Minyanville Professor Sean Udall dares to share the kind of keen insight and actionable information you won't find in any prospectus. For more original thought, visit www.minyanville.com.

While Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM) is starting to get compellingly cheap on a valuation basis. It's also supposed to be one of those names that beats numbers like clockwork. AKAM's forward numbers are still sporting plenty of growth, but they have been lowered. Now many analysts will also lower numbers.

Unfortunately, we're not in a market that is looking forward. It's discounting companies that "could" have a re-acceleration of growth when the economy materially picks up steam again, or when the world realizes that we're not in recession/depression. The market we're in still overly punishes stocks that "feel" like they might have the bad news mostly (or fully) priced in. AKAM around $30 was feeling like a miss that was priced in. However, after hours the stock traded down a quick $5-6 and from this current level the near term direction will likely be determined by how much love is still left in the analyst community. If the analysts defend the name we could see a quick snapback.

A blog post I recently read, written by Amy B. Scher , reminded me about one of the best practices that a person can use to protect and gain the greatest value from their own money. Negotiating the bottom line on your purchases is not old school and it's certainly not "dirty pool". Seeking to negotiate downward adjustments to your purchase prices shows that you have respect for the work that you have done to earn your income and it also shows that you understand capitalism in motion. The following list is only a partial exposure of the ways you can negotiate lower costs for yourself. With some considered imagination you can easily put the negotiation concept to work for yourself in a multitude of buying situations and as you do, the practice will become quite natural and very rewarding.

Eric Savitz of Barron's gave a well-needed reminder of how cheap Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is over the weekend. The leading cable company, whose stock is down 16% for the year, now sells for a valuation almost equal to that of its slower growing Baby Bell competitors.

It is also interesting, in this period of bankers attempting to market debt and equity for private equity transactions that cannot even cover their interest expense, that Comcast covers its interest expense some five-fold, with it jumping to 6.8x next year.

Comcast's stock has gotten hit on concerns of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) beginning to get some traction on its video deployment, which has slowed down growth of the cable giant. However, Comcast is getting five customers for each one the Baby Bell competitors are getting from the cable company.

Merrill Lynch has a twelve month price target of $38 per share, up from $23 today. Not a bad return for a high quality company that is a cash flow machine.

Mark Ketchum, the CEO and President of Newell Rubbermaid Inc (NYSE: NWL), bought 20,000 shares of his company's stock late last month, according to a SEC filing. Newell, which has been showing signs of beginning a sustainable turnaround, got hit hard in the recent stock market correction, with shares dropping from $30 to around $25, a 17% decline.

Investors are concerned that recent revenue growth is unsustainable and will weaken as the economy slows. However, in a report released this morning by Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), management believes the growth initiatives that have been put in place are taking hold and 3% to 5% revenue growth is doable despite the slowing macro environment. However, B of A is somewhat skeptical and maintained its Neutral rating and $28 price target.

Merrill Lynch & Co. (NYSE: MER), in a report released yesterday, wrote that investors should jump on board Newell's stock, as the correction has been overdone. Newell should earn $1.78 this year, jumping to $2.00 next year, implying price-to-earnings ratios of 14x and 12.7x for 2007 and 2008, respectively. This is cheap for a company owning such well-known franchise names as Rubbermaid, Sharpie, plus a whole host of others. Merrill has a $34 price target on Newell Rubbermaid.

AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), the international power generator operator, reported results that did not surprise to the upside. The stock was down close to 2% in yesterday's trading and is down 13% for the month. Use this price weakness to get into this stock.

Free cash flow was $377M versus $309M prior to capital expenditure for new projects, up 22%. Revenue grew 11% which included 2% for positive currency impacts, or 9% adjusted revenue growth. The forecast free cash flow yield pre-growth cap-ex is currently 10% and is expected to rise to 15% in 2009 and 18% in 2011. This is the highest level in the Power group, according to Lehman Brothers.

In yesterday's conference call, most investors questions focused on its Latin American business, which appeared not to please investors. However, the global aspect of its business and the need for power generation in many of the world's emerging markets makes this a high quality stock to own.

I'd consider using June's price weakness to buy this stock.

