Would you buy a used Apple (AAPL) iPad? It seems that the market for used electronics is booming. Much of it is resold to developing countries. But even here in the U.S. consumers are dumping their old iPads and buying the new iPad2, the Financial Times reports.

That sets up a huge secondary market. The big beneficiaries are eBay (EBAY) and the Apple Store. On eBay, for example, sales jumped from 3,300 to 7,700 in a week with prices dropping from $531 to $484 in just one week. If buyers had done some research they could have bought the same unit from the Apple Store for $399, according to the FT.

Continue reading Would You Buy a Used iPad?

Would You Buy a Used iPad? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best Buy (BBY) is a specialty electronics retailer that competes with general retailers like Wal-Mart (WMT) and Costco (COST), as well as other specialty retailers like GameStop and Radio Shack (RSH). Our price estimate for Best Buy stands at $38.48, which is about 20% above market price.

The company's stock has struggled to gain ground since Best Buy's earnings release in December 2010. Best Buy has faced limited demand for featured products like 3D TVs, and appears to have underestimated competition from players like Wal-Mart and Amazon.com (AMZN).

Continue reading Best Buy Looking to Lift Profitability

Best Buy Looking to Lift Profitability originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Barnes & Noble, the Gap, RadioShack, and Sears -- that may sound like the lineup at the local mall, but in fact they are just a few of the retailers scheduled to step into the earnings spotlight this week. Following last week's disappointing January retail sales numbers from the Commerce Department but strong fourth-quarter reports from Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and Nordstrom (JWN), the coming week will offer plenty more data on the sector for investors to mull over.

Walmart

Bentonville-based Walmart (WMT) offered free holiday shipping, closed its Moscow office and named a chief merchandising officer during its fourth quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters forecast earnings for that period to come to $1.31 per share, up from $1.17 in the same quarter of last year. The world's largest retailer also is expected to post revenues of $117.7 billion for the three months that ended in January. That's 3.5% more than a year earlier.

Continue reading Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings

Week in Preview: Walmart, Home Depot and More Retail Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst upgrades:

• Netflix (NFLX) upgraded to Buy from Underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Rockwell (ROK) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
• Chico's (CHS) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR Capital.
• Ann Taylor (ANN) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• Meredith (MDP) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
• CarMax (KMX) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.
• Family Dollar (FDO) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital.
• Siliconware Precision (SPIL) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie.
• Amedisys (AMED) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
• TRW Automotive(TRW) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.
• Magna (MGA) upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: NFLX, CHS,TRW, CWTR, VTAL, ESRX...

Analyst Calls: NFLX, CHS,TRW, CWTR, VTAL, ESRX... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Xilinx (XLNX) to buy from hold at Auriga.
• Orion Energy (OESX) to buy from neutral at Roth Capital.
• Goodyear Tire (GT) to buy from fair value at CRT Capital.
• RadioShack (RSH) to neutral from underperform at Wedbush.
• Novo Nordisk (NVO) to buy from neutral at Goldman.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: ADBE, CE, CISG, DOW, ELN, GT, NSC, NVO, RSH, XLNX ...

Analyst Calls: ADBE, CE, CISG, DOW, ELN, GT, NSC, NVO, RSH, XLNX ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Intel (INTC) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight and Autodesk (ADSK) to equal weight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.
• Citigroup upgraded Blackrock (BLK) to buy from hold.
• 99c Only Stores (NDN) was upgraded to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• PetSmart (PETM) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Ruth's Hospitality (RUTH) and Morton's Restaurant (MRT) to overweight from neutral.
• BioMed Realty (BMR) was upgraded to market perform from underperform at FBR Capital.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Piedmont (PDM) to market perform from underperform.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AA, AOL, BLK, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, JBL, JBLU, YHOO ...

Analyst Calls: AA, AOL, BLK, CSCO, GOOG, INTC, JBL, JBLU, YHOO ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading RadioShack Takes a Hit After Earnings Report

RadioShack Takes a Hit After Earnings Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Quarterly Earnings: Goodyear and RadioShack

Quarterly Earnings: Goodyear and RadioShack originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Materials Lead Market Higher (IBM, TXN, MTG, MNKD, RSH, SCCO)

Closing Bell: Materials Lead Market Higher (IBM, TXN, MTG, MNKD, RSH, SCCO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: Almost 700 DJIA Points in 6 Trading Days (ADCT, TEL, AA, AAPL, MBI, RSH, TLT)

Closing Bell: Almost 700 DJIA Points in 6 Trading Days (ADCT, TEL, AA, AAPL, MBI, RSH, TLT) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Radio Shack: Takeover or Acquisition Target

Radio Shack: Takeover or Acquisition Target originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Several takeover rumors cropped up this morning. One of those is that RadioShack (RSH) is in the sights of many possible suitors. Those suitors include Blackstone Group (BX), Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Bain Capital, TPG, and potentially Best Buy (BBY).

