Continue reading Dun & Bradstreet Tops Bullish Volatility Skews; Qwest Tops Bearish

Dun & Bradstreet Tops Bullish Volatility Skews; Qwest Tops Bearish originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Sonoco Products (SON) to buy from hold after the company reported Q1 results and raised guidance. The firm upped its target for shares to $38 from $32.
• Baird upgraded Western Digital (WDC) to outperform from neutral following the solid Q3 report and guidance. The firm raised its target to $50 from $48.
• Goldman upgraded Qwest (Q) to neutral from sell. Qwest is being acquired by CenturyLink (CTL).
• Hershey (HSY) was upgraded to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Principal Financial (PFG) was upgraded to neutral from sell at UBS.
• Monster Worldwide (MWW) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at Wells Fargo.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: WDC, Q, HSY, BWLD, NOK, COP, KFT, VZ ...

Analyst Calls: WDC, Q, HSY, BWLD, NOK, COP, KFT, VZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: An Obama Regulations Rally? (AAPL, QCOM, EBAY, SBUX, Q, CTL, NFLX)

Closing Bell: An Obama Regulations Rally? (AAPL, QCOM, EBAY, SBUX, Q, CTL, NFLX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) lower Q4 earnings topped estimates and same-store sales also declined.
• Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) reaffirmed its earnings outlook but lowered its revenue forecast for the full year.
• Daimler AG (DAI) provided guidance for the year that included slashing its dividend, sending shares lower.
• Dell Inc. (DELL) lower Q4 earnings beat estimates by a penny but it didn't offer guidance, sending shares lower.
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) easily topped Q4 earnings estimates and revenue increased as well.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Campbell, Dell, Goodyear, JCPenney, Merck, Playboy ...

Earnings Highlights: Campbell, Dell, Goodyear, JCPenney, Merck, Playboy ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's another one of those stocks that I didn't buy and then found myself sadly watching from the sidelines as it rose higher. A year ago, I proffered a bearish reading on the prospects for telecom entity Qwest Communications (Q). Well, shares of Qwest have done well over the last twelve months. Should I now allocate some investment capital to this idea?

One might argue yes. After all, the company is up at the time of this writing on the Q4 numbers. However, I just don't feel compelled to buy. Especially not after all the declines I see in the release.

Continue reading Qwest's Q4: Many Declines, Yet Stock Sees a Bid

Qwest's Q4: Many Declines, Yet Stock Sees a Bid originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Deutsche Bank upgraded PNC Financial (PNC) to buy from hold on valuation as it believes the recent pullback in shares provides a buying opportunity. The firm raised its target on shares to $57 from $45.
• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Expedia (EXPE) to buy from hold on valuation as it finds the risk/reward on shares attractive following the company's Q4 results and believes revenue margin concerns are overblown. The firm has a $27 price target on the stock.
• Jesup & Lamont upgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) to hold from sell following the company's Q4 results to reflect its improving traffic trends. The firm raised its target on shares to $96 from $81. Shares were also upgraded at BofA/Merrill to buy from neutral.
• Rio Tinto (RTP) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• FirstEnergy (FE) was upgraded to hold from underperform at Jefferies.
• Marriott (MAR) was upgraded to perform from underperform at Oppenheimer.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CMG, EXPE, NFLX, OSK, PNC, SJM, VCLK ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: CMG, EXPE, NFLX, OSK, PNC, SJM, VCLK ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• FBR Capital upgraded Ann Taylor (NYSE: ANN) to Outperform from Market Perform to reflect a recovery in the missy sector and the company's product improvement. The firm raised its target on shares to $19 from $13.
• Roth Capital upgraded Marvell Tech (NASDAQ: MRVL) to Buy from Hold based on product cycle strength in wireless and Ethernet, HDD share gains, and a return of PC growth. Target is $22.
• Goldman upgraded Colgate (NYSE: CL) to Buy from Neutral citing valuation and expectations for a pick-up in unit growth. The firm raised its price target to $85 from $83. Note that Goldman downgraded Clorox to Neutral from Buy.
• Cadbury (NYSE: CBY) was upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at HSBC.
• Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN) was upgraded to Buy from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Qwest (NYSE: Q) was upgraded to Market Weight from Underweight at Thomas Weisel.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANN, BBY, CBS, CL, MRVL, NOK, Q ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: ANN, BBY, CBS, CL, MRVL, NOK, Q ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) posted a Q1 loss and announced a workforce reduction.
• ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) swung to it's first ever quarterly loss due to lower demand and a big write-down.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) shares surged after it posted strong Q4 results.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings as revenue surged.
• Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) topped Q4 earnings estimates, sending shares higher.
• Global Traffic Network Inc. (NASDAQ: GNET) weaker-than-expected Q2 results led to a downgrade.
• Level 3 Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) shares fell despite its upside surprise for Q4.
• Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF) posted a bigger-than-expected Q3 loss despite revenue growth.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Viacom, UBS, RIM, ArcelorMittal, Lions Gate, McAfee and others

