Tuesday, January 31, 2012

DailyMarkets.com - Consumer Saving Is Not Usually A Bad Thing

DailyMarkets.com - Consumer Saving Is Not Usually A Bad Thing

Consumer Saving Is Not Usually A Bad Thing

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

The small headline on the 4:30 PM Tuesday edition of the WSJ on my iPad said, "Rising Income is Saved, Not Spent." I know this will sound like a quibble, but bear with me. It is a quibble, but the headline encourages a popular misconception with possible adverse policy implications.
The thing is that the national income accounts and logic assure that total spending equal total income. I know that sounds Keynesian, but sometimes Keynesianism is a simply a matter of arithmetic. (The reverse … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Congress Proposes Cell Phone Privacy Act

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:45 PM PST

01/31/12 Recent controversy concerning Carrier IQ, which monitors what happens on smartphones, has spurred US Rep. Edward Markey to propose legislation that would require companies to notify consumers of any such … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Global PMI Manufacturing, ADP To Highlight Session

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:20 AM PST

01/31/12 Global PMI manufacturing data from the euro-zone, China, UK and US will be released. The ADP employment report will be closely watched ahead of Friday’s jobs … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Hot Option Plays: O Canada!

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:18 PM PST

Cusick’s Corner
I am looking to the commodity markets and commodity based economies as the next “tell.” Check out the Commodity Index, DBC, this has been on a decline since Sept and continues to pullback at trend down resistance, $28. We also see that the Canadian and Aussie Dollars have been stuck in the mud and are clearly lagging the action in the equities, S&Ps. We need to see these markets start to pick up or this could be an early tell that this upside (which seems very real) could be … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Six Out Seven Winners Picking The Euro Currency Bottom

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:17 PM PST

Many folk are pure fundamental traders, they trade the news or events. They think any sort of technical analysis is just voodoo. To all those traders types, we have good voodoo and we wouldn’t be with out it.

We have just purchased more rat tails, bat wings and virgin hair, and the after mixing them together we get this Hurst Cycle on the FXE (EURUSD etf) below. Ok haivng some fun here, the cycle below scores very well with our Bartels test and has work since May 2010. The real fun comes … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

BMC To Acquire Numara Software

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:15 PM PST

The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) major BMC Software. (NYSE:BMC) recently announced that it is set to acquire Numara Software, a provider of integrated IT management solutions for medium-sized businesses. The transaction is expected to be closed by BMC's fiscal fourth quarter, which ends on March 31. However, the terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Post acquisition, Numara will offer different BMC products like FootPrints and Track-It!, which also complement BMC's existing portfolio. We … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Starbucks In India This Summer

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:05 PM PST

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) is slated to make its way into India by the end of August. Starbucks, along with Asia's largest publicly traded coffee grower, Tata Coffee Ltd, is planning to open 50 stores, which will spread its Frappuccino aromas either in Mumbai or in the capital, Delhi, the two largest cities of the country.
A year back, Seattle-based Starbucks entered into an agreement with Tata Coffee Ltd. Per the agreement, Starbucks got the right to procure coffee beans from India and … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

BIOLASE Makes Strategic Tie-in

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:49 PM PST

Dental laser maker BIOLASE Technology (NASDAQ:BLTI) has inked a sales and marketing pact with Kirkland, Washington-based leading dental education group Seattle Study Club ("SSC").
SSC, a global organization of dentists, is among the most advanced dental education groups. Dentists and dental specialists, who are the members of the group, are dedicated to maintaining the highest level of knowledge in dentistry and share new techniques/technology and means to better serve their patients.
Under the … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Momentum Stocks To Watch Tomorrow

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:46 PM PST

( click to enlarge )

Apple Inc.(NASDAQ:AAPL) – The stock embarked on another leg of the strong bull rally that took it to a new high of $458.24 today on rising volumes. All three EMA’s are rising and the stock is well above the 3 moving averages. At this point, the technical indicators are supporting the bullishness. The MACD is moving up in the positive zone and is above the signal line, however the slow stochastic has moved up into the overbought zone. A break above $459 could trigger further … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Earnings Scorecard: Altera Corp.

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:40 PM PST

Earnings estimates for Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) have declined considerably in the last seven days after the company provided weak guidance for the first quarter of 2012.
Although fourth-quarter results beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $0.04, the guidance was disappointing.
Altera expects sales to be down 5% – 9% sequentially. This implies a revenue guidance of $416.5 million – $434.9 million. Management stated that the program timing in the Military business will account for half of … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Covidien’s Solitaire Ok’d For Trial

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:30 PM PST

International health care products major Covidien's (NYSE:COV) Solitaire FR revascularization device has been cleared for investigational use in the Interventional Management of Stroke ("IMS III") trial.
The Ireland-based company said that the device was approved by the IMS III Executive Committee in the thrombectomy arm of the study and was included in a recently approved amendment submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The Solitaire FR device is approved outside the U.S. … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Healthways, Gallup Determine “Well-Being”

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:20 PM PST

Healthways (NASDAQ:HWAY), the well-being enhancement company, and statistical research services provider Gallup, recently announced the results of the monthly Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index ("WBI") for December 2011. The overarching WBI measure remained stagnant at a score of 65.8. This was the fourth consecutive month with a score under 66.
The Emotional Health Index stood at 79.2 and resisted its fall to the typical annual low achieved in December each year. Americans enjoyed lower stress … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Forex Trading: Usd/hkd Daily Trend Line Provides New Resistance.

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:17 PM PST

usd/hkd Daily trend line use to support this pair and now it became a new resistance for the … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

U.S. Rig Count Remains In Check

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 02:07 PM PST

In its weekly release, Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. (NYSE:BHI) reported an unchanged U.S. rig count (number of rigs searching for oil and gas in the country), as an increase in the number of oil and miscellaneous rigs was offset by a fall in the gas rig count.
The Baker Hughes rig count, issued since 1944, acts as an important yardstick for drilling contractors such as Transocean Inc. (NYSE:RIG), Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO), Noble Corp. (NYSE:NE), Nabors Industries (NYSE:NBR), … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Stocks Dip But See Best January Since 1997

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST

01/31/12 Stocks may have seen a slight dip Tuesday but for the month, trading was impressive as S&P posted its best monthly performance in 15 years led by financials and signs of progress in … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Amazon Misses 2nd Straight Quarter

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:55 PM PST

E-commerce giant Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) brought in lower revenues than expected for the second quarter in a row. The company’s $17.43 billion marked a 35% increase year over year, but it was well off the $18.25 billion expected in the Zacks Consensus.

As a result, AMZN shares tumbled 10% in the after-market almost immediately, after seeing a 1.2% gain in the regular trading session Tuesday. Traders have eased up a bit on selling the stock since the initial impact. Share are currently down around … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Earnings Scorecard: 3M Company

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:55 PM PST

3M Company (NYSE:MMM) posted encouraging results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, with earnings growth of 5.5% year over year. Earnings per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4 cents.
For full-year 2011, earnings per share increased by 5.9% year over year, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3 cents.
Fourth Quarter Highlights
Total revenue in the quarter increased by 3.3% year over year to $7.1 billion. Acquisitions contributed 2.3% to total growth, foreign exchange added 0.1%, … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

TOTAL Expands In Asia

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:36 PM PST

Integrated oil and gas company TOTAL S.A. (NYSE:TOT) decided to expand its Asian footprint by making fresh investments in its existing operation in South Korea. TOTAL started an operation in South Korean through a 50/50 joint venture with Samsung in 2003.
The alliance resulted in the creation of Samsung Total Petrochemicals, which looks after the Daesan complex in South Korea. The new investment will be directed towards upgrading as well as creating another aromatics unit and an ethylene-vinyl … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Fidelity Launches Mobile Wallet

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:36 PM PST

Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (NYSE:FIS) recently collaborated with mobile payments technology provider, Paydiant, to launch a cloud-based mobile payment solution, namely FIS Mobile Wallet.  The solution, which is currently being implemented by a number of clients on a pilot basis, allows customers to use smartphones to make purchases at the point-of-sale (POS) as well as for online shopping.
The cloud-based payment solution is readily accessible through most smartphones and can … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Abercrombie Stays At Neutral

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:27 PM PST

We are maintaining our long-term Neutral recommendation on Abercrombie & Fitch Company (NYSE:ANF) with a target price of $48.00. Moreover, the company has a Zacks #3 Rank, implying a short-term Hold rating on the stock.
Abercrombie, one of the leading specialty retailers of premium casual apparels in the U.S., has a strong portfolio of well-established brands. Each of these brands is focused on the unique characteristics and rapidly changing preferences of its target customers.
In an effort to … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

BofA Hires Small Business Bankers

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:06 PM PST

Yesterday, Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) declared the hiring of 51 small business bankers in England, including 32 in Massachusetts, 14 in Connecticut and the remaining in Rhode Island to offer guidance and counsel to local small business owners.
This hiring is a part of BofA's previously announced plan to hire more than 1,000 small business bankers across the country by mid-2012. Initially the hiring started in the Baltimore-Washington DC, the greater Los Angeles and Dallas.
According … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

U. S. Bancorp On Acquisition Spree

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST

U.S.Bancorp (NYSE:USB) is on an acquisition spree. In an effort to expand its trust business, the company's lead bank, U.S. Bank National Association, has agreed to acquire the Indiana corporate trust business of UMB Bank, a subsidiary of UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:UMBF).
The deal is expected to be accomplished on March 2, 2012. However, the terms of the agreement were not disclosed by the company. To ensure a faultless transition, the U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust Services team will work … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Int’l Paper, TIN Extend Review Time

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:40 PM PST

The International Paper (NYSE:IP) – Temple-Inland (NYSE:TIN) merger has been delayed as both parties have agreed to extend the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) review period till February 13, 2012. The extended timeline will provide both parties the time to resolve DOJ’s concerns regarding the transaction and enter into a definitive agreement on terms that are acceptable to all.
The DOJ approval remains the only hurdle in the creation of a company that would enjoy about 40% share of the … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Restaurant Index Reaches 7-Year High In December

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:35 PM PST

Washington, D.C. — “Fueled by solid same-store sales and traffic results and a bullish outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 102.2 in December, up 1.6 percent from November and its highest level in nearly six years. In addition, December represented the third time in the last … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

ITW’s 4Q Outperforms Estimate

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:31 PM PST

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 on January 31. Earnings per share from continuing operations were 90 cents, an increase of 36.4% year over year and two cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 88 cents and in line with the mid-point of management's guidance range of 86-94 cents.
The reported quarter's earnings excluded one cent of income from discontinued operations, including which earnings came in for roughly … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Meritage Misses By A Penny

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:20 PM PST

Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE:MTH) recorded a broader loss of $11.8 million or 36 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with $895 thousand or 3 cents per share in the same quarter of 2010.
Excluding asset impairments and loss on early extinguishment of debt, the company had a profit of $2.1 million or 6 cents per share during the quarter under review, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. This compared with a loss of $295 thousand or 1 cent per share in the fourth … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Earnings Preview: Allergan

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:20 PM PST

Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN) is scheduled to announce its fourth quarter and full year 2011 results on February 2, 2012, before the opening bell. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter is $1.00 (year-over-year increase of 13.6%) on revenues of $1,408 million (year-over-year increase of 7.6%). This is just above the company's fourth quarter guidance of 97-99 cents per share.
As per the Zacks Consensus Estimate, for fiscal 2011, earnings are expected to be $3.64 (year-over-year increase … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Depressed Real Estate Market? Not In N. Dakota

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:11 PM PST

The oil boom in western North Dakota has created thousands of new oil-related jobs in the state, and has also generated thousands of spillover jobs throughout the entire state.  North Dakota’s oil prosperity has kept the state’s jobless rate below 4% for the last 20 months, and below 1% in Williams County, at the epicenter of the Bakken.

The oil boom has been fueling a shovel-ready, job-creating construction and housing boom in western North Dakota, with 2011 building permit value … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

IPhones Reign In 4Q11

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 12:05 PM PST

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has toppled Samsung to become the leader in the smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2011. According to the data compiled by research firms Strategy Analytics and IHS iSuppli, Apple returned to its former glory in the smartphone market, buoyed by robust holiday sales of iPhone 4S.
In terms of units sold, Apple sold 37 million iPhones during the October- December period, while Samsung shipped approximately 36.5 million smartphones. Nokia Corp (NYSE:NOK) sold 19.6 million … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Earnings Preview: Dow Chemical

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:51 AM PST

The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) is scheduled to report its fourth quarter and full-year 2011 results before the market opens on Thursday, February 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is 32 cents per share, representing a year-over-year decrease of 32.24%.
With respect to earnings surprises, the company has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters. This is reflected in the average earnings surprise of 14.95%, with positive surprises in three … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Earnings Scorecard: Coach

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:51 AM PST

Despite lingering economic woes, Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH), the designer and marketer of fine accessories and gifts, recently posted better-than-expected second-quarter 2012 results on the back of healthy sales in North America and China.
Street analysts had enough time to ponder over the company's scores. In the paragraphs that follow, we cover the recent earnings announcement, subsequent estimate revisions by analysts as well as the Zacks Rank and long-term recommendation for the stock.
Last … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Helmerich & Payne Beats Estimates

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:35 AM PST

Contract drilling services provider Helmerich & Payne Inc. (HP) reported strong results for the first fiscal quarter of 2012 (three months ended December 31, 2011), driven by a robust U.S. land drilling business.
Earnings per share from continuing operations (excluding special items) came in at $1.29, comfortably surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.16 and way above the year-ago adjusted profit of 94 cents.
Revenues of $732.6 million were up 23.2% from the first quarter 2011 and … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Cosi Comps Turnaround In 4Q

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:30 AM PST

Deerfield, Illinois-based Cosi Inc. (NASDAQ:COSI) recently reported a 2.6% rise in its system-wide comparable restaurant sales for the fourth quarter of 2011, after witnessing declining comps for two consecutive quarters.
The upside in comps was driven by new initiatives and seasonally mild weather conditions. In the month of December, which is the holiday period, comps crept up 8.2%. Comparable restaurant sales represent a key figure, which measures growth at restaurants in operation for more than … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Avery Dennison Falls Short

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:30 AM PST

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE:AVY) reported a adjusted net income of $38.1 million or 36 cents per share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, down considerably from $89.6 million or 83 cents per share delivered in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted earnings per share were well below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 46 cents per share.
The company incurred restructuring costs and special items of $9.1 million or 9 cents per share. Including these charges, Avery Dennison's income in the quarter … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

PACCAR Beats, Profits Up 93%

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:20 AM PST

PACCAR Inc. (NASDAQ:PCAR) reported a whopping 93% increase in profit to $327.7 million or 91 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2011 from $169.8 million or 46 cents per share in the same quarter of 2010. With this, the company has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12 cents per share.
Net sales and financial service revenues in the quarter surged 58% to $4.85 billion, which is the highest quarterly revenues in the company's history. It also exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.21 … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Entergy Posts Weak Q4

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:20 AM PST

Before the bell, Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) reported its fourth quarter and fiscal 2011 results. In the reported quarter, the company reported operational EPS of 94 cents, falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 96 cents. Earnings also came lower than the year-ago quarter's $1.30.
Earnings in the reported quarter were lower than the year-ago period by 36 cents. However utility EPS was 33 cents higher due to lower income tax expense.
Earnings also rose at Entergy Wholesale … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Hot Option Plays: Bid Continues To Hold Ground

