Financial
(WPRT) Natural Gas: Another Great Contrarian Investment in 2012
by David Fessler, Investment U Senior Analyst Tuesday, January 24, 2012: Issue #1693 There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “In the valley of the blind, the ‘one-eyed man’ is king.” If you seriously consider what I’m about to show you, this old saying...
31Jan2012 | InvestmentU | 0 comments | Continued(DVN) U.S. Energy Department’s Weekly Natural Gas Inventory Release is Bullish
The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly inventory release showed a larger-than-expected drop in natural gas supplies, as imports from Canada declined. However, this is largely seen as a one-off shot, with warmer-than-normal temperatures across the country restricting the commodity’s...
31Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(F) U.S. GDP Less Than Expected – Europe Better
While we do have some favorable-looking headlines out of Europe this morning, indicating that Greece is making progress in its talks with the private creditors, the focus today will be on the U.S. economy. The headlines on that count are on the weak side. In its first read on...
30Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(ETFC) E*TRADE Financial Reports Loss – DARTs Drop
E*TRADE Financial Corporation (ETFC) reported fourth-quarter 2011 net loss of 2 cents per share, significantly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 20 cents per share. Earnings compared unfavorably with the prior quarter’s earnings of 24 cents per share, though improved from...
30Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Bank of America Corporation – Bear of the Day
Bank of America Corp.’s (BAC) fourth-quarter earnings came in substantially lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The sale of non-core assets and accounting gains made it possible for the company to remain profitable during the quarter. However, excluding nonrecurring...
26Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Chemical Industry Stock Outlook – January 2012 – Industry Outlook
Chemicals are generally used to make a wide variety of consumer goods and are also in the agriculture, manufacturing, construction and service industries. The chemical industry itself consumes 26% of its own output. Major industrial customers include rubber and plastic products,...
25Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Stock Market News for January 25, 2012 – Market News
In yet another calm trading session, markets were pulled slightly lower after Eurozone ministers rejected a bond swap offer from Greece’s private creditors. While the Dow dropped lower and the S&P 500 reversed its five-day winning streak, Nasdaq added meager points after...
25Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XLE) Stock Market News for January 24, 2012 – Market News
Markets hovered around break-even levels on Monday as encouragement from the energy sector balanced apprehensions over Greece’s debt negotiations. With no major economic data or earnings results from any bellwether coming to forefront, benchmarks took a pause a day ahead of...
24Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JPM) 2012 U.S. Bank Failures Number Three
After a month’s pause, U.S. regulators were back in action, shuttering three small banks in Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania last Friday. These 3 represent the first bank failures of 2012 following 92 in 2011, 157 in 2010, 140 in 2009 and 25 in 2008. While the financials of...
24Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Stock Market News for January 23, 2012 – Market News
Strong corporate results helped lift the Dow higher to a six month high, while the S&P 500 registered frugal gains. Meanwhile, an earnings miss by Google weighed down the Nasdaq Composite Index. Nonetheless, the markets managed to end another week with gains and each benchmarks...
23Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) The Goldman Sachs Group – Bear of the Day
We are downgrading our recommendation on The Goldman Sachs Group (GS) to Underperform from Neutral based on expectation of continued lower top-line as in 2011, coupled with the fundamental pressure on the banking sector. Though the company reported profits, increased operating...
23Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) Banking on a Turnaround? – Investment Ideas
Can we really have a rally without the financials? Earnings have been mixed for the financials. Let’s take a deeper look at the players in each segment and see if we can’t come to a consensus as to whether or not a rally can be supported. The Zacks Rank for most of these...
21Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BBT) BB&T Marginally Beats Earnings Estimates
BB&T Corp.’s (BBT) fourth-quarter 2011 earnings of 55 cents per share were marginally ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 52 cents. This also compares favorably with the prior quarter earnings of 52 cents and the prior-year earnings of 30 cents. For the full year 2011,...
21Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(COF) Capital One Financial Misses Estimates on Higher Expenses
Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) reported fourth-quarter 2011 earnings from continuing operations of 89 cents per share, significantly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.53. This also compares unfavorably with $1.88 earned in the prior quarter and $2.07 recorded in the...
20Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XLF) Stock Market News for January 20, 2012 – Market News
Strong corporate earnings results and a positive jobless claims report helped carry the markets forward on Thursday. On an otherwise lackluster day, the S&P 500 touched a five-month high as investors awaited results from Google. However, post the closing bells, Google’s...
20Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Stock Market News for January 18, 2012 – Market News
The major US indices registered gains to close in the green after a slew of positive economic reports were released at home and in China. A successful debt auction in Europe added to the cheer. However, the gains were limited, as investors’ sentiments were dampened after the...
18Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(GS) Earnings Season Hits Full Throttle
Germany paid the lowest interest rate in its history in a two-year bond auction this morning, even as the country lowered its economic growth outlook for 2012. The World Bank also came out with a lowered growth outlook for the global economy this year, but there is hardly anything...
18Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(BAC) Company News for January 17, 2012 – Corporate Summary
• During a hearing in Franfurt, Presiding Judge Daniel Koehle said JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and the German city of Pforzheim should settle their dispute over losses of 56 million Euros on an interest rate swap. • Bank of America Chairman (NYSE:BAC)...
17Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(OCN) Ocwen Financial Analyst Upgrades Shares to Outperform
We have upgraded our long term recommendation on Ocwen Financial Corporation (OCN) to “Outperform” from “Neutral”. The main reasons behind this raise are the company’s stable liquidity position and expected synergies from the recent servicing portfolio acquisitions...
17Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(CNO) CNO Financial Group – Bear of the Day
We are downgrading our recommendation on CNO Financial Group (CNO) to Underperform based on the continuous deterioration in the premium revenue of its Bankers Life segment, coupled with the significant underwriting and pricing risks. The company’s third-quarter earnings...
16Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Stock Market News for January 16, 2012 – Market News
Markets edged lower once again, bogged down by cross-Atlantic concerns as several euro-zone countries looked likely to suffer credit-rating downgrades. Things were also farm from cheerful on the domestic front after banking major J.P. Morgan Chase dampened sentiment with its...
16Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(AIG) American International Group Upped to Neutral
Last week, we upgraded our recommendation on American International Group Inc. (AIG) to Neutral from Underperform based on its improving capital flexibility. Besides, asset disposals and repayment of a chunk of debt appears to be favorable for the new stock buyback program. AIG...
14Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MS) Morgan Stanley Analyst Maintains Underperform on Shares
We are reiterating our long-term Underperform recommendation on Morgan Stanley (MS). Though the company’s third-quarter results were significantly ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, there are concerns regarding its financials being marred by various new regulatory requirements,...
14Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(MCBI) U.S. Banking Industry Stock Outlook – January 2012 – Industry Outlook
The recurrence of the intimidating 2008 meltdown is not expected for the U.S. banking industry in 2012 as the financial institutions are actively responding to every legal and regulatory pressure. In fact, this promptness has positioned the banks well to encounter impending challenges. However,...
14Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HTH) Hilltop Holdings Incorporated – Bull of the Day
We are upgrading our recommendation on Hilltop Holdings Inc. (HTH) to Outperform based on its sound capital position along with a risk-free balance sheet, which also paved way for resumption of share buybacks, assisting shareholders’ confidence in the stock. The company...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(LM) Legg Mason’s December Assets Under Management Perks Up
Baltimore-based Legg Mason Inc. (LM) experienced a rise in its assets under management (AUM) in December on a sequential basis. This was preceded by a decline in November and a rise in October AUM. Preliminary month-end AUM came in at $627.0 billion, up 1.0% from $620.6 billion...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(JPM) JPMorgan Delivers Unlikely Friday the 13th Report
Stocks will find it difficult to sustain their upward drift of recent days in the face of lackluster results from banking bellwether JP Morgan (JPM) and the absence of anything meaningful on the economic calendar. This morning’s bigger-than-expected November Trade Deficit...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(XRT) Stock Market News for January 13, 2012 – Market News
Markets looked beyond the disappointing economic data, as a strong bond auction in Europe and a drop in oil prices reversed the benchmarks’ movement and guided them higher on Thursday. Investors were also discouraged by a lower income forecast from Chevron. The Dow Jones Industrial...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(HDB) HDFC Bank Limited – ADS – Bear of the Day
HDFC Bank’s (HDB) higher operating expenses were the headwind in the company’s most recently reported quarter. The company is still exposed to threats related to higher cost of funds. Growing competition in the retail space with the re-entry of peers is an added future...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued(EU) Stock Market News for January 12, 2012 – Market News
European debt concerns once again weighed down the markets and dragged the Dow slightly lower, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted meager gains. Reports of Germany’s economy contracting during the end of 2011 and a downward revision of economic growth estimates by the European...
13Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued