Posted Jun 18th 2009 3:20PM by Daleela Farina
Filed under: Industry, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon.com (AMZN), Next big thing, AT and T (T), Technology
Cloud computing is a type of on-demand hosting services on the internet. Not only a necessity for mainstream e-commerce sites, it also increases efficiency, is scalable, and lowers expenses. The monetary savings may be misleading to consumers and businesses who do not fully understand the potential risks involved.
With a pay-as-you-go type structure, users are only charged for the amount of traffic, bandwidth, and memory used. Online businesses become more efficient by only utilizing the storage and space needed, while also being assured capacity for any usage increases. The buzz has been building for years, so cloud computing has attracted a diverse customer base, ranging from popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, to educational websites of Arizona State and Northwestern University.
Continue reading Cloud computing: Advantages and disadvantage
Posted Jun 16th 2009 1:40PM by Sheldon Liber
Filed under: Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Getting started, AT and T (T), Verizon Communications (VZ), Bargain stocks, Comfort Zone Investing, Chasing Value, Stocks to Buy

Nothing is worse than repeating past mistakes. Despite the awful economy, my newest portfolio is doing better than any other since 1999-2000, actually passing a 100% gain recently, although it has dropped back slightly with the market the past few trading days.
Ten years is recent enough for me to remember giving everything back and then some. I'm not doing that again. But what to do? I certainly do not like sitting with a heavy cash position collecting almost nothing. I have recently discussed this issue, see:
Serious Money: ETF that's better than cash.
The solution is to find stocks that have low volatility, high yields, and the recurring revenue and strong cash flow to maintain the yield. Long term investors will not be surprised by my search leading me to
AT and T (NYSE:
T) and
Verizon Communications (NYSE:
VZ), the two largest communications companies in the land.
Continue reading Chasing Value: AT&T and VZ, high yield plus safety
Posted Jun 2nd 2009 9:00AM by Tom Johansmeyer
Filed under: Deals, AT and T (T), EMC Corp (EMC), Technology
A race has broken out for Data Domain Inc (NASDAQ: DDUP). NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) offered $1.5 billion for the company two weeks ago, and EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) decided it had to get in on the action, upping the ante to $1.8 billion yesterday. Data Domain shares gained 16% on the news in late trading yesterday, resulting in EMC's bid carrying a 17% premium.
EMC sees Data Domain as its ticket into the market for software-based storage management, as the target company's products help reduce the amount of disk space needed to store data. With large, high-profile clients like AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and the U.S. Defense Department, Data Domain was able to double its top line to $274 million in 2008. It pulled in net income of $21.6 million last year, up from a loss of $3.7 million in 2007.
Continue reading EMC on the prowl, offers $1.8 billion for Data Domain
Posted May 21st 2009 6:00PM by Brian White
Filed under: Products and services, AT and T (T)
AT&T, Inc. (NYSE:
T) started unleashing its netbook wireless data plans and subsidized netbook PCs in select markets just this year. The nation's second-largest wireless carrier will now be rolling out the program nationwide this summer. That means customers will be able to purchase an ultraportable netbook PC with an AT&T wireless data plan anywhere AT&T's markets are. Call this unimportant, but it's a biggie for AT&T.
The one shining light of the PC industry for the last three quarters have been netbook sales. These sub-$500 book-sized PCs are perfect for travel and normal tasks like web surfing, email use and word processing and spreadsheets. Tap some kind of built-in broadband access inside these low-cost computers outside the standard but limited range of WiFi and you pretty much have a go-anywhere, compute-anything device way smaller than most textbooks.
Continue reading AT&T to unleash netbook wireless data plans across the U.S.
Posted May 7th 2009 12:00PM by Eric Buscemi
Filed under: Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, AT and T (T), Bank of America (BAC), Morgan Stanley (MS), Verizon Communications (VZ), Analyst initiations, Symantec Corp (SYMC), Lloyds TSB Group plc ADS (LYG), Rio Tinto plc ADS (RTP)
Analyst upgrades:
- Morgan Stanley said Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC) capital needs are largely known and shares are trading "cheaply despite reduced downside risk." The firm upgraded shares to Overweight from Underweight and raised the price target to $25 from $16. Shares were also upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Baird citing manageable capital needs and attractive risk/reward.
- Keefe Bruyette upgraded Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) to Outperform from Market Perform on valuation as it views the stock as inexpensive despite the recent rally. The firm has an $8 target on the stock.
- Banc of America/Merrill upgraded Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to Buy from Neutral as it believes fewer hedging losses could bring upside over the next few quarters.
- Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at Barclays.
- EnerNOC (NASDAQ: ENOC) was lifted to Buy from Neutral at Janney Montgomery.
- Westpac Banking (NYSE: WBK) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.
Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: BAC, FITB, RTP, SYMC, MS, T, VZ ...
Posted Apr 27th 2009 5:50PM by Steven Mallas
Filed under: Earnings reports, Apple Inc (AAPL), AT and T (T), Verizon Communications (VZ)
Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE: VZ) reported Q1 earnings on Monday, and they didn't disappoint. The telecommunication entity said it earned $0.63 per share on an adjusted basis. Okay, the growth wasn't so great. The company earned an adjusted $0.61 per share in the year-ago period. But you know the game: it's all about expectations. So, on that count, Verizon was ahead by four pennies, according to this database.
But the Verizon story isn't just about earnings. It's also about cash flow. Net cash from operations increased 19% to $6.4 billion. Free cash flow more than doubled to $2.7 billion. Verizon is a well-known dividend-paying stock, so shareholders definitely want to see good cash flows.
Continue reading Verizon beats in Q1, brings in the cash
Posted Apr 24th 2009 11:20AM by Eric Buscemi
Filed under: Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Microsoft (MSFT), AT and T (T), Research in Motion (RIMM), Verizon Communications (VZ), Toll Brothers (TOL), Marriott Intl'A' (MAR), Analyst initiations, PetroChina Co Ltd ADR (PTR)
Analyst upgrades:
- Citigroup upgraded Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) to Buy from Hold and added the stock to its Top Picks Live List. The firm believes RIMM's outlook is more secure given its unit growth trajectory and stabilizing margins. Citi raised its target on the stock to $100 from $65.
- Morgan Stanley upgraded Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to Overweight from Equal Weight following the company's Q3 results it believes growth is accelerating and expectations are low. The firm raised its target on the stock to $24 from $21.
- Deutsche Bank upgraded Huron (NYSE: HURN) to Buy from Hold as it believes bad news is already priced in and FY09 expectations are achievable. The firm keeps a $46 target on the stock.
- Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
- Quicksilver (NYSE: KWK) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Banc of America/Merrill.
- EIG Resources (NYSE: EOG) was lifted at Goldman to Conviction Buy from Neutral.
Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: RIMM, MSFT, TOL, MAR, VZ, T ...
Posted Apr 21st 2009 9:00AM by Paul Foster
Filed under: Exxon Mobil (XOM), AT and T (T), Options
AT&T (NYSE: T) closed at $25.29. T is reporting Q1 EPS before the open on April 22. May option implied volatility of 41 is below its 26-week average of 46, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) closed at $65.29. XOM is expected to report Q1 EPS on April 30. Crude oil futures are recently up 0.26% to $46 according to Bloomberg. May option implied volatility of 36 is below its 26-week average of 42, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price fluctuations.
Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com
Posted Apr 6th 2009 4:00PM by Jon Ogg
Filed under: Cisco Systems (CSCO), Ford Motor (F), AT and T (T), Amer Intl Group (AIG), Sun Microsystems (JAVA), Level 3 Communications (LVLT)

Four weeks in a row of gains were met with at least the first day of the week having sellers win over buyers. The good news is that the market came back at the end of the day. We might have closed up if we had another hour of trading on the clock.
Geithner's comments about running out management and boards of directors at banks which need capital did not help, nor did an influential banking analyst coming out with
very negative coverage of the sector at a new firm. Here were today's closing bell levels:
Dow 7,975.85 -41.74 (-0.52%)
S&P 500 835.48 -7.02 (-0.83%)
Nasdaq 1,606.71 -15.16 (-0.93%)
Top Analyst UpgradesTop Analyst Downgrades Continue reading Closing Bell: Another hour, and it might have been up (T, AIG, CSCO, F, LVLT, JAVA)
Posted Apr 6th 2009 9:50AM by Jim Cramer
Filed under: Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Coca-Cola (KO), PepsiCo (PEP), Home Depot (HD), AT and T (T), Johnson and Johnson (JNJ), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Alcoa Inc (AA), Best Buy (BBY), Hershey Co (HSY), Corning Inc (GLW), Research in Motion (RIMM), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), General Mills (GIS), Yum Brands (YUM), NIKE, Inc'B' (NKE), Lowe's Cos (LOW), Verizon Communications (VZ), QUALCOMM Inc (QCOM), BHP Billiton Ltd ADR (BHP), Cramer on BloggingStocks
TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says if you don't want to wait for a pullback, look abroad for the next leg or find values at home.
What do you do when everyone knows we have come up too far, too fast; no one knows who is actually buying; and we are going into earnings season?
What do you do when the animal spirits are taking up the market and yet other than a handful companies -- Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) (Cramer's Take), Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) (Cramer's Take), Corning (NYSE: GLW) (Cramer's Take), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) (Cramer's Take) and Taiwan Semi (NYSE: TSM) (Cramer's Take) -- almost all companies that have spoken during the "off-season" earnings reports have been dismal?
Continue reading Cramer on BloggingStocks: So you missed the recent run -- now what?
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