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:19 AM PST

Cusick’s Corner
Over the past week I have written that this is a market where the bid is stepping in on dips and the shorts continue to get thwarted in the end. Equities continue to see strong earnings and in spite of a bad employment picture in the EU as a whole, Germany (the backbone at this stage) is bucking that employment trend which explains the Euro’s ability to hold up at this stage. While the next major swing still feels to the upside, I think that there may be a headline out there … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Offbeat Economic Indicators Show Strong Gains

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:13 AM PST

1. Distilled spirits exports exceeded one billion dollars for the fifth consecutive year, reaching a projected record $1.34 billion in 2011 (based on 11-month totals).  Total spirits exports grew 16.5% over the preceding year.  
 
2.  U.S. pork and beef exports are setting new record highs. 

3. The American Staffing Association Staffing Index, a key weekly barometer of temporary and contract employment activity, is at the highest level for the third and fourth … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

CIT Significantly Ahead Of Ests.

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:10 AM PST

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE:CIT) reported fourth-quarter 2011 earnings per share of 17 cents, significantly ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 9 cents and the prior quarter's loss 15 cents. However, this was unfavorable compared with the prior-year quarter's earnings of 41 cents.
For fiscal 2011, CIT's earnings stood at 14 cents per share significantly below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 10 cents and the prior period's earnings of $2.62.
CIT's quarterly results benefited from … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

L-3 Bottom-Line Beats, Sales Miss

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:05 AM PST

L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (NYSE:LLL) reported fourth quarter and fiscal 2011 earnings results before the bell. During the fourth quarter of 2011, the company clocked pro forma earnings per share of $2.44, easily surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.41 and the year-ago figure of $2.37. Including a net gain of 28 cents, GAAP EPS was $2.72 versus $2.37 in the fourth quarter of 2010. The gain of 28 cents includes a tax benefit of 77 cents partially offset by a non-cash impairment … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Zyprexa Pulls Down Lilly’s 4Q Sales

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST

Eli Lilly & Company (NYSE:LLY) reported fourth quarter 2011 adjusted earnings per share of 87 cents, 7 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate but 24 cents below the year-ago earnings of $1.11. The year-over-year decline was attributable to lower revenues and higher operating expenses in the final quarter of 2011.
Reported earnings (including special items), declined 27% to $0.77 per share. Reported earnings included special charges to the tune of $167.6 million.
Fourth quarter revenues … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

U.S. Steel Sees A Strong 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST

01/31/12 After reporting better-than-expected earnings, U.S. Steel also forecasted a strong 2012 with improved prices and … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

EPS Beat For Biogen; Outlook Weak

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:55 AM PST

Biogen Idec (NASDAQ:BIIB) reported fourth-quarter earnings per share of $1.51, well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46 and the year-ago earnings of $1.41. Fourth quarter results were boosted by higher revenues which came in at $1.3 billion, up 9%. Revenues were in-line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Full-year earnings came in at $5.85 per share, 3 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate and well above the year-ago earnings of $5.03 per share. Excluding the impact of stock-based … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Generic Lipitor Hits Pfizer, View Trimmed

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:55 AM PST

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) posted fourth quarter earnings of 50 cents per share, 3 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate and the year-ago earnings of 47 cents. Revenues, however, fell 4% to $16.7 billion, in-line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Despite a decline in revenues, a lower share count and cost control helped earnings increase from the year-ago period.
Full-year earnings came in at $2.31 per share, 4% above the year-ago earnings and 3 cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate. 2011 … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Uranium And Rare Earths Leading Market Rebound

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:52 AM PST

As we predicted, our uranium and rare earth selections are amongst the leaders during this market rebound.  Their underlying fundamentals are strong enough on their own to propel this move.  In addition, the shorts may be running for cover here.  Lastly, the supply demand equation may be taking hold.

