With Priceline's (PCLN) stock gaining a staggering 1800% ($23 Jan 2006 to $440 in Jan 2011) since the beginning of 2006, it comes as no surprise that it has been recognized as the single best-performing stock in the S&P 500 over the past five years. Priceline is the second largest player in terms of booking volumes after Expedia and competes with other leading online travel agencies such as Travelocity, Orbitz in the very competitive online travel industry in the U.S.

Continue reading If Priceline Harnesses Asian Growth, Shares Have Ample Upside

If Priceline Harnesses Asian Growth, Shares Have Ample Upside originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Priceline, Inc. (PCLN) is the second largest online travel agency in the world after Expedia, Inc. (EXPE) and offers travel services over the Internet, including bookings for air tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises and vacation packages.

What distinguishes Priceline from the rest is its proprietary Name Your Own Price service? While it does sell travel services under the traditional price-disclosed model, the Name Your Own Price service allows customers (that are flexible on the date and time of travel and the choice of supplier) the option to bid for hotel stays and air tickets.

Continue reading How About a New Business Model for Priceline?

How About a New Business Model for Priceline? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Expedia, Inc. (EXPE), an online service devoted to travel whose related companies include Orbitz Worldwide (OWW) and Priceline.com (PCLN), issued its Q4 results after the bell today. According to the report, which you can find at the company's investor site, adjusted net income increased 10% to 32 cents per share. TheFly says that this number came in below the estimate by a disappointing four pennies.

You can't always beat Wall Street's prediction. Shortly after the data was posted, the stock experienced a drop of 3.7%, making the quote equal to $24.74.

Continue reading Expedia Reports Q4 Results

Expedia Reports Q4 Results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Priceline.com (PCLN) issued its third-quarter report yesterday after the bell. The market sent the stock of the online-travel concern higher by 6% in the extended-hours session, bringing it up to $412.

That was well past the 52-week high of $393.33. With a 52-week low set at $167.25, this company has one heck of a yearly range. Those who got in at the low and have still held on must be doing some kind of victory dance right about now.

Continue reading Priceline.com Reports Q3 Results: What About the Stock?

Priceline.com Reports Q3 Results: What About the Stock? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This week, JCPenney (JCP), Kohl's (KSS) and Macy's (M) are the first of the major retailers to report results for the most recent quarter.

Macy's launched an American Express credit card and increased its mobile presence during the fiscal fourth quarter. The analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters forecast Macy's earnings for that period come to three cents per share, which compares to a net loss of three cents per share in the same period of last year. The Cincinnati-based department store operator is expected to post revenue of $5.6 billion for the three months that ended in October, which is 5.2% more than a year earlier. For the full year, the forecast calls for earnings of $1.50 per share (+6.7%) and $8.2 billion in revenue (+4.3%). Macy's earnings results have been better than expected in recent quarters by a penny or a few per share.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Macy's, Priceline, Others Kick Off Retail Earnings

Week in Preview: Macy's, Priceline, Others Kick Off Retail Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Piper Jaffray upgraded Duoyuan Global Water (DGW) to neutral from underweight, citing the potential for positive fundamental news flow through the end of the year, and upped its price target to $16 from $9.
• Jefferies upgraded Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) to buy from underperform, expecting a benefit from a significant ramp in EVDO software sales as mobile data growth accelerates.
• Myriad Genetics (MYGN) was upgraded at RBC Capital to outperform from sector perform with a $23 price target based on valuation and potential to be acquired.
• Goldman upgraded Mohawk (MHK) to neutral from sell with a $53 price target.
• Smithfield Foods (SFD) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at BMO capital with a $21 target.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Morgan Keegan.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ALU, BIG, COST, DGW, DOW, FO, GE, HON, MGM, MYGN, MON ...

Analyst Calls: ALU, BIG, COST, DGW, DOW, FO, GE, HON, MGM, MYGN, MON ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Soleil upgraded Starwood Hotels (HOT) to buy from hold, citing accelerating RevPAR comps and valuation. The firm upped its target for shares to $57 from $55.
• TD Newcrest upgraded Ivanhoe Mines (IVN) to speculative buy from hold based on valuation.
• BMO Capital upgraded Power Integrations (POWI) and ON Semiconductor (ONNN) to outperform from market perform based on valuation. The firm has a $45 target on Power Integrations and a $9 target on ON Semiconductor.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Reliance Steel (RS) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS.
• AXA (AXA) was upgraded to add from neutral at WestLB.
  

