Last week's Fed Beige Book report and GDP numbers suggested that the economy may be stabilizing, and this coming week will bring plenty of economic data to confirm or deny that suggestion. On the schedule are consumer credit, construction spending, factory orders, and pending home sales for June, the employment situation, the Import Price Index, and new motor vehicle sales for July, as well as the ISM Manufacturing and Non-manufacturing Indexes for July.
The week will also bring quarterly reports from home builders Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE: BZH), D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI), and Pulte Homes Inc. (NYSE: PHM). Yet again, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect all three to have narrowed their losses in the most recent quarter. However, they've all tended to post deeper-than-expected losses in recent quarters as well. Analysts also expect to see their revenue down 45% or more for the past quarter. They forecast long-term EPS growth of 7% or more, but none of these homebuilders has a First Call consensus buy recommendation, not surprisingly. Short interest is falling off for Beazer and D.R. Horton, and D.R. Horton and Pulte have been reporting positive cash flow from operations, but all three of them said they had more long-term debt than cash in hand last time around. Mortgage insurer PMI Group Inc. (NYSE: PMI) is likewise expected to report that it narrowed its second-quarter loss.
Companies expected to report lower earnings this week include Allstate Corp. (NYSE: ALL), Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO), Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL), Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG), and Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI). But analysts anticipate the real earnings losers will be Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) and financial giant MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI), which are expected to report swinging to losses from a year ago.
But there should be plenty of good earnings news this week as well. Here are a few for which analysts appear to have high hopes. That is, these companies are expected to report double-digit earnings grown in the most recent quarter, they have tended to offer positive surprises in recent quarters, and they have long-term EPS growth forecasts of greater than 10%. Also, the analysts' consensus recommendation is to buy each of them.
Insurer and Medicare provider Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) named a new chief marketing officer in the second quarter. The Louisville, Ky.-based company is expected to report that earnings rose 24.4% from a year ago to $1.64 per share. Revenue is expected to total $7.8 billion, 5.7% higher than a year ago. Humana reported more cash on hand than long-term debt in the previous quarter. The Motley Fool recently featured Humana as a stock ready to pop due to its growth potential and cash. Shares are up 13.6% in the past three months to $32.85, but they are still down 11.9% year to date.
VeriSign Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) provides internet and network services to telecoms and other enterprise customers. In its second quarter, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company spun off its Real-Time Publisher Services and Communications Services Groups. Analysts are looking for VeriSign to report that earnings rose 21.9% from a year ago to $0.32 per share. Revenue is expected to come to $255.2 million, which is 9.5% higher. VeriSign has an earnings multiple of 15x, and it also reported more cash on hand than long-term debt in the previous quarter. The share price is down 4.0% from three months ago to $20.44, and down 36.2% from a year ago.
A leading producer of dairy products, Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) announced a stock offering and an acquisition in its second quarter. The Dallas-based company is expected to post a second-quarter profit that is 21.4% higher to $0.42 per share. However, revenue is expected to have fallen 9.5% from a year ago to $2.8 billion. Dean Foods has an earnings multiple of 13x, and Investopedia is optimistic for an earnings beat from Dean Foods. Shares are 11.9% higher than three months ago, or $21.19, which is just 1.2% higher than a year ago.
With more than 24 million subscribers, Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is the largest provider of cable television in the U.S., as well as a leading internet and digital phone service provider. In the second quarter that included the digital television conversion, the Philadelphia-based company is expected to post a profit of $0.26 per share on revenue of $8.9 billion. That's up from $0.21 per share on of $8.6 billion in the year-ago period. This dividend-paying company has reported cash flow from operations rising over the past few quarters. The Motley Fool recently pointed to Comcast as a bargain. Shares have dropped 9.2% in the past three months to $14.86, despite a 7.0% rise in the past month.
Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) announced the retirement of a board member at its annual meeting in June. For the second quarter, the discount retailer's earnings are forecast to come to $0.50 per share on revenue of $1.2 billion. That's up from $0.42 per share on of $1.1 billion a year ago. Dollar Tree has much more cash on hand than long-term debt, according its last report, and an earnings multiple of 15x. Investopedia suggests that retailers like Dollar Tree will continue to grow after the recession passes. The share price reached a multiyear high of $47.28 last week and they are 10.6% higher year to date.
Others expected to post higher profits this week include Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX), Coinstar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR), CVS Caremark Corp. (NYSE: CVS), DIRECTV Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DTV), Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK), Live Nation Inc. (NYSE: LYV), Molson Coors Brewing Co. (NYSE: TAP), Public Storage Inc. (NYSE: PSA), Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN), and many others.
What Happened When Alex Kenjeev Paid His Student Loan in Cash
Facebook's IPO Debacle, Day 3: Un-Friended and Dis-Liked on Wall…


Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
8-02-2009 @ 8:07PM
Rick said...
