Continue reading Continental Rises As Crude Futures Drop

Continental Rises As Crude Futures Drop originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Continental Airlines January Traffic Increases

Continental Airlines January Traffic Increases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Continental Airlines Traffic Grows

Continental Airlines Traffic Grows originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

No profit no bonus -- hell, make that no salary. The new CEO of Continental Airlines (CAL), Jeffery Smisek, says he won't take any salary or annual bonus until he brings the airline to profitability.

Smisek took the top job at Continental after the previous CEO, Lawrence Kellner, left the gig to go to a private equity firm. Last year, the firm lost $367 million in the first three quarters. A Thomson Reuters survey of analysts expects a fourth quarter loss of at least $38 million, though they're looking for a profit of at least $190 million for this year. So, Wall Street has already set Smisek's goal for him.

Continue reading Continental CEO Not Taking a Dime Until Profit Comes

Continental CEO Not Taking a Dime Until Profit Comes originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) just got the relief it needs to compete. Despite resistance from the Department of Justice (which can only recommend), the Department of Transportation has granted the airline immunity from antitrust laws. This clears the way for Continental to work with United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAUA) -- and other carriers -- on international routes. Now, the airline can join Star Alliance, which already has antitrust immunity.

At the same time, DOT approved a joint venture among Continental, United, Lufthansa (OTC: DLAKY) and Air Canada. This new relationship would involve trans-Atlantic routes.

Continue reading DOT overrides Justice, Continental Airlines wins antitrust relief

DOT overrides Justice, Continental Airlines wins antitrust relief originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Citigroup upgraded Adtran (NASDAQ: ADTN) to Buy from Hold on expectations the company will benefit from the broadband Stimulus funds.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) to Overweight from Equal Weight based on relative valuation and views the company as a "survivor." Additionally, the analyst lowered 2009 industry estimates but believes it is the last cut for the year and is incrementally more positive on the sector.
• Morgan Stanley also upgraded EXFO Electro-Optical (NASDAQ: EXFO) to Overweight from Market Weight based on valuation.
• Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Ascent Solar (NASDAQ: ASTI) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
• Mechel Steel (NYSE: MTL) was upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADTN, CAL, EXFO, JCI, LUV, VAR, CSCO, KMT, EZCH

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ADTN, CAL, EXFO, JCI, LUV, VAR, CSCO, KMT, EZCH originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Continental Airlines posts a first-quarter loss, but tops expectations

Continental Airlines posts a first-quarter loss, but tops expectations originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DailyFinance today: the death of print media, toxic assets, and Dubai falling originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental (CAL) says checked baggage fee to raise $100M originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BloggingStockCast: Continental makes cuts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental (NYSE: CAL) announced it plans to reduce its work force by 3,000 jobs and its Q4 domestic departures would be 16% lower than a year earlier.

CAL closed at $14.50 Wednesday. WTI Crude oil is recently up 0.20% to $122.54 according to Bloomberg.

CAL July option implied volatility of 97 is above its 26-week average of 80 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risks.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Option Update: Continental volatility up into capacity, fleet, staffing reductions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Merger talks between UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines and US Airways Group Inc (NYSE: LCC) have been put off for now, the Wall Street Journal reported. United is reportedly close to an alliance with Continental Airlines Inc (NYSE: CAL).
• Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) is for sale and the company has begun to hear from interested parties, the Wall Street Journal also reported. Harris is looking for $75 to $80 per share. Speculation about the bidders includes General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC).

• The Charleston Gazette reported that Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) has decided not to build its Eastern Division headquarters in Charleston, West Virginia in the wake of a West Virginia Supreme Court ruling on May 22.

• AppleInsider reported that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expected to announce a back-to-school deal soon that will encourage students to buy new Macs by offering some of the largest incentives in the history of the company.

Newspaper wrap-up: United Airlines puts US Airways on hold, talks to Continental originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal reported that KKR Financial Holdings LLC (NYSE: KFN), a unit of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, revived concerns of a credit crunch after it asked for a restructuring of billions of dollars in short-term debt.

• According to sources, the Chicago Tribune reported that Deutsche Lufthansa AG (OTC: DLAKY) could look to take an equity stake in a merger between Continental Airlines Inc (NYSE: CAL) and UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines.
• The Associated Press reported that the pilots' unions of Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) and Northwest Airlines Corporation (NYSE: NWA) are unable to agree on how seniority for the companies' pilots would work under a combined carrier. The impasse puts the deal in "serious jeopardy," inside sources reported.

• Electronics retailer Sharper Image Corporation (NASDAQ: SHRP) has filed for bankruptcy, citing declining sales and profitability, Bloomberg reported.

