbeat about the compelling prospect in radiation oncology rendered by the company’s...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LEAP) Leap Wireless International Expands Service in New Markets
Leap Wireless International Inc. (LEAP), a small-sized prepaid wireless services provider in the U.S. operating under the brand name “Cricket”, unveiled its popular Muve Music service plan in new markets across the country. The popular music service will be available in more...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(OMC) Omnicom Group Analyst Assigns Neutral Rating on Shares
We recently maintained a Neutral recommendation on Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC). New York-based Omnicom is among the largest advertising, marketing and corporate communication companies in the world. Its services span across four disciplines including traditional media advertising,...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AEP) American Electric Power Applies for Higher Rates
With a view to recover the increasing cost of production and distribution of electricity, American Electric Power Co.‘s (AEP) unit Appalachian Power filed four rate requests to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). The total impact of the proposed rate hike,...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ETP) Energy Transfer Partners L.P. to Tap Equity Market
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (ETP) has commenced an underwritten public offering of 11,750,000 common units representing limited partner interests. The natural gas and propane gas master limited partnership (MLP) also intends to provide the underwriters with a 30-day option...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HPQ) Hewlett-Packard Company To Support USSOCOM Data Center
Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) clinched a four-year services deal with the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), marking its third government deal this month. The deal has been valued at $68.1 million. Under the terms, HP’s Enterprise Services unit will offer data center...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(VZ) Verizon Communications to Debut 100G Broadband Technology in U.S.
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) plans to initiate 100G (gigabits per second) technology on selected parts of the U.S. network by the end of the second quarter of 2011. The network segments include Chicago to New York, Sacramento to Los Angeles and Minneapolis to Kansas City. Verizon’s...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NTRS) Northern Trust Analyst Downgrades Shares To Underperform
We have downgraded our recommendation on Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) to Underperform from Neutral, as the current operating environment is putting pressure on earnings. Though we expect the company to benefit from rising interest rates, more visibility is needed to get...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HUM) Humana Analyst Increases Shares to Outperform
On the back of strong fourth quarter results, we recently upgraded Humana, Inc. (HUM) to Outperform. The company reported a strong fourth quarter on the heels of improved performance in its operations, lower commercial medical cost trends and surplus cash flow generation in...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ETP) Energy Transfer Partners L.P. Unit Offering Priced at $50.52
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (ETP) priced a public offering of 12,350,000 common units at $50.52 per unit, with a 30-day over-allotment option for an additional 1,852,500 units. The natural gas and propane gas master limited partnership (MLP) plans to use the net proceeds from...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ETP) Energy Transfer Partners L.P. Prices Unit Offering
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (ETP) priced a public offering of 12,350,000 common units at $50.52 per unit, with a 30-day over-allotment option for an additional 1,852,500 units. The natural gas and propane gas master limited partnership (MLP) plans to use the net proceeds from...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BWC) The Babcock & Wilcox Company Wins Swedish Contract
Babcock & Wilcox Volund A/S (B&W Volund), a subsidiary of The Babcock & Wilcox Company (BWC) announced that it has won a contract worth more than $30 million from Sweden based Lidkoping Varmeverk AB. Per the terms of the agreement, Babcock & Wilcox Company will...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JLL) Jones Lang LaSalle Expands in South Africa
Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (JLL), one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world, bought South Africa’s Bradford McCormack & Associates (BMA) for an undisclosed amount. Jones Lang is already present in several client facilities across the country. This is the...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ADM) Archer Daniels Midland Remarkets Debt
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) announced the successful remarketing in two parts of $1.75 billion of notes originally issued as a component of its equity units in June 2008. The $70 million notes in the first part carry a coupon rate of 4.479% and are due to mature on March...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DFS) Discover Financial Services Earnings Scorecard
Discover Financial Services (DFS) reported its first quarter earnings for fiscal year 2011 on March 22, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate substantially by 33 cents per share, led by strong net interest income growth and lower loan loss provisions, though partially offset by...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CHK) Chesapeake Energy Closes BHP Transaction
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) announced that it has closed the transaction to divest its interests to BHP Billiton Petroleum, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton Limited (BHP). The divested interests are in about 487,000 net acres of leasehold and producing natural...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CSC) Computer Sciences Corporation Signs More Insurance Deals
Virginia-based Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) announced that it has inked a licensing agreement with a leading life insurance carrier in Canada. Notably, the carrier is one of the top 10 insurance companies in the region as determined by A.M. Best Company, a credit rating firm...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(TOL) Toll Brothers and Deutsche Bank Buy Loans
Gibraltar Capital and Asset Management LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL) and Deutsche Bank (DB) together announced the closing of a private transaction with a large financial institution. The transaction involves the purchase of a portfolio consisting...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BA) Boeing Announces More Orders for Next-Generation 737 From Turkish Airlines
International aerospace giant The Boeing Co. (BA) announced that it received orders for fifteen Next-Generation 737s from Turkish Airlines. The order comprises two different models of 737, ten 737-800 and five 737-900 extended range (ER) airplanes, having an average list-price...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XOM) Why the Resumption of Libyan Oil Shipments Won’t Change Gasoline Prices
by David Fessler, Investment U’s Energy and Infrastructure Specialist Friday, April 1, 2011: Issue #1482 In a move that perhaps best underscores the progress of the Libyan rebels – and dishes the biggest slap in the face to Muammar Gaddafi – the rebel council announced...
3Apr2011 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(LMT) Lockheed Martin to Produce More Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Weapons System
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) has received a production contract of $789.8 million for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. Although originally a U.S. Army program, THAAD had come under the umbrella of the Missile...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(IBM) International Business Machines Chosen by Cameroon Ministry of Finance
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) and CFAO Technologies, IBM’s partner in West Africa, have been chosen by the Cameroon Ministry of Finance to upgrade and secure the payroll process of government employees in the country. The Cameroon Ministry of Finance intends to...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RAD) Rite Aid Comp Store Sales Slip
Leading drugstore chain operator Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) reported a minimal decline of 0.1% in same-store sales for the four weeks ended March 26, 2011. Results moderated from an increase of 1.0% in February 2011. For the month of March, front-end same-store sales decreased 1.8%....
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(RDC) Rowan Companies Analyst Reiterates Shares at Neutral
We maintain our Neutral recommendation on Rowan Companies Inc. (RDC) given its impressive fourth-quarter 2010 results, which comfortably beat both earnings and revenue estimates. We remain on the sidelines owing to the possible oversupply of global jackups in the next few years,...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PTEN) U.S. Energy Department Reports Natural Gas Inventory Builds for First Time in 2011
The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed a surprise build in natural gas supplies, reflecting significant stock accumulation in the producing regions. The Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report – brought out by the Energy Information Administration (EIA)...
3Apr2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued