Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Apple Inc. (AAPL) posted its highest quarterly revenue ever, easily beating estimates, as iPhone sales doubled.
• Boeing Co. (BA) swung to a larger-than-expected Q4 profit but guidance fell short of analysts' estimates.
• Chevron Corp. (CVX) fell short of analysts' earnings estimates for Q4, sending shares lower.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) shares rose after optimistic statements by the CEO ahead of Q2 results.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (EK) shares surged after it beat Q4 expectations by a wide margin and cash flow improved.
• Ford Motor Co. (F) reported its first annual profit in four years due to cost-cutting and improved market share.
• Halliburton Co. (HAL) reported lower Q4 earnings but beat estimates by a penny, and revenue also fell.

Following is a look at two companies that released quarterly results this week. One is from the world of tech. The other resides in the old-economy landscape of industrial goods.

EMC (EMC) reported Q4 results on Tuesday. According to the press release, the company is doing quite well. Sales increased 17% on a sequential basis, and adjusted earnings came in at 33 cents per diluted share, an increase of over 40% compared to the previous quarter. Juxtaposing this stat with data at Earnings.com, we see that management beat projections by three pennies.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) shares rose after lower Q4 earnings and revenue beat analysts' expectations.
• Best Buy Inc. (BBY) shares sold off despite better-than-expected Q3 results due to the lower gross margin.
• Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) warned that Q4 earnings would come in lower than the Street view
• Discover Financial Services (DFS) shares were up after it reported better-than-expected Q4 earnings.
• First Solar Inc. (FSLR) offered a solid 2010 outlook but the consensus EPS estimate is high in the range.
• General Mills Inc. (GIS) strong Q2 results included better-than-expected earnings and a rosy outlook.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT) posted a surprise net loss for Q4 and predicted a loss in Q1.
• BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (BJ) shares fell after Q3 earnings met expectations and offered guidance for FY.
• Dell Inc. (DELL) posted lower-than-expected Q3 earnings, prompting a sell-off of shares.
• Foot Locker Inc. (FL) said Q3 earnings slumped more than analysts' forecast, sending shares lower.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) reported growth of EPS and revenue in Q3 and announced a share buyback program.

Illinois Tool Works (ITW - option chain) shares are rising today after the company reaffirmed its fourth-quarter EPS guidance of 54 to 66 cents. ITW also said it expects Q4 revenue growth between -1% and 5%, or roughly $3.64 to $3.86 billion. Analysts are expecting the company to post EPS of 62 cents on $3.68 billion. 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 ITW.

ITW opened this morning at $49.70. So far today the stock has hit a low of $49.58 and as of 12:00, the stock is trading right near a new 52-week high at $51.11 up $2.13 (4.3%). The chart for ITW looks neutral and S&P gives ITW a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

"Golf has Tiger Woods, novelists have Tom Clancy, and the investment community has stars such as Bruce Berkowitz, Bill Nygren, Charlie Dreifus, and Mario Gabelli," states Paul Tracy.

In his The Street Authority Market Advisor, he suggests, "These money managers are at the pinnacle of their craft." Here, he takes a look at these "celebrities" and some of their current top stock holdings.

"These money managers have all amassed prodigious gains over the years for their shareholders. Over the past few months, these gurus have come out with ringing endorsements for certain stocks. This isn't empty talk -- they are putting their money where their mouth is.

As the second quarter earnings crunch begins in earnest this week, the bear market has investors jittery and prognosticators spinning out dire warnings. In the wake of mixed results from Alcoa (NYSE: AA) and General Electric (NYSE: GE) kicking things off last week, here's a look at what Wall Street is expecting from many of the companies scheduled to report this coming week.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial are expecting the following companies to report a rise in earnings when compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Nucor Corp. (NYSE: NUE): $1.80 EPS (36.6%) on sales of $6.4 billion (+53.0%)
• Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG): $4.74 EPS (24.9%) on sales of $3.9 billion (+41.6%)
• Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK): 56 cents EPS (23.2%) on sales of $19.9 billion (+17.8%)
• CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX): 90 cents EPS (21.1%) on sales of $2.9 billion (+12.8%)
• Altera Corp. (NASDAQ: ALTR): 27 cents EPS (18.5%) on sales of $346.7 million (+8.4%)
• IBM (NYSE: IBM): $1.82 EPS (+17.6%) on sales of $25.9 billion (+9.0%)
• eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY): 41 cents EPS (17.1%) on sales of $2.2 billion (+18.0%)
• W.W. Grainger Inc. (NYSE: GWW): $1.46 EPS (17.1%) on sales of $1.7 billion (+8.0%)
• Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT): 47 cents EPS (17.0%) on sales of $15.7 billion (+17.0%)
• Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON): 94 cents EPS (17.0%) on sales of $9.2 billion (+7.9%)

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Procter & Gamble, Human Genome and Arcelor Mittal were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Deutsche Bank downgraded shares of Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) to Hold from Buy on valuation and their expectation for slowing short-term industry growth, especially in beauty.
  
• Citigroup downgraded Human Genome (NASDAQ:HGSI) to Hold from Buy as they believe giving up Syncria's royalties removes an important value driver for the stock.
  