These rumors had the shares trading higher this morning, which is really a continuation of RSH's longer-term trend. Since March 2009, RSH has trekked steadily higher, overtaking the 10-month moving average in the process. That said, the stock is stuck just below the $23 level.

Continue reading Is RadioShack Ready for a Takeover?

Is RadioShack Ready for a Takeover? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Radio Shack Names Scott Young New Merchandising Chief

Radio Shack Names Scott Young New Merchandising Chief originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's no shortage of headlines lately for big-box retailer Best Buy Inc. (BBY). Not only has the company been linked with the merger-and-acquisition speculation surrounding RadioShack (RSH), but the retailer is also preparing to make its debut on British soil. And, as if that weren't enough, Apple's (AAPL) kind-of-highly-anticipated iPad will hit Best Buy's shelves April 3.

Starting with the buyout rumors, the New York Post reported Friday that RadioShack is "looking to shack up with a deep-pocketed investor." While private-equity firms are eyeing the retailer as a potential leveraged takeover target, the newspaper added. "Another possibility is a merger with big-box rival Best Buy, which lately has experimented with a smaller retail format to meet fast-growing demand for smartphones and other wireless gadgets."

Continue reading Best Buy Preps for UK Launch, iPad's Debut

Best Buy Preps for UK Launch, iPad's Debut originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Radio Shack Looking to Sell Company? Or, Merge with Best Buy?

Radio Shack Looking to Sell Company? Or, Merge with Best Buy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• FBR Capital upgraded Legg Mason (LM) to market perform from underperform, citing stabilizing outflows and an improved liquidity position.
• Walmart (WMT) was upgraded to buy from hold by Citigroup on expectations the company will regain market share from aggressive price cuts.
• Piper Jaffray upgraded Kirkland's (KIRK) to overweight from neutral following the company's Q4 results.
• Greenbrier (GBX) was upgraded to buy from hold by KeyBanc as the company believes that railcar fundamentals have improved.
• Citigroup upgraded WM Morrison (MRWSY) to buy from sell.
• HSBC raised Millicom (MICC) to overweight from neutral.
• HealthSouth (HLS) was raised to outperform from market perform by Raymond James.

Continue reading Analyst Calls: AKAM, HAS, ICE, KIRK, LM, PEET, RSH, WMT ...

Analyst Calls: AKAM, HAS, ICE, KIRK, LM, PEET, RSH, WMT ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: The One That Got Away (RSH, NFLX, BIG, HOV, MDVN, PFE)

Closing Bell: The One That Got Away (RSH, NFLX, BIG, HOV, MDVN, PFE) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• American International Group Inc. (AIG) posted a big loss and warned it may require additional assistance.
• Athenahealth (ATHN) shares sank after it delayed earnings and its annual report, and warned of restatements.
• Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) Q3 sales jumped on popularity of the Nook reader but same-store sales declined.
• Brocade Communications Systems Inc. (BRCD) disappointing report and guidance caused a sell-off in shares.
• Dell Inc. (DELL) acquisitions and better-than-expected earnings may not be enough to stop shrinking market share.
• Gap Inc. (GPS) rose after it beat earnings estimates, raised its dividend and announced stock buybacks.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: AIG, Dell, Gap, Heinz, Macy's, RadioShack, Sears ...

Earnings Highlights: AIG, Dell, Gap, Heinz, Macy's, RadioShack, Sears ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RadioShack (RSH), an electronics chain in competition with Best Buy (BBY) and Wal-Mart (WMT), posted fourth-quarter results on Monday after the bell. Sales increased well over 4%. Same-store sales at company-operated locations and kiosks in the United States expanded by over 6%. The bottom line jumped 25% to 60 cents per share.

RadioShack had a relatively strong quarter. Gross margin improved, as did the cash and cash equivalents line on the balance sheet (long-term debt went down, too). Cash from operations for the full year did contract by 10%; it would have been nice to see an increase in cash flow to go along with the rest of the data set, but at least the bottom line was ahead of estimates (if only by a penny).

Continue reading RadioShack Earnings Surge, but Investors Not Impressed

RadioShack Earnings Surge, but Investors Not Impressed originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Electronics retailer RadioShack Corporation (RSH) -- or "The Shack," if you take your cues from aggressively quirky marketing campaigns -- is preparing to unleash its fourth-quarter earnings results. RadioShack will take the earnings stage after the market closes next Monday, Feb. 22, with analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expecting a per-share profit of 58 cents. This would mark a modest improvement from the company's year-ago profit of 50 cents per share.

RadioShack has a mixed history in the earnings spotlight -- during the past four reporting periods, the company has surpassed consensus estimates twice, and fallen short on the other two occasions. However, there's just cause to believe that business is booming at The Shack, since the retailer scored a deal to sell a little gadget known as the iPhone in its retail outlets.

Continue reading Shorts Take a Bold Stance Ahead of RadioShack's Earnings

Shorts Take a Bold Stance Ahead of RadioShack's Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.