BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://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[Cigna Races Higher]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/03/cigna-races-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/03/cigna-races-higher/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/03/03/cigna-races-higher/#commentsFiled under: ,

Normally slow-moving Cigna Corporation (CI), first discussed here on May 28, 2009 at a price of $21.89, has been on the move, rising $7 from about $35 to $42, and I obviously still like the shares at this juncture.

Cigna's should post a 1-3% revenue gain in 2011, after a 17% increase in 2010. CI's health care unit should lead the way, with the unit's revenue advancing on both increased subscribers and higher premiums. What's more, the retention rates for new products for individual, small-group, and middle market customers have been impressive. Products for national accounts, however, less-impressive.

Continue reading Cigna Races Higher

Cigna Races Higher originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cignahealthcareThu, 03 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aetna Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/02/03/aetna-fourth-quarter-earnings-preview/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/02/03/aetna-fourth-quarter-earnings-preview/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/02/03/aetna-fourth-quarter-earnings-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

AET Fourth Quarter Earnings PreviewInsurance giant Aetna Inc. (AET) will be reporting its fourth quarter earnings Friday before the market opens, with analysts expecting to see a strong quarter for the company.

Going into tomorrow's earnings report, analysts are expecting to see Aetna report earnings of $0.62 per share, up from $0.40 during the same period last year.

Continue reading Aetna Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview

Aetna Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AETAetnaCICIGNAearningsearnings previewhealth providersinsuranceThu, 03 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst Calls: BBT, CI, DG, DHI, HSY, NFLX, RAI, TOL, UNH, WAT, XOM ...]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/06/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/06/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2011/01/06/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Analyst Upgrades

  • Exxon Mobil (XOM) and BB&T (BBT) to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
  • D.R. Horton (DHI) upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
  • Meritage Homes (MTH), Old Dominion Freight (ODFL) and Heartland Payment (HPY) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
  • Toll Brothers (TOL) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
  • Hershey (HSY) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
  • UnitedHealth (UNH), Cigna (CI) and Allscripts (MDRX) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • Nationwide Health (NHP) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
  • Reynolds American (RAI) to buy from neutral at UBS.
  • Adtran (ADTN), PG&E (PCG) and Wisconsin Energy (WEC) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BBT, CI, DG, DHI, HSY, NFLX, RAI, TOL, UNH, WAT, XOM ...

Analyst Calls: BBT, CI, DG, DHI, HSY, NFLX, RAI, TOL, UNH, WAT, XOM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ADTNanalyst upgradesBBTCHKPCICignaCMAComericaCRLDGDHIDollar GeneraldowngradesExxon MobilHersheyHPYHSYinitiationsinthenewsLAMRMDCMDRXMTHNHPODFLPCGPRXRAIRYLSTISunTrustTOLToll BrothersUNHUnitedHealthVRUSWATWECWTRXOMThu, 06 Jan 2011 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna: A Slow Mover That Rewards Patience]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/12/17/cigna-a-slow-mover-that-rewards-patience/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/12/17/cigna-a-slow-mover-that-rewards-patience/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/12/17/cigna-a-slow-mover-that-rewards-patience/#commentsFiled under: ,

Insurer Cigna Corp. (CI), first discussed here on May 28, 2009 at a price of $21.89, has moved out of a trough recorded this summer, and I obviously still like the shares at this juncture.

Cigna should post a 1-3% revenue gain in 2011, after a likely double-digit increase in 2010. CI's health care unit should lead the way, with the unit's revenue advancing on both increased subscribers and higher premiums. What's more, the retention rate for new products for individual, small-group, and middle market customers has been impressive; products for national accounts, less-impressive.

Continue reading Cigna: A Slow Mover That Rewards Patience

Cigna: A Slow Mover That Rewards Patience originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CignaFri, 17 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst Calls: BA, BBBY, CI, CLWR, DFS, DLTR, ETN, MET, MO, WSM ...]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/12/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/12/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/11/12/analyst-upgrades-downgrades/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Analyst Upgrades

  • Goldman upgraded Eaton (ETN) to conviction buy from neutral.
  • AECOM Technology (ACM) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
  • Piper Jaffray upgraded Hologic (HOLX), Gen-Probe (GPRO) and Qiagen (QGEN) to overweight from neutral.
  • GeoMet (GMET) was upgraded to accumulate from neutral at Global Hunter.
  • Accretive Health (AH) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
  • Morgan Stanley upgraded Reinsurance Group (RGA) to overweight from equal weight.
  • BofA/Merrill upgraded Clearwire (CLWR) to neutral from underperform.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: BA, BBBY, CI, CLWR, DFS, DLTR, ETN, MET, MO, WSM ...

Analyst Calls: BA, BBBY, CI, CLWR, DFS, DLTR, ETN, MET, MO, WSM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ACMAHAltriaanalyst upgradesBABBBYBed Bath and BeyondBoeingCICignaClearwireCLWRCOLBDFSDLTRDollar TreedowngradesDQEatonETNGMETGNWGPROHOLXHSinitiationsinthenewsLOLorillardMETMetLifeMONDSNNNNQGENRGAUPLVALWellpointWGWilliams-SonomaWLPWSMFri, 12 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ...]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/15/earnings-highlights-bbi-ci-csco-dis-dish-erts-jcp-m-nvd/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/15/earnings-highlights-bbi-ci-csco-dis-dish-erts-jcp-m-nvd/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/15/earnings-highlights-bbi-ci-csco-dis-dish-erts-jcp-m-nvd/#commentsFiled under:

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

  • Blockbuster Inc. (BBI) Q1 net loss was in line with estimates and same-store sales declined, shares also fell.
  • CA Inc. (CA) shares sold off on high volume following the Q4 earnings miss and disappointing guidance.
  • Cigna Corp. (CI) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings and higher revenue, and reaffirmed its full-year outlook.
  • Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) beat Q3 earnings and revenue expectations in the "strongest quarter in our history."
  • Dean Foods Co. (DF) lower Q1earnings beat analysts' estimates, but shares fell on heavy volume afterward.
  • Denny's Corp. (DENN) bested consensus estimates and year-ago EPS by a penny, but said same-store sales fell.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ...

Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 May 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArbysBBIBlockbusterCACICignaCiscoCSCODean FoodsDennysDFDISDISH NetworkDOLEElectronic ArtsERTSFLRFluorGoldman SachsGSJCPJCPenneyJim StackJPMJPMorganKohlsKSSLegg MasonLMMacysNordstromNVDANvidiaPCLNPriceline.comTSNTysonURBNWalt DisneyWENWendysWFMIWhole FoodsSat, 15 May 2010 13:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna's Q1 Beats Street on Global Performance]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/11/cigna-s-q1-beats-street-on-global-performance/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/11/cigna-s-q1-beats-street-on-global-performance/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/05/11/cigna-s-q1-beats-street-on-global-performance/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cigna logoInsurer CIGNA Corporation (CI) posted solid first quarter earnings of $1.01 per share, excluding items, compared to the Thomson/Reuters First Call estimate of 90 cents. So far, investors are more than satisfied. Cigna's shares rose about 75 cents after the earnings release, and recently have recovered nearly all of the ground lost during the May 6 "flash crash." On Tuesday afternoon shares rose 87 cents to $33.52. Cigna earned 76 cents per share a year ago.

Cigna, which benefited from a strong international performance, also kept its 2010 earnings guidance the same, with the company seeing full-year EPS of $3.75 to $4.15, compared to the First Call estimate of $4.08. First Call also expects CI to earn $4.36 in 2011.

Continue reading Cigna's Q1 Beats Street on Global Performance

Cigna's Q1 Beats Street on Global Performance originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cignahealthcarehealthcare industryinsuranceinthenewsTue, 11 May 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Humana Dips on Q1 Report]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/04/26/humana-dips-on-q1-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/04/26/humana-dips-on-q1-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/04/26/humana-dips-on-q1-report/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Humana Inc. (HUM), whose colleagues include Aetna Inc. (AET) and CIGNA Corporation (CI), reported Q1 earnings earlier today. The health insurer isn't doing so well, unfortunately. In late trading, shares were down almost 3% to $43.73. Volume is above the norm, as you might expect.