• HSBC downgraded shares of Arcelor Mittal (NYSE:MT) to Neutral from Overweight on valuation and believes the company needs to raise prices more than costs have risen for iron ore, coking coal and steel scrap.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• BAE Systems (NASDAQ:BAESY) was cut to Equal Weight from Overweight at Morgan Stanley.
  
• Merrill downgraded Zoltek (NASDAQ:ZOLT) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Credit Suisse downgraded Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) and International Paper (NYSE:IP) to Neutral from Outperform.

While watching the Detroit Lions lose to the New York Giants, I was struck with a strange feeling. Once again, Detroit, the historical center of American business through the auto industry, will lose out to New York, the financial epicenter of the world. While millions of heartland Americans are stuck with mortgages they're struggling to pay back, New York and its financial machine continues to roll.

It's amazing how twisted stock picking can get after a couple of cold ones.

In all seriousness, I've been looking through a lot of the mess in housing and auto, and I have to admit, it's pretty slim pickings. What I did find, and my loss for not knowing about this jewel before, is a nifty company called Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW). This company competes in industrial products in markets including welding, food equipment, polymers, industrial, construction, auto, and packaging. This company reminds me of the diversity of a General Electric (NYSE:GE) or Tyco (NYSE: TYC).

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) manufactures precision engineering components and industrial systems for the automotive industry and the international construction industry. Its Board of Directors recently announced two new executive VPs, Juan Valls for automotive fasteners, and Robert Brunner for international construction. Such personnel moves will allow the company to continue its strong earnings track record, particularly in its international markets. Despite weakness in the North American construction market, Illinois Tool Works posted strong revenue and net income increases, although a significant portion of those increases came from recent acquisitions, 37 companies this year alone, rather than organic growth. 3Q 2007 revenues increased 16% to $4 billion, net income grew 10% to $696 million, and diluted EPS grew 14% to 89 cents. The story is the same for YTD figures.

Illinois Tool Works operates in two business units: North American market and international market. Each unit is subdivided into automotive and construction products and specialty engineered products. All segments within both units, with the exception of the North American construction segment ,which posted a 5% decline, posted increased revenues and operating incomes. International unit revenues increased 26-32%, with no indication of any market slowdown. Based on these numbers, CEO David Speer forecasts 4Q diluted EPS to be the same as 3Q, with FY 2007 diluted EPS in the $3.36-$3.40 range. The company continues to repurchase its own shares, $959 million YTD, and pay out its regular quarterly dividend of 28 cents per share. At its recent price of $56.95, Illinois Tool Works is an affordable way to stabilize an investor's portfolio.

There is a Glenview, Illinois company with a name that leads one to believe it's in the business of making tools . . . and it is. There is rather more to it, though. The firm actually consists of about 750 decentralized business units in 49 countries, and tools are just the beginning.

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) is a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered components, industrial systems and consumables. The company's Engineered Products segment provides the construction, automotive and consumer durables markets with plastic and metal components, trusses, fasteners, adhesives, cross-laminated plastic films and laminate flooring products. The Specialty Systems segment designs and manufactures machinery, packaging systems, tools, welding products, electronic assembly materials, cooking equipment and related consumables. General Electric (NYSE: GE) is among the firm's major competitors.

ITW investors were pleased last week, when Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) upgraded the stock from "neutral" to "buy." The broker said the base business growth rate is positioned to begin to accelerate, due to easier comparisons and on-going strength from international end markets. Also, the company affirmed guidance ranges. It still sees Q2 EPS of 86-90 cents (88 cent consensus) and FY07 EPS of $3.27-$3.39 ($3.33 consensus). The stock popped into a bullish "pennant" consolidation pattern on the news. Prices frequently exit pennants moving in the same direction they were traveling when they entered them. In this case, that would be to the upside.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The environmental services sector, the machinery and capital goods sector and several bank holding companies were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Credit Suisse initiated shares of Allied Waste Industries Inc (NYSE: AW), Republic Services Inc (NYSE: RSG) and Waste Management Inc (NYSE: WMI) with Outperform ratings and a $16 target, $35 target and $45 target, respectively.
• Bernstein initiated the machinery and capital goods sector, initiating shares of Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT) and Illinois Tool Works Inc (NYSE: ITW) with Outperform ratings and a $100 target and $68 target, respectively and Deere & Company (NYSE: DE), Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN), Ingersoll-Rand Company Ltd (NYSE: IR) and Parker-Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH) with Market Perform ratings.
• Sandler initiated shares of Preferred Bank Los Angeles CA (NASDAQ: PFBC) and UCBH Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: UCBH) with Buy ratings and shares of Cathay General Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATY) and East West Bancorp, Inc (NASDAQ: EWBC) with Hold ratings.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Golfsmith International Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: GOLF) was initiated at Wedbush with a Buy rating and $8.75 target, as the firm believes the company is an attractive growth story and buyout candidate.
• Pharmasset Inc (NASDAQ: VRUS) was initiated with a Buy rating and $12 target at Banc of America, as the firm believes Clevudine has the potential to be best in class for the treatment of the hepatitis B virus.
• Ciena Corporation (NASDAQ: CIEN) was initiated with an Outperform rating and $40 target at Piper Jaffray.