Newspaper wrap-up: Lufthansa could take stake in Continental, United combination originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental (NYSE: CAL) closed at $28.70 Thursday.

CAL and United Airlines (NYSE: UAUA) are in advanced negotiations and could complete a combination quickly if Delta (NYSE: DAL) and Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) strike a deal, says Dow Jones.

WTI Crude oil is recently up .12% to $95.57 according to Bloomberg.

CAL March option implied volatility of 71 is above its 26-week average of 58 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Option update: Continental volatility at 71 on renewed reports of deal talk with UAUA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Within two weeks a merger between Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE: DAL) and Northwest Airlines Corporation (NYSE: NWA) is expected to be announced. Not far behind may be one between UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines and Continental Airlines Inc (NYSE: CAL), the Wall Street Journal reported.

• Bloomberg reported that Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK.A) Chairman Warren Buffett forecast that the dollar's value is likely to decline if policies remain unchanged and said he believes a credit crunch is not under way.
• Tech Crunch reported that either Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) or News Corp's (NYSE: NWS.A) MySpace is likely to announces a social space acquisition in the near-future. According to industry sources, the acquisition could be in the $1B-$1.5B range and may involve Bebo.

Newspaper wrap-up: Airline mergers may soon fly originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental Airlines, Inc. (NYSE:CAL), like many of its competitors, has suffered through another year of stock declines. Hit by surging fuel costs and a slowing economy, the carrier's stock has declined by almost 50% since the beginning of the year. The airline has done a good job of diversifying revenue sources. More than 40% of revenue is coming from International routes. These routes have become the bread and butter for most carriers as they are typically full of business travelers. Many of my friends fly Continental to Tel-Aviv, Israel, and they also say that it's just packed with businessmen. With a growing global economy this should be a catalyst for Continental. If, and it's a big if, fuel costs decline, this will help drastically improve margins and the stock price will react in kind.

If you are looking at a way to play the global economic growth game, take a look at Continental.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. Disclosure: Writer has no position in any stock mentioned as of 12/19/07.

Continental Airlines ready to take off originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Continental Airlines (CAL) slides on rebounding oil

Continental Airlines (CAL) slides on rebounding oil originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Wachovia downgraded shares of Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) to Market Perform from Outperform, as they expect the deterioration in the credit markets to lead to fewer closed deals over the next year.
  
• Oppenheimer transitioned coverage of Digital River (NASDAQ: DRIV) and downgraded shares to Neutral from Buy. The broker finds shares fairly valued given the pricing pressure and customer concentration.
  
• Jefferies downgraded shares of Dynamic Materials Corporation (NASDAQ: BOOM) to Hold from Buy on valuation as they believe shares are already pricing in the company's near-term earnings potential.
  
• Allot Communications (NASDAQ: ALLT) was downgraded to Sector Performer from Outperformer at CIBC World Markets after the company pre-announced weaker-than-expected Q3 results.
  
• Oxford Industries (NYSE: OXM) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Morgan Joseph and to Neutral from Buy at SunTrust following the disappointing Q1 report and guidance.

• Piper Jaffray downgraded Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) to Market Perform from Outperform.
  
• Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA) was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
  
• JP Morgan removed Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) from its Focus List.
  
• NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Calyon.

Analyst downgrades: JLL, DRIV, BOOM, ALLT and OXM originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After hitting a one-year high of $52.40 in January, the stock dipped to a one-year low of $26.21 in August. CAL opened this morning at $35.30. So far today the stock has hit a low of $35.25 and a high of $36.98. As of 10:50, CAL is trading at $36.30, up $0.85 (2.4%). The chart for CAL looks neutral and deteriorating, while S&P gives the stock a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold rating.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a December bull-put credit spread below the $25 range. A bull-put credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of put 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 5.3% return in just 11 weeks as long as CAL is above $25 at December expiration. Continental would have to fall by more than 15% before we would start to lose money. Learn more about this type of trade here.

Continue reading Continental Airlines (CAL) higher as crude slides

Continental Airlines (CAL) higher as crude slides originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a September bull-put credit spread below the $22.50 range. A bull-put credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of put options to hedge risk and leverage returns. For this particular trade, we will make an 11.1% return in just 5 weeks as long as CAL is above $22.50 at September expiration. CAL would have to fall by more than 18% before we would start to lose money.

CAL hasn't been below $22.50 at all in the past year and has shown support around $26.50 recently. This trade could be risky if oil prices rise again to crazy levels, but even if that happens, CAL may find historical support just below $25.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. DISCLOSURE: At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in CAL.

Continental Airlines (CAL) lifted by analyst, falling crude originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.