Earnings highlights: Viacom, UBS, RIM, ArcelorMittal, Lions Gate, McAfee and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fiber-optic entity Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q), whose colleagues include Verizon (NYSE: VZ), AT&T (NYSE: T), and Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), reported Q4 numbers on Tuesday. Revenues declined by 3%, and adjusted income came in at 12 cents per share, which, according to this article, beat estimates by two pennies.

Well, I have to say, I've been wrong about Qwest. When I last wrote about the tech company, I had a very bearish view. I think Qwest's stock gained a buck since that piece, which is like a huge percentage gain when you consider that the shares closed yesterday at $3.45. The market seems to be liking Qwest's prospects. Going back to that article I cited concerning the earnings beat, I see some positive opinion on Qwest's quarter. I'll agree, it wasn't bad, especially when the economy is considered. The company did well in terms of cash flow: cash from operations for the year was roughly flat while adjusted free cash flow came in at $1.4 billion.

Continue reading Qwest's Q4 doesn't change my opinion

Qwest's Q4 doesn't change my opinion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Investors have been focusing on the shortcomings at Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q), and to be sure, it has plenty," observes turnaround specialist George Putnam.

In his The Turnaround Letter, he adds, "But the company also has very valuable assets and strong cash flow. In addition, we believe the stock would command a good premium in a takeover." Here's his bullish review.

"Following its IPO in 1995, Qwest expanded via acquisitions and partnerships, and participated in the telecom bubble of the late 1990's.

"Unlike many of the other high-flying telecoms of that era, however, Qwest realized that in addition to a story you needed customers. In 2000, it went out and acquired US West, which gave Qwest the revenue base to survive the bursting of the telecom bubble

"Although the company survived, the shareholders have had a rocky ride during the current decade. The stock peaked around 60 in 2000, dropped to just above 1 in 2002, rebounded to 10 in 2007 and then declined to its present level.

"Management's challenge is too maximize the value of its assets. One of Qwest's greatest assets, and biggest challenges, is its huge traditional landline telephone business. The landline business is in a slow but steady decline as customers move to wireless or Internet telephony.

Continue reading Qwest (Q) for profits: Turnaround or takeover?

Qwest (Q) for profits: Turnaround or takeover? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We recently presented a look at some of the most notorious financial felons of contemporary times.

Since then, news has included the indictment of Mark Cuban for insider trading in a case that is somewhat reminiscent of Martha Stewart's case. According to the SEC, the billionaire entrepreneur asked his broker to sell all his shares of Mamma.com after the company's CEO confidentially told him of an impending stock offering that would dilute the value of all existing shares. By selling before the information became public, Cuban is said to have sidestepped losses of more than $750,000. Cuban insists, though, that no agreement existed to keep the information confidential.

And then there was the indictment in Texas of Vice President Dick Cheney, along with former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and others. There seems to be a conflict of interest between the vice president's influence on the federal agency that oversees federal immigration detention centers and his substantial holdings in Vanguard Group, which invests in private prison companies. But does the lame-duck county district attorney, who was a no-show in court, have the authority to bring charges against federal officials with regard to federally run institutions?

Continue reading Financial Felons: Where are they now and is there a next generation coming?

Financial Felons: Where are they now and is there a next generation coming? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a feature in which we wonder whatever happened to some notorious financial figures. See the other 17.

As Wall Street implodes around us, the word "hubris" is getting tossed around quite a bit. Hubris -- also known as excessive, overweening pride -- has become the catchall explanation for most of the market's ills. Our financial system has gone up in flames, we're told, simply because so many CEOs and regulators thought they were too smart to fail, no matter how highly leveraged their subprime mortgage portfolios may have been.

Assuming this is true, let's call Joseph Nacchio a trendsetter. As the chief executive of Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q), Nacchio was determined to construct the world's biggest, best, and most totally awesome fiber-optic network. (Mind you, this was back in the late '90s, when the telecom bubble was just a glimmer in the market's eye.) However, the plucky CEO was driven not by a personal commitment to excellence, but rather by spite.

