Archive for December, 2011
(DVN) U.S. Energy Department Reports Natural Gas Stockpiles Down 20 Bcf
The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed a larger-than-expected drop in natural gas supplies, as frigid weather in the West led to production freeze-offs. However, gas stocks still remain at elevated levels – 8.7% above the 5-year average and 2.7%...
13Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CTRN) Citi Trends Incorporated – Bear of the Day
Citi Trends, Inc. (CTRN) falling comparable store sales, coupled with rising operating expenses battered the third-quarter 2011 results. The company incurred a quarterly loss of $0.38 per share that broadened from the prior-period loss of $0.03. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for...
13Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Stock Market News for December 13, 2011 – Market News
Markets reversed gears on Monday and receded into negative territory after the European accord concluded on last Friday faced criticism from Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service. Tech-giant Intel also contributed to weak investor confidence after the company projected...
13Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DTG) Company News for December 13, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• Car rental company Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (NYSE:DTG) said the company’s CEO and President Mr. Scott L. Thompson will take over the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors with immediate effect. He succeeds Richard W Neu who will assume the role of...
13Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(SE) Spectra Energy Corporation – Bull of the Day
We maintain our Outperform recommendation for Spectra Energy Corp. (SE) shares following better-than-expected third quarter 2011 results. The out-performance was driven by strong growth from expansion projects, higher commodity prices and a stronger Canadian dollar. With third-quarter...
13Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Stock Market News for December 12, 2011 – Market News
Signs of a resolution to the lingering European debt crisis in the offing and a positive consumer data on the domestic front boosted the benchmarks on Friday. Thus, the markets elongated its weekly gains to the second-straight week and the S&P 500 recorded its longest stretch...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AAPL) Company News for December 12, 2011 – Corporate Summary
• General Electric Company’s (NYSE:GE) shares were up 3.3% after it hiked its quarterly dividend for the fourth time in two years to $0.17 per share from $0.15 per share • Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) gained 2.6% as it kept its quarterly dividend intact at $0.05...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(NVS) Novartis’ Cancer Drug Afinitor Shows Promise for Breast Cancer
Novartis’ (NVS) cancer drug Afinitor took a significant step forward, as the company once again presented encouraging data from late-stage trials of Afinitor for the treatment of breast cancer, an indication for which management estimates sales potential in excess of $1 billion....
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JNPR) Juniper Networks in Japanese Joint Venture
Ace networking solutions vendor Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) is close to having its own operation in the Land of the Rising Sun. Until now, Juniper was happy with its products and services being offered by Japanese resellers or distributors. Now, the networking biggy has decided...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BA) Boeing Announces It Has Finalized Agreement With Air Lease Corporation
The Boeing Company (BA) announced that it has finalized an agreement with Air Lease Corporation (AL) for supplying four 787-9 Dreamliners. Air Lease also exercised an existing option for procurement of four Next-Generation 737-800s. Overall, the order value came at above $1.2...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(WFC) Wells Fargo Clears Bid-Rig Case
Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) is in the headlines and this time for a penalty. The company has agreed to pay $148 million to settle charges brought by federal and state authorities that its acquired unit – Wachovia Bank N.A. participated in fraudulent activities. Wachovia was...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(PSB) PS Business Parks – Bull of the Day
PS Business Parks (PSB) reported strong third quarter 2011 results with healthy year-over-year increase in revenue and earnings. PS Business Parks owns and operates commercial real estate properties in diversified markets, which can be easily configured to suit a variety of uses...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LLTC) Linear Technology – Bear of the Day
Linear Technology (LLTC) is a leading OEM of analog and mixed signal semiconductors. September quarter results missed the Zacks Consensus, as weak demand, unfavorable mix and a higher tax rate impacted results. Extreme caution regarding customers also led to a weak guidance. Therefore,...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LMT) Lockheed Martin Secures Fire Control System Contract for AH-1Z
Largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) has received two contracts worth $30.6 million to provide a fire control system known as the Target Sight System (“TSS”) for AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. The contract calls for Lockheed to provide spare units...
12Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DUK) Duke Energy Eyes Compromise
Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation (DUK), reached a compromise solution with the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS); the Commission of Public Works for the city of Spartanburg, South Carolina; and the Spartanburg Sanitary Sewer District; with respect...
11Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(M) Holiday Retail Outlook & Review – Industry Outlook
Does the start of holiday sales suggest a break from the phase when US consumers were reeling under a series of macro-economic shocks? For now, the initial data released by National Retail Federation suggests that Santa has a bagful of gifts for the majority of retailers this...
11Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LH) Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings-Orchid Deal Evinces FTC Nod
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH) received the much awaited nod from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the proposed acquisition of Orchid Cellmark (ORCH). The FTC nod comes with the rider that LabCorp will have to hive off certain assets of Orchid’s US...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CMCSA) Comcast Emphasizing Small Mid-Sized Business Segment
Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), the largest cable MSO in the U.S., is aggressively exploiting small and mid-sized (SMB) business opportunities. The company is currently providing metro Ethernet services in 20 major U.S. markets and is expected to offer the services in most of its point-of-presences...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DAL) Delta to Buy Minority Stake in GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes
The second largest U.S. airline Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) plans to acquire a minority stake in Brazil’s second largest airline GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (GOL). Delta will buy a 3% of stake In GOL Linhas for $100 million and will become a member of its board. The investment,...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(IBM) International Business Machines to Acquire DemandTec
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) has agreed to acquire DemandTec Inc. (DMAN), a cloud-based analytics solutions provider, for an estimated $440 million. This would be IBM’s fourth acquisition in a span of 3 months. The proposed acquisition will enhance and strengthen...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DDR) DDR Corporation-Glimcher Realty Trust Completes Asset Swap
DDR Corp. (DDR), a real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently completed the asset swap transaction that was announced earlier in September 2011 with one of its peers Glimcher Realty Trust (GRT). The asset swap was part of the respective corporate strategy to better align...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) JPMorgan Chase May Repurchase More Shares
While addressing The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) investor conference on Wednesday, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon stated that the company has the authority to buyback more of its shares. The company made this possible by utilizing less money on dividend payments...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AAPL) Who Is the Smartest of Them All?
With the whole world increasingly going mobile, top phone makers such as Samsung, LG, Motorola, Apple (AAPL) and Research In Motion (RIMM) are scrambling to bring smarter devices to the market. In fact, phone makers are touting screen size, resolution, virtual or real QWERTY...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XOM) Crude Oil – Fuel Inventories Move Up
The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed an unexpected increase in crude inventories on the back of higher imports, while gasoline supplies rose for the fourth straight week. The agency’s report further revealed that distillate stocks posted a higher-than-expected...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(DVA) DaVita Analyst Rating Steady at Neutral
We have reiterated our Neutral recommendation on DaVita Inc. (DVA) based on strong top-line growth in the third quarter of 2011, which was partially offset by higher operating expenses. The company reported third-quarter operating earnings of $1.45 per share, exceeding the Zacks...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(T) AT&T’s Big Fat Smartphone Sale
Make hay while the sun shines is what best describes AT&T‘s (T) current strategy on the smartphone market. Despite the present economic upheaval and loss of exclusivity on Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone sales in February this year, the company continues to deliver jaw-dropping...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JCP) J. C. Penney Bets on Martha Stewart
The economy is struggling, and so is J. C. Penney Company Inc. (JCP). The company has been trying every means to uplift itself, and the latest move of acquiring a 16.6% stake in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (MSO) is just an another step towards that direction. J. C. Penney...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(FSLR) First Solar Projects are Hot Buns
First Solar Inc. (FSLR) announced that billionaire investor Warren Buffet’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire its Topaz Solar Farm. The transaction is a win-win situation for both the parties since with the Topaz deal...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MITI) Micromet Analyst Maintains Neutral on Shares
We have maintained a Neutral rating on Micromet, Inc. (MITI) with a target price of $7.00 per share following appraisal of third quarter 2011 results. Micromet’s third quarter 2011 loss per share came in at 21 cents (after adjusting for the change in fair value of warrants),...
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(IP) Temple-Inland Shareholders Nod to International Paper Merger
The International Paper (IP) – Temple-Inland (TIN) merger has been approved by more than 98% of Temple’s shareholders. This clears a major hurdle in the creation of a company that would enjoy about 40% share of the North American corrugated packaging materials market....
9Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued