by Trefis Staff
Below is a summary of the activity on Trefis during the past week that we thought you would find interesting. Trefis is a financial community structuredaround trends, forecasts and insights related to some of the most popular stocks in the US. It provides the unique feature of allowing the user to model future valuation based upon projected changes in components of each business. It also provides communication capabilities among members, including concensus of member analysis compared to Trefis staff analysis and blogging opportunities for members.
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Technology Media & Telecom
- Apple Update: Should Avoid Supply Disruptions that Hit Intel on December 16th
Intel recently lowered its revenue outlook for Q4 2011 by $1 billion from previously estimated $14.7 billion to $13.7 billion …
- If Apple Acquires Anibot, Sandisk Better Watch Out on December 16th
The rumors of a potential acquisition of Israeli component supplier Anobit by none other than Apple is leading to speculation about the possible disruptive effects it could have on the NAND flash industry…
- Zynga’s Intense Culture May Be Biggest Growth Challenge on December 16th
Zynga’s work culture, like most start ups, has been notorious for being stressful and hectic. It is based completely on merit and driven by hard data …
- Adobe Heads for $34 on Digital Media and Marketing Drive on December 16th
Adobe released its Q4 FY12 earnings on December 15, posting another billion dollar quarter. This has been its best quarter to date with revenues …
- Accenture Reports Strong Q1 Earnings, Looks Poised for Growth on December 16th
Accenture reported strong results with the highest ever quarterly revenues of $7.1 billion for the Q1 of fiscal 2012, an increase of 17 percent over the same period last year …
- Weekly Telecom Notes: Verizon and AT&T on December 16th
The rumor mill was active this week as Verizon reportedly announced intentions to enter the online video streaming business next year …
- Mobile Weekly Notes: Apple, Nokia, RIM and Motorola on December 16th
Many companies in the mobile sector saw new developments in the past week. Apple received the permit for selling the iPhone 4S in China …
- HP Acquires Hiflex Software As Printer Market Returns To Growth on December 16th
The acquisition coincides with the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market returning to year-over-year growth in third quarter of 2011 …
- Microsoft Looks for More Coin From Skype Enterprise Customers on December 16th
The plan is to keep the core video chat technology free for individual consumers but charge enterprise customers for the use of enhanced features like video archiving and authentication …
- Zynga Worth $10.30 as New Games Show Promise on December 16th
New & other games account for almost 50% of its value while Texas HoldEm Poker accounts for around 30%, according to our analysis …
- Microsoft Dishes Out Free Windows Phones to Angry Android Users on December 16th
In its new social media campaign on Twitter, Microsoft is offering free Windows Phones to Android malware victims in an attempt to increase it market share in the mobile OS market …
- Cree New Coverage: $25 Trefis Price Estimate on December 16th
In 2010, it recorded revenues of over $1 billion, gross profit of around $500 million and had market share of over 9% in the global $10 billion LED manufacturing industry …
- Microsoft’s Windows Phone Delay in China Leaves Door Wide Open for Android and iPhone on December 16th
Microsoft is already late to the smartphone party, and this delay will extend the significant headstart that Android and iOS have already had, to capture an even greater share of the total market …
- Apple Will Find New Converts with iPad 3 Next Spring on December 15th
We believe the iPad 3 will be a high performance iPad with some attractive features such as voice recognition service Siri, presently an important feature of iPhone 4S …
- Nokia’s Lead in China Slips as Apple and Samsung Munch Market Share on December 15th
Nokia is losing out to Samsung and Apple in the Chinese smartphone market, reflecting a global trend for the once dominate smartphone supplier …
- Cisco Primed for Explosive Traffic Growth Driven by the Cloud on December 15th
In its inaugural Cisco Global Cloud Index, the networking equipment and technology company says cloud traffic will hit 1.6 zettabytes annually from 130 exabytes today …
- The Future of Research in Motion: Will It Survive? on December 15th
With mobile penetration increasing each and every year, it isn’t difficult to imagine that most major phone companies will see profit increases over …
Paychex has actually remained relatively healthy. In the fiscal year ending May 2011, the firm generated over $2 billion in revenue along with $500 million in net profits ….