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AXA, BHP, BYI, CAT, DWA, HOT, IVN, JPM, ONNN, PCLN ...

Analyst Calls: AXA, BHP, BYI, CAT, DWA, HOT, IVN, JPM, ONNN, PCLN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Blockbuster Inc. (BBI) Q1 net loss was in line with estimates and same-store sales declined, shares also fell.
• CA Inc. (CA) shares sold off on high volume following the Q4 earnings miss and disappointing guidance.
• Cigna Corp. (CI) reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings and higher revenue, and reaffirmed its full-year outlook.
• Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) beat Q3 earnings and revenue expectations in the "strongest quarter in our history."
• Dean Foods Co. (DF) lower Q1earnings beat analysts' estimates, but shares fell on heavy volume afterward.
• Denny's Corp. (DENN) bested consensus estimates and year-ago EPS by a penny, but said same-store sales fell.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ...

Earnings Highlights: BBI, CI, CSCO, DIS, DISH, ERTS, JCP, M, NVDA, PCLN, WEN, WFMI ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 15 May 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Priceline.com Issues Weak Forecast, Stock Set to Plunge

Priceline.com Issues Weak Forecast, Stock Set to Plunge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 May 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded Universal Health (UHS) to outperform from market perform to reflect the company's potential acquisition of Psychiatric Solutions (PSYS). The firm sees a 60% chance of Universal Health acquiring Psychiatric Solutions and estimates the deal would be accretive.
• Oppenheimer upgraded Lamar Advertising (LAMR) to outperform from perform following the company's Q1 results and Q2 guidance as it expects growth to pick up in Q3. The firm has a $44 price target for shares.
• UBS upgraded Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from neutral based on valuation and Singapore outlook. The firm raised its price target to $28 from $24.
• Priceline.com (PCLN) was upgraded to buy from hold at ThinkEquity.
• Alcoa (AA) Was upgraded to outperform from market perform at BMO Capital.
• Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, ALK, FYSIS, LAMR, LEAP, LVS, MSFT, PCLN, RIG, UHS ...

Analyst Calls: AA, ALK, FYSIS, LAMR, LEAP, LVS, MSFT, PCLN, RIG, UHS ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Priceline.com (PCLN) has won over consumers by allowing buyers to name their own price for everything from airline tickets to rental cars to cruises. Priceline.com keeps the difference between the price paid by the individual and what Priceline.com paid for the ticket or hotel room.

In mid-February, Priceline said that its quarterly profit more than doubled with strong earnings of $78.5 million, and sales jumped by a whopping 33%.

Continue reading Small Cap #2: Priceline.com (PCLN)

Small Cap #2: Priceline.com (PCLN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The market's rebound after a rough start to February has proven that this bull market still has some legs. But I must warn you that not all stocks are set to share in the profits.

The bearish analysts like to hold up the trouble for a few big-name blue chips as a sign that market is doomed -- but don't believe it. These naysayers who focus on the short-lived dips or handful of problem companies forget this is a market of stocks and not just a stock market.

The fact is that there are a lot of smaller companies that are thriving right now even if the 30 components of the Dow are struggling.

Continue reading Five Top Small Cap Gems

Five Top Small Cap Gems originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Apollo Group Inc. (APOL) second quarter EPS guidance fell short of analysts' estimates, sending shares lower.
• CBS Corp. (CBS) higher Q4 earnings were in line with analysts' expectations but free cash flow declined.
• Deere & Co. (DE) posted higher Q1 earnings that easily topped expectations, sending shares sharply higher.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) received a downgrade from an analyst that foresees contracting earnings, returns and margins.
• Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) better-than-expected Q1 results were accompanied by a better-than-expected outlook.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: CBS, Deere, HP, Kraft, MGM, Walmart, Whole Foods ...

Earnings Highlights: CBS, Deere, HP, Kraft, MGM, Walmart, Whole Foods ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A year ago, the shares of Priceline.com (PCLN) were trading below $70 per share. Since then, the stock appreciation has been stunning, reaching $230 in Thursday's trading.

