JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is one the leading financial services company in the world and competes with Bank of America (BAC), Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Citigroup (C) and Deutsche Bank (DB). The company has provided $20 billion bridge loan to AT&T (T) in order to help it in its planned purchase of Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile USA unit. It is the largest unsecured loan that a bank has ever made to a client.

We have a price estimate of $48.87 on JPMorgan's stock, which is about 7% above the current market price.

Continue reading JPMorgan Makes a Big Bet with $20 Billion Loan to AT&T

JPMorgan Makes a Big Bet with $20 Billion Loan to AT&T originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The shares of dependable AT&T (T), which I first wrote about here on February 11, 2009, at a price of $25.89, have meandered near $28 for the past six months, save one probe of the $30 level. But the business model is still preferred at this juncture. Here's why.

AT&T's proposed acquisition of 34-million-subscriber T-Mobile USA for $34 billion will face intense regulatory scrutiny, and I think there's a better than 50% chance the deal will be negated on market concentration grounds.

Continue reading AT&T Is Still Ringing True

AT&T Is Still Ringing True originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T (T) recently announced its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile in a cash and stock offer valued at roughly $39 billion. This is a significant announcement given the size of the two companies and since there was speculation that Sprint (S) might look to acquire T-Mobile. Sprint's shares were down 14% on this news. AT&T's move pits it firmly against Verizon (VZ) as both operators continue to build out their 4G networks.

Our price estimate for AT&T's stock stands at $35.80 which is around 40% ahead of the market price.

Continue reading The Race for 4G: AT&T Buys T-Mobile

The Race for 4G: AT&T Buys T-Mobile originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Stock Futures Higher on AT&T-T Mobile Deal

Stock Futures Higher on AT&T-T Mobile Deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I first discussed Sprint Nextel (S) here on December 6, 2010, at a price of $4.17, and shares did push above $4.70 this winter before retreating on the market's recent pullback. I still like the shares at this stage, though.

However, keep in mind that Sprint is a high-risk stock, not suitable for low-risk or moderate-risk investors. Don't consider Sprint if you can't tolerate a more than 50% to 70% loss or seeing your entire investment wiped out -- it could happen.

Continue reading Sprint Nextel: Incremental Progress

Sprint Nextel: Incremental Progress originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Old reliable AT&T (T), first written about here on February 11, 2009, at a price of $25.89, has meandered near $28 in the past three months, after probing the $30 level, but that doesn't change the view from here that argues it pays to own to some shares of T.

And the reason is obvious enough: AT&T remains well-positioned to be a force in the Internet/communications revolution in the years ahead. Look for AT&T's revenue to grow about 1% to 3% in 2011, led by an impressive increase in cell phone customers (which numbered about 93 million as of June 2010) and wireless data service customers.

Continue reading AT&T Shares Headed to $35 and Beyond?

AT&T Shares Headed to $35 and Beyond? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Dominion (D) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Corinthian Colleges (COCO) to outperform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• Canadian National (CNI) to sector outperformer from sector performer at CIBC.
• DragonWave (DRWI) to buy from hold at Jefferies.
• Infosys (INFY) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• SL Green Realty (SLG), Lexington Realty (LXP) and Taubman Centers (TCO) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Sunstone Hotel (SHO) to buy from neutral and Extra Space Storage (EXR) to buy from hold at KeyBanc.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AEP, CCL, CNI, D, FDX, HAS, INFY, MAT, RCL, S, T, UPS, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: AEP, CCL, CNI, D, FDX, HAS, INFY, MAT, RCL, S, T, UPS, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Verizon (VZ), FEMSA (FMX), Vornado (VNO), Duke Realty (DRE) and AvalonBay (AVB) to buy from neutral, as well as Carnival (CCL) to conviction buy from buy, at Goldman.
• Symantec (SYMC) to buy from hold at Citigroup.
• Copano Energy (CPNO), DCP Midstream (DPM) and Inergy (NRGY) to overweight from equal weight at Morgan Stanley.
• SYNNEX (SNX) to strong buy from buy at Needham.
• Eli Lilly (LLY) to hold from sell at Hapoalim.
• World Wrestling (WWE) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ...

Analyst Calls: AKS, CCL, EOG, GE, GS, LLY, SNDK, T, TLB, TUP, VZ, WWE ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The battle among iPhone carriers is fierce. Apple's (AAPL) iPhone is the prized device. AT&T (T), Verizon's (VZ) rival, has had the an exclusive hold on the iPhone. Verizon has been trying to play catch up. Now that Verizon will have the iPhone, the playing field will change dramatically. Verizon, with about 93 million subscribers, could grab an estimated 10 million new subscribers with the iPhone, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The move is also a big boost for Apple. Apple has been feeling the pressure from Google (GOOG), with its Android system. Android phones passed the iPhone in sales in the second quarter. This move to Verizon will open up a new expanded base for Apple.

Continue reading Verizon Finally Gets the iPhone

Verizon Finally Gets the iPhone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is one in a series in which more than 60 newsletter advisors share their Top Stock Picks for 2011. This special report is courtesy of TheStockAdvisors.com.

"The good folks at AT&T (T) have seemingly accomplished what all the kings horse's and all the king's men could not; they have put Humpty Dumpty back together again," says dividend specialist Michael Minney.

The editor Investment Quality Trends explains, "While not a mirror image of the 'old' Ma Bell, the latest incarnation of AT&T is arguably much better.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: AT&T (T)

Top Picks 2011: AT&T (T) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for a shopping list of new stock ideas for 2011?

Each year for 28 years, TheStockAdvisors.com has turned to the nation's most respected and well-known newsletter advisors and asked them for their favorite investment ideas for the coming 12 months.

With 65 advisors participating in this year's survey, there's something for every type of investor, from high-quality blue chips to speculative home runs.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors

Top Picks 2011: Favorite Stocks from 60+ Advisors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The stock of AT&T (T), first written about here on February 11, 2009, at a price of $25.89, recently pushed $30, after meandered near $26 for the better part of a year, and I obviously still like the shares here.

AT&T remains well-positioned to remain a force in the Internet/communications revolution in the years ahead. Look for AT&T's revenue to grow about 2% to 4% in 2011, led by an impressive increase in cell phone customers (which numbered about 93 million as of June 2010) and wireless data service customers. In 2010, revenue should rise 1% to 3%.

Continue reading AT&T: Old Reliable

AT&T: Old Reliable originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As Apple (AAPL) continues to rack up huge profits, so are its attorneys. Hey, with a slowing economy, a smart idea is to sue growing companies, right?

Well, one of the many suits involves Apple's exclusive relationship with AT&T (T) to provide the phone and broadband services for the iPhone. Basically, the contention is that the alliance was meant to keep higher prices with minimum two-year subscription agreements as well as restrictions on technology development for a five-year period. Oh, there are also claims that Apple has a monopoly on the app store and has made it incredibly difficult to move to another mobile phone provider.

Continue reading Apple-AT&T Monopoly Suit Goes Class Action

Apple-AT&T Monopoly Suit Goes Class Action originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TiVo (TIVO), an expert in digital-video recording, closed Tuesday's regular session at $9.15. It was up over 1%. Sure, that sounds swell when juxtaposed with Tuesday's market action. It does nothing, however, to make me like the stock.

The 52-week low for the shares is $6.41. The 52-week high is $18.93. The one-year chart is ... not appealing. You've got a big spike in buying interest near the right side, preceded by sideways action. Then, a nasty plunge. How can you possibly comprehend this technical situation? It's difficult at best, and I'm not going to pretend I know where the stock is heading.