The market declines continue and I think the worst is yet to come. Opportunity is pounding at your door and some prudent money shuffling might reward you with some real value buys out there. I've done some stock tip searching to find companies that are being pointed out at as considerably undervalued. I'm providing you the names and links, but you need to do the homework. As always, be certain of the tax ramifications before you move that money around.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has been identified by more than one analyst as being undervalued. Similar to General Electric (NYSE: GE), it's a matter of perceived value more than a balance sheet issue.

Zac Bissonnette wrote today about the value condition of Adams Golf Inc. (OTCBB: ADGO). You'll probably want to check that one out.

In the energy sector, Harvest Natural Resources (NYSE: HNR) is being pointed at as undervalued. Activity is picking up slightly on that name today. It might be a nice time to jump in. Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) is also being mentioned as currently undervalued, although I can't imagine why.

NextPhase Wireless (OTCBB: NXPW) has really caught my attention. At just $0.10 a share it looks to me like a stupendous bargain -- or at least a real cheap entry point for those of you looking to establish a tech footprint for yourselves. Although running a bit under the radar from mainstream, this company has been anything but quiet within the wireless tech news circles. I agreed with you late last year that consumer trends were continuing to bring wireless technologies into screaming full-steam-ahead status. NextPhase is one of the companies making full use of this relentless trend.

NextPhase presents itself as a "next generation" connectivity company, which becomes obvious as you read about it -- NextPhase truly is on the cutting edge in its field. NextPhase is in the business of building its own wireless networks and is very close to an infrastructural breakout nationwide. The company announced yesterday that it is right on target for completion of plans to migrate to licensed spectrum for network back-haul by the end of Q3 2007. Simply put, the company is growing rapidly to meet solid customer demands.

Tom Hemingway, Chairman and COO of NextPhase, indicates that small- to medium-sized companies find significant benefits by subscribing to its newest IT services because customers now have access to security, disaster recovery and network performance solutions of a quality that would not be cost effectively available to them otherwise. These new "managed IT" services are a value-added adjunct to NextPhase's already well-established broadband services. The company has been rapidly expanding its nationwide footprint with moves into Arizona, Oregon and California. I also found mention of an intended purchase by the company into New Jersey, but I have not yet been able to confirm that. Next Phase appears to me to be an aggressive, focused and driven company. If any of our readers can provide some hardcore financial research on the company, please do share!

Gary E. Sattler holds no financial interest in NextPhase Wireless.

A new piece from BusinessWeek showcases Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) victory over nearly all of its competitors in the TV pricing war. Wal-Mart's decision to offer a 42-inch flat panel television for the unheard-of price of $988 wreaked havoc for stores like Circuit City, Tweeter, Best Buy, and Rex Stores.

This is a great example of why all the negative press that Wal-Mart receives probably won't effect it nearly as much as its critics would like. People might complain about the company's employment practices, complain when a local mom and pop goes under, or subscribe to anti-Wal Mart newsletters. But who is going to pay $500 more for a television as a matter of principle? For all the criticism of Wal-Mart's customer service, it isn't bad enough to go next door to pay more.

The triumph of Wal-Mart is the triumph of price. Given a choice between quality and service and price, most people will choose price on items like televisions. However, I think Wal-Mart will encounter greater resistance in its foray into areas like organic foods. That demographic is likely to be less easily swayed by the promise of a better deal.

Guest blogger and avid investor Bob Sirmans offers this perspective on recent market events:

Conventional wisdom used to support the notion that market downturns were buying opportunities and investors should use them to add to or open new positions. It seems to me that the tech wreck of the early 2000s has changed how people invest and their views on markets. Now it's not quite so clear that a downturn is necessarily a good time to buy.

However, in spite of the fears that people have, I can't imagine not using dips/corrections as a good time to buy. I used the market spiral yesterday to open a new position in a stock I've been looking to buy to give me more exposure to American companies that generate a least 1/2 of their revenue (on a percentage basis) from outside the US. Yesterday I bought some Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) on the market slide.

The way I see it, the US and China economies are both showing signs of slowing. While I think this will rattle the markets, putting money in the bank isn't what I want to do.

Am I more likely to take profits now? Absolutely. But I still need to keep my money working.

Does anyone else still view market downturns as a buying opportunity?