- Why Accenture Profits from a Bad Economy on December 15th
In good times and bad, consultants are in demand to help firms go forward. In volatile times, consultants’ input can seem essential as companies struggle with uncertainty …
- Zynga New Coverage: $10.34 Pre-IPO Trefis Price Estimate on December 15th
Founded in 2007, Zynga has launched social games such as FarmVille, CityVille and Texas HoldEm Poker as well as many others on social networks like Facebook and Myspace …
- Intel Updates: Expands Semi Leadership, $29 Fair Value on December 15th
Intel’s stock has gyrated the last couple of weeks with broader market sentiment and then slipped by about 5% in the last few days as the company lowered its Q4 outlook …
- Verizon Should Partner with Redbox, But Could Stream Solo Otherwise on December 15th
After rumors that Verizon was looking to partner with RedBox in order to provide stand-alone online streaming streaming services next year, a new Bloomberg report has it that Verizon is now looking at potentially placing a bid for Netflix …
- Viacom Updates: Company Worth $64 on Ad Sales Outlook on December 15th
The company’s management stated at UBS’s annual media and communications conference that while there has been some softness in the ad market in recent weeks, things should improve in the Q1 2012 …
- If Verizon Buys Netflix, Juicy FiOS Revenues are at Risk on December 15th
Where Verizon can see value in Netflix though is its huge, albeit declining, subscriber base of almost 23 million and a brand name that customers are more familiar with in the online streaming business …
Apple will finally be able to sell the long-awaited iPhone 4S in mainland China, according to reports in the Beijing Morning Post …
- Verisign Launches Domain Countdown to Drive Domain Registrations on December 15th
Verisign has launched a new service called DomainCountdown, which provides detailed information about expiring domain names. The service currently lists more …
- Accenture Earnings Preview: What We’re Watching Today on December 15th
The revenue is expected to come in at $6.85 billion, up 5.7% over the same period last year. The revenue guidance for fiscal 2012 is estimated to be $27.5 billion …
- AT&T’s T-Mobile Deal Almost Dead, Spectrum Hunt to Continue on December 15th
The company and Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s parent, announced Monday that they have asked the District Court Judge to stay any further hearings until January 18th, 2012 so that they could “evaluate all options” …
Motorola Mobility’s acquisition by Google seems to have hit a bump in the road with EU regulators suspending their antitrust review on the deal until more information is made available …
- Dish Could be a Key Beneficiary of AT&T’s Hunt for Spectrum on December 14th
Adding to the possible dramatic outcomes of AT&T’s (NYSE:T) attempted T-Mobile deal, Dish’s CEO Joseph Clayton openly announced that the company is looking to diversify into mobile by teaming up with an existing wireless carrier …
- RIM Earnings Preview: Another Round of Weak Results Expected on December 14th
RIM will announce its fiscal year Q3 2012 earnings on December 15th, and we expect it to miss its own expectations again, continuing on a trend that was set a few quarters back …
- Microsoft Teams Up with HP to Conquer the Enterprise Cloud on December 14th
Microsoft and HP announced a new initiative to deliver Microsoft’s productivity and collaboration applications like Office 365 …
- Twitter’s Makeover Not Yet Enough to Hurt Facebook on December 14th
Twitter’s brand new look and increased personalization may take it closer to the likes of social networking giant Facebook . The micro-blogging site’s revamped structure resembles Facebook’s features in many ways …
Symantec market share for enterprise storage software has declined again this quarter. It now has 15.3% market share, but still comes second in the storage software market …
The past week, we witnessed some interesting developments at the leading online travel agency, Expedia. The company announced that its stockholders overwhelmingly approved the spin-off of its media and advertising arm, TripAdvisor …
China Unicom will finally be able to sell the long-awaited iPhone 4S in mainland China, according to a report in the Beijing Morning Post …
- Adobe Earnings Preview: What We’re Watching on December 14th
In this earnings call, we will be looking at Adobe’s strategy of growing in the digital media and marketing space, as well as assess the status of its latest acquisitions …
- Better Ad Performance Can Attract Developers to Windows Phone on December 14th
It’s been more than a year since the launch of Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS, but the platform hasn’t been able to again enough traction in terms of market share …
Avnet Technology Solutions, a subsidiary of IT software distribution company Avnet, recently announced that it has expanded its distribution agreement with VMware …
- Tech Notes: Microsoft, SAP & Salesforce.com on December 13th
Last week wasn’t particularly good for the tech sector with almost all tech stocks like Microsoft and Salesforce.com that were trading relatively flat …
- Symantec Market Share in Storage Software Slips Again on December 13th
Symantec is one of the biggest players in the enterprise storage software market where it competes primarily with EMC in the storage software market …
Close on the heels of reports that Verizon is planning on providing stand-alone streaming services next year, TechCrunch reports that it may be partnering with Redbox to put its plans to action ..