Continue reading TiVo Records Another Loss in Q1

TiVo Records Another Loss in Q1 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 May 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A slight change of stance and high expectations for wireless devices other than phones might describe the current business direction for AT&T Inc. (T). Although still the very picture of stability, AT&T gave investors a moment of pause recently when it disclosed that it had garnered its fewest number of new Q1 customer contracts since 2004. Market saturation is being blamed as the most likely culprit in this decline, and the iPhone is no longer acting as much of a buffer.

There is no need to worry though, indications are that AT&T has seen this development coming, and the company is making adjustments to maintain cash flow, even though that revenue might not be coming from the company's most traditional sources. An AP article reveals that AT&T has high expectations of success for wireless devices other than phones, and that the company is lining itself up with some of the manufacturers of these new gadgets.

Continue reading AT&T: Where Do You Go from Here?

AT&T: Where Do You Go from Here? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

All common stocks, income trusts, master limited partnerships, REITS and other pass-through entities have what is called a payout ratio. It's a number that essentially says how much of the dividend is paid out from each dollar of net income.

A company like AT&T (T) has a payout ratio of 77%, meaning that the company retains 23 cents of every dollar after dividends are paid out to put back into the business. This is a decent ratio, but something around 50% to 60% is more ideal.

Continue reading High-Yield Sin #5: Owning Securities with High Payout Ratios

High-Yield Sin #5: Owning Securities with High Payout Ratios originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Apple (APPL) launched the iPhone three years ago, the big attraction was the sleek design and cool graphics. However, there was something else that was truly innovative: the app store. Basically, Apple allowed third-party developers to create applications for the iPhone, which certainly benefited customers. It has turned into a cash machine, as Apple gets a cut of all the downloads.

Wanting to capitalize on this -- as well as try to slow down Apple -- a group of mobile companies have formed an alliance, called the Wholesale Applications Community. The members include 24 companies, such as AT&T (T), China Mobile (CHL), Verizon (VZ), NTT DoCoMo, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone (VOD).

Continue reading Mobile Biggies Fend Off Apple's App Store

Mobile Biggies Fend Off Apple's App Store originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Another quarter has come and gone for telecommunications expert Verizon (VZ). And with it, another opportunity for management to flaunt its cash-generation abilities. Earnings may be down, but I've said it before and I'll say it again here: When Wall Street thinks Verizon, it thinks attractive dividend yield.

On an adjusted basis, the company made 54 cents per share in the fourth quarter. This was seven cents less than last year's income figure. Unfortunately, it was also a penny below expectations, according to our earnings preview.

Continue reading Verizon's Q4 Profit Declines, but Cash Generation Is Still Okay

Verizon's Q4 Profit Declines, but Cash Generation Is Still Okay originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple (AAPL) just smashed quarterly expectations as iPhone sales doubled and the company generated its highest revenue quarter.

Yes, it could get way, way better. Tim Moran with Oppenheimer & Co. believes that the iPhone will reach all major U.S. wireless carriers in 2010. It's as if Apple hasn't sold enough iPhones already. That number could be punched up in a huge way if Moran is correct.

Continue reading Apple May Sell The IPhone Through All U.S. Wireless Carriers

Apple May Sell The IPhone Through All U.S. Wireless Carriers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, it isn't bad enough that Tiger Woods ruined his marriage and soiled his squeaky-clean reputation. Apparently he cost his corporate sponsors $12 billion in stock value as well. According to a study conducted by UC Davis economics professors Victor Stango and Christopher Knittel, Tiger lost his sponsors a "collective $5 to $12 billion." This loss outpaces "several decades' worth of Tiger Woods' personal endorsement income."

The study examined the stock market returns during the 13 trading days after Tiger's car crash, a period concluding a week after Tiger's announcement of an indefinite leave of absent. The two economics professors then compared the returns for Tiger's sponsors during this 13-day period to those of the total stock market and each of the companies' closest competitor. Returns for the four years prior to the car accident were also taken into account in order to establish the stocks' historic performance.

Continue reading Study: Tiger Woods Scandal Cost His Sponsors up to $12 Billion

Study: Tiger Woods Scandal Cost His Sponsors up to $12 Billion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.