The month of January is a harbinger for what may happen in the year 2012.  This month we have seen both uranium stocks and rare earth stocks outperform the general market … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Reinsurance Group Beats Estimates

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:50 AM PST

Reinsurance Group of America Inc. (RGA) reported fourth quarter 2011 operating earnings of $1.91 per share, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.84 per share. The earnings outperformance can be attributed to better-than-expected growth in net premium coupled with lower effective tax rates and lower share count. Earnings were, however, down 11% year over year.
Total revenue increased 3.5% year over year to $2.35 billion, led by increased net premiums, partly offset by lower net … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Valero Loss Narrower Than Expected

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:40 AM PST

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has posted fourth quarter 2011 adjusted loss from continuing operations of 21 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 25 cents but was worse than last year’s earnings from continuing operations of 32 cents. The year-over-year decline can be attributable to unfavorable refining margins, particularly in the Gulf Coast region.
For full year 2011, Valero delivered earnings from continuing operations of $3.69 per share, which soared … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

StanCorp Beats, Guides 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:40 AM PST

StanCorp Financial Group (NYSE:SFG) reported fourth-quarter 2011 earnings of 87 cents per share from continuing operations, striding ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 79 cents per share. However, results were 24% below $1.14 per share earned in the prior-year quarter. Net income from continuing operations for the quarter was $38.6 million, slipping 27% from $53 million reported in fourth-quarter 2010.
StanCorp benefited from an after-tax net capital gain of $0.7 million or 2 cents per share … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

U.S. Steel Disappoints In 4Q

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:25 AM PST

United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X) reported disappointing fourth-quarter 2011 results. Net loss came in at $226 million or $1.57 per diluted share.
Excluding the $51 million of net foreign currency losses and an $11 million after-tax environmental remediation charge, adjusted fourth-quarter 2011 net loss came in at $164 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, much below the Zacks Consensus Estimate loss of 82 cents per share.
For full-year 2011, U.S. Steel reported a net loss of $68 million, or … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Valeant Withdraws ISTA Offer

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:25 AM PST

Canadian pharmaceuticals company Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE:VRX) recently announced the withdrawal of its $7.50/share offer for California-based eye-care company ISTA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ISTA).
In December last year Valeant Pharma had made a hostile bid to acquire ISTA Pharmaceuticals for $6.50/share in cash. ISTA rejected the proposal the very same day. ISTA's Board of Directors called the offer unrealistic stating that the bid grossly undervalued the company. In … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

UPS’ EPS Beats Estimate, Revs Miss

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:25 AM PST

Before the opening bell, United Parcel Services (NYSE:UPS) reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $1.28 per share outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.26. Earnings per share of the world’s largest package delivery company grew a substantial 20.7% from $1.06 in the year-ago quarter.
Healthy US Domestic as well as International Packages and freight performances led to the earnings improvement in the quarter. On a GAAP basis, diluted earnings per share in the quarter were 74 cents, down … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Guli: “Rather Optimistic Going Forward”

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 05:20 AM PST

01/31/12 Knight Capital Americas’ Michael Guli discusses the latest EU developments and US economic data releases. As the month draws to a close, the outlook for the US equity market is also touched … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Exxon’s EPS Lags, Revs Beat

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:10 AM PST

U.S. energy behemoth ExxonMobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM) posted mixed fourth quarter and full year 2011 results, reflecting new exploration opportunities and overseas project start-ups, partially offset by steeper operating costs and income taxes.
The company reported fourth quarter 2011 earnings of $1.97 per share, improving considerably from the year-earlier earnings of $1.85. However, the company's earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.01.
For the full year, earnings per share stood at … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Humana Launches New Dental Plan

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 10:05 AM PST

On Monday, Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) announced the launch of a new dental insurance plan – HumanaOne Dental Loyalty Plus Plan – aimed toward individuals who do not have any dental coverage, such as retirees, self-employed people and individuals who do not get dental insurance coverage from their employers.
The plan will reward policyholders for long-term enrollments by providing incremental coverage in the second and third years. From the third year onwards, Humana will provide maximum coverage … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Euro Firm On E.U. Pact, Greek Debt Progress