I've covered many stocks that are near their 52-week highs, but this one doesn't fall into such a desirable category. Alas, the 52-week high on the shares stands at $52.66. And, as you can see from the following one-year chart, the stock began its pullback after it topped out in January. Since then, things haven't been too exciting.

Continue reading Humana Dips on Q1 Report

Humana Dips on Q1 Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AETaetnaCIcignaHUMhumanainsuranceinthenewsMon, 26 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Humana Earnings Preview: A Signal of Strength in the Sector?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/31/humana-earnings-preview-a-signal-of-strength-in-the-sector/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/31/humana-earnings-preview-a-signal-of-strength-in-the-sector/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/31/humana-earnings-preview-a-signal-of-strength-in-the-sector/#commentsFiled under: ,

Humana Inc. (HUM), who's shares (like other insurers') received a nice bump from the outcome of the special election in Massachusetts, is scheduled to discuss its fourth-quarter 2009 financial results and 2010 guidance in a conference call Monday, Feb. 1, at 9:00 AM (ET). A live webcast of the call will be available at the company's website.

During the three months that ended in December, Humana expanded its Medicare offerings and launched a share buyback program and a social media tool. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings for that period to have grown 27.7% year over year to $1.48 cents per share. Revenue for the quarter is expected to be 4.0% higher to $7.8 billion.

Continue reading Humana Earnings Preview: A Signal of Strength in the Sector?

Humana Earnings Preview: A Signal of Strength in the Sector? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CICIGNAearningshealth care debateHUMHumanaJim CramerSun, 31 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMLN, CI, CTXS, HSY, KRA, TSCO, TXN ...]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/26/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-amln-ci-ctxs-hs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/26/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-amln-ci-ctxs-hs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/26/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-amln-ci-ctxs-hs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Analyst Upgrades

  • Jefferies upgraded Citrix Systems (CTXS) to buy from hold and raised its target to $48 from $43, citing VMware's (VMW) strong Q4 report and survey results that indicate continued strength for Citrix.
  • Citigroup upgraded Amylin Pharmaceuticals (AMLN) to buy from hold on confidence the company's LAR drug will be approved following the approval of Novo Nordisk's (NVO) Victoza. Citi raised its target price for Amylin shares to $27 from $4.
  • Baird upgraded Texas Instruments (TXN) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $30 from $28. The firm believes it is too early to take profits in Texas Instruments and notes that checks continue to indicate a continued recovery in end-demand.
  • Lexmark (LXK) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
  • Salix (SLXP) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.
  • Plexus (PLXS) was lifted to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMLN, CI, CTXS, HSY, KRA, TSCO, TXN ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMLN, CI, CTXS, HSY, KRA, TSCO, TXN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AMLNanalyst upgradesAWKCICIECignaCTXSdowngradesGXDXHersheyHSYinitiationsinthenewsKRALSTZALXKNILENVOPLXSPXPSLXPTexas InstrumentsTNBTSCOTXNVMWWBDTue, 26 Jan 2010 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Can you cut your health care costs 90% and get a free vacation?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/02/can-you-cut-your-health-care-costs-90-and-get-a-free-vacation/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/02/can-you-cut-your-health-care-costs-90-and-get-a-free-vacation/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/02/can-you-cut-your-health-care-costs-90-and-get-a-free-vacation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

President Obama started an intense debate in recent months about national health care. People are concerned about how to pay for the high cost of health care in America and feel it is just too expensive. There has to be a better way!

I like oranges and I grew up in Wisconsin, but in January oranges do not grow very well in Wisconsin. I don't know why -- I am not a horticulturalist -- but maybe it's the lack of sunlight, hard frozen tundra, blowing snow or temperatures of 25 below zero. We could spend a long time pointlessly debating the actual reason.

Continue reading Can you cut your health care costs 90% and get a free vacation?

Can you cut your health care costs 90% and get a free vacation? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AETAetnaaffordable health careCICignaHealth Carehealth insuranceMedical vacationPCLNPricelineFri, 02 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna: A positive signal-filled chart]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/21/cigna-a-positive-signal-filled-chart/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/21/cigna-a-positive-signal-filled-chart/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/21/cigna-a-positive-signal-filled-chart/#commentsFiled under: ,

A late-May conclusion arguing that institutional investors had started to re-commit to Cigna Corp., due to its constructive, staircase chart, virtually no breaches of the 50-day moving average, and adequate earnings outlook, has so far proved to be on-the-mark.

