It was a triumphant weekend for Michael Jackson. And how fitting it was that the man who gave us the Thriller masterpiece saw victory during a weekend devoted to all things Halloween.

According to early estimates at Box Office Mojo, Michael Jackson's This Is It, distributed by Sony (NYSE: SNE), grossed about $21 million at domestic theaters, good for the top slot. The total tally for the film is over $32 million once the Wednesday opening is taken into account.

Continue reading Michael Jackson wins Halloween box office race, 'Saw VI' continues to suffer

Michael Jackson wins Halloween box office race, 'Saw VI' continues to suffer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading A&E plans a Jacksons reality show

A&E plans a Jacksons reality show originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The administrators temporarily in charge of Michael Jackson's estate are looking for ways to maximize value for one of the most complex post-death financial situations in recent memory.

The administrators chosen by Mr. Jackson in his 2002 will filed a request with the court to give some money to his mother and his children -- who are apparently without any means of financial support in the weeks since his death.

Continue reading Should Michael Jackson's estate go public?

Should Michael Jackson's estate go public? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While Michael Jackson is referred to affectionately by fans as the "King of Pop," he could have just as easily carried the title "The hardest working man in show business" except for the fact that elder statesmen of the music world, the late James Brown earned that title first.

While recriminations are being thrown around about the specific cause of Jackson's death, the primary reason he passed away may really have been overwork. In truth, his sleep disorder, eating disorder, drug dependency, and seemingly bizarre behavior at times may have all stemmed from his obsessiveness. He truly gave his fans everything he had in him right to the very end.

Continue reading Michael Jackson fireworks, the workaholic

Michael Jackson fireworks, the workaholic originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Consumers: Income & savings up -- Gov't worried

Consumers: Income & savings up -- Gov't worried originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony (NYSE: SNE) closed at $25.51. Five of Michael Jackson's solo Albums -- "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory," all with Epic Records, a Sony Music Label -- are among the top-sellers of all time. SNE July option implied volatility of 42 is below its 26-week average of 53, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Options Update: Sony volatility low; five of Jackson's solo albums with Sony's Epic originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Leave it to private equity to try to bring back Michael Jackson.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that "Colony Capital, which owns the Las Vegas Hilton and is a major shareholder in closely held Station Casinos, is in discussions with Mr. Jackson to get him back onstage and in the spotlight via a long-term stand in Las Vegas."

Colony Capital may just have the leverage to get something done with Mr. Jackson: he owes them $25 million after the firm acquired the debt from Fortress Investment Group.

The plan is to try to revive Jackson's career with a stint in Las Vegas and, eventually, build a Thriller-themed hotel-casino there. I'm not so sure. Las Vegas has resuscitated -- or at least prolonged -- the careers of a lot of entertainers, but it's hard to think of anyone who carries as much baggage as Michael Jackson.

Similarly, a private equity firm might be able to turn around a struggling brand but, to my knowledge, the industry has never attempted to work its magic on a brand that a large percentage of Americans believe has molested children (with the possible exception of Chrysler). And legal system be darned, that's what many people associate him with.

Can private equity bring back Michael Jackson? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Michael Jackson shopping for East Coast vacation home originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Jacksons on the auction block originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 May 2007 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Interested in an ornately decorated pseudo amusement park that was the site to controversial slumber parties and one of the most colossal mental collapses in American celebrity history?

You snooze, you lose, and you may now have some steep competition. According to that benchmark of journalistic integrity, The New York Post's "Page Six," Michael Jackson may finally be unloading his infamous Neverland Ranch in an effort to pay down a reported $200 million in debt Is he willing to acknowledge his dire financial straits now?

The reclusive pop star originally put his 2,700-acre Santa Barbara estate on the market several years ago (and fled the premises in 2005), but it may have attracted a buyer in the form of Bill Huff. Sources indicate that Mr. Huff is willing to pay roughly $20 million for the property, which was originally listed closer to $50 million, which includes a zoo, a movie theater, carnival rides and all of that fun pop-culture history.

Compared with what the Beckhams are shopping for, that's a steal.

Representatives for the King of Pop refute the report, however, stating that Neverland is not, in fact, for sale and that reports of negotiations with Mr. Huff are "not true."

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Michael Jackson selling Neverland? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.

Some people drink Pepsi, some people drink Coke,
The wacky morning DJ says democracy's a joke.
-- Cake, Comfort Eagle

Unless you are a rare RC Cola drinker, your carbonated beverage decision in the supermarket comes down to the two heavyweights: the flagship products from the Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) and PepsiCo Inc (NYSE: PEP). But the battle between these brands spans much further than the supermarket shelves. From which brand restaurants stock, to what countries each operates in, this rivalry is all-encompassing and global. But instead of a list of countries or restaurant chains, lets take a deeper look at the actual products.

Cola and Beyond

We don't have space to list, nor would you have time to read, every different variant of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, which would force me to include failed ideas such as Crystal Pepsi. Suffice it to say, you won't find many original ideas here, and when a successful idea comes from either company, an imitator just as quickly appears from the other. Coke/Pepsi, Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi, Cherry Coke/Wild Cherry Pepsi, Coke with Lime/Pepsi Lime, Coke Zero/Pepsi One, Coca-Cola Blak/Pepsi Cappuccino. Had enough yet? Because that was just a list of comparable colas. Both companies also make lemon-lime sodas, orange sodas, and other similar carbonated and noncarbonated beverages. So then what differentiates them? Certainly not their product arsenal, but taste and marketing.

Continue reading Coke vs. Pepsi: Battle of the Brands

Coke vs. Pepsi: Battle of the Brands originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.