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST

01/31/12 The euro currency continued to remain steady this afternoon against the dollar on expectations of a Greek debt restructuring deal being … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

YouTube Ignores LAPD Cop’s First Place Question For Obama About Legalizing Marijuana

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 09:47 AM PST

WASHINGTON, DC — “Yesterday YouTube ignored a question advocating marijuana legalization from a retired LAPD deputy chief of police (watch that video above) that won twice as many votes as any other video question in the White House’s “Your Interview with the President” competition on the Google-owned site. They did, however, find the time to get the president on record about late night snacking, singing and dancing, celebrating wedding anniversaries and playing … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

The Trend Trader For Forex Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 04:02 AM PST

By ForexMansion.com

The Trend Trader for Forex
For Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

THE BIG SIX

Close
%
Change

3×1

7×5
Minor
Trend
Major
Trend
Trend Reading

AUDUSD – Aust Dollar / US Dollar
1.0619
+ 0.21
1.0618
1.0588

Bullish

EURUSD – Euro / US Dollar
1.3081
− 0.47
1.3146
1.3111

Bearish

GBPUSD – British Pound / US Dollar
1.5760
+ 0.32
1.5717
1.5661

Bullish

USDCAD – US Dollar / Canadian Dollar
1.0024
+ 0.10
1.0020
1.0053

Neutral

USDCHF – US Dollar / … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

The Trend Trader For Stock Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 04:02 AM PST

By ForexMansion.com

The Trend Trader for the Dow 30 Stocks
For Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

In alphabetical order by symbol

Close
%
Change

3×1

7×5
Minor
Trend
Major
Trend
Trend Reading

AA – Alcoa Inc
10.16
− 1.55
10.31
10.41

Bearish

AXP – American Express Company
50.14
+ 2.08
49.64
49.81

Bullish

BA – Boeing Co
74.18
+ 0.03
74.41
74.70

Bearish

BAC – Bank of America Corporation
7.13
+ 0.85
7.16
7.28

Bearish

CAT – Caterpillar Inc
109.12
− … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

The Trend Trader For Futures Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 04:02 AM PST

By ForexMansion.com

The Trend Trader for Futures
For Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

INDICES

Close
%
Change

3×1

7×5
Minor
Trend
Major
Trend
Trend Reading

S&P 500 – Mar ESH2
1308.25
− 0.06
1309.58
1314.58

Bearish

Dow Jones – Mar YMH2
12582
− 0.16
12600
12641

Bearish

Nasdaq – Mar NQH2
2464.25
+ 0.09
2457.08
2450.58

Bullish

Russell – Mar TFH2
791.20
+ 0.09
791.71
789.03

Neutral

INTEREST RATES

US T-Bond – Mar ZBH2
145-14
+ … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

The Trend Trader For ETF Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 04:02 AM PST

By ForexMansion.com

The Trend Trader for ETFs
For Trading On Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The top 40 ETFs by net assets
In alphabetical order by symbol

Close
%
Change

3×1

7×5
Minor
Trend
Major
Trend
Trend Reading

AGG – iShares Lehman Aggregate Bd Fd
111.05
+ 0.17
110.76
110.31

Bullish

BND – Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF
84.07
+ 0.08
83.96
83.68

Bullish

DBC – DB Commodity Index Tracking Fd
27.83
− 0.25
27.99
27.98

Bearish

DIA – SPDR DJ Industrial Average … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards

Hawaii Says Aloha To Wave Of Spending

Posted: 31 Jan 2012 03:58 AM PST

01/31/12 Visitors to Hawaii helped boost the tourism industry to near-record highs in 2011. The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported a record $1.3 billion in visitor spending in … [visit site to read more] or compare Credit Card Rewards and Best Credit Cards
at

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