Hence, I'm reiterating my Buy rating for Cigna Corp. (NYSE: CI), first recommended on May 28, 2009 at a price of $21.89. If you bought CI then, you're up about 45%.

Continue reading Cigna: A positive signal-filled chart

Cigna: A positive signal-filled chart originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cignahealthhealth insuranceHealthInsuranceMon, 21 Sep 2009 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna's shares may be sending a positive signal ]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/cignas-shares-may-be-sending-a-positive-signal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/cignas-shares-may-be-sending-a-positive-signal/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/cignas-shares-may-be-sending-a-positive-signal/#commentsFiled under: ,

Readers of this space know that the bias favors conservative-to-moderate risk companies with demonstrated business models. Moreover, the methodology emphasizes fundamentals, preferably supported by technical indicators.

But every once in a while, the technicals take precedence, particularly in an oversold stock in an out-of-favor sector where the 50-day moving average comes in to play. Cigna (NYSE: CI) is one such case study.

Continue reading Cigna's shares may be sending a positive signal

Cigna's shares may be sending a positive signal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CICignainthenewsThu, 28 May 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/21/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-tgt-swy-csiq-ho/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/21/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-tgt-swy-csiq-ho/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/21/analyst-upgrades-downgrades-and-initiations-tgt-swy-csiq-ho/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Analyst upgrades:
  • UBS upgraded Target (NYSE: TGT) to Buy from Neutral and raised its price target to $52 from $45 citing reduced inventories, some credit stability, and an improved back-to-school period.
  • Credit Suisse said concerns regarding Safeway's (NYSE: SWY) price position are overblown and that earnings risk is limited. The firm upgraded shares to Outperform from Neutral and raised the target price to $25 from $22.
  • Oppenheimer upgraded Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) to Outperform from Perform as it believes the story is underappreciated following the recent sector rally. The firm has a $14 price target on the stock.
  • CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) was upgraded to buy from Neutral at Goldman.
  • Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan.
  • Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at FTN Equity.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: TGT, SWY, CSIQ, HOTT, MPEL, RIO, CPB, CVD and HGG originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 May 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Campbell SoupCampbellSoupCanadian SolarCanadianSolarCICignaCMECME GroupCmeGroupCovanceCPBCSIQCVDFCXfreeport mcmoranFreeportMcmoranGILDGilead SciencesGileadSciencesHGGhhgreggHot TopicHOTTHotTopicMelcoMelco CrownMelcoCrownMPELMT BankMTBMtBankPerrigoPETMPetSmartPRGORIOSafewaySTPsuntechsuntech powerSuntechPowerSWYtargettarget corp.TargetCorp.TellabsTGTTLABValeThu, 21 May 2009 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The week in preview: High hopes for MasterCard, Avon, Aflac, Northrop Grumman]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/01/the-week-in-preview-high-hopes-for-mastercard-avon-aflac-nor/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/01/the-week-in-preview-high-hopes-for-mastercard-avon-aflac-nor/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/01/the-week-in-preview-high-hopes-for-mastercard-avon-aflac-nor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you've been watching earnings this past week, or if you read last week's Week in Preview, then this coming week may leave you feeling a bit like Bill Murray in Groundhog's Day. That is, again analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect earnings declines to be more frequent and deeper than earnings gains.

Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW), Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC), IAC Interactivecorp (NASDAQ: IACI), Moody's Corp. (NYSE: MCO), Elizabeth Arden Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEN), Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN), Diebold Inc. (NYSE: DBD), Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC), United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL), ITT Corp. (NYSE: ITT), and Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) are scheduled to report quarterly results this week, and they're all expected to report double-digit declines in earnings.

But again this week, let's take a look who Wall Street feels may have done well in the past quarter.

Continue reading The week in preview: High hopes for MasterCard, Avon, Aflac, Northrop Grumman

The week in preview: High hopes for MasterCard, Avon, Aflac, Northrop Grumman originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ADMAFLAflacAmerican ExpressAnadarkoAPCAvonAVPAXPBABallyBill MurrayBKCBoeingBPBurger KingBYICICignaCiscoCloroxCLXCMECSCODBDDevon EnergyDieboldDISDisneyDOWDow ChemicalDVNearningsELElizabeth ArdenEstee LauderfeaturedGDGeneral DynamicsGroundhog DayHartfordHIGHUMHumanaIACIACIITTKelloggKFTKraft FoodsMAMarathonMasterCardMATMattelMCOMerckMETMetLifeMoodysMOTMotorolaMRKMRONOCNorthrop GrummanPost CerealsPRUPrudentialRAHRalcorpRalph LaurenRDENRecessionRLSchering-PloughSGPSUNSunocoTime WarnerTUPTupperwareTWXTYCTycoUnited Parcel ServiceUPSVisaWestern UnionWUYUMSun, 01 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What to invest in now that Obama has taken office]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/20/what-to-invest-in-now-that-obama-has-taken-office/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/20/what-to-invest-in-now-that-obama-has-taken-office/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/20/what-to-invest-in-now-that-obama-has-taken-office/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At long last -- to this Democrat's view anyway -- Barack Obama is the president of the United States. Now, it's time to gaze into our crystal ball.

Obama has many things on his plate, including fixing the economy. Lots of people are trying to pick the winners and losers. Here are my guesses. Keep in mind that it may take several years for the impact of Obama's policies to be felt.

Defense: Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT), Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC) and Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) will benefit from the spending needed to replace worn-out military equipment from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Obama's push to improve health care technology. The defense contractors over the past few years have become huge government IT contractors and are experts at systems integration. Each have plunged by double-digits over the past year.

Healthy living: Call me an optimist but I expect the Obama administration to push healthier living and for greater control of health care. Hain Celestial Group Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN), the largest provider of organic food, seems a likely beneficiary. Also, it's hard to see how he is going to be able to digitize health care records without the involvement of health insurers such as Cigna Corp. (NYSE: CI). Hain is down 42% over the past 52 weeks, while Cigna has plunged more than 70%.

Continue reading What to invest in now that Obama has taken office

What to invest in now that Obama has taken office originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APOLCICignaFLRFluorHAINhain celestialHainCelestialjacobs engineeringJacobsEngineeringLMTLockheed MartinLockheedMartinNoCobamaRaytheonRTNWPOTue, 20 Jan 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna (CI) dragged lower by Coventry (CVH) warning]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/19/cigna-ci-dragged-lower-by-coventry-cvh-warning/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/19/cigna-ci-dragged-lower-by-coventry-cvh-warning/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/19/cigna-ci-dragged-lower-by-coventry-cvh-warning/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

CI logoCigna (NYSE: CI) shares are falling today after competitor Coventry Health Care (NYSE: CVH) lowered its fiscal 2008 earnings forecast to a range between $3.65 and $3.75 for the year, well below the $4.43 per share expected by analysts. Investors are really punishing CVH today and the stock is down 22% currently. Cigna is getting caught in the crossfire as investors worry that similar stocks may also disappoint come earnings time. If you think this stock won't be rising too far in the coming months, then it could be a good time to look at a bearish hedged play on CI.

After hitting a one-year high of $56.98 in January, the stock hit a one-year low of $36.75 in March. This morning, CI opened at $38.24. So far today the stock has hit a low of $36.28 and a high of $38.34. As of 12:15, CI is trading at $36.86, down 2.84 (-7.1%). The chart for CI looked neutral and improving until today's drop, while S&P gives the stock a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold rating.

For a bearish hedged play on this stock, I would consider an October bear-call credit spread above the $45 range. A bear-call credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of call options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn't do what you think but still leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we will make a 9.9% return in four months as long as CI is below $45 at October expiration. Cigna would have to rise by more than 19% before we would start to lose money.

CI hasn't been above $45 since February and has shown resistance around $42 recently. This trade could be risky if legislation that hurts health insurance companies fails to make it through the government, but even if that happens, this position could be protected by resistance CI might find at its 50-day moving average, which is currently around $42 and falling.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in CI, CVH, or AET.

