FeedPosted Feb 9th 2010 4:00PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Forecasts, New York Times'A' (NYT)
New York Times Co. (NYT), which has said it plans to move to a metered model for its online presence, is scheduled to discuss its fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 financial results in a conference call Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 11:00 AM (ET). An live webcast of the call will be available at the company's website.
During the three months that ended in December, New York Times released an app for the BlackBerry and new features for NYTimes.com, as well as named a new HR chief. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings for that period of $0.38 per share. That's up from $0.16 per share in the previous quarter and $0.30 per share a year ago. But revenue for the fourth quarter is expected to be 15.4% lower than a year ago to $653.2 million.
Continue reading Will The New York Times End Tough Year with Earnings Bump?
Posted Feb 9th 2010 3:40PM by Tom Taulli (RSS feed)
Filed under: Coca-Cola (KO)
In bad times or good, millions of people will still buy drinks from Coca-Cola (
KO). So yet again, the company posted a solid
quarter, showing a 55% increase in earnings to $1.54 billion. For the whole year, earnings came to a juicy $6.8 billion, up 18%.
However, there was a drag; that is, the mature markets of the US and Europe. While the economic environment is improving, the performance is still lackluster and it looks like the recovery will be fairly slow.
Continue reading Coca-Cola Gets a Smile...in Emerging Markets
Posted Feb 9th 2010 3:20PM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Schlumberger Limited (SLB), Stocks to Buy
Schlumberger Ltd. (
SLB) is a stock I've had on my radar screen for a while -- it was first written about
on May 6, 2009 at a price of $56.09 -- and I still like it. Here's why:
Long-term, Schlumberger 'is in the catbird seat,' concerning the world's need for more oil. Oil producers, particularly newer clients in emerging markets, will need the more-sophisticated oil services that SLB can provide. Further, a likely oil price of $70-85 per barrel in 2010 will increase oil producer confidence in the feasibility of launching new upstream projects -- another plus for SLB.
Continue reading Schlumberger: Well-positioned Oil Services Company
Posted Feb 9th 2010 3:00PM by Beth Gaston Moon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Options
As my colleague Karla Yeh pointed out over at
ONN.tv earlier today, Biogen Idec (
BIIB) saw some
unusual options trading in the wake of its positive earnings surprise before the bell.
BIIB gapped higher at the open, jumping almost 2% out of the gate. Less than a half hour into the trading day, large blocks of roughly 4,000 contracts each traded at four March strikes: the 45-strike put, the 50-strike put, the 55-strike call, and the 60-strike call. It appears as though this investor sold the March 50/55 strangle (the 50 put and the 55 call) and simultaneously purchased the March 45/60 strangle (the 45 put and the 60 call).
A short strangle is typically employed when the investor expects the underlying instrument to stay range-bound; a long strangle is used by traders who expect a sharp move in either direction. In this case, with one of each crossing the tape as part of one strategy, it can be referred to as an iron condor.
Continue reading Post Earnings, Biogen Idec (BIIB) Sees Unusual Options Activity
Posted Feb 9th 2010 2:30PM by Sheldon Liber (RSS feed)
Filed under: Management, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Wal-Mart (WMT), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), AFLAC Inc (AFL), Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), Campbell Soup (CPB), Chevron Corp (CVX), Chubb Corp (CB), ConocoPhillips (COP), CVS Corp (CVS), Darden Restaurants (DRI), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Verizon Communications (VZ), duPont(E.I.)deNemours (DD), Kimberly-Clark (KMB), Lockheed Martin (LMT), Hasbro Inc (HAS), Entrepreneurs, Serious Money, Stock Screen, Raytheon Company (RTN), Xcel Energy (XEL), EZCORP (EZPW), Travelers Companies Inc. (TRV)
While most investors are fretting the markets recent contraction, you can be quite confident that "my pal Warren" has a smile on his face, as does Peter Lynch, Ken Heebner, Bill Miller, Bruce Berkowitz, and any number of fellow value investors that know now may be a time of opportunity. That is because they have the experience and understanding to pounce when they have a chance to buy things cheap.
