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Struggling Playboy outsources business ops

Playboy Enterprises (PLA) announced Tuesday that it will outsource all of its publishing operations -- save editorial -- to American Media Inc., reports the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). The Florida-based firm will take the reins on Playboy's production, circulation, advertising sales, marketing, and support functions, in exchange for fees and incentives. No further financial details on the deal were provided.

"Our goal is to focus our resources on what we do best, which is to create compelling content," explained CEO Scott Flanders. "By joining forces with American Media, we will be able to significantly reduce our cost structure and leverage the economies of scale related to manufacturing, distribution and marketing that are available to this large, multi-title publisher."

Continue reading Struggling Playboy outsources business ops

Bunny beaten: No interest in Playboy

Playboy is such a mess that even the hint that a company is interested in it triggers a reaction. Oak Hill Capital Partners, a private equity firm, announced Wednesday that it has no interest in buying ailing adult media company Playboy (PLA), despite previous media reports indicating the contrary. Of course, this sent Playboy's shares down 3.7%. Oak Hill didn't just say "no way" to the present but made it clear for the future as well.

This follows a statement by Golden Gate Capital that it wouldn't be involved in a Playboy acquisition, again, despite suggestions in the media that it might make a move for the bunny. The latest possible buyer is Iconix Brand Group, which is generally hungry for brand acquisitions. Playboy is keeping its mouth shut on the matter.

Continue reading Bunny beaten: No interest in Playboy

Closing Bell: Moving beyond cost cutting (XOM, HD, SPWRA, SMTL, AMAT, PLA)

Stocks started out strong, but despite the lower producer inflation via PPI the markets were mixed and the net result was not certain until the very end of the day. Many of the Warren Buffett stocks and George Soros stocks were among the movers today. One issue affecting stocks ahead is that investors and traders alike are starting to figure out that cost cuts at the likes of what was seen over the last year cannot go on forever, and that benefits can only add so much.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,423.81 +16.85 (0.16%)
S&P 500 1,110.31 +1.01 (0.09%)
Nasdaq 2,203.78 +5.93 (0.27%)

Top Day Trader Alerts
Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades
Top Stock/Market Rumors

Continue reading Closing Bell: Moving beyond cost cutting (XOM, HD, SPWRA, SMTL, AMAT, PLA)

Closing Bell: As the bears see sunset... (XOM, C, DELL, PLA, CSCO, LOW)

Today was another up-day that started out strong and stayed strong. Retail sales helped trump a weak NY Fed manufacturing number, and Ben Bernanke said he sees no asset bubbles in the US markets today.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

DJIA
NASDAQ
S&P500

Top Analyst Calls
Top Day Trader alerts
Top Stock & Market Rumors

Continue reading Closing Bell: As the bears see sunset... (XOM, C, DELL, PLA, CSCO, LOW)

Closing Bell: What Friday 13th curse? (ANF, BA, GENZ, DIS, PALM, PLA)

This was one of those low-volume trading days where more stocks were up than down with the big explanation being "fewer sellers than buyers." Commodity import prices, the trade deficit, and a weak University of Michigan confidence reading failed to keep a rally from dying. Hell, even Friday the 13th didn't matter.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell numbers:



Top Analyst Calls
Top Stock Rumors
Day Trader Alerts

Continue reading Closing Bell: What Friday 13th curse? (ANF, BA, GENZ, DIS, PALM, PLA)

Iconix sets its sights on Playboy

It's wabbit season!

There's only good news for Playboy (PLA) when someone expresses an interest in buying it. Shares of the ailing men's lifestyle company shot higher on Thursday when word got out that Iconix is interested in acquiring it. Iconix owns and licenses brands to manufacturers and counts Candie's and London Fog among its holdings. A deal isn't a sure thing, but Playboy now has something it hasn't in a while: hope.

Iconix has been looking to acquire more brands. And Playboy has been looking for a knight in shining armor (and with a hefty war chest in tow) since at least June, when Scott Flanders took the helm. But it looked like acquisition bait well before then, thanks to a rough financial situation.

Continue reading Iconix sets its sights on Playboy

Hyatt and Ancestry.com IPOs: Beginners' luck?

The IPO market has been pretty slow for the past two years due to the effects of a subprime mortgage crisis that turned into a credit crisis that turned into a worldwide financial crisis and recession. Nonetheless, two companies made their debuts Thursday -- one on the NYSE (NYSE: NYX), the other on the NASDAQ -- and they nailed it. Hyatt Hotels (NYSE: H) gave its investors a 12% gain on its first Big Board trading day, and Ancestry.com (NASDAQ: ACOM) switched those digits, jumping 21% in its first day of trading.

