BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[CNBC hooks up with LinkedIn]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/04/cnbc-hooks-up-with-linkedin/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/04/cnbc-hooks-up-with-linkedin/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/04/cnbc-hooks-up-with-linkedin/#commentsFiled under:

First the New York Times (NYSE:NYT), and now CNBC are beating the targeted advertising drum by entering into tie-ins with LinkedIn, according to FT.com.

This gives CNBC a way to enter into the world of professional networking and illustrates the growing importance in advertising of niche online communities. But it also raises privacy concerns for the professional network. Naturally, CNBC would love to gets its hands on the LinkedIn community; but does the Linked community want CNBC? Dan Nye, LinkedIn's cheif executive, said the current agreement doesn't allow CNBC to get member profiles now, but may in the future.

Nye told FT that its advertising revenues had grown by a whopping 300 percent on year.. Because of the Bain Capital-led venture capital cash infusion in June of $53 million, LinkedIn is now valued at over $1 billion.

CNBC hooks up with LinkedIn originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CNBCinthenewsLinkedInMichael NyeNYTThu, 04 Sep 2008 14:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Credit crunch? Cash still flows for some Citi execs]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/credit-crunch-cash-still-flows-for-some-citi-execs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/credit-crunch-cash-still-flows-for-some-citi-execs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/credit-crunch-cash-still-flows-for-some-citi-execs/#commentsFiled under: ,

The markets may be seizing and the losses mounting, but some Citibank executives are still hauling in the cash. The New York Times reports that CEO Vikrim Pandit and other top executives were in theory only supposed to receive their salaries in 2007 due to the company''s poor performance to the tune of $20 billion in write-offs.

In reality, however, some executives came home with much more in deferred cash and equity awards in January 2008, much of defended by the compensation committee as "retention pay":

Vice Chairman Lewis Kaden: cash and equity worth $8.3 million, to top off his $500,000 salary;
Investment bank co-head Michael Klein:$19.3 million on a $212,500 salary;
Vice Chairman Steven Volk: $10.3 million non a $212,500 salary.

Others who will not be worried about paying their credit card bills:

Sallie Krawcheck: $2.9 million cash bonus, for a total compensation package of $12.5 million;
Winfried Bischoff: $2 million cash bonus to help his total reach $7.4 million;
CFO Gary Crittenden: cash bonus of $14 million for a grand total of $24.5 million.

Maybe these lucky execs can pool some of their resources that to buy some of the assets that Citibank will have to sell off to return to profitability.

Credit crunch? Cash still flows for some Citi execs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CCitigroupexecutive compensationGary CrittendeninthenewsLewis KadenMichael KleinVikrim PanditFri, 14 Mar 2008 16:13:00 EST<![CDATA[One small ray of sunshine: the Visa IPO]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/one-small-ray-of-sunshine-the-visa-ipo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/one-small-ray-of-sunshine-the-visa-ipo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/14/one-small-ray-of-sunshine-the-visa-ipo/#commentsFiled under: ,

Into the gloom of the current markets comes a small sparkle of excitement: the Visa IPO. Marketwatch reports that the offering will be a blockbuster, and that its March 20 offering date is already oversubscribed.

Visa, Inc., based in San Francisco, plans to offer over 400 million shares for between $37-$42. Based on the midpoint of that range, the company would raise over $15 billion.

This would be more than the market value of Visa's largest rival, Mastercard(NYSE:MA), IPO two years ago, which was $10 billion. Mastercards' shares subsequently soared 408%, according to Dealbook.

Visa currently leads marketshare with 60% of the worldwide credit market compared to Mastercard's 26% share.

Hard economic times can be great for credit card companies, since they don't own the debt. They grab a transaction fee from every purchase, and those swipes tend to happen more frequently when people are feeling cash poor.

One small ray of sunshine: the Visa IPO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsMasrercardMCVisa IPOVisaIpoFri, 14 Mar 2008 13:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Greenberg scoffs at Bear liquidity crunch rumors]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/10/greenberg-scoffs-at-bear-liquidity-crunch-rumors/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/10/greenberg-scoffs-at-bear-liquidity-crunch-rumors/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/03/10/greenberg-scoffs-at-bear-liquidity-crunch-rumors/#commentsFiled under: ,

On CNBC today, Alan "Ace" Greenberg scoffed at the notion that Bear Stearns (NYSE:BSC)was on the brink of a liquidity crisis. But the protestation wasn't enough to stem the fall of the stock price to $62.21, its lowest level since March 2003, according to Bloomberg.

