The future investment stars are already with us. The NYSE Financial Future Challenge, operated by the NYSE Foundation, By Kids for Kids, K12 Inc. and the United Investors Association, is in full swing, with five finalists just identified. To reach this level, the participants had to develop a new product, idea or process that would "excite, educate and motivate their peers" to become interested in the financial marketplace. The eventual winner lurks within this subset and will receive a $2,500 prize -- a great way to get that portfolio started. And, he or she will be feted at a closing bell ceremony at the NYSE (NYX) on January 11, 2010.

The finalists presented a variety of ideas which are sure to generate some buzz. Kelsey Foss, a 12-year-old from Mountainville, NY, proposed a new television show, "Stock Market Tycoon Idol," which would harness the popularity of reality TV while amping up the content. The program would involve the journeys of 10 kids as they seek to make money or lose it, with the possibility of becoming virtual millionaires along the way. The show would be set at a mock NYSE studio on Wall Street, and exports would be brought out to mentor the contestants. The reality TV reach would help engage a younger audience.

Continue reading Tomorrow's gurus shine in NYSE Financial Future Challenge

Tomorrow's gurus shine in NYSE Financial Future Challenge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) beat earnings expectations for Q3, lifting shares.
• AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) topped Q1 estimates and maintained its full-year guidance.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) reported solid Q3 results that topped analysts' expectations.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) Q1 profits slumped on fuel costs and the economy, but revenues were higher.
• General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) posted solid Q1 results and lifted its full-year guidance.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) beat Q3 earnings expectations but revenue fell short of estimates.
• K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) reported a loss for Q4 but still beat analysts' expectations.
• Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) reported strong Q3 results, including a rise in same-store sales.
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) posted better-than-expected Q3 results amidst chaos on Wall Street.
• Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) beat Q1 expectations and annouced record operating margin rise.
• Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) reported better-than-expected results even as its net loss widened.

Upcoming quarterly reports include AutoZone (NYSE: AZO), Lennar (NYSE: LEN), Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE), Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM), and KB Home (NYSE: KBH).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, FedEx, Kroger and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not that long ago, people thought going to an online school was second-rate. But it's now becoming common - and widely accepted.

For the most part, online education has been mostly for adults (especially those who already have busy careers). But things are changing; take a look at K12 (NYSE: LRN). This online school caters to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

K12 went public this week, spiking 36% to $25.55 in its shares' first day of trading.

The company's platform is quite sophisticated, which is the result of more than $100 million in curriculum and technology investments. There are more than 11,000 lessons, which employ things like Flash animations, real-time feedback and so on.

From 2004 to 2007, enrollments went from 11,000 to 27,000 and revenues increased from $71.4 million to $140.6 million (which is a compound annual growth rate of about 25%). K12 makes money primarily from contracts with public schools.

One of K12's major shareholders is Mike Milken, who was the "junk bond" king of the 1980s.

The lead underwriters on the IPO included Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS).

You can find the prospectus at the SEC website. Also, if you want to find other recent IPO information, visit DealProfiles.com.

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

K12 aces its IPO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A virtual public school? That's what K12 does. Over the years, the company has invested roughly $95 million to create an e-learning environment where grade school students get instruction from certified teachers. Now, the company has filed to go public.

K12 has arrangements with public school systems in 16 states. From 2004 to 2007, enrollments increased from 11,000 to 27,000 students. And during this time, revenues went from $71.4 million to $116.9 million.

Parents choose K12 for a variety of reasons, such as geographic constraints, disabilities, the need for faster or slower learning, and even safety concerns of local schools.

So far, the results have been fairly strong. The students test near or above state averages on standardized tests. What's more, based on an internal study of K12 parents, about 97% were "satisfied or very satisfied" and 95% said they would recommend the company to other families.

The lead underwriters on the IPO include Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS). The proposed ticker is LRN.

The IPO prospectus is at the SEC website. Also, check out more recent filings.

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

K12: Moving to the NYSE playground originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.