The only thing that this economy will be doing is tanking. Look for the nation's official unemployment rate to hit 12%-13% by year's end and rocket upwards to 18%-20% by 2011.
8-02-2009 @ 8:18PM
dan said...
Etna went around a few years ago and started buying up their competition and when they found out some of them were providing decent health care at an affordable price, in other words making a decent profit and providing healthcare at a decent price, they found out they weren't making enough money to keep their share holders happy. So what did they do? They cast out 8million customers, which provided them the profit margin needed to keep their investors, hedge fund managers happy. Do we need a single payer health care? Yes we do. See the movie Sicko. Go to pbs.org Bill Moyers journal, Wendell Potter interview.
8-02-2009 @ 8:38PM
pd39 said...
There is no economic up turn. We are still well under obama's stimupork plan, and won't see daylight for 4-5 years, 10-12 if he spendw more of OUR money.
All you dummies who are still blaming Bush:
The national debt in Jul 08 was $458 BILLION. The democrat controlled congress bumped the to $1.3 TRILLION with the TARP program. By the time obama and HIS congress passed the $787 BILLION "stimulus" the national debt rose to $2.4 TRILLION!
This is the democrats recession, turned into obamas depression. If obama didn't know what he was buying, why the hell did you vote for the pig-in-the-poke?
You asked for it, you got it!
And it ain't Toyota!
8-02-2009 @ 9:48PM
turbogtrmstr said...
OBAMA THE MASTER OF ILLUSION..................AND THE FOOL WHO BELIEVES IT. Swamp land for sale cheap! I've lost so much faith in the American people. They have disappointed me since the election with they way they have handle things. Listening to everything he says and thinking he is right. Now he maybe right on some stuff, but he has done nothing for this country. Not a dam thing. He twist it and turns it to Obama advantage and the weak and stupid go for it. How shameless and stupid a society we have become.
8-02-2009 @ 9:58PM
Jake Bello said...
We hit a stockmarket record in excess of 14,000 under Bush and it was treated as a non-event. We had 4% unemployment and we got stories about the homeless and unfed children. Now we are to celebrate unemployment levels below those of the Great Depression, as if they are gifts from the "Messiah" and his economic wizards. Can we just get facts that can be verified and please hold the political bias??????????????
8-02-2009 @ 9:59PM
turbogtrmstr said...
The stock market rallys all the time, no matter who would have been in office. Sooner or later it would. That is the stock market. Up and down. It was bound to go back up anyway, with a Democrat or Republican in office. Usually does after a major election. This is nothing, we need jobs, premiums low, houses to sell and poor off the streets. We need someone to unite this country not divide. We need a President, not a Master of Illusion. Obama is the Master and Rahm is his clown.
8-02-2009 @ 10:03PM
kikkikat3 said...
Obambais an over a shiever and has accomplished nothing . It is sad too sad, I am sorry I voted for him he would have done much better in 4 yrs. He won't get elected again. I will vote for 3rd pt or reps next time.Cetainly not what I expected as president.
8-02-2009 @ 11:27PM
danite said...
More Obamashit. Here in AZ, UI benefit system crashed. Recovery my AZZ...this is just the beginning.
8-03-2009 @ 2:36AM
Lorenzo said...
Apparently, the recession and its level of unemployment has been difficult on people. However, I see a new field developing in psychiatry---programs to treat "Post Dramatric Recession Delusions."
8-03-2009 @ 3:08AM
Greg said...
New Birth Certificate Proof Obama Born In Kenya?
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Sunday, August 2, 2009
New Birth Certificate Proof Obama Born In Kenya?
California attorney Orly Taitz has released a copy of a birth certificate that purports to show Barack Hussein Obama was born in Kenya, which if authenticated would plunge the United States into a constitutional crisis and potentially herald a catastrophic loss of confidence in the legitimacy of the government.
The Obama birth certificate issue has been rumbling on for over a year, with researchers demanding to see a complete birth certificate proving that President Obama was born in Hawaii as he claims, yet none has been forthcoming.
Mainstream media attention on the issue has intensified over the past few weeks, even forcing the White House itself to publicly dismiss the controversy.
However, Taitz’ bombshell discovery blows the whole story wide open and its ramifications could be monumental.
According to World Net Daily, Taitz has filed a new motion in U.S. District Court seeking authentication for the document.
“The document lists Obama’s parents as Barack Hussein Obama and Stanley Ann Obama, formerly Stanley Ann Dunham, the birth date as Aug. 4, 1961, and the hospital of birth as Coast General Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya,” reports World Net Daily.
“No doctor is listed. But the alleged certificate bears the signature of the deputy registrar of Coast Province, Joshua Simon Oduya. It was allegedly issued as a certified copy of the original in February 1964.
“WND was able to obtain other birth certificates from Kenya for purposes of comparison, and the form of the documents appear to be identical.”