Despite the denial, there were two negative developments: Bear's put options were unusually active on Monday, and the cost to insure Bear's debt against default climbed, according to Dealbook.

"Totally ridiculous" is Greenberg's assessment of the rumors, but someone's betting that it's not.

Greenberg scoffs at Bear liquidity crunch rumors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ace GreenbergAceGreenbergAlan GreenbergAlanGreenbergBear StearnsBSCinthenewsMon, 10 Mar 2008 16:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Wilbur Ross backs up Assured Guaranty]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/29/wilbur-ross-backs-up-assured-guaranty/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/29/wilbur-ross-backs-up-assured-guaranty/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/29/wilbur-ross-backs-up-assured-guaranty/#commentsFiled under:

Wilbur Ross may like to invest in distressed companies, but it looks like some of the teetering bond insurers may be too much even for him. According to Forbes.com, today he put an end to speculations about shoring up a troubled insurer by announcing he would be investing nearly $1 billion in the relatively stable Assured Guaranty(NYSE:AGO), a Bermuda-based reinsurer.

Some on Wall Street had hoped Ross could put his cash muscle behind on of the insurers that struggling, such as AMBAC Financial Group(NYSE:ABK). But Ross is playing it safer in these turbulent financial markets.

According to Marketwatch, Ross insists that the first $250 million is not "rescue capital". "The idea is to enhance their position for internal growth." he said. So more deals may be in the future.

The markets like the news as shares of AGO are up today a little over 10%.

Wilbur Ross backs up Assured Guaranty originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AGOAssured GuarantyAssuredGuarantyinthenewsWilbur RossWilburRossFri, 29 Feb 2008 15:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Bauer back in hockey hands]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/22/bauer-back-in-hockey-hands/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/22/bauer-back-in-hockey-hands/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/22/bauer-back-in-hockey-hands/#commentsFiled under: ,

Venerable hockey brand Bauer is back in the hands of an ice hockey enthusiast. On Thursday, Nike (NYSE:NKE) sold the brand to private equity investor W. Graeme Roustan, a private equity investor who grew up in Montreal and now lives in Florida. Also involved in the purchase was investment firm Kohlberg & Co. of Mount Kisco, NY.

Nike paid $395 million for Bauer in 1994, betting that inline hockey would grow the brand. That bad bet, and other design mistakes, led Nike to put the company up for sale last fall. Roustan, a self-described "blade guy" paid a reported $200 million.

Over the next two years, the Nike swoosh will be phased out as the brand returns to the focus of ice hockey.

Bauer back in hockey hands originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BauerhockeyinthenewsNikeNKEFri, 22 Feb 2008 15:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Counting time, not just traffic, on the web]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/28/counting-time-not-just-traffic-on-the-web/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/28/counting-time-not-just-traffic-on-the-web/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/28/counting-time-not-just-traffic-on-the-web/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

All that click counting is well and good. And growing page views are an advertisers delight. But how much time are people really spending looking at various web sites?

Jay Meattle at Compete.com has a great breakdown of where people spent most of their time on the web in December 2006. Some of the results are surprising.

Twenty domains account for fully 39% of time spent online. MySpace.com (a division of the News Corporation, NYSE:NWS ) was the big winner, taking a lion's share of 11.9% viewing time (27,999,906,051 minutes) followed by Yahoo! Inc.(NASDAQ:YHOO) with 19,898,123,587 minutes. According to these figures, 11.9% of ALL TIME online was spent at MySpace.com!

The big surprise is Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG). It came in only fifth with 2.1% (4,959,635,138 minutes). The figures for YouTube (#12 with 1,327,25, 263 minutes) were separate, but even if you add them together they don't get close to Yahoo.

Also, some sad(to me) appearances in the top 20: Neopets.com at #18, accounting for 0.3% of viewing time with 593,851,415 minutes, and adultfriendfinder .com at #19 for 0.2% of viewing time with 575,584,893 minutes.

Maybe Christmas is a lonelier time for some.


Counting time, not just traffic, on the web originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adultfriendfinder.comCompete.comGoogleMySpaceMySpace.comneopets.comYahooYouTubeSun, 28 Jan 2007 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[GE Plastics and clubs -- who's allowed to play together?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/12/ge-plastics-and-clubs-whos-allowed-to-play-together/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/12/ge-plastics-and-clubs-whos-allowed-to-play-together/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/12/ge-plastics-and-clubs-whos-allowed-to-play-together/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The General Electric Company's (NYSE:GE) Plastics deal will be huge. Tom Taulli recently posted on the Wall Street Journal's coverage of GE's club policy concerning any potential deal.

But PEHub's Dan Primack says that the Journal's got it all wrong. He says that GE's bankers for the deal, Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS), "could care less" about any Department of Justice inquiry into collusion of private equity pals.

Goldman told only four firms that they couldn't play together: Blackstone, Apollo Management, Bain Capital and KKR. Those four firms, however, may still team up with other private equity firms as long as they get approval from Goldman to share the confidential documents of the deal. It's standard operating procedure on big deals for Goldman, which wants as many players in the sandbox as possible. It's just trying to keep the biggest kids on the block on separate teams.

So it's business as usual for the sake of competition, not collusion.

GE Plastics and clubs -- who's allowed to play together? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>KKRFri, 12 Jan 2007 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Best & Worst: Bausch & Lomb flunks crisis management with eye fungus]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/13/best-and-worst-bausch-and-lomb-flunks-crisis-management-with-eye-fu/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/13/best-and-worst-bausch-and-lomb-flunks-crisis-management-with-eye-fu/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/13/best-and-worst-bausch-and-lomb-flunks-crisis-management-with-eye-fu/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This post is written as part of AOL Money & Finance's Best & Worst 2006. If you think this was the dumbest moment in business, cast your vote.

Bausch & Lomb's (NYSE:BOL) stock still hasn't recovered from its bungled management of rumored product contamination earlier this year.

I say rumored because the FDA never found conclusive evidence that the company's MoistureLoc solution directly caused serious fungal eye infections. But the company's slow-motion response to a growing chorus of suspicious infections cost it dearly in the end. The product was pulled from the Asian market in February, and the American market on April 13. A worldwide recall was issued May 15.

The company's stance was that there was nothing found in the various FDA inspections. But it was like talking into a gale force wind. The circumstantial evidence piled up. February 15 saw the stock at $70; by May 12 it traded at around $40.

It's hard for management to get in front of a worldwide recall when the company's culpability remains in question. But that's just what Bausch & Lomb needed to do, and didn't. Doing the right thing too slowly can be as damaging as doing nothing at all, particularly when it comes to consumer health products. It's peoples' eyes for goodness sake, get it off the shelves everywhere! The solve-the-mystery-later approach came a little too late.

In November of 2005, Bausch & Lomb had a share price of $82. Today it's at about $49. Yet the best the FDA could come up with in its most recent spanking of the company was to cite it for failure to report foreign infections -- the jury is still out on the actual cause.

Best & Worst: Bausch & Lomb flunks crisis management with eye fungus originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BOLeye infectionsEyeInfectionsFDAfungsl eye infectionsFungslEyeInfectionsMoistureLocWed, 13 Dec 2006 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Left-for-dead Dynegy creeps back to life]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/left-for-dead-dynegy-creeps-back-to-life/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/left-for-dead-dynegy-creeps-back-to-life/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/left-for-dead-dynegy-creeps-back-to-life/#commentsFiled under: ,

Analysis and reporting fromTheflyonthewall.com (subscription only)

Theflyonthewall.com blogged back in the spring that investors should look at Dynegy (NYSE:DYN), a survivor in the merchant energy trading business. This is one company that is quietly coming back to life. It was able to bring in new management to appease bond holders and avoid bankruptcy -- unlike Enron.

The Fly blogged that investors should take advantage of a temporary price weakness to either build a position or for a quick trade. Today, the stock is selling for $6.79, for a 48% gain.

What should investors do now? Stay with this stock.

New management is becoming a leading consolidator of the merchant power business in the US. Dynegy has taken care of its money-losing toll arrangements, restructured its debt and should generate a good amount of cash in 2007.

