Continue reading For Democrats, the Only Good News Is It's January, Not November

For Democrats, the Only Good News Is It's January, Not November originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, said he would follow the U.K. and impose a one-off tax on bonus payouts by banks operating in France.

The tax would be levied on bonus payouts above 27,000 euros. Paris's move is in line with Britain's tax on payouts above 25,000 pounds.

Both leaders issued a statement saying: "It is clear that the action must be taken at a global level. No territory can be expected to or be able to act on their own."

Continue reading France follows the U.K. to impose tax on bank bonuses

France follows the U.K. to impose tax on bank bonuses originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about Big Brown below in the comments.

The simplicity of a brand name or symbol confers status on a company. Decades ago, the symbol might literally have been a stock symbol: the oldest companies got one letter ticker symbols from the New York Stock Exchange. United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) now gets that status by taking an entire color: brown. (Granted, it's not a primary color like IBM's Big Blue, but it still shows the company's clout.)

The company first started using its trademark brown trucks in the 1920s when it delivered appliances and other goods for department stores, says Mike Brewster, author of Driving Change: The UPS Approach to Business. Pullman brown was a good choice because "their department store clients wanted the company to be more under-stated, because the stores didn't want the fact that they no longer had their own trucks highlighted." That, and the dark trucks were easier to keep looking clean.

Brown is much more than a truck color now. It's the uniform. It's the logo. It's what the company calls itself in commercials. UPS employees bragging about their loyalty will say they "bleed brown." This year the company sponsored a horse named Big Brown, which won two-thirds of the Triple Crown.

But, hard as it is to believe now, UPS almost gave up its trademark color. "The company almost changed the color in the '90s during one of several re-brandings, but decided to stick with brown, much to the disappointment of many in the company," says Brewster. "But the 'What can Brown do for You?' campaign has given the color new life at the company."

Company nicknames: UPS: Big Brown, much more than a truck color originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• CIBC considers shares of Burger King Holdings (NYSE: BKC) to still be attractive and has above-consensus estimates, starting shares with an Sector Outperformer rating. The firm believes increased operating hours and breakfast value meals will drive results, while cost savings should help margins.

• JMP Securities believes there is plenty of room for growth at Supertel Hospitality (NASDAQ: SPPR) via acquisitions, leading to strong FFO upside, initiating shares with an Outperform rating and $8 target.

• ThinkEquity sees additional upside for Tarceva and started OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP) with a Buy rating and $50 target.

• AG Edwards believes Brown-Forman (NYSE: BF.B) is well-positioned to benefit from new trends in spirits and wine, starting shares with a Buy rating and $74 target.

• RBC Capital is positive on NGAS Resources' (NASDAQ: NGAS) growth potential and high quality assets, starting shares with an Outperform rating and $11 target...

• CIT Group (NYSE: CIT) was started with a Market Perform rating at Keefe Bruyette.

• Oppenheimer started shares of Watsco, Inc (NYSE: WSO) with a Buy rating.

• ThinkEquity started Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc (NASDAQ: COLY) with an Accumulate rating and $10 target.

• Goldman initiated shares of Northwest Airlines Corp (OTC: NWACQ) with a Neutral rating and $26 target.

• Duetsche Bank initiated PPL Corp (NYSE: PPL) with a Buy rating and $51 target.

• Citigroup initiated Comverge, Inc (NASDAQ: COMV) with a Hold rating and $26 target.

Analyst initiations 5-24-07: BKC, NGAS, NWACQ and OSIP originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 May 2007 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Most of you have probably heard about the local ordinance that will ban the use of petroleum-based plastic bags in the city of San Francisco. Reports state that the measure is likely to pass with the Mayor's signature. I will refrain from stating any opinion on whether I think the move is good or bad. What I want to mention about the likely change in West Coast grocery bag options is that I think this provides an opportunity for the snatching of some timely investments.

Quick! Find those companies that produce brown kraft paper roll stock and get a little chunk of them. When the bag measure passes, those companies might get a nice boost. You may wish to consider subsidiaries of (privately held) Koch Industries, International Paper (NYSE: IP), Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) or possibly Domtar (NYSE: DTC) (Toronto:DTC). On the local level, find the companies that are manufacturing brown paper bags for the West Coast market.

It is my personal opinion that this change in bag material usage will catch on fast, most especially on the coasts. Look into the shopping bag manufacturing field with a critical eye and watch this situation closely. If it looks like this shopping bag pony is going to "break out of the gate," I have a sneaking suspicion that this will be one pony that you want to ride!

"Would you like that in paper or . . . paper?" originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Mar 2007 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pink is the new Zune (and orange?) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) today unveiled its Zune digital media player, with no details as to launch date or pricing (my guess: one pack will be $149, another will be $249, and still another will bump up against $400). Immediately my reaction was: brown?!?

Yep, not only is Microsoft filling the "white" and "black" market segments, just like iPod and about every other digital music player manufacturer out there, but the company has decided to enter the little-trafficked "brown" category. I never thought I'd say this (I never even knew it might be something I could say), but: I want a brown Zune! It's almost genius in its geekiness.

Microsoft announced that the Zune would be pre-loaded with music from labels like EMI Music's Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Quango Music Group, and V2/Artemis Records, and laid out a detailed description of the "Packs" which would be available (Car, Home A/V, and Travel). Microsoft will surely be rushing to get the player in stores by November for holiday shopping.

And make sure you pack Portland stores with lots of brown, Mr. Ballmer! [Update: Engadget has all the technogeek specs for those of you who like that sort of thing.]

Microsoft Zune: brown and beautiful (but how much?) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.