Despite the fact that a hoax document similar in nature circulated the Internet last week, World Net Daily reports that the new document “bears none of the obvious traits of a hoax”.
The birth certificate was released by an anonymous source who did not want to be named because he fears for his life.
“I filed the motion with the court asking for expedited discovery, which would allow me to start subpoenas and depositions even before Obama and the government responds,” Taitz told WND. “I am asking the judge to give me the power to subpoena the documents from the Kenyan embassy and to require a deposition from Hillary Clinton so they will be forced to authenticate [the birth certificate].”
If proven genuine, the document could herald a constitutional crisis in the United States and lead to Barack Obama being kicked out of office before he’s even able to complete his first year in the White House.
Obviously the more likely scenario will be that the court will be strong armed into dismissing the document as a counterfeit by the powers that be.
However, the overt preparations for martial law which have intensified since Obama took office have doubtless taken into account the fact that a complete loss of confidence in the legitimacy of the government could foster civil unrest and make a police state crackdown necessary from the perspective of the authorities.
View Detailed Photo Document here............
http://www.infowars.com/shocking-new-birth-certificate-proof-obama-born-in-kenya/
8-03-2009 @ 3:22AM
Greg said...
Causes of Depression Yet To Be Addressed
Bob Chapman
The International Forecaster
August 1, 2009
As we enter August we are getting closer and closer to real disruptions with the US dollar, as well as problems with the British pound, as both economies feel the sting of rising inflation within a progressive depression.
The stimulus package has exhausted itself for this year so the economy in the US can at best stay neutral at a minus 4% of GDP.
The deterioration continues unabated as Wall Street and banking report higher earnings by laying off workers and by playing accounting games.
US debt is on it way to causing a retest of USDX to 71.18. The will cause higher interest rates.
There will be a furious effort to re-liquefy the US economy causing ever more inflation.
The entire international financial system is in no condition to meet such a challenge. The US Treasury is so busy trying to find buyers for Treasuries they have little time to solve anything, as unemployment at 20.5% throttles the nation.
People are catching on that the economy and the markets are being temporarily rigged.
By the end of October we believe banks in the US, UK and Europe will be in serious trouble again. That should really knock markets and the world economy to new lows.
The problems of 2007 and 2008 will return, because the façade of the public bailout of banking and Wall Street will crumble again. Further impoverishment is on the way.
More and more will be laid off and they’ll be no new jobs available. Savings will be exhausted and most homes that have been financed will be under water.
U6 unemployment minus the birth/death ratio is 20.5%. Job losses are now equal to or greater than at any time since WWII.
All job growth since 2002 has been totally wiped out. The average workweek is 33 hours as more and more companies request employees to take unpaid leave.
It should also be kept in mind that all government figures are bogus.
The federal government has devoted $4.7 trillion just to save the financial sector. We ask, what is the real figure? Perhaps $8 or $10 trillion? We’ll never really know, will we?
That is because the Fed, a private corporation, says it is a state secret and won’t release any information. That is why we desperately need HR 1207 passed.
The Fed has to be abolished; otherwise it will totally destroy the world financial system. If you are curious Mr. Barofsky’s estimate puts every American $88,000 deeper into debt, essentially to rescue the shareholders of the Fed..................
More............
http://www.infowars.com/causes-of-depression-yet-to-be-addressed/
8-03-2009 @ 5:53AM
Jean said...
By the stupid comments on here I imagine some of you are out of jobs not because of the recession, but because you're idiots.
8-03-2009 @ 5:32PM
Greg T said...
With state unemployment rates hitting 15.2% in some states this week and rising , this faux news will be just enough to raise gas prices again...so thanks yet again media.
Finally Obama talks about taxing the middle class to pay for any government run health care ....but he puts it as taxes may get raised....riiiiiiight.
Why doesn't the media cover Obamas new immigration laws that have no more raids on illegals with occasional civil fines on thiose that employ them instead.
These laws are Obamas on his own without congress or a senate vote .
So now illegals can come to the U.S. without fear of raids and free government run health care to boot.
Scary and exactly what this country doesn't need at this point...but no media coverage.
No wonder our country is in the crapper.
8-03-2009 @ 9:26AM
sjannese said...
to the poster....what has obama done in 6-months ??.......,it 's gonna take more than 6 months to ''fix'' bush's mess..........we never hear from you republicans on bush's disgusting 2nd term or anything negative either,........wondering.
8-03-2009 @ 10:39AM
cormones said...
stock salesmen have to keep repeating this mantra to themselves and their sucker investors.it's like catholic mass.the host(bread) will stop a nazi bullet.
8-06-2009 @ 12:51PM
richard cintron said...
What a false sense of security.......... How come there hasn't been big coverage of the 3rd largest lender Taylor Bean & Whitaker being shut down this week?? Oh and with that Colonial Bank as well???