Nacchio left his old job at AT&T (NYSE: T) because he wasn't granted a plum promotion to president, which he felt he so richly deserved. What better way to show up his former employer than to build a superior network and steal away market share?

Unfortunately, Nacchio's impure motivations were not the best recipe for success. To give you some idea as to how his plans for world telecom domination played out, check out this blog entry I wrote about Qwest and Joseph Nacchio as part of our series on the worst S&P 500 stocks of the past 25 years.

Continue reading Financial Felon? Joseph Nacchio

Financial Felon? Joseph Nacchio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) reported a narrower Q3 net loss and reaffirmed its outlook.
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) earnings and dividend prospects resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) posted its 19th straight quarter of positive growth.
• Choice Hotels International Inc. (NYSE: CHH) better-than-expected Q3 report led to an upgrade.
• Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) reported strong Q3 numbers and maintained its revenue outlook.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) better-than-expected Q3 results driven by Kung Fu Panda.
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) reported another record profit in Q3 driven by record high fuel prices.
• Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) reported a better-than-expected Q3 profit and offered guidance.
• Hercules Inc. (NYSE: HPC) posted lower Q3 earnings and anounced [regulatory] approval of its buyout.
• Janus Capital Group Inc. (NYSE: JNS) weaker-than-expected results led to an analyst's downgrade.
• Legg Mason Inc. (NYSE: LM) swung to a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares soared.
• Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) dismal Q3 results managed to beat low earnings expectations.
• Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) Q3 results included lower revenue and a net loss due to economic conditions.
• Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) unimpressive Q3 numbers fell short of estimates.
• Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) swung to a greater-than-expected net loss due in part to competition.
• Texas Roadhouse Inc. (NASDAQ: TXRH) missed Q3 estimates and warned of flat full-year earnings.
• Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO) strong Q3 results included a gain from a sale of a refinery.
• Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) beat Q4 earnings expectations after adjustment for litigation-related charges.
• Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR) fell short of revenue estimates and announced job cuts.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Exxon, Motorola, Barclays, Burger King, Comcast, Visa, and others

Earnings highlights: Exxon, Motorola, Barclays, Burger King, Comcast, Visa, and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Executive compensation gone wild is a major pet peeve of mine. And if seven-figure pay packages plus restricted stock and options and country club memberships aren't bad enough, some executives are now sticking their companies with the losses on homes they bought.

Here's how it works: A company wants to hire a new CEO but she'll have to relocate to take the job. So the company agrees to make up any loss on the sale of the house. In this real estate market, that's becoming more of an issue. Qwest (NYSE: Q) lost $1.8 million on Edward Mueller's old house.

Part of me doesn't think this is such a big deal. If that's what it takes to recruit the executive, and the board is aware of the potential liability, it isn't really any different from a higher salary. Recent SEC rules that require companies to provide a summary compensation table showing the total value of the top officers' pay packages including all perks make this less of an issue.

Of course, some pay critics are using this as an opportunity to jump on the greed of executives and the supine nature of corporate directors. But the focus should remain on corporate governance and the fact that executive pay is too often completely unrelated to performance. Issues like relocation benefits make for good stories, but they're really not the issue.

Executive relocations hit the bottom lines of the public companies originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 18 May 2008 09:10:00 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. (NYE: AIG) reported a loss of $7.8 billion but raised its dividend.
• Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: BRL) missed earnings estimates and lowered its guidance.
• D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) posted a larger-than-expected Q2 loss on further write-downs.
• Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) posted its third straight quarterly loss on the continuing housing slump.
• Hansen Natural Corp. (NASDAQ: HANS) lower-than-estimated Q1 profit led shares to a 52-week low.
• Lazard Ltd. (NYSE: LAZ) net income dropped 71% on a fall-off of M&A activity and a write-down.
• MGM Mirage Inc. NYSE: MGM) Q1 profits were dragged down by decreased consumer spending.
• Pilgrims Pride Corp. (NYSE: PPC) widened its Q2 loss due to the rising cost of feed.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) swung to a Q1 loss as revenue declined in all units.
• Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q) net income and revenue fell in the first quarter.
• Scotts Miracle Gro Co. (NYSE: SMG) blamed a slow start to spring for its Q2 profit decline.
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: TEVA) posted a Q1 loss due to a charge.
• THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) posted a loss for its fourth quarter and revenues flat for the year.
• Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) posted lower-than-expected Q4 results due to the U.S. economic slump.
• Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) Q2 loss widened and it suspended its quarterly dividend.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: AIG, Fannie Mae, Toyota, Warner Music, Qwest, MGM and others

Earnings highlights: AIG, Fannie Mae, Toyota, Warner Music, Qwest, MGM and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 10 May 2008 11:40:00 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 check out other Battle of the Brands posts.