The leader behind this effort is Bruce Williamson, a long-time executive at Duke Power. Williamson has been with the company since the early part of the decade and accomplished quite a lot. Williamson has clearly said he is optimistic about the long-term prospects for this industry and a lot of money should be made for shareholders.

While the aftermath of the Enron trail is still fresh in the minds of investors, Dynegy is building a solid foundation for growth and good shareholder returns.

Left-for-dead Dynegy creeps back to life originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bruce WilliamsonBruceWilliamsonDynegyenergy tradingEnergyTradingEnronFri, 01 Dec 2006 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the Fly's eyes: H & R Block]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/through-the-flys-eyes-h-and-r-block/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/through-the-flys-eyes-h-and-r-block/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/through-the-flys-eyes-h-and-r-block/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Reporting and analysis from Theflyonthewall.com (Subscription only).

H&R Block's (NYSE:HRB) subprime mortgage business, Option One, reported awful results, showing the effects of a weak housing market. The subprime mortgage business outlook has become so bad that earlier in the quarter H&R Block decided to put Option One up for sale.

H&R Block management said Option One has generated a cumulative $2.8 billion in pre-tax earnings since it was purchased in 1997. However, management has decided not to battle through this subprime market downturn. Some of the reasons are:

* loan sale premiums are down;
* derivative losses are higher;
* higher default rates and loss severity ;
* early payment defaults are moving higher and Option One is adopting more stringent FICO criteria for mortgages ; and
* non-prime mortgage purchases are down almost 50% from last year.

Management said the industry is moving to a more vertically integrated model and Option One's stand-alone strategy might not work in the future.

Option One has a book value of $1.3 billion and a tax basis of $600 million. Look for the company to move quickly to get out of this business.

Through the Fly's eyes: H & R Block originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Wynn can afford his expensive elbows]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/steve-wynn-can-afford-his-expensive-elbows/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/steve-wynn-can-afford-his-expensive-elbows/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/01/steve-wynn-can-afford-his-expensive-elbows/#commentsFiled under:

Steve Wynn's accidental ripping of Picasso's Le Reve ("The Dream") is the year's most expensive errant elbow. Fellow collector and hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen has a bit more space for Damien Hirst's refreshed shark since the deal to sell him the Picasso for $139 million abruptly ended as Wynn stuck his elbow into the painting.

Wynn suffers from an eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which impairs his peripheral vision, and this may have contributed to the unfortunate poke as he showed off the painting to a group of friends in September.

Wynn paid $48.4 million for the painting in 1997, so a two-inch tear is a $90.6 million loss. Nora Ephron quotes Wynn saying "This has nothing to do with money. The money means nothing to me," moments after putting his elbow through the famous painting. I guess you can file that under 'H': for 'How the rich are different.'

But it's probably true. So no tears for Mr. Vegas.

Wynn's been a billionaire since 2004. And it's a good thing since the repair is estimated to cost $85,000. Pocket change! His wife Elaine has been quoted as saying she considers this "a sign" that they should keep the painting, so keep it they will. In addition, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) recently announced a $6 per share dividend. The extra $8 million or so should help ease the pain of not selling the most expensive painting ever.

Steve Wynn has at least acquired some great nicknames: "Cubist Killer "(NY Post) and "billionaire goofball "(BoingBoing.net). This is also a cautionary note to those of us who tend to talk with our hands -- it could end up costing you.

Steve Wynn can afford his expensive elbows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Le ReveLeRevePicassoSteve WynnSteveWynnWynnWynn ResortsWynnResortsFri, 01 Dec 2006 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Barry Diller grows his own with AskCity]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/barry-diller-grows-his-own-with-askcity/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/barry-diller-grows-his-own-with-askcity/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/barry-diller-grows-his-own-with-askcity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Next week IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ:IACI) will introduce new Web-based local city guides. Chairman and CEO Barry Diller announced the move yesterday.

The new guides will debut on December 4 and will be called AskCity. It will combine the assets of Ask.com, Citysearch, Evite and Ticketmaster, all IAC properties.

The Ask.com search service will be redesigned, with a new home page among other changes.

IAC is focusing on growing its own businesses in the never-ending race with Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) for search engine and e-commerce supremacy.