This is the fourth installment of my series to discover just that: cheap stocks. If you would like to get on board from the beginning then review the initial post which screened for stocks with lower than market average P/E ratios, see
Serious Money: Market Looks Cheap to Me -- 35 Stocks. In the second installment, I looked at yield and PEG ratios:
Serious Money: Still Cheap Market -- 35 Stocks + Yields & Growth. Then I moved on to the the P/S and P/CF metrics in
Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks Yet -- From 35 to 26, cutting nine stocks.
Continue reading Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21
Posted Feb 9th 2010 2:00PM by Zac Bissonnette (RSS feed)
Filed under: Rumors, Law, Scandals
TMZ reports that a Playboy (PLA) shareholder has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that majority shareholder and chief creative officer Hugh Hefner has intentionally sabotaged multiple deal possibilities in an effort to hold onto his own lifestyle.
"If you were Hugh Hefner, 81, would you give up the parade of busty blonds, the fancy mansion and the reality TV show for a payout?" the lawsuit asks. "Hefner has continued to live the good life and make sure everyone knows it. Hefner remains in the limelight, showing up at media events and at the Playboy mansion ... with his girlfriends by his side."
Continue reading Shareholder Slams Playboy with Lawsuit over Hugh Hefner
Posted Feb 9th 2010 1:40PM by Tom Taulli (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Management
UBS (UBS) was one of the hardest hit from the financial crisis, but the company is showing signs of stabilization. In the latest quarterly report, the firm posted profits of $1.3 billion. Actually, it was the first reported profit in a year.
Of course, the cost-cutting was a big help (roughly 16% of the workforce). But there was also a nice tax credit during the quarter.
The company's new CEO, Oswald Grübel, definitely understands how to turnaround financial institutions. After all, he had considerable success at Credit Suisse (CS).
Continue reading UBS in the Black, but Challenges Still Loom
Posted Feb 9th 2010 1:20PM by Sheldon Liber (RSS feed)
Filed under: Major Movement, Earnings Reports, Good news, Money and Finance Today, Hasbro Inc (HAS), Chasing Value, Stock Screen, Stock Picks
Yesterday Hasbro, Inc. (
HAS) r
eported 2009 fourth quarter and full-year results.
For the fourth quarter 2009, the Company reported net revenues of $1.38 billion, an increase of $144.1 million or 12%, compared to $1.23 billion a year ago. 2009 fourth quarter revenues grew 7% excluding a $55.4 million positive impact of foreign exchange. The Company reported net earnings for the quarter of $165.6 million or $1.09 per diluted share,
an increase of $72.0 million or 77%, compared to $93.6 million or $0.62 per diluted share in 2008.
The strong results in a bad year support my contention that today's stock market, even in these uncertain times, does have plenty of bargains.
Continue reading Chasing Value: Hasbro Earnings Makes My Point
Posted Feb 9th 2010 1:00PM by Brent Archer (RSS feed)
Filed under: Major Movement, Earnings Reports, Good news, Coventry Health Care (CVH), Options, Technical Analysis
Coventry Health Care (
CVH -
option chain) shares are rising Tuesday after
the company reported a fourth-quarter profit of $109.08 million, or 74 cents per share, on revenue of $3.42 billion. Analysts had forecast a profit of 56 cents per share on revenue of $3.49 billion. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on CVH.
CVH opened this morning at $23.81. So far today the stock has hit a low of $22.83 and a high of $23.99. As of 11:40, CVH is trading at $23.22 up 78 cents (3.5%). The chart for CVH looks bullish bullish and
S&P gives CVH a positive 4 STARS (out of 5) buy ranking.
Continue reading Coventry Health Care Q4 Earnings Impress
Posted Feb 9th 2010 12:40PM by Brian White (RSS feed)
Filed under: Industry
Taiwan's Acer Inc. hasn't become the world's second-largest personal computer manufacturer for nothing. In its most recent quarter, the company announced that it attained its highest profit in almost three years, mostly at the expense of the company it recently displaced from the number two spot, Dell (DELL). It is still behind global computer leader Hewlett-Packard (HPQ).
