50 Most Innovative Companies The companies that make up BusinessWeek's annual ranking nurture cultures that value creative people in good times and bad. The top company by industry include Apple, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, Disney, Toyota, GE, Marriott, Wal-Mart and BP. The World's Most Innovative Companies
Are There Too Many Women Doctors? As an MD shortage looms, female physicians and their flexible hours are taking some of the blame. Are There Too Many Women Doctors?
The market looks to be poised for a positive opening this morning, and so does Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX). The company's shares have been trading higher despite posting a first-quarter loss as its adjusted earnings matched analysts' estimates.
Xerox, the leading provider of digital printers and document management services, reported this morning that it swung to a loss of $244 million, or 27 cents per share, hurt by a litigation charge that overshadowed strong sales growth. Included in the office equipment maker's earnings figures were 54 cents related to that lawsuit settlement. Excluding that, Xerox would have posted quarterly earnings of 27 cents, in line with analysts' predictions.
Xerox also announced a 13% growth in its quarterly sales, which climbed up to $4.34 billion from $3.84 billion a year earlier. Analysts had expected revenue of $4.24 billion, according to Thomson Financial.
IKON Office Solutions (NYSE: IKN) provides document management systems and services to business and government clients. The firm leases/sells name-brand office equipment and provides associated office supplies, equipment maintenance programs, technical support and lease financing. It also offers document management outsourcing, electronic file conversions, facilities management and training. IKON operates from over 400 locations in North America and Western Europe. Cadbury Schweppes (NYSE: CSG) and Luxottica Group (NYSE: LUX) are among the firm's customers. Xerox (NYSE: XRX) is a major competitor.
The firm pleased investors last week, when it guided fiscal Q2 EPS to the range 22-24 cents. Analysts had been expecting 18 cents. Management also affirmed FY08 EPS guidance of 92-98 cents (95 cent consensus). Cross Research subsequently upgraded its recommendation on the stock to "buy", in order to reflect improved equipment sales and IKN's scarcity value.
The market looks to be poised for a positive opening this morning, continuing yesterday afternoon's rally, and so does Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX). The company's shares have traded up over 6% following a strong increase in its quarterly earnings.
Xerox, the leading provider of digital printers and document management services, reported this morning that its fourth quarter profit jumped 79%, helped by strong sales of high-end printing machines and services.
The office equipment maker posted a quarterly net income of $382 million, or 41 cents per share. The strong numbers were driven by solid gains from higher-margin color systems sales. Xerox earnings figures show an improved performance compared with last year's, when the company reported a profit of $214 million, or 22 cents a share. Analysts expected Xerox to show earnings of 40 cents a share in the quarter.
Earnings (with so much earnings news, I'll try to be brief):
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) reported Thursday it halved its quarterly losses. The carmaker lost $2.7 billion in the fourth quarter and $2.8 billion for the year, down from $5.6 billion and $12.6 billion respectively. Still, while Ford did well in global markets, its gains were dragged down by continued weakness in North America. Excluding special items, Ford lost 20 cents per share for the quarter and 19 cents per share for the year, in line with Wall Street's expectations. Ford shares are showing a decline in premarket trading.
Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) reported this morning a 10% rise in fourth-quarter profit. Gains in its space, information technology and electronic systems units made up for a dip in sales of fighter jets. Lockheed reported a profit of $799 million, or $1.89 per share on flat net sales of $10.84 billion. These topped analyst estimates as polled by Thomson Financial of $1.69 per share on sales of $10.73 billion. The defense contractor also raised its forecast for 2008 earnings per share.
Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) on Thursday said its profit rose 79% in the fourth quarter to $382 million, or 41 cents per share, pretty much in line with analyst estimates. A mix of cost controls and growth in equipment financing and services were the reason for the profit rise. XRX shares are up 8.6% in premarket trading.
Also reporting today: Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), E-Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC), Sun Microsystems Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA), Hershey Co. (NYSE: HSY) and Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) to name but a few. Here's a list from Briefing.com.
Will Wall Street today resume Wednesday's rally? Stock futures sure point to such a possibility at this time ahead of another busy morning, full of corporate earnings. While eBay earnings and a trade fraud of over $7.1 billion could weigh in on stocks, already Nokia reported strong earnings this morning, helping to offset such an effect in the background of the coming economic stimulus package.
On Wednesday, many were left wide-eyed and slacked-jawed when the Dow industrials did an over 600 points about face. From being down 326 points, the Dow industrials finished 298 points, or 2.5%, higher. The Nasdaq Composite rose 24 points, or 1.05%, and the S&P 500 rose 28 points, or 2.14%. Many claim the market was oversold, hence buyers came to find bargains. The reverse could also be attributed to the bond insurer bailout and hopes for further interest-rate cuts.
