BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Regis equity raise offers lessons, stock still a sell]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/10/regis-equity-raise-offers-lessons-stock-still-a-sell/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/10/regis-equity-raise-offers-lessons-stock-still-a-sell/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/10/regis-equity-raise-offers-lessons-stock-still-a-sell/#commentsFiled under: ,

Paul Foster says that options activity in salon company Regis Corporation (NYSE: RGS) indicates the stock is likely to have non-directional price movements over the short-term, following the company's announcement of a stock and debt offering. That could very well be true, but I think the short-term is overanalyzed, and the long-term story here is much clearer -- and Regis offers two important lessons about how to better-analyze the financing and operations of a company.

I was first introduced to Regis about a year ago, when the stock was part of a portfolio of about 35 positions I inherited responsibility for. As I went through the holdings and segmented them out into categories of attractiveness, Regis was consistently ranked near the bottom. The industry itself was unattractive, and the way the company implemented its strategy seemed to leave it particularly vulnerable to adverse financial markets.

Continue reading Regis equity raise offers lessons, stock still a sell

Regis equity raise offers lessons, stock still a sell originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consumer spendingConsumerSpendingrgsservicesFri, 10 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[U.S. service sector slows less than expected in May]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/04/u-s-services-sector-slows-less-than-expected-in-may/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/04/u-s-services-sector-slows-less-than-expected-in-may/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/04/u-s-services-sector-slows-less-than-expected-in-may/#commentsFiled under: ,

Register a mild, positive data point for the U.S. economy. In May, the U.S. service sector slowed at a pace less than economists had expected.

The Institute for Supply Management announced Wednesday that its non-manufacturing or service index nudged lower to 51.7% in May from 52.0 in April. Readings above 50 indicate an expansion; below 50, a contraction. Hence, because the index remained above 50 in May, the expansion in the service sector continued for a second straight month, the ISM said. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected the services index to decline to 51.0 in May.

Thirteen of the ISM's service industries grew in May. The ISM added that members' comments in May reflected concern about business conditions, including rising costs, and the overall sluggish U.S. economy.

Economic Analysis: Many economists tend to place less emphasis on the ISM services index, compared to the capital-intensive manufacturing index. Still, the services index does provide helpful clues regarding the economy and the May statistic further confirmed that the U.S. at mid-year is experiencing very sluggish, region-specific growth, but not a contraction -- at least not yet. Credit conditions are tight, but credit availability has not been totally shut down. Corporations large and small are tightening their belts, but some business-to-business spending is occurring. Lay-offs are occurring, but so far, there is no tidal wave of layoffs.

U.S. service sector slows less than expected in May originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Institute for Supply Managementinthenewsinvestmentservice sectorservicesServiceSectorU.S. economyWed, 04 Jun 2008 14:36:00 EST<![CDATA[ISM non-manufacturing index unexpectedly rises in April]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/ism-non-manufacturing-index-unexpectedly-rises-in-april/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/ism-non-manufacturing-index-unexpectedly-rises-in-april/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/05/ism-non-manufacturing-index-unexpectedly-rises-in-april/#commentsFiled under: ,

The services industry in the United States unexpectedly expanded in April 2008, the Institute for Supply Management announced Monday.

The ISM's non-manufacturing index rose to 52 in April 2008 from 49.6 in March 2008. The services index had declined in the three months before April 2008.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected the April 2008 survey to fall to 49.3. Readings below 50 indicate a contraction.

Conflicting economic data

Economist David H. Wang said Monday the services sector report adds another "counter conventional wisdom" data point to the current U.S. economic landscape. "When you add the services number with last week's rise in April [2008] factory orders, you have a complex economic picture right now," Wang said. "On the one hand, some economists will point to the housing slump, which is a legitimate head wind. On the other hand, others will point to services and factory indicators that say the economy is not as weak as many had thought it would be. It's a conflicted, muddled economic picture right now."

Continue reading ISM non-manufacturing index unexpectedly rises in April

ISM non-manufacturing index unexpectedly rises in April originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 May 2008 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GDPInstitute for Supply ManagementinthenewsservicesU.S. economyMon, 05 May 2008 12:37:00 EST<![CDATA[March ISM services index rises, but still points to contraction]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/03/march-ism-services-index-rises-but-still-points-to-contraction/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/03/march-ism-services-index-rises-but-still-points-to-contraction/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/03/march-ism-services-index-rises-but-still-points-to-contraction/#commentsFiled under:

The U.S. services sector improved slightly in March 2008, but remained at levels indicating a contraction, the Institute of Supply Management announced Thursday.

The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index, which measures services, increased 0.3% to 49.6% in March 2008, a slight increase, but a reading still indicative of a contraction. Readings below 50% indicate a contraction; readings above it, expansion.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index to total 49.0% for March 2008. The index was at 49.3% in February 2008.

The new orders index increased 0.6% to 50.2%, while the employment index contracted for the third consecutive month, to 46.9%.

Continue reading March ISM services index rises, but still points to contraction

March ISM services index rises, but still points to contraction originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredInstitute of Supply ManagementinthenewsISMrecessionservicesU.S. economyThu, 03 Apr 2008 12:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Yahoo! (YHOO) starts to defocus efforts on 'premium' services]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/28/yahoo-yhoo-starts-to-defocus-efforts-on-premium-services/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/28/yahoo-yhoo-starts-to-defocus-efforts-on-premium-services/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/09/28/yahoo-yhoo-starts-to-defocus-efforts-on-premium-services/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yahoo! Inc.'s (NASDAQ: YHOO) fortunes seem to have shifted in the last few months, with purchases like BlueLithium and Zimbra firming up the company's strategy inside targeted consumer behavior (when it comes to online ads and purchases) and corporate email. In fact, those two acquisitions sound like knives in the collective backs of Google, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), respectively. Google's future revenue enterprise may rest on more efficiently connecting buyers and sellers, and Microsoft's presence in the corporate email market with its Exchange product is huge.

So, when I hear of Yahoo! starting to possibly de-emphasize the premium services that former CEO Terry Semel trumpeted from the top of his lungs back in 2002, it just shows how things have changed in the internet portal marketplace. No longer are customers willing to pay to receive services they can get elsewhere for free. Add that on top of the Google-led shift to advertising as a sole revenue source and away from a paid-customer model, and Yahoo! seems to finally be acknowledging that it may need to follow suit.

First up is the Yahoo! Music business, which runs a music subscription model (monthly paid service) that, according to sources, is not doing too well. With so many other competitors in the market for downloadable music, this comes as little surprise. I have to wonder how many resources have been dumped into Yahoo! Music thus far, or if it has ever made money? Marketing dollars and headcount will be moving into other strategic areas it appears, and I'll surmise that Yahoo! Music won't be the only premium (paid) service to come under the microscope soon.

Yahoo! (YHOO) starts to defocus efforts on 'premium' services originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deckerfocusinthenewsjeyyMusicpremiumservicessueYahoo!yangYHOOFri, 28 Sep 2007 17:21:00 EST