Analyst Upgrades

• Philip Morris (PM) to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Peet's Coffee (PEET) to neutral from sell at Janney Capital.
• Cephalon (CEPH) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• StoneMor Partners (STON) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Tibco (TIBX) to buy from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Apollo Group (APOL) to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: APOL, CEPH, DELL, GCI, GOLD, KSS, LEN, PEET, PM ...

Analyst Calls: APOL, CEPH, DELL, GCI, GOLD, KSS, LEN, PEET, PM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gannett (GCI) is off following the release of its third-quarter numbers. With about one hour to go before the regular session ends, shares of the newspaper entity are down nearly 10% to $12.69. Volume is extremely strong.

At least the stock isn't in 52-week-low territory. It would have to be closer to $9.53 for that to be the case. Still, the 52-week high is $19.69, so it's a far distance from that level as well. And as for the one-year chart, you can see that the company has been on a downtrend since April.

Continue reading Gannett Down Big After Earnings Report

Gannett Down Big After Earnings Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings season kicked off last week with better-than-expected results from Alcoa (AA) and Yum! Brands (YUM), while Marriott (MAR) and Pepsico (PEP) met consensus EPS estimates. This week, bellwether companies Intel (INTC), General Electric (GE), Google (GOOG) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) are scheduled to report their third-quarter results, and analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings growth from all of them.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel announced the acquisition of McAfee and joint ventures with General Electric and Nokia (NOK) during its third quarter. Analysts forecast earnings for that period to come to 50 cents per share, which is up 34.0% from the same period of last year. The number one semiconductor maker's revenue for the three months ended in September is expected to total $11.0 billion, or 17.1% more than a year earlier. Looking ahead to the full year, the forecast thus far is for earnings of $1.94 per share (+44.8%) and $43.3 billion in revenue (+23.4%). The per-share earnings topped analysts' expectations in the past four quarters, by as much as a dime per share.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Earnings Expectations for Intel, GE, Google and JPMorgan

Week in Preview: Earnings Expectations for Intel, GE, Google and JPMorgan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The new earnings season kicks off when Alcoa Inc. (AA) releases its second-quarter results Monday. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters on average expect Alcoa to report that it swung to a profit from a year-ago net loss.

Intel Corp. (INTC) is likewise forecast to have swung into positive territory, while Google Inc. (GOOG) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) are expected to be among the week's biggest earnings gainers.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: A New Earnings Season Kicks Off (INTC, GOOG, JPM)

The Week in Preview: A New Earnings Season Kicks Off (INTC, GOOG, JPM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Newspapers Claim to be Classified Leaders

Newspapers Claim to be Classified Leaders originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Newspaper giant Gannett (GCI) owns a controlling influence in CareerBuilder.com. This online job-seeking portal is sure to see big revenue in the coming months as the employment picture brightens up and most human resource departments post their open positions.

A recent Wall Street Journal survey of 56 economists concluded that 1.4 million new jobs will be created in 2010. That means big things for CareerBuilder.com.

Continue reading Super Bowl Stock #2: Gannett (GCI)

Super Bowl Stock #2: Gannett (GCI) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There have been no problems selling big-ticket ads for this weekend's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV. And with good reason -- this has been one of the best years for football on television, with viewership up across the board. The recent NFC and AFC championship games were the NFL's largest combined audience for the two championship games since January 1982.

With all those eyeballs, the real winners could turn out to be the companies with the most aggressive (and the most memorable) advertising spots.

Continue reading Five First-String Super Bowl Stocks

Five First-String Super Bowl Stocks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The New York Times (NYT) reports today that newspapers dominate the news creation business.

This is an interesting twist -- instead of touting readers or paid circulation or ads or total revenue, it's talking about production. It's almost as if Ford (F) were to announce: "We make more cars than anyone else." Who the hell cares if they sell any, right? What's important is production, not sales! For the Times, and print media in general, it feels like yet another attempt to justify its existence and "prove" that it is more valuable than the more cost-effective and nimble online outlets.

Continue reading Most News Outlets Are Repetitive, New York Times Repeats

Most News Outlets Are Repetitive, New York Times Repeats originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite the media slump that's been running alongside the worldwide recession, CBS (CBS) isn't having any trouble moving ad space for the Super Bowl.

The event is still more than a month from now, but the network reports having only a few commercial slots left for the big game. In fact, 95% of its 62 slots have moved, even with two of the most committed Super Bowl advertisers -- Pepsi (PEP) and General Motors (GRM) -- bowing out of the action. The first half is already sold out completely.

Continue reading Super Bowl Ads: Only Three Left!

Super Bowl Ads: Only Three Left! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With close to 60 million users, Twitter is a force corporate marketing departments just can't ignore. The reach offered by this microblogging platform is profound, and skipping it means yielding digital turf to the competition.

Yet, as the country's major brands have flocked to Twitter, not all have mastered it. Some merely push headlines and deals, while others have used it as a way to open a dialogue with their customers, build relationships and ultimately grow their businesses. A study by The Big Money sought to determine the dozen companies that are mastering Twitter and why they are the masters.

Continue reading Tops on Twitter: 12 companies that are doing it right

Tops on Twitter: 12 companies that are doing it right originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've put three quarters behind us in 2009, and the most recent one was merely another miserable step downward for the beleaguered newspaper industry. Total ad revenue plummeted in the third quarter to $6.4 billion for the print jockeys, a decline of 28%. This info from the Newspaper Association of America drives home the notion that conditions will only worsen for the newspaper industry. So, if you're hoping those shares of New York Times Company (NYT), Gannett (GCI) and Washington Post Company (WPO), holding your breath will leave you little more than dizzy.

Of the total advertising revenue generated in the third quarter of 2009, $5.8 million came from print, the lowest quarterly amount this year. The $623 million in online advertising sold by America's newspapers was also 2009's worst. Both are down substantially from the same quarter in 2008, when the newspapers posted print ad revenue of $8.2 million and online ad revenue of $750 million, according to NAA data. At this time last year, we lamented year-over-year declines approaching 20%. Now, we have the same feelings as ad revenue drops approach 30%.

Continue reading Newspaper ad revenue of 28%, 8 quarters of double-digit drops

Newspaper ad revenue of 28%, 8 quarters of double-digit drops originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) published data for the third quarter earlier today. Can't say I was mightily impressed by the numbers. Sure, there was a profit increase, but the top line wasn't exciting, and the newspaper division, as you might have expected, experienced a sharp decline in sales.

Net revenues rose 2%. Earnings per share came in at $1.81. That was sharply higher than the $1.08 per share recorded in the comparable period. Yet, I think you have to be careful in terms of reading too much positive spin into the growth rate.

Continue reading The Washington Post Company increases income, but shares sell off

The Washington Post Company increases income, but shares sell off originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• AirTran Holdings Inc. (NYSE: AAI) reported its third consecutive quarterly profit and will increase capacity.
• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares soared after it reported very strong Q3 numbers.
• Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) reported stellar Q4 results, driven by the popularity of Macs and iPhones.
• BlackRock Inc. (NYSE: BLK) Q3 earnings soared, due in part to a tax benefit, and assets managed grew.
• Broadcom Corp. (NASDAQ: BRCM) revenue surged sequentially but note the would be flat going forward.
• Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) beat Q3 earnings expectations and shares rose though revenue slumped.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Amazon, Apple, Caterpillar, Hershey, McDonald's, UPS ...

Earnings highlights: Amazon, Apple, Caterpillar, Hershey, McDonald's, UPS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The folks in the news business are probably growing to hate Mondays. Gannett's (NYSE: GCI) profits are off by more than 50%, and the New York Times announced that it's chopping 100 jobs from the newsroom, along with an unspecified number elsewhere in the newspaper. Like Gannett, the New York Times cites declines in ad revenue as the reason for the decision. The company is hoping that employees will take voluntary buyouts where offered, but it is prepared to conduct a round of layoffs if necessary.

The newspaper, which is the flagship property of the New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), cut 100 newsroom positions last year, mostly through voluntary buyouts, before a "relatively small" round of layoffs. This year's 100-job cut is approximately 8% of the newsroom, but the paper will still have the largest in the United States. Approximately 1,150 reporters and editors will remain. Already, 100 jobs have been slashed on the business side, leaving it now staffed at 1,850.

Continue reading New York Times to cut 100 newsroom positions

New York Times to cut 100 newsroom positions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gannett (NYSE: GCI) lost more than half its third-quarter profits year-over-year, as the newspaper industry shows yet another sign of decline. A substantial drop in ad revenue was the primary reason for the plunge.

The newspaper giant was able to stay in the black because of aggressive cost cutting, a move that can work for only so long. For now, it's the most popular option available to the beleaguered industry, as evidenced by a New York Times (NYSE: NYT) announcement that it would slash another 100 positions from the newsroom, and more positions elsewhere.

Continue reading Gannett profit falls by more than half

Gannett profit falls by more than half originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

McNews is being squeezed by two market downturns. So, if you think most newspapers have it bad, realize that it could be much worse.

Gannett's (NYSE: GCI) major national paper, USA Today, is getting ready to report a 17% drop in circulation - the largest it has ever sustained. The popular daily is fighting a battle on two fronts. It has to deal with a media slump and a travel recession. It's hard to pick two tougher industries in this economic climate.

Continue reading USA Today sees circulation off 17%, blames travel

USA Today sees circulation off 17%, blames travel originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) lower Q4 earnings met analysts' expectations but the Q1 outlook was weak.
• Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) posted a Q1 net loss and said it will skip its dividend this quarter.
• Cephalon Inc. (NASDAQ: CEPH) earnings prospects for 2010 resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) Q1 earnings beat by a penny but revenue fell short of estimates.
• Gannett Inc. (NYSE: GCI) shares rose after it forecast Q3 earnings above Wall Street estimates.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ...

Earnings highlights: Nike, Walgreen, Jabil Circuit, Gannett, Darden ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In Internet Wealth Builder, he explains, "I have been involved in the newspaper industry for good portion of my career; so it has been with great dismay that I've watched the industry crumble over the last few years." For contrary investors, he looks to New York Times (NYSE: NYT) and Gannett (NYSE: GCI).

"The Internet in general has siphoned off millions of dollars of advertising that used to belong to the newspaper industry.

Continue reading Printing profits? A contrary look at newspapers

Printing profits? A contrary look at newspapers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gannett (NYSE: GCI - option chain) shares rose Tuesday after the company forecast third-quarter EPS between 39 and 42 cents. Analysts had been expecting EPS of 28 cents in the coming period. Other newspaper stocks like the New York Times (NYSE: NYT) also traded significantly higher after Gannett's forecast. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on GCI.

GCI opened Tuesday at $11.85. So far the stock has hit a low of $11.27 and a high of $11.96. As of 11:10, GCI is trading at $11.65 up 1.67 (16.7%). The chart for GCI looks neutral and S&P gives GCI a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

Continue reading Gannett (GCI) issues optimistic Q3 forecast

Gannett (GCI) issues optimistic Q3 forecast originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gannett (NYSE: GCI), publisher of USA Today and other newspapers, as well as owner of many informational websites such as CareerBuilder.com, made some news of its own yesterday on Wall Street. After reporting second-quarter results, the stock had a great day. How great was Gannett's day? Shares closed higher by nearly 29%. Let me repeat that: 29%! And volume . . . it was way, way above the norm.

What in the world triggered this response by investors and/or traders? Gannett beat expectations. On an adjusted basis, the company made 46 cents per share. Earnings.com indicates that this performance is 10 cents better than analyst expected.

Continue reading Be careful about trading Gannett after its Q2 report

Be careful about trading Gannett after its Q2 report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.