The effect on international markets was generally positive. Asian markets were generally higher Thursday with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Phillippines all rising for a second day. In Hong Kong, though, the Hang Seng index seesawed to finish down 2.3%. In Europe, the picture was even better as European shares moved sharply higher on Thursday morning. The pan-European Dow Jones Stoxx 600 index climbed 3.3%, with financials lifting stocks.
While it all points to a positive start, two economic data points will be released today. Weekly jobless claim is due at 8:30 a.m. EST, and while usually doesn't carry much of an impact, it could this time if it points to a much weaker trend in the job market, giving more credence to recession fears. At 10:00 a.m., December existing home sales will be reported. As investors keep looking for that bottom in the battered housing market, again this data could affect the atmosphere on Wall Street.
Stocks: Playing the 2008 Election The fates of various industries depend on who becomes the next President. Who benefits? Who suffers? Here, insights from a slew of top investors. If a democrat wins high-end retailers could be in trouble while Wal-Mart and Target could do better, big oil, defense & drug companies would probably do better under a republican while alternative energy and insurers probably favor democrats. Stocks: Playing the 2008 Election - BusinessWeek
12 Money Mistakes That Can Cost You $1,000,000 A few common errors could cost you a million dollars or more. The Consumer Reports Money Lab puts a price tag on some common financial blunders and explains the best ways to avoid them. ConsumerReports.org - Money mistakes: Mistakes that could cost you
Which Tax Form Should You Use? Most people hate filling out tax forms almost as much as they hate forking over dough to Uncle Sam. That's why you should use the simplest tax return you can, especially if you're still filling out your forms by hand. But choose carefully. While all the personal income tax forms -- 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ -- are designed to get the appropriate amount of your money to the Internal Revenue Service, the differences in these returns could cost you if you're not paying attention. Which tax return form should you use? -Bankrate.com
Buy Now, Pay Later Online-payment services may let you pay without plastic, but shoppers should be wary. Here are four reasons you may want to think twice before hitting the "checkout" button using one of these services. Alternate-Payment Services Have Some Pitfalls | SmartMoney.com
Smart Moves for Your Next Car Purchase The new-car business is in turmoil, and that's likely to continue well into the new year. So what should a savvy buyer do if a new car is on the list of things to buy in 2008? Best auto moves to make in 2008 - Bankrate.com
Which Exercise Gadgets Are Best? Want to blast away belly fat fast? Lose one size in 10 days? Tone every body part all at once? Their amazing fitness claims are touted on TV infomercials or the Web. We tested 10 machines to find out whether they delivered. See what Consumer Reports says various ab exercisers, bun & thigh machines, aerobic devices and total body exercisers. ConsumerReports.org - Infomercial exercise equipment: How they compare
How Expensive Is Your Diet? What a week's worth of food on the country's most popular weight-loss plans will cost you. For NutriSystem it will cost you $98, The Abs Diet is $250, The Zone is $273, South Beach Diet is a $323 for the first week and Weight Watchers is $388 to name a few. How Expensive Is Your Diet? - Forbes.com
How to Travel on a Weak Dollar For those who can't contain their wanderlust, but are watching their wallets, industry experts recommend choosing a destination where the dollar remains strong, considering packages or cruises where rates are set far in advance, and exploring unconventional locales. With proper planning, you can expect to be pleasantly surprised. History-rich places like Thailand, Hungary and Morocco along with Guatemala, Peru and Czech Republic are good bets. How To Travel Well On A Weak Dollar - Forbes.com
Ad executive: "Guys, guys! I got an idea about how we can change the market's perception of our company and move Xerox (NYSE: XRX) into the 21st century."
CEO: "How exciting! A new product? An innovative marketing campaign?
Ad executive: Even better. A new logo.
The new logo (shown at right) marks the first time that Xerox has identified itself with an image rather than just "XEROX." And what a creative image it is: a circle with a little "X" and now "xerox" is written in lowercase! I shudder to think about how much was spent on Madison Avenue PR firms for that bit of marketing genius.
The move is part of a plan to update Xerox's stodgy image -- the stock hasn't been cool since the 1970s.
But according to The New York Times, "But Michael Watras, president of the brand consultancy Straightline International, said nothing short of a name change would wrest Xerox from the grasp of its copier reputation. 'They should have kept the Xerox brand on some products, but renamed the company.' he said. 'Without that, this is money poorly spent. If I were a shareholder, I'd be outraged.'"
I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Watras. When your name is used as a verb meaning to copy, it's hard to get past the image as a copy company with a simple logo change.