Hyatt Hotels overcame two major concerns. The worldwide travel market slump has been tough on hotel companies, and Hyatt has been subject to the same forces as everyone else. Also, investors may have been worried about infighting among the founder's heirs (the Pritzker family), but the double-digit price increase suggests that investors don't foresee Bancroft-style squabbles screwing investors -- or, if you don't like Dow Jones, now a part of News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS), Playboy (NYSE: PLA) makes the same point.

Continue reading Hyatt and Ancestry.com IPOs: Beginners' luck?

Marge Simpson strips for Playboy -- the beginning of a turnaround?

Shares of Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) have lost more than 75% of their value over the past few years as the company looks to battle declining circulation for its legendary magazine and lower-price internet competition in the porn market.

Well look out, competitors, Playboy has found the answer: Marge Simpson. On Friday, the November issue of Playboy will hit newstands with Marge Simpson gracing cover. Playboy editorial director Jimmy Jellinek told The Los Angeles Times that "It's a very, very racy pictorial, with implied nudity at the very least. Whether or not you see more ... well, you'll have to hit the stands to find out."

Continue reading Marge Simpson strips for Playboy -- the beginning of a turnaround?

Earnings highlights: Blackstone, CBS, Humana, Playboy, Sirius, Whole Foods ...

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

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Blackstone, CBS, Humana, Playboy, Sirius, Whole Foods ...

Playboy's second quarter: Not centerfold material

Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) is still around? I was surprised to hear that it was, according to a news article from Reuters detailing the struggling media company's second-quarter results. Unfortunately, Playboy remains a puzzle. How in the world is management going to turn the ship around?

Playboy's top line fell by 15%. The bottom line booked a loss of 26 cents per share. Expectations were for 23 cents per share to be lost. In the year-ago period, Playboy lost 10 cents per share. I think it's plainly obvious that Playboy just isn't the force it once was. Pretty sad to see this icon slowly fade into irrelevance as the digital revolution continues to devalue its historic brand equity.

Continue reading Playboy's second quarter: Not centerfold material

Playboy (PLA): Speculative bet on the bunny

"Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) is a speculative stock, with plenty of potential but also downside risk," suggests Alex Green. In The Oxford Club, he looks at the firm's turnaround potential.

"Yes, Playboy's publishing empire is a big money loser. But it still has one of the most recognized brands in the world. The rabbit head logo generates more than $1 billion in licensing fees annually.

"When you consider that Playboy Enterprises has a market capitalization of a little over $100 million, you begin to see how undervalued this stock is.

Continue reading Playboy (PLA): Speculative bet on the bunny

Playboy close to hiring new CEO -- bad news for investors?

The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA) is expected to offer the CEO job to Freedom Communications CEO Scott Flanders, replacing interim CEO Jerome Kern.

The Journal adds that "After reports early last week that the publisher had approached private-equity firms about a possible sale, Playboy said it isn't marketing itself to investors but is willing to hear proposals. It isn't clear whether the emergence of Mr. Flanders as a favorite means the company is more likely or less likely to seek a buyer."

Continue reading Playboy close to hiring new CEO -- bad news for investors?

Playboy looking for a buyer at three times its market cap

With a market capitalization of $82 million, a $300 million buyout price would be a lot to pay for Playboy Enterprises (NYSE: PLA). But The New York Post reports that that's the price the company is looking for as it quietly shops for a private equity firm interested in the flailing icon.

Keith J. Kelly reports that "Sources said the sellers are looking for far more than the company's market capitalization because that would ensure Hef has enough on hand to maintain his lavish lifestyle."

Continue reading Playboy looking for a buyer at three times its market cap

Closing Bell: Pre-holiday weekend blahs (CPB, GPS, GM, PLA, SHLD, STP, XRX)

Today felt like one of those slow long pre-holiday trading days where many gainers and losers were seen with low volume. There was no real economic data to absorb and no real earnings reports to pick apart.

That let us only react to a small recovery from the fears that the US could ultimately have the same credit rating fears that were brought up about England yesterday. Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 8,278.04 -14.09 (-0.17%)
S&P 500 887.33 -1.00 (-0.11%)
Nasdaq 1,693.91 -1.34 (-0.08%)

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades

Continue reading Closing Bell: Pre-holiday weekend blahs (CPB, GPS, GM, PLA, SHLD, STP, XRX)

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Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA-17.2410,433.71
NASDAQ-6.832,169.18
S&P 500-0.591,105.65

Last updated: November 24, 2009: 11:39 PM

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