Barry Diller grows his own with AskCity originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ask.comBarry DillerBarryDillerCitysearchEviteGoogleIACIAC/InerActiveTicketMasterTue, 28 Nov 2006 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Fly's eyes look at wireless spectrum deal action]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/the-flys-eyes-look-at-wireless-spectrum-deal-action/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/the-flys-eyes-look-at-wireless-spectrum-deal-action/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/28/the-flys-eyes-look-at-wireless-spectrum-deal-action/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The news from Theflyonthewall.com (subscription only) sees the Sprint (NYSE:S) and Echostar (NASDAQ:DISH) deal as leading to more business deals in 2007.

EchoStar announced this morning that it has entered into a contract with Sprint for EchoStar to provide domestic Ku-band Fixed Satellite Services capacity to Sprint Nextel. The long-term contract will provide satellite capacity to support the Sprint Nextel Emergency Response Team and Engineering Sales Support programs.

Theflyonthewall says look for more deals between satellite and terrestrial wireless companies. The combination of the supply-and-demand of satellite transponders and new technology that will allow satellite and ground-based wireless systems to work together could create more business relationships.

Early in the fall, DirecTV (NYSE:DTV) said it wanted to expand its presence in the wireless space by increasing its spectrum ownership and possibly working with companies like a Clearwire or a Motient, two wireless spectrum owners whose licenses have both satellite and terrestrial rights.

Also, it appears that technology might be reaching a point during the next few years that would allow satellite and terrestrial networks to work together.

This is a high risk investment area since technology often does not live up to expectations. However, the Sprint and Echostar deal might point to more activity. The least risky way to play this is through Sprint, which is a cash flow machine and could receive buyout interest from private equity or the cable companies in 2007. For super high-risk investors, Motient owns a lot of spectrum that could attract buyers.

The Fly's eyes look at wireless spectrum deal action originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ClearwireDirecTVEchostarMotientSprintSprintNextelTue, 28 Nov 2006 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Unsexy workhorses lead market rally]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/unsexy-workhorses-lead-market-rally/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/unsexy-workhorses-lead-market-rally/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/unsexy-workhorses-lead-market-rally/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's not only the fun tech stocks that are responsible for the markets' soaring heights. It may be fun to watch Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) soar to $505 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) inch to $30 per share, as it did yesterday and was rewarded by Credit Suisse with an upgrade from neutral to outperform. But there are plenty of less glamorous leaders driving the markets ever upwards.

As Alexandra Twin points out at CNNMoney.com, Allegheny Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ATI), for example, is up a whopping 112% year-to-date. There's also a lot of strength in the steel sector, as Tom Taulli points out today with his post on the Oregon Steel Mills (NYSE:OS) deal.

Steel not boring enough? Pactiv Corp. (NYSE:PTV), the maker of Hefty trash bags and a variety of take-out containers, is up 52.3%. Now there's a social trend reflected in the markets!

Other market workhorses include OfficeMax, Inc. (NYSE:OMX) and Big Lots, Inc (NYSE: BIG) both up 93.2% in the 2006 S&P.

Unsexy workhorses lead market rally originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Allegheny TechAlleghenyTechGoogleMicrosoftOfficeMaxPactivTue, 21 Nov 2006 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Google shares fly over $500! Where will it go from here?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/google-shares-fly-over-500-where-will-it-go-from-here/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/google-shares-fly-over-500-where-will-it-go-from-here/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/21/google-shares-fly-over-500-where-will-it-go-from-here/#commentsFiled under: ,

How high will it go? Shares of Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) surged to $505.15 today. It's the first time the company has broken the $500 per share mark.

It's the biggest gainer on the Nasdaq.

What is the limit for this high-flying stock? It seems that its recent deals with newspapers on ads and the set-aside of monies for possible YouTube lawsuits agree with investors.

Tell us if you think this is the top for Google -- or if it's just the beginning of a long and profitable climb.



Google shares fly over $500! Where will it go from here? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>$500GoogleTue, 21 Nov 2006 11:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Huge Hertz private equity deal going public]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/huge-hertz-private-equity-deal-going-public/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/huge-hertz-private-equity-deal-going-public/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/huge-hertz-private-equity-deal-going-public/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Theflyonthewall.com reports that Hertz Global Holdings, the rental car business, which was purchased by private equity less than a year ago, is now going public. Hertz looks to raise $1.5 billion and expects to price the deal between $16 and $18 per share.