Cigna (CI) dragged lower by Coventry (CVH) warning originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CICignaCoventryCVHforecastInvestors ObserverInvestorsObserveroptionsThu, 19 Jun 2008 14:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Stocks to avoid: Motley Fool says stay away from WaMu, Ambac, Pulte]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/stocks-to-avoid-motley-fool/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/stocks-to-avoid-motley-fool/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/stocks-to-avoid-motley-fool/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It has been a tough year for investors. We have been dealing with recession fears, housing market worries, high gasoline prices and a very weak U.S dollar. As much as we would love to say that the worst is behind us, we still could be in for some more rocky times ahead. So its best to try to figure out which stocks would be best to avoid for the time being.

Richard Gibbons wrote up a nice piece over on The Motley Fool that looks at some of the stocks that we would be wise to stay away from at this time. Regardless good or bad times, he is convinced there are always ways to make money, but in order to find the winners, it is also necessary to pull out the losers.

So how can we separate out the winners from the losers?

Gibbons seems to have a simple answer for this. He believes there is really no use in wasting our time trying to separate the winners from the losers as there are so many great cheap stocks that could offer us a chance to make money. Gibbons' advice is to not choose ugly and risky companies that could put our hard earned money at risk. To makes this clear, he uses a baseball analogy, expressing his options for the curve balls instead of the fastballs.

Continue reading Stocks to avoid: Motley Fool says stay away from WaMu, Ambac, Pulte

Stocks to avoid: Motley Fool says stay away from WaMu, Ambac, Pulte originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 May 2008 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abkAmbac Financial GroupAmbacFinancialGroupciCignacmeCME GroupCmeGroupcredit crisisCreditCrisisforecasthomebuildershumHumanainthenewsphmPulte HomesPulteHomesrecessionWashington MutualWashingtonMutualwmMon, 05 May 2008 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Earnings highlights: Countrywide, Visa, MasterCard, KBR, Office Depot and others]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/03/earnings-highlights-countrywide-visa-mastercard-kbr-office/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/03/earnings-highlights-countrywide-visa-mastercard-kbr-office/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/03/earnings-highlights-countrywide-visa-mastercard-kbr-office/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Countrywide, Visa, MasterCard, KBR, Office Depot and others

Earnings highlights: Countrywide, Visa, MasterCard, KBR, Office Depot and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 May 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ALGTAllegiant TravelAPAApacheAvonAVPCentexCFCCICignaCLColgateCountrywideCTXDBDeutsche Bankearningsearnings reportsfeaturedGardner DevnerGDIInternational PaperIPJacobs EngineeringJECJim CramerKBRMAMasterCardODPOffice DepotParker HannifinPGPHSavvisSVVSThomas WeiselTime WarnerTWPGTWXTYCTycoVisaWMGIWright MedicalSat, 03 May 2008 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Cigna (CI) Q1 profit plunges 80% on reinsurance losses]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/01/cigna-ci-q1-profit-plunges-80-on-reinsurance-losses/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/01/cigna-ci-q1-profit-plunges-80-on-reinsurance-losses/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/01/cigna-ci-q1-profit-plunges-80-on-reinsurance-losses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Health insurer Cigna Corp. (NYSE: CI) reported a plunge of 80% in first-quarter profit this morning. The results were dragged down by deep charges related to its reinsurance business and litigation. The company missed analysts' earnings targets, and also issued a warning for its full-year earnings, sending its shares down in premarket.

For the quarter, Cigna said that its profit dropped to $58 million, or 21 cents per share, compared with $289 million, or 98 cents, reported in the same period a year ago. Excluding one-time items, the insurer's earnings numbers would have come at 94 cents per share, one cent below the average estimate of analysts, according to Thomson Financial .

Looking at revenue, Cigna posted a rise of 4.5% in the quarter on a year-over-year basis. Analysts had been expecting to see revenue of $4.55 billion, while the actual number was slightly higher, at $4.57 billion. The company said that the number of clients who joined its health plans jumped 5.5% to 10.4 million.

Continue reading Cigna (CI) Q1 profit plunges 80% on reinsurance losses

Cigna (CI) Q1 profit plunges 80% on reinsurance losses originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 May 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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