"I'm like Ma Bell, I got the ill communication." -- Beastie Boys

When considering these two particular companies, it is important to note their roots as offspring of the famous "Ma Bell" network. The Bell System, which has produced the most complex ongoing series of mergers and break-ups in the history of the United States, is the origin of the companies that are now AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), as well as competitor Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q). A lot has changed since those early times -- remember, after all, that the second "T" in AT&T stood for Telegraph. Now phones are the latest devices to be made supercomputers. AT&T has its exclusive deal with the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, while Verizon slings the Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) BlackBerry.

Since wireless is the way of the future, the wireless divisions of these companies is the most hotly contested, and the focus of this "Battle of the Brands." It is important to note that despite Verizon Wireless bearing solely Verizon's name, it is not owned by just them, it is a 55%-45% joint venture between Verizon and Vodafone Group (NYSE: VOD). It is also important to note that AT&T Mobility is the service formerly known as Cingular, which was acquired by AT&T in 2006 when it bought BellSouth for $86B.

Continue reading Battle of the Brands: Verizon Wireless vs. AT&T Mobility

Battle of the Brands: Verizon Wireless vs. AT&T Mobility originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 May 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are a few highlights of this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) beat estimates on strong sales and higher profit margins.
• Baidu.com Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) profit soared on strong revenue from online marketing.
• Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) earnings and revenue surged in the fourth quarer.
• Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) missed expectations on rising commodity costs and lower profit margins.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) posted better-than-expected profits as rising grain prices spurred demand.
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT) posted solid results on cost savings and debt reduction.
• Insight Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: NSIT) beat expectations and raised its guidance.
• LECG (NASDAQ: XPRT) posted a net loss despite a slight increase in revenue in the fourth quarter.
• Loews Corp. (NYSE: LTR) missed estimates due to profit decline in its CNA Financial (NYSE: CNA) affiliate.
• Marsh & McLennan Inc. (NYSE: MMC) missed estimates on weakness in its insurance services business.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) posted disappointing results on weakness in publishing and TV.
• Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) fourth-quarter and full-year results met estimates.
• Sierra Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: SWIR) beat esimates on the launch of new product s.
• Taser International Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR) profits doubled, which was in line with expectations.
• Visteon Corp. (NYSE: VC) posted a fourth-quarter loss on restructuring costs and write-downs.
• Waste Management Inc. (NYSE: WMI) beat espectations and offered 2008 guidance.
• Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: WYN) earnings met expectations and were buoyed by lodging revenue.
• Zoltek Companies Inc. (NASDAQ: ZOLT) missed earnings estimates due to inventory buildup.

Upcoming results to watch for include Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ), OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX), Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI), MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), JCPenney (NYSE: JCP), and Safeway (NYSE: SWY).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Coca-Cola, Deere, Abercrombie, Baidu, Playboy, Taser and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tuesday's Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) first-quarter results and Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) fourth-quarter results have helped them lead Wednesday's tech gains and telecom gains respectively.

Semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials said that its fiscal first-quarter profit declined as revenue fell due to the challenging global market for its products. Sales fell 8% to $2.09 billion from $2.28 billion in the same period of 2006. The company earned $262.4 million, or 19 cents per share, down 35% from $403.5 million, or 29 cents per share.

Excluding restructuring costs and other items, adjusted earnings were $345 million, or 25 cents per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected a profit of 20 cents per share on sales of $2.01 billion.

Shares of Applied Materials rose Tuesday and Wednesday $3.10, or about 17%, to close at $19.91. Shares have been climbing from the 52-week low of $16.13 in mid January.

Continue reading Applied Materials and Qwest results lead to market gains

Applied Materials and Qwest results lead to market gains originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Qwest (Q) reinstates dividend originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cell phones and VoIP are killing the regular old home phone business. Reviewing a new study from a Citigroup analyst, Barron's said, "The telcos continue to lose residential phone subscribers to both cable VoIP and wireless subscriptions at a steady 7%-8% a year."

The number of consumers who use only a wireless phone at home is expected to hit 27% in 2010. And the penetration of cable VoIP is expected to be 25% by then.

It might seem bad news for AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), but both do have large wireless businesses that should help offset attrition among home phone users. They are also selling new fiber-to-the-home broadband, which will also supplement revenue.

Continue reading The death of the home phone

The death of the home phone originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.