Of course, the reason is that Priceline.com continues to grow at a torrid pace. In the latest quarterly report, revenues spiked 33% to $541.8 million and profits were up by 54% to $1.99 per share. The consensus estimate was for $1.68 per share.

Continue reading Priceline.com Still Flying High

Priceline.com Still Flying High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As so often happens at this point in the earnings season, focus begins to shift to the results from retailers. And the world's largest retailer is among those that step into the spot light this week.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), which was aggressively competitive during the holiday shopping season and also recently announced a new global strategy, to report fourth-quarter earnings of $1.12 per share, up from $1.03 per share in the year-ago period. Revenue for the three months that ended in January is expected to have risen 4.9% to $114.5 billion. The full-year forecast calls for earnings of $3.61 per share (+5.3%) on $409.1 billion in revenue (+0.9%). Walmart has not missed earnings estimates in the past five quarters.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: A First Look at Retail: Walmart, JCPenney and Others

The Week in Preview: A First Look at Retail: Walmart, JCPenney and Others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How about a romantic weekend getaway? Priceline.com (PCLN), one of my Top Stocks for February, has got lovebirds covered whether they're flying south for a warm vacation or just finding a first-class hotel with a spa for some time alone. Priceline.com allows buyers to name their own price for everything from airline tickets to rental cars to cruises.

You may not think that travel spending is very high right now, but the bottom line is that value-conscious consumers really love Priceline's ability to "haggle" on prices. This has allowed the website to become an oasis for cash-strapped consumers and generate huge numbers even during the recession.

Next: American Greetings (AM)

At the time of this writing, Louis Navellier owned shares of PCLN in personal or client portfolios.

Valentine's Day Stock #4: Priceline.com (PCLN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Valentine's Day may be a commercialized holiday to some, but there's no denying that its big business. And this coming Valentine's Day may be extra sweet since it falls on a Sunday, making it a great excuse for a romantic night out. In fact, total Valentine's Day spending is expected to reach $17.6 billion this year, up 3.3% over 2009, according to consumer spending researchers at IBISWorld.

That's a big payday, and one that investors should be paying attention to.

Continue reading Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Love (and 10 to Hate)

Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Love (and 10 to Hate) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Online travel entity Expedia, inc. (EXPE), whose big competitor in the space is Priceline.com (PCLN), posted fourth-quarter data (this link opens to a .pdf file) on Thursday. Judging by the growth presented in the release, I believe one can say the company is executing its strategies pretty well.

Revenues increased 12%. Unfortunately, the margin on that revenue dipped. On the other hand, let's not forget that adjusted earnings expanded by over 30% to 30 cents per share. According to Reuters, analysts wanted 29 cents per share. Yep, it's the proverbial beat-by-a-penny scenario.

Continue reading Expedia Posts Strong Fourth Quarter

Expedia Posts Strong Fourth Quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Priceline.com (PCLN) allows buyers to name their own price for everything from airline tickets to rental cars to cruises. With its patented business model, the company generates virtually all of its sales from travel-related services. In the case of airline tickets and hotel reservations, Priceline.com keeps the difference between the price paid by the individual and what Priceline.com paid for the ticket or hotel room.

You may not think that travel spending is very high right now, but the bottom line is that value-conscious consumers really love Priceline's ability to "haggle" on prices. This has allowed the website to become an oasis for cash-strapped consumers and generate huge numbers even during the recession.

Continue reading Tech Stock #5: Priceline.com (PCLN)

Tech Stock #5: Priceline.com (PCLN) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it comes to cutting edge technology, sometimes it's more important to focus on value than it is to focus on cost. Yeah, you can get a cell phone for $9.99, but don't expect it to play digital music or let you check your email. You can get a flat screen for under $500, but it will only be a tiny 32-incher.

Well, the same is true for tech stocks. There are some companies out there with shares trading for peanuts, but investors get what they pay for. On the other hand, stocks like Google (GOOG) are trading around $600 a share for a reason.

Continue reading Five Tech Stocks That Are Worth Every Penny

Five Tech Stocks That Are Worth Every Penny originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.