- Microsoft’s Xbox Live Brings Live TV, More Streaming Content & Kinect Voice Control on December 13th
The update brings a lot of new features to Xbox Live and aims to transform the Xbox 360 into a complete entertainment hub, with games, movies, TV shows, music and sports content …
According to a recent release by research firm IDC, storage software revenues reached $3.5 billion in the third quarter of 2011, up 9.7% over the same period last year …
Apple may have started to feel the effects of cheaper priced rivals in the tablet space, a niche market segment it helped spawn with the launch of the iPad almost two years ago …
- As Master of Search, Google Now Focuses on Growing Display Ads on December 13th
Comfortably dominant in the search market, Google is increasingly shifting its focus toward display advertising. After some significant steps to bolster …
The last couple of weeks saw a temporary rise in Dish Network’s stock, perhaps influenced by Verizon’s $3.6 billion deal for acquiring AWS spectrum from Time Warner Cable …
- Verizon Will Ride New Streaming Service to $43.50 on December 13th
Verizon is planning to launch a streaming service that doesn’t require an existing cable connection, which pits it more directly against Netflix and could hurt the same cable TV operators …
- Intel Drops On Supply Issues, Fundamental Drivers Are Main Concern on December 13th
Intel mentioned that it now expects a revenue in the range of $13.4 billion to $14 billion, about $1 billion lower than its earlier expectations for the fourth quarter …
- Microsoft Should Launch Windows 8 ASAP as Tablet Demand Spikes on December 13th
Microsoft is one of the largest enterprise and consumer software company, which dominates the operating system market with the Windows OS …
- How Much Will Killing the Streak 7 Hurt Dell? on December 13th
Many are seeing this as Dell’s silent nod to the fact that Android tablets have failed to lure customers in a market dominated by Apple’s iPad …
Microsoft’s stock has gyrated in the past week due to wobbly markets and a series of positive developments related to the Xbox, Windows and Office, which could boost its bottom-line in the coming years …
- AT&T Gushes Over iPhone Demand as Apple Investors Cheer on December 12th
AT&T’s CFO remarked that the company has almost broken its its prior record for quarterly smartphone sales having sold 6 million smartphones in the first two months of December 2011 quarter …
- CBS Updates: Top Ratings Lift Stock, NFL Fees Manageable on December 12th
The company has long emphasized on the importance of the content, which is ultimately necessary and pivotal for striking re-transmission and licensing deals …
- Samsung Fails to Block iPhone in France as Android Wars Rage On on December 12th
Apple parried the most recent attempt by Samsung to slowdown its popular iPhone 4S by by avoiding a ban in France …
- RIM Forced To Rename 2012 Operating Platform on December 12th
Research In Motion can’t name its new mobile operating system “BBX” as it had planned in October and is instead settling for the name “BlackBerry 10″ …
- Netflix Confident in Recovery but HBO Could Spoil the Party on December 12th
The company’s outlined his beliefs regarding the company’s ability to bounce back and provided his assessment of the developing competitive landscape …
- EMC Unveils Big Data Analytics Platform, $42 Fair Value on December 12th
On Thursday, EMC Corporation unveiled the EMC Greenplum Unified Analytics Platform (UAP) – the next-generation platform to support Big data analytics …
- Facebook Timeline May Benefit from Gowalla’s Geo-Social Features on December 12th
Facebook’s much awaited Timeline feature could benefit from Gowalla’s geo-social technology. The app was launched in 2009 and allows users …
- Telecom Weekly Notes: Verizon and AT&T on December 12th
The past week was especially busy for the telecom sector with the top players in the U.S. market, Verizon and AT&T making some very important announcements …
- Juniper Jumps Back to #2 in Network Security