This will be one of the highest profile private equity deals to go public. If Hertz does well, more private equity firms may rush to monetize other investments.

The deal looks pretty good. While at first glance, Hertz looks very leveraged, much of the debt is used to finance the purchase of automobiles. As long as the debt matches up with the useful lives of the cars, it should be manageable. In addition, the proceed s of the equity offering and the refinancing of much of the debt should improve the balance sheet.

Often the first few deals are the best on Wall Street. With Hertz being one of the first private-equity high-profile names to go public, this deal looks like it is attractively priced. Theflyonthewall says buy this one before the junk deals get dumped on the public.

Huge Hertz private equity deal going public originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HertzHertz Global HoldingsHertzGlobalHoldingsTue, 14 Nov 2006 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Stay with Global Crossing]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/stay-with-global-crossing/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/stay-with-global-crossing/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/14/stay-with-global-crossing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Theflyonthewall.com blogged in August that investors should get into Global Crossing Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLBC). The stock of the telecommunications company has since risen 78%. The EBITDA is positive for the first time in the company's history.

According to a post from The Fly's blog yesterday, for the third quarter the company once again reported solid results, growing organic revenue for the second quarter in a row. Further, the company expects to be free cash flow positive in the fourth quarter.

In addition to being EBITDA positive, Global Crossing also expects $100 million in EBITDA in the future from two recently announced acquisitions, Fibernet (UK) and Impsat (Argentina).

Global has a total $950 million in debt and will keep $200 million to $250 million in cash on the balance sheet as it turns free cash flow positive. Global is turning into a solid company with a conservative balance sheet.

The Fly recommends investors stay with this stock.

Stay with Global Crossing originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Nov 2006 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fibernet(UK)GLBCGlobal CrossingGlobalCrossingImpsatTue, 14 Nov 2006 07:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Jump into this fallen tech company]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/jump-into-this-fallen-tech-company/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/jump-into-this-fallen-tech-company/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/jump-into-this-fallen-tech-company/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Today, from Theflyonthewall, some thoughts that Applied Micro Circuit's (NASDAQ:AMCC) turnaround is underway and investors should jump on board.

AMCC, which designs, develops and markets semiconductors, processors and storage components, saw sequential revenue growth of 4%--the top end of revenue guidance . It also has the highest quarterly bookings level in five years and its new products are providing the premier solution for converged networks.

AMCC management sees 9% sequential growth and customers are becoming more confident with the new product road map.

AMCC also repurchased 12 million shares in the quarter, which is pretty good for a smaller company. Also, in the current reporting quarter, all three businesses---processing, transport and storage--- should be up sequentially.

Management is becoming more confident about the outlook for margin improvement. Historically, when AMCC started reporting good results, investors drove the stock up pretty high. CIBC upgraded the stock this morning with a $4 target price.

Jump into this fallen tech company originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 21:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AMCCsemiconductorsFri, 10 Nov 2006 21:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Expedia bound to fly higher]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/expedia-bound-to-fly-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/expedia-bound-to-fly-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/10/expedia-bound-to-fly-higher/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While Expedia Inc.'s (NASDAQ:EXPE) Expedia International, Trip Advisor and Hotels.com are doing very well, the Expedia.com domestic performance has been terrible. But as a writer at Theflyonthewall.com reports, this a great stock to stick with, as the market forces are "too powerful to ignore."

Expedia's international businesses are soaring; bookings were up 28.6% while domestic bookings grew a paltry 2%. The company plans to move aggressively into Japan and India in 2007, two big growth areas.

The Fly points out that Expedia is a "contrarian investment play on the economy" -- when the economy slows, hotel occupancy rates tend to flatten and decline. This gives Hotel.com more inventory to sell, driving up revenue and profits.

The online travel business may be ready for some industry consolidation. Expedia had been spun off from IAC/InterActive Corp. (NASDAQ:IACI) and Orbitz from Cendant. Sabre Management has been saying that some consolidation would be good for the online travel business.

Expedia has built three powerful global franchise names ---Expedia, Hotels.com and TripAdvisor. Investors should come back to this stock.

Expedia bound to fly higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expeExpediaHotels.comIAC/InterActiveCorp.iacitravelTripAdvisorFri, 10 Nov 2006 13:22:00 EST