Credit Services
(COF) Capital One Financial Upgraded to Neutral
On Apr 25, 2013, we upgraded our recommendation on Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) to Neutral from Underperform. Our decision rests on Capital One’s better-than-expected first quarter earnings. However, rising expenses and weak...1May2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(DFS) Discover Financial Service Raises Dividend
Recently, the board of Discover Financial Services (DFS) approved a 43% hike in its quarterly cash dividend to 20 cents per share from 14 cents paid earlier. The increased dividend will be payable on May 23, 2013 to shareholders of...17Apr2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Moody’s Upgraded to Strong Buy
On Mar 21, 2013, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Moody’s Corp. (MCO) to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). With a strong return of 23.4% over the past one year and a positive estimate revision trend, Moody’s is an...10Apr2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(DFS) Discover Financial Services Approves New Share Repurchase Program
Last week, the board of Discover Financial Services (DFS) approved a new share repurchase program worth $2.4 billion. The new repurchase program replaced the company’s previous $2 billion repurchase program, which had remaining authorization...4Apr2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(AXP) Fed Approves American Express’ Capital Plan
In its second attempt so far this year, American Express Co. (AXP) (AmEx) succeeded in receiving approval for its capital plan for the next one year from the Federal Reserve (Fed). The last capital plan submitted in Jan 2013, before...4Apr2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(DFS) Discover Financial Services Shares Hit 52-Week High
On Mar 18, 2013, the shares of Discover Financial Services (DFS) hit a 52-week high of $44.43 propelled by its initiatives to boost shareholder value along with the impetus provided by the new growth initiatives revealed in the investor...28Mar2013 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(EFX) Equifax Incorporated – Momentum
Equifax Inc. (EFX) is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) information solutions provider that has delivered 6 straight quarters with positive earnings surprises. Earnings estimates for 2013 have been heading higher over the past couple of months thanks...1Feb2013 | Shawn | Comments Off | Continued
(ADS) Alliance Data Systems Approves $400 Million Share Buyback
In a concerted effort to return more value to shareholders, the board of directors of Alliance Data Systems Corporation (ADS) approved a new share buyback program. The company, with the new approval, is now authorized to repurchase...15Jan2013 | Shawn | Comments Off | Continued
(EFX) Equifax – Bull of the Day
Equifax (EFX) delivered decent third quarter 2012 results, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate on the top and bottom lines. Fourth-quarter guidance was encouraging. We believe that Equifax is well positioned to benefit from its leadership...3Jan2013 | Shawn | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Zions Bancorp Ratings Upgraded by Moody’s
Moody’s Investors Service, a rating arm of Moody’s Corp. (MCO), has completed the review for the upgrade in ratings of Zions Bancorp. (ZION) and its subsidiaries...24Dec2012 | Shawn | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) PNC Financial Downgraded by Moody’s
Moody’s Investors Service, a rating arm of Moody’s Corp. (MCO), downgraded the rating outlook of PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNC) and its subsidiaries....21Dec2012 | Shawn | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Moody’s May Downgrade Canadian Banks
Moody’s Investors Service – the credit rating arm of Moody’s Corp. (MCO) – has put the long-term ratings of six major Canadian banks on review for a possible one-notch downgrade. The potential rating revision comes...30Oct2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Regions Financial under Review by Moody’s
On Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service, a rating arm of Moody’s Corp. (MCO) kept the long-term ratings of Regions Financial Corp. (RF) and its subsidiaries...9Oct2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Moody’s Ups FY2012 Outlook
Moody’s Corp. (MCO) raised its fiscal 2012 forecast. While the top line remains similar to previous expectations (up 12% to 13% year over year compared to previous expectations of an increase in the low-double-digit percentage range)....8Oct2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(MCO) Zions Bancorp Listed as Likely Upgrade by Moody’s Investors Service
Moody’s Investors Service – the credit rating arm of Moody’s Corp. (MCO) – has placed the ratings of Zions Bancorp (ZION) and its affiliates on review...8Oct2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(DLLR) DFC Global Beats Earnings Forecast – Guides 2013
DFC Global Corp. (DLLR), reported operating earnings of 58 cents per share for fiscal fourth quarter 2012, ending June 30, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.6% and increasing 26% from the year-ago earnings. The operating...31Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(CIT) Mid-Size Banks’ Stress Test Delayed
The banking regulators announced that they are contemplating delaying the implementation of the stress test for the mid-size banks and financial institutions (with consolidated assets of $10-50 billion). This comes as a major relief for these institutions. As part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street...29Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(DFS) Discover Partners with PayPal
Recently, Discover Financial Services (DFS) announced a partnership with eBay Inc.’s (EBAY) PayPal under which the latter’s customers will have access to Discover’s...28Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(CIT) CIT Group Prices Senior Notes
CIT Group Inc. (CIT) announced the pricing of a registered public offering worth nearly $3 billion. This marks the fourth bond offering by the company in the current year. The public offering includes $1.75 billion of senior...22Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(CIT) CIT Group to Redeem Remaining Costly Debt
CIT Group Inc. (CIT), which has been redeeming notes for quite sometime now, announced its decision to redeem the remainder of $681 million of its 7% Series C senior unsecured notes. These notes mature in 2016 and will be redeemed...21Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(AXP) American Express Company Embracing EMV Chip-based Technology
In an effort to tap the emerging contactless payments market, American Express Company (AXP) is moving to EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) chip-based technology. The company plans to begin issuing EMV-compliant cards in the U.S....10Aug2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(AXP) American Express Rating Action
On Thursday, Fitch Ratings affirmed the long and short-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of American Express Co. (AXP) or AmEx and its subsidiaries at “A+” and “F1,” respectively, with a stable outlook. The affirmation...26Apr2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(COF) Company News for March 16, 2012 – Corporate Summary
• Shares of Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) slipped1.4% after it agreed to buy NDS for $5 billion • An inflated earnings estimate for FY12 from Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ:SCHL)...16Mar2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(AXP) American Express Announces $5 Billion Share Buyback
Basking after an impressive quarter, American Express Co. (AXP) (AmEx) announced its intention of buying back shares worth $5 billion within two years, besides initiating about an 11% hike in its regular dividend to 20 cents from the...14Mar2012 | vitalstocks | Comments Off | Continued
(SLM) Sallie Mae Stays Outperform
We have reiterated our Outperform recommendation on SLM Corp. (SLM), better known as Sallie Mae, following its fourth quarter and full year 2011 earnings release and the recent announcement of dividend increase and share buyback authorization. Sallie...13Feb2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued
(SLM) Sallie Mae Enhances Shareholder Value
SLM Corp. (SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, remains committed to boosting investors’ confidence through dividend increases and share buybacks. The company announced a 25% hike in its quarterly dividend to 12.5 cents per share...6Feb2012 | 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...20Jan2012 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued
(MCO) Fitch Has Eurozone Rating Misgivings
Ratings agency Fitch has misgivings about Europe’s ability to tackle the sovereign debt crisis. Moody’s, a division of Moody’s Corporation (MCO) and Standard & Poor’s had earlier warned about the failing economic health...20Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued
(AXP) American Express and Discover Financial Services Defaults Plunge
Yesterday, major credit card companies American Express Co. (AXP) (AmEx) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) reported a drop in defaults and delinquency rates for...17Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued
(MCO) Moody’s Follows with Eurozone Warning
Moody’s, a division of Moody’s Corporation (MCO), becomes the second ratings agency to sound a warning after Standard & Poor’s on the failing economic health of the European Union (EU) partly fueled by the indecision of the...14Dec2011 | vitalstocks | 0 comments | Continued