At the same time it has grown shipments, it has kept an eye on profits, which is impressive. In general, rapid market share gains means margin cuts, but not here. Acer, which just four years ago seemed in disarray as it tried to find out why it was being beaten in the PC game, has apparently figured it out.
Continue reading Acer Announces Highest Net Income in Three Years
Posted Feb 9th 2010 12:20PM by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Filed under: Internet, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Media World, Technology
Google (GOOG) is accustomed to being in the top spot. It leads search and virtually owns the online ad space. Its Google News portal is among the top sites for directing traffic to media outlets. But, the behemoth is starting to feel the feet from social media sensation Facebook.
Not only is the rather young platform stealing market share from Google News, it's now encroaching on its e-mail turf ... a situation that Google isn't taking lightly. To compete more effectively with Facebook, Google is upgrading its Gmail capabilities to include more social media tools reminiscent of those found on its competitor.
Continue reading Google Wants Gmail to Take Social Media Market Share
Posted Feb 9th 2010 12:00PM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Stocks to Sell
In investing, they don't all work out. General Cable Corp. (BGC), which I first wrote about on May 5, 2009, at a price of $34.59, has been stopped-out at at the sell/stop loss of $28.
The stock of General Cable, which develops, designs, manufactures, and distributes copper, aluminum, and fiber optic wire and cable products for the communications, energy, and electrical markets, has been retreating since it announced a Q4 production cut back in mid-2009.
Continue reading General Cable Corp.: Stopped-Out
Posted Feb 9th 2010 11:40AM by Brian White (RSS feed)
Filed under: Rumors, Products and Services, Best Buy (BBY)
Best Buy (BBY) has done great things in recent years, even amid the economic downturn and a crunch in consumer spending. It has basically pushed Circuit City out of the market forever, held its own against the likes of Walmart (WMT) in flat-panel televisions and consumer electronics, and has launched various initiatives for the future.
Why keep itself to the consumer electronics space, then? At some point, could the largest consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. carry electric vehicles alongside those LCD televisions? Best Buy's recent push into individual "green" transportation indicates that the passenger vehicle of the future may not be something you visit a traditional automobile dealer for.
Continue reading Could Best Buy Be Your Next Electric Car Dealer?
Posted Feb 9th 2010 11:20AM by Eric Buscemi (RSS feed)
Filed under: Analyst Reports, Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades, Time Warner (TWX), Analyst Initiations
Analyst Upgrades
- B. Riley upgraded Prosperity Bancshares (PRSP) to buy from neutral after the company acquired 19 Texas branches of Missouri-based First Bank. The firm has a $45 price target on shares.
- JPMorgan upgraded Fortinet (FTNT) to overweight from neutral on valuation following the recent pullback in shares. The firm has a $20 price target on the stock.
- Wells Fargo upgraded Lamar Advertising (LAMR) to outperform from market perform. The firm believes the stock's risk/reward ratio is compelling, as its checks indicate that advertising continues to accelerate in Q1.
- Caterpillar (CAT) was upgraded to overweight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
- SAP AG (SAP) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
- BioMarin (BMRN) was raised to buy from hold at Roth Capital.
Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CAT, ERTS, FTNT, GME, PRSP, SAP, TWX ...
Posted Feb 9th 2010 11:00AM by Mark Fightmaster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Management, Employees
Last Thursday, MEMC Electronic Materials (
WFR) announced that CEO Ahmad Chatila won't be accepting a $500,000 bonus for 2009. Instead, the money will go to
retraining 450 workers that will be laid off from two plant closings. This story somehow has flown under the radar and did not get the attention it deserves.
Like many companies last year, MEMC did not meet its performance targets for 2009. And still no different than many other companies, it, too, decided to award more than $600,000 in bonuses, using "discretionary authority." These bonuses were awarded "in consideration of achievement of individual performance objectives."
Continue reading MEMC CEO Forgoes Bonus; Money Will Go to Retrain Workers
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Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21
Chasing Value: Hasbro Earnings Makes My Point
MEMC CEO Forgoes Bonus; Money Will Go to Retrain Workers
