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

• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) kicked off the new season with a larger-than-expected loss due to the economic slump.
• Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions (NASDAQ: MDRX) reported better-than-expected Q2 earnings.
• Apollo Group Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL) share price soared after its strong Q1 earnings and guidance.
• Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) earnings prospects without CEO Steve Jobs led to an analyst's downgrade.
• Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) lowered its guidance as business slows at an unprcedented rate.
• Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) reported terrible Q4 results and receivbed additional TARP money.
• Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG) lowered its 2008 earnings estimate due to soft soybean commodity markets.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) posted a much bigger-than-expected loss and said it would split in two.
• Coventry Health Care Inc. (NYSE: CVH) offered full-year guidance that was less than analysts expectations.
• CSX Corp. (NYSE: CSX) forecast Q4 earnings would come in below analysts' expectations.
• CVS Caremark Corp. (NYSE: CVS) increased its quarterly dividend despite the recent lowered guidance.
• Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB) reported a net loss for Q4 and the full year, dragging down the sector.
• Genentech Inc. (NASDAQ: DNA) revenue and earnings surged but were lower than analysts estimated.
• Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) Q4 results were in line with low expectations as the gross margin declined.
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) reported a huge drop in Q4 earnings but it stayed in the black.
• Lexmark International Inc. (NYSE: LXK) slashed its Q4 outlook and announced job cuts.
• Pentair Inc. (NYSE: PNR) efforts to limit an earnings decline led to a buy recommendation.
• Precision Cast Corp. (NYSE: PCP) earnings prospects following the recent rally led to an analyst's downgrade.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Citigroup, Intel, JPMorgan, Alcoa, Apple and others

Earnings highlights: Citigroup, Intel, JPMorgan, Alcoa, Apple and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) reported lower quarterly profits and cut its full-year outlook.
• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) beat Q4 earnings expectations but revenues tumbled.
• Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) reported a big loss in Q3, like many other private equity firms.
• Crocs Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) posted a deeper-than-estimated Q3 net loss due to restructuring costs.
• Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY) warned that it expects to swing to a net loss in Q4.
• Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) fell to a three-year-low despite expected growth in profits and revenues.
• Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) lowered its revenue forecast for Q4, which was bad news for PC makers.
• Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) beat low earnings expectations by a penny as same-store sales declined.
• Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (NYSE: LGF) narrowed its net loss in Q2 but fell short of estimates.
• Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN) said its Q3 profit tumbled as its same-store-sales declined.
• Orbitz Wordlwide Inc. (NYSE: OWW) reported a wider net loss, which led to a analyst's downgrade.
• Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) raised its forecasts after finalizing the sale of Folgers brand.
• Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) halved its Q3 net loss and revenues and subscriber numbers rose.
• TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX) reported a Q3 earnings decline and offered a cautious outlook.
• Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) posted better-than-expected profits but warned of softness ahead.
• Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) beat analyst estimates for Q3 and warned of a profit squeeze.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Walmart, Google, Intel, P&G, Sirius, Blackstone and others

Earnings highlights: Walmart, Google, Intel, P&G, Sirius, Blackstone and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM) said Q4 profit plunged, missing analysts' expectations.
• Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) posted yet another solid quarter and topped analysts' expectations.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) reported solid results and reaffirmed its revenue guidance.
• General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) performance despite rising commodities costs impressed Jim Cramer.
• Hansen Natural Corp. (NASDAQ: HANS) Q2 earnings surged on popularity of Monster energy drink.
• Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) beat Q2 expectations, sending shares of health insurers higher.
• LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: LF) narrowed its Q2 loss, sending shares up near its 52-week high.
• MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) Q2 profit tumbled but revenues topped analysts' expectations.
• NetSuite Inc. (NYSE: N) cut its Q2 loss and revenues surged on 400 new customers.
• Orbitz Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: OWW) narrowed its net loss while revenues inched upward.
• Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) easily topped Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Pzena Investment Management Inc's (NYSE: PZN) CEO admits that its Q2 was "awful, just terrible."
• 3Com Corp. (NASDAQ: COMS) raised its Q1 profit and sales forecasts due to gains in China.
• Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) net income fell due to the strong yen and rising materials costs.
• Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) reported a smaller-than-expected Q3 net loss.
• World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE) flat year-over-year earnings fell short of estimtates.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Toyota, Cisco, ADM, MGM, General Mills, Warner Music and others

Earnings highlights: Toyota, Cisco, ADM, MGM, General Mills, Warner Music and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) blamed another big loss on housing and credit markets.
• Barrett Business Services Inc. (NASDAQ: BBSI) beat Q2 estimates and raised its Q3 guidance.
• Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) Q2 loss was three times more than analysts had predicted.
• Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) big loss was due to loan write-offs, but revenue rose 10%.
• HSBC Holdings PLC (NYSE: HBC) reported a drop in profit and warned of more difficulties to come.
• InterContinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) posted Q2 results that were in line with Wall Street expectations.
• Marvel Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: MVL) posted strong Q2 results on Iron Man and Incredible Hulk movies.
• Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY) widened its Q2 net loss as revenues slumped.
• News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) posted strong Q4 results on asset gains, and warned of slower growth.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) posted a worse-than-expected Q2 loss despite cost controls.
• Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) healthy Q4 and full-year results beat analysts' expectations.
• RadiSys Corp. (NASDAQ: RSYS) easily beat Q2 expectations on strong demand for wireless products.
• Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) net income slumped on declining AOL subscriber fees (see transcript).
• Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) beat Q3 earnings expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Whole Foods Market International (NASDAQ: WFMI) posted dismal results and suspended its dividend.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Fannie Mae, Time Warner, P&G, Playboy, News Corp. and others

Earnings highlights: Fannie Mae, Time Warner, P&G, Playboy, News Corp. and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The logical buyer for Merrill's Bloomberg stake is Mike Bloomberg

The logical buyer for Merrill's Bloomberg stake is Mike Bloomberg originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I didn't think Get Smart was going to come in at number one, but that's exactly what happened, according to Boxofficemojo. The film, distributed by Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), took in an estimated $39 million at domestic theaters. The film, quite frankly, looks horrible, and I don't get the fascination people have with Steve Carell's supposed "comedic talents." I don't really find him funny. Doesn't matter, though, because moviegoers have crowned Carell king of the box-office weekend whether I like it or not.

I'm actually more concerned with the race for second place between Marvel's (NYSE: MVL) The Incredible Hulk and DreamWorks Animation's (NYSE: DWA) Kung Fu Panda. Both are estimated as of this writing to have booked a little more than $21 million in ticket sales. I'm concerned about this because I own shares of Marvel, and I'm disappointed in the movie's box-office performance. As of now, the new Hulk has about $96 million in terms of total gross. The fact that it hasn't scored over $100 million by now, coupled with it experiencing a 60% drop for this weekend compared to its debut weekend, leaves me less than satisfied.

Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) The Love Guru bombed. Looks like you can't always count on stars to deliver the important opening-weekend audience. Are people getting sick of Mike Myers? (Jonathan Berr wondered the same thing.) He was only able to conjure up about $14 million for Viacom shareholders, bringing his film to a fourth-place debut. That's embarrassing for Myers, but unlike Steve Carell, he is genuinely funny (although maybe not so much in this particular film, it seems). News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) M. Night Shyamalan movie The Happening grossed around $10 million and came in fifth.

Continue reading Although Steve Carell isn't funny, 'Get Smart' was number one

Although Steve Carell isn't funny, 'Get Smart' was number one originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Recently, Jonathan Berr took a look at CBS (NYSE: CBS) and its latest quarterly results. One of the things I found most interesting about the earnings release was the fact that CBS's dividend reputation is very much intact -- management raised the quarterly payout by 8% to $0.27 per share. It can certainly afford to do this as free cash flow was up 25% in the last quarter, and the amount was more than adequate for the dividend. CBS has been pretty good about increasing the payments, but I happened to come across a headline at CNBC that talked about Jim Cramer's concerns about CBS -- he basically would rather the media company focus on growth instead of income.

His point is a good one, and well-taken -- after all, growth is pretty darn exciting. But I think CBS management has been great at sharing the spoils with its stockholders, and I always think it's a neat thing when a media stock yields a decent amount. CBS currently yields 4.5% based on Monday's closing price -- that's a lot bigger than the yields offered by Time Warner (NYSE: TWX) and Disney (NYSE: DIS). Yes, it's a cliché, but shareholders are getting paid to wait, and that's awesome if you intend to hold the stock for a long time. As a Disney shareholder, I can tell you that CBS's yield makes me envious!

I think CBS will turn out to be more than just an income play though. I'm confident the company will grow the price of its stock over time. Granted, major networks aren't what they used to be in this world of cable television, but the landscape continues to change with new digital distribution models popping up all the time, and networks like CBS are looking to participate wherever it makes sense to do so. Considering CBS's ability to generate cash and its willingness to share, I have a feeling capital appreciation will eventually follow the dividend boosts.

Disclosure: I own shares in Disney; positions can change at any time.

Is CBS just an income play? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 06 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. (NYSE: AXL) reported a strike-related Q1 loss.
• Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) Q1 profit tripled on increased demand and higher prices.
• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) posted better-than-expected earnings despite Dreamliner delays.
• Coach Inc. (NYSE: COH) better-than-expected quarter didn't impress Jim Cramer.
• ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) reported Q1 earnings and revenue above analysts' forecasts.
• Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) reported a big loss on a one-time charge and fuel costs.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) posted a smaller-than-forecast profit drop and predicted a good Q2.
• EI DuPont de Nemours & Co. (NYSE: DD) Q1 earnings rose 26% but missed expectations.
• Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) surprised Wall Street by swinging to a profit in the first quarter.
• Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT) easily surpassed analyst estimates for the first quarter.
• Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) Q1 earnings and revenue rose due to international growth.
• Hershey Co. (NYSE: HSY) profit fell but was in line with analysts' expectations.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Ford, Boeing, McDonald's, PepsiCo, JetBlue and others

Earnings highlights: Ford, Boeing, McDonald's, PepsiCo, JetBlue and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Acuity Brands Inc. (NYSE: AYI) beat second-quarter estimates on increased productivity and new products.
• Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) cut its outlook and announced job cuts.
• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) missed first-quarter earnings estimates but beat revenue expectations.
• Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE: CC) surprised Wall Street by posting a second-quarter profit.
• Dell Inc.'s (NASDAQ: DELL) rosy 2008 forecast is based on cost cuts, overseas growth, share buybacks.
• DuPont & Co. (NYSE: DD) raised its first-quarter outlook on strength in agriculture and emerging markets.
• Eastman Chemical Co. (NYSE: EMN) raised its first-quarter guidance on strong sales and higher prices.
• EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering (NASDAQ: EXFO) beat estimates and announced an acquisition.
• Foundry Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: FDRY) slashed its first-quarter outlook, blaming the weak economy.
• Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) beat first-quarter earnings estimates, but not revenue expectations.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) missed earnings expectations and lowered its guidance.
• Novellus Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: NVLS) trimmed its first-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts.
• Progressive Corp. (NYSE: PGR) beat estimates though first-quarter profits fell due to lower premiums.
• Rite Aid Corp. (NYSE: RAD) swung to a loss in the fourth quarter on acquisition costs and a tax charge.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: GE, Alcoa, Circuit City, UPS, Dell, DuPont, AMD and others

Earnings highlights: GE, Alcoa, Circuit City, UPS, Dell, DuPont, AMD and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch continues to roll along, and here are a some highlights of this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET) beat expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) beat estimates by a penny and offered a poor outlook.
• American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) delivered a positive surprise, with profits up 10%.
• Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) beat estimates, but revenue was flat.
• Anheuser-Busch Cos. (NYSE: BUD) beat expectations on strength of international sales and partner brands.
• Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) blew past expectations. See our conference call live blog.
• Avery Dennison Corp.'s (NYSE: AVY) net sales up, EPS down, both due to the Paxar acquisition.
• Baidu.com Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) beat expectations, but wariness about its growth potential lingers.
• Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) beat expectations but lowered its guidance.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) beat expectations on the strength of Plavix sales.
• CNH Global's (NYSE: CNH) profit nearly doubled, beating estimates by 15%.
• Coach Inc. (NYSE: COH) beat estimates by a penny, but offered a conservative outlook for the holidays.
• Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) met EPS expectations but cut its cash flow forecast.
• Countrywide Financial Corp. (NYSE: CFC) reported a $1.2 billion loss, but predicts a profit in the next quarter.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Apple (AAPL), Merrill Lynch (MER), UAL (UAUA), and many others

Earnings highlights: Apple (AAPL), Merrill Lynch (MER), UAL (UAUA), and many others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Another earnings season crunch is under way, and here are a some highlights of this past week's earnings coverage here at BloggingStocks:

• Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) reported losses 9 cents greater than Wall Street estimates.
• Altria Group Inc.'s (NYSE: MO) profits were down, but the company raised its full-year earnings guidance.
• Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) fell short of expectations, profits down 32%.
• Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE: BSX) almost tripled Wall Street's earnings estimates.
• Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) had warned to expect a disappointing results, and earnings per share fell 57%.
• Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) beat estimates, sending the share price to a 52-week high.
• Domino's Pizza Inc. (NASDAQ: DPZ) fell short of expectations, profits falling 55%.
• eBay Inc.'s (NASDAQ: EBAY) otherwise good results were hurt by Skype-related losses.
• Gannett Inc.'s (NYSE: GCI), earnings beat expectations but revenue fell short.
• Genetech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) beat estimates by a penny, but analysts' concerns linger.
• Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) had a spectacular third quarter. See our live blog of the conference call.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Tech stocks strong, financials weak

Earnings highlights: Tech stocks strong, financials weak originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Another earnings season has kicked off, and here are a few highlights of last week's earnings coverage here at BloggingStocks:

• Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) missed Wall Street's expectations. A small increase in profits was offset by a slump in revenue.
• Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) met analysts' expectations, with modest profit growth, due in part to higher same-store sales.
• General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) met Wall Street's, with modest increases in earnings and revenue over the same period last year. Check out the live blog of the conference call.
• JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) fell short of expectations, with profits down 12% in the quarter.
• PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) beat earnings per share expectations by a dime, with double digit increases on profits, earnings, and revenues from a year ago.
• Yum Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) beat Wall Street's EPS expectations by a nickel, due largely to strength overseas. Profit was up 17%, revenue 13%, from a year ago.

Jonathan Berr reports that consumer confidence is the theme of this earnings season. And Ted Allrich offers advice on what to look for in earnings reports.

This coming week will be another busy one for quarterly reports. Upcoming results to watch for include: Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC), Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), eBay Inc. (NYSE: EBAY), Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC), General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO), and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage

Earnings highlights: Alcoa (AA), General Electric (GE), PepsiCo (PEP) and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Money Face-Offs feature. Let us know who you think comes out ahead in this head-to-head match-up, and check out our other Money Face-Off posts.

You could make the argument that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is the second most important man in the world. (On Sept. 18 the Fed is expected to cut interest rates to mitigate damage done by recent problems in credit markets). It is true, that when the Fed Chief talks, the WHOLE world listens -- and reacts -- so everyone was a bit apprehensive when long-running Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan finally stepped down last year to be replaced by Ben Bernanke.

While it is still way to early to try to compare the old with the new, there have been some signs that the "new kid on the block" is going to be taking a different route in his role as Fed Chief. Greenspan, aka the "Maestro," was viewed as a genius while in office, but as time has passed, week by week the Greenspan legacy seems to be eroding little by little. The general impression of the "Great Inflator" Greenspan has definitely shifted to where most people recognize that he was an instigator for inflation who was afraid to let the markets correct themselves to avoid forming bubbles.

It is also true that Greenspan managed to remain in control of the Federal Reserve for 18 long years (a record for the position), but the question really is how? How did Greenspan manage to remain in the seat of one of the most powerful positions in the country for such a long period? The answer to that question is that he pleases every president that he serves. How did Greenspan manage to do this? By dropping interest rates whenever any hint of trouble hit the market. Think back to 1998 when Greenspan cut rates three times after the collapse of Long Term Capital Management LP.

Continue reading Money Face-Off: Alan Greenspan vs. Ben Bernanke

Money Face-Off: Alan Greenspan vs. Ben Bernanke originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Friday my colleague Jonathan Berr posted Henry Blodget blasts Mary Meeker's Google (GOOG) math. In this story he outlined a slight difference of opinion. Actually a 1000%, regarding the potential revenue and earnings of YouTube. Since my own attempts at guessing what Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is worth (Serious Money: What IS Google worth? One year later...) proved more accurate than either of them, and since total stock value is of more importance, I had to comment.

Here are some real important numbers: If Google earns $18 per share over the next twelve months, its forward P/E is around 28. If they continue to make any progress with YouTube revenue at somewhere in between our battling pundits and hold market share, Google might be worth $600 in 12 months. Not the stuff investors are dreaming of but pretty darn good.

If Google gains market share, adds any new revenue streams or improves its margins, it could reach 5% to10% above these figures. I do not believe this will happen because Google will not be able to achieve a return on investment for new business equal to that of its original idea. In addition, any new acquisitions, and there will be some, will not improve margins either.

To verify my track record, including bad calls, read Chasing Value and Serious Money.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm.

Sunday Funnies: Google (GOOG) now undervalued? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The reported tiff between CNBC's Money Honey Maria Bartiromo and upstart Erin Burnett, whom the New York Post dubbed the "Street Sweetie,'' is mana from heaven for News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch.

His Post gets a juicy chick fight to write about -- although the General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) cable channel denies there is a fight -- and it makes a rival to his yet-to-be launched Fox Business Channel look foolish as a bonus. Plus, it gives Fox a good excuse to try and lure either one of them away from CNBC. Interesting how corporate synergies work in today's media world.

Mind you, I have no idea whether Bartiromo and Burnett hate each other or not. Usually, Page Six is pretty truthy in the Stephen Colbert sense of the word. You have to think that someone close to Bartiromo or Burnett -- perhaps the person who looks back at them in the mirror -- is spilling their guts to the Post. Yes, the media world is just like high school.

Bartiromo has long been a subject of the gossip pages. I urged CNBC to fire Bartiromo earlier this year after her relationship with ousted Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) executive Todd Thompson brought derision on the network. Since then, she's indicated that she's more interested in being a TV star than a journalist. Burnett, whose path I crossed when I was at Bloomberg News, is gaining the good kind of publicity. In fact, Broadcasting and Cable called her CNBC's "secret weapon."

But there's an extra dimension to this tabloid battle that's worth considering.

There are many media conspiracy theorists who argue that Rupert Murdoch will tabloid up the Wall Street Journal once he gets a hold of Dow Jones & Co. (NYSE: DJ). I think that these fears are overblown. Murdoch won't use the Journal to settle scores with his enemies and heap praise on his friends. Why should he when the Post does that so well?

Media World: Rupert Murdoch will win the Bartiromo-Burnett battle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading No surprise here ... May another tough month for housing starts

No surprise here ... May another tough month for housing starts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BloggingStock.com's Jonathan Berr had a good piece on the implications of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX). This is a federal law that Congress rushed into effect after the implosions of Enron and WorldCom. Basically, SOX has imposed some tough regulations on public companies in terms of disclosures and internal controls.

However, SOX can be difficult for small companies and some critics think that the U.S. IPO market has, as a result, been stunted. In fact, some U.S. companies are listing their shares in more favorable markets, such as the AIM market in London.

Well, there may be some change. Today, the Nasdaq announced that it has hired former Senator Michael Oxley as its non-executive vice chairman. No doubt, he will be a great advisor, but he may also help the financial industry push for adjustments in SOX.

It's likely to take time, but Nasdaq's move is definitely savvy.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including the Complete M&A Handbook and the EDGAR-Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements.

Nasdaq gets some Oxley moxie originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I received a torrent of comments to my recent blog post: American Idol: Are Indian call centers skewing the vote? and some of the responses had me rolling with laughter. I'm sure my perspective will not be shared by all, but shared it will be. Among all opinions there was consensus that contestant Sanjaya has outlasted his level of talent. My colleague Jonathan Berr had a different view when he posted Vote for the Worst is messing with American Idol, not Indian call centers. Still others thought Sanjaya was still on the show because he was an anti-judges vote, or young and cute, or even gay... a gay vote?

Having read everyone's thinking on the subject, which was one of my motivations for writing the story, I think it is all of the above. I hope that the "Vote for the Worst" does not have a major impact on the eventual outcome. Consider that the show has created opportunities for young talent to gain an audience, while entertaining millions with something better than infomercials and melodramas about doom and destruction.

The funniest comment of the week goes to VM who thought to critique my commentary with humor and succeeded. Thanks VM:

I own 25 call centers in India, and all my staff is just sitting idle during the American Idol. It is the great Indian Idle during American Idol.

So I have asked them to download the American Idol video -- as it is available on Bit Torrent as soon as it is aired -- there are lots of fans in India who download the show immediately, and get Sanjaya's number and start voting for him. For every vote, I reward with a point, and with every 100 points, they get a pay grade increase. So -- American Idol contestants, contact me if you want to win -- I can hook you up.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: American Idol - Indian Idle

Sunday Funnies: American Idol - Indian Idle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.