In an effort to compete further with Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX), McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is set to add coffee bars that serve cappuccinos, lattes and other specialty coffee drinks in nearly 14,000 U.S. locations this year, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) CEO Anne Mulcahy warned that the uncertain economic environment is causing companies to think twice before making new technology investments.
The Financial Times also reported that Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) has put its plans to sell its Comair regional jet service division on hold and may be looking to follow through on plans to participate in the industry's consolidation.
OTHER PAPERS:
Credit Suisse Group (NYSE: CS) faces an additional $2.3B write-off as a result of the U.S. subprime crisis, the Sonntag newspaper reported yesterday.
If you're a bear, then at least another down beginning may await you in today's session. At least, that's the indication U.S. stock futures are giving this morning. As economists forecast the risk of a recession increased due to the collapse of the housing market along with the credit crunch and as oil prices jumped again on OPEC comments, it seems the bears have returned.
On Friday, U.S. stocks saw volatile session that ended with gains, with the Dow industrials rising 66 points, or 0.51%, the Nasdaq Composite up 18 points, or 0.72%, and the S&P 500 rising 7 points, or 0.52%. On the week stocks finished higher in a week full of wild swings. The Dow ended up 1.03%, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ended up 0.35%.
Not much economic data is due today so investors are focusing on rising oil prices, overseas activity and some M&A action.
She quickly put these allegations to rest, noting: "I don't think Lexmark is an ideal candidate . . . there is nothing [it] would bring to the table that would be really value-creating for us."
But Mulcahy certainly is not acquisition-averse; she has overseen Xerox's purchase of four companies in the past 15 months. She noted that Xerox hasn't ruled out deals with smaller companies that would help bulk up her company's software offerings.
MOST NOTEWORTHY: Clearwire, Citrix Systems, Altria Group, Overstock.com and Interpublic Group were today's noteworthy upgrades:
Jefferies upgraded shares of Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR) to Buy from Hold on valuation as they believe the stock is trading as if the Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) deal is off. Jefferies thinks the Sprint/Clearwire deal is still in the best interest of both companies.
Deutsche Bank upgraded shares of Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: CTXS) to Buy from Hold, as they believe the contribution from XenSource beginning in Q4 could be better than expected.
UBS upgraded shares of Altria Group (NYSE: MO) citing stronger Q3 International results and potential share repurchases. Shares were upgraded to Buy from Neutral.
Piper Jaffray raised shares of Overstock.com (NASDAQ: OSTK) to Market Perform from Underperform, as they are incrementally more positive on shares following the company's Q3 upside. They believe the company has turned the corner on profitability.
Bear Stearns upgraded shares of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) to Outperform from Peer Perform on valuation and expectations for improved performance in 2008.
OTHER UPGRADES:
Morgan Stanley upgraded Walgreen (NYSE: WAG) to Overweight from Equal Weight.
Friedman Billings raised its rating on IMS Health (NYSE: RX) to Outperform from Market Perform.
JP Morgan upgraded Stericycle (NASDAQ: SRCL) to Overweight from Neutral.
It took McDonald's 20 years to get there and Starbucks 25 years.The dream of almost every restaurant chain -- to hit 1,000 units -- is happening at warp speed in 2007. At least five chains have hit that number this year. Sbarro and Papa Murphy's got there. So did Panda Express, as did Panera Bread and WingStreet. Even plucky Johnny Rockets, under new ownership, just unveiled plans to multiply its 217 units to 1,000.
When taxpayers file their 2008 tax returns -- that's in early 2009 for most taxpayers -- they'll enjoy higher personal exemption amounts, a higher standard deduction and wider tax brackets, meaning more money is taxed at a lower rate, the IRS announced on Thursday. The dollar amounts for some tax provisions are revised each year to keep pace with inflation.
Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:
The market looks to be poised for a positive opening this morning, and so does 
Earnings (with so much earnings news, I'll try to be brief):
Will Wall Street today resume Wednesday's rally? Stock futures sure point to such a possibility at this time ahead of another busy morning, full of corporate earnings. While eBay earnings and a trade fraud of over $7.1 billion could weigh in on stocks, already Nokia reported strong earnings this morning, helping to offset such an effect in the background of the coming 
Ad executive: "Guys, guys! I got an idea about how we can change the market's perception of our company and move .gif){kind=logo}
If you're a bear, then at least another down beginning may await you in today's session. At least, that's the indication U.S. stock futures are giving this morning. As economists forecast the .gif){kind=logo}
Mall vacancies and store closures at 28-year-high
Merrill seeks $6 billion from Bloomberg, Blackrock to finance asset write-downs
Cramer on BloggingStocks: 'Bailout' is not a dirty word 
