Kodak's announcement today is evidence that sentimentality is dead in 21st century business.

The film world has, after all, been moping since Polaroid stopped producing its iconic instant camera film in early 2008 (take heart, Polaroid fans, "The Impossible Project" is working to reinvent instant film in an old Polaroid factory in the Netherlands). But today Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) said it was halting production of the complex-yet-storied Kodachrome film, immediately. Not only does the product make up less than 1% of its worldwide still-picture film sales; it's extraordinarily expensive to produce.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings as revenues surged in the quarter.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) just beat Q3 expectations despite weak same-store sales growth.
• Corn Products International Inc. (NYSE: CPO) Q1 results were dragged down by higher corn costs.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) Q1 earnings sank on falling sales, job cuts and acquisition costs.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) reported a deeper-than-expected Q1 loss and suspended its dividend.
• Energizer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ENR) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings but revenue declined.

Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK), whose colleagues include Canon (NYSE: CAJ) and Sony (NYSE: SNE), did not start its new fiscal year with a picturesque first quarter. No, it was more of an ugly, frayed-at-the-edges, nightmarish image of doom and gloom. And although the photography company does have a point when it states right at the beginning of the release that the global economic malaise is affecting its prospects, let's also be realistic. Kodak has been doing badly for a long, long time. This isn't just about the economy. This is about a company that still hasn't properly adjusted to a new, thriving business model.

According to this article, Kodak's adjusted loss of $0.95 per share from continuing operations missed Wall Street's call. By a lot. Some in the analyst community thought that Kodak would lose $0.44 per share. Others thought the company would lose less than even that figure. Doesn't matter what source you look at, the facts in the case make it clear that Kodak is not doing well. Worldwide sales shed just under 30% of their value. The digital segment fared very poorly in Q1.

An investment vehicle owned by Bill Gates reported a 5.2% stake in Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) this morning. The investment was disclosed in a form 13-G filed with the SEC, which indicates that the investment is passive in nature: Cascade Investment LLC does not have plans to become involved with the company's operations, or press for governance changes.

Bloomberg reports that the Kodak stake is Cascade's ninth-largest investment.

6 Stocks to Lead a Value Comeback
When cheap shares stop trailing, these names will do well. The include Kodak, Allstate, Meredith, JC Penney, MeadWestvaco and Whirlpool.
http://www.smartmoney.com/Investing/Stocks/6-Stocks-To-Lead-a-Value-Comeback/

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares surged after earnings easily topped Q4 expectations.
• AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) reported that its Q4 earnings fell while its revenue rose marginally.
• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) posted a big loss and lower revenue due to strikes and design changes.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) reported that Q4 profit fell despite higher revenue and lowered its guidance.
• Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) lower Q4 profit topped analysts' estimates, sending shares higher.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) reported a Q4 net loss and announced additional job cuts.

If you thought that four days of rallying was too much, it looks like the traders did too. Financials took a breather after critics started panning the BAD BANK theory. We also had much weaker durable goods and wider jobless claims to pour fuel on the fire. Here are today's closing unofficial bell levels:
DJIA: 8,147.73 (-2.72%)
S&P500: 845.10 (-3.32%)
NASDAQ: 1,507.84 (-3.24%)
Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) suspended its share buyback plan after its net earnings fell sharply. Maybe investors will have to decide if a dividend north of 7% is finally enough. This stock was just above the flat-line at $16.83 right before the close.

Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) has been struggling for decades, and the current financial crunch is just pushing it further along. Today it announced 4,500 job cuts on a 24% drop in revenue and a restructuring charge of $350 million. Kodak is a classic example of a company whose decades of success make it unable to adapt to change.

First, a look at Kodak's report. With sales down to $2.43 billion from $3,22 billion a year ago, it is cutting its workforce by 18%. This cut contributed to a fourth quarter loss from continuing operations of $133 million, or 50 cents a share -- compared to last year's profit from continuing operations of $92 million, or 32 cents. This report comes at the end of a four-year, $3.4 billion overhaul in December 2007 that eliminated 50% of its workers, or 28,000 jobs. The shakeup was supposed to shift the company's focus to digital products and services from traditional film, but it came too late.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Analogic Corp. (NASDAQ: ALOG) Q1 earnings plunged well below expectations due to costs.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) solid Q3 earnings were in line with analysts expectations.
• Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) beat Q1 expectations and same-stores sales increased.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) lowered its guidance and announced layoffs and factory closings.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) withdrew its guidance due in part to weak consumer spending.
• Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) lowered its outlook due to weaker-than-expected holiday sales.
• Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) offered a full-year profit forecast that missed analysts' expectations.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) lowered its earnings guidance and announced price increases.
• FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) reported a deeper-than-expected loss but topped sales estimates.
• H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) Q2 net loss was in line with expectations but revenue fell short.
• Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE: HIG) raised its full-year forecast, doubling the share price.
• Hooker Furniture Corp. (NASDAQ: HOFT) shares sold off following disappointing Q3 results and outlook.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD) reported a deeper-than-expected Q3 loss on increased costs.

It seems today, with its mixed bag of tricks all day long, was just what investors needed to catch their breath after nine of the last 12 days of definite bullish sentiment and upward closes. Oil was up but still under that $44.00 a barrel pivot point. A possible snag in the auto bailout movement took out some of the earlier gains, but shares came back up in the later part of the day. It was a tiny buyout, but there was a 200% premium private equity acquisition today.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:
Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) -- both Citigroup and Banc of America issued new Sell ratings on AXP this morning and selling is what traders did, as shares were down almost 8% at $21.43 right before the close.

American International Group (NYSE: AIG) was the financial disappointment of the day. The WSJ and others were reporting a $10 billion figure the company had in undisclosed counterparty liabilities. AIG tried to refute this, but the language strategy sounded like "submission via confusion" and shares were still down almost 10% at $9.75 right before the close.

In the News:
Major U.S. Stocks Drop to Decade Lows
As U.S. Stocks continue their downward spiral many of the most well-known name are plunging to decade or more lows. General Motors is almost at a 70-year low. Among the other companies that have fallen and not able to get up include General Electric, Harley Davidson, Alcoa, Macy's, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Sara Lee, News Corp. Starwood Hotels, Kodak, Gannett, Intel, Newell Rubbermaid, International Paper and more.
http://www.247wallst.com/2008/11/major-sp-stocks.html

The New Subprime: FHA-Backed Loans
The subprime wolves are back. The same people whose reckless practices triggered the global financial crisis are onto a similar scheme that could cost taxpayers tons more.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_48/b4110036448352.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_top+story

We may have broken the ultimate barrier to diversity with the election of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama, but the ranks of minorities in top positions at Fortune 500 companies remain thin and are steadily declining.

Late Monday, Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) CEO John Thompson announced plans to retire from the post in March, but will remain on as chairman. Also planning to move out of the corner office until a replacement is found is the CEO of struggling Web portal Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO), Jerry Yang.

Their pending exits continue a string of other high-profile minority CEOs over the past year due to various reasons, ranging from Dick Parsons at Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), to Stan O'Neal at Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) to Alwyn Lewis at Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) and William Perez at Wrigley.

U.S. stock futures were much higher this morning, indicating markets could open with strong gains a day after the Federal Reserve cut rates by half a point to 1% and indicated further measures will be taken as necessary. While Wall Street ended mixed, global markets took this, as well as other measures central banks around the world have been taking, as a good sign and stocks in Asia and Europe rallied. However, at 8:30 a.m. this morning, advanced GDP for the third quarter will be released, and will likely show the economy has contracted for the first time. Economists expect GDP fell 0.5-0.6% in the quarter. Weekly jobless claims is also due at the same time.

Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) - sometime before the opening bell, Exxon is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings. Much like other oil producers that have already reported, posting huge profits for the quarter due to record high oil prices, so is Exxon expected to report sharply higher profit.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) - after the merger was approved Wednesday, Delta completed its $2.8 billion acquisition of Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) on Wednesday to become the world's biggest carrier. Shares of both carriers surged 6% in after-hours.

Analyst upgrades:

• RBC Capital upgraded Sciele Pharma (NASDAQ: SCRX) to Sector Perform from Underperform following the acquisition by Shionogi.
  
• Merrill believes Alcoa (NYSE: AA) may pursue an acquisition of Alumina Ltd (NYSE: AWC) following recent share weakness. Shares of Alumina were upgraded to Buy from Underperform.
  
• Stanford upgraded shares of Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) to Buy from Hold after channel checks indicated U.S. search market trends have stabilized as they believe GOOG's market share gains are broadening, Q3 expectations are modest and the valuation is near lows. The firm has a $550 target on the stock.
• Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  

Analyst downgrades:

• WestLB downgraded shares of Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Reduce from Hold as they believe the company's Q3 earnings could miss expectations.
  
• Lehman downgraded Intersil (NASDAQ: ISIL) to Equal Weight from Overweight based PC exposure and market share loss in notebook power. The company's target was lowered to $24 from $29.
• Dean Foods (NYSE: DF) was lowered to Equal Weight from Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was cut to Neutral from Buy at Banc of America.
• JP Morgan lowered Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS) to Underperform from Sector Perform.

Analyst initiations:

• Citigroup initiated Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) with a Sell rating and $13 target. The firm believes 2008 consensus estimates and guidance are too high given the company's headwinds.
  
• GT Solar (NASDAQ: SOLR) was assumed with a Neutral rating and $16 target at Banc of America. The firm believes the risk/reward is balanced at current levels with no significant new polysilicon opportunity. Shares were also initiated at Thomas Weisel with an Overweight rating and $18 target and at UBS with a Buy rating and $19 target.
• Citigroup initiated Xerox (NYSE: XRX) with a Buy rating and $20 target and Electronics for Imaging (NASDAQ: EFII) with a Hold rating and $18 target.

Famous maker of photographic equipment and supplies Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) reported earnings for the second quarter earlier this week, and they have not changed my opinion whatsoever on the stock. The shares are to be avoided at all cost.

Yeah, I've got to admit, I've been bearish on Eastman Kodak for a long time. It isn't difficult to hold such an opinion, of course. The company reported net income on a GAAP basis of $0.66 per share from continuing operations as opposed to a loss of $0.53 per share from continuing operations in the year-ago period. However, the results for the quarter include a gain of $0.88 per share from an IRS refund, offset by $0.09 per share in other items of net expense (this yields a net benefit of $0.79 per share). Considering that last year's Q2 was affected by a net of $0.92 per share due to restructuring charges (which were offset by gains on asset sales), it can be seen that the adjusted scenario isn't impressive in the least.

I just can't get past the utterly horrible story behind this company and its long-term performance. Simply put, Eastman Kodak just didn't adjust properly to the transition from film photography to digital photography as it was happening. It's trying to make amends, but it hasn't been easy. In fact, colleague Elizabeth Harrow recently wrote an informative article on the awful history of the company and how its stock has been one of the worst performers of the last decade. She discusses the impact of competition from businesses such as Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Canon (NYSE: CAJ), as well as the demand of one big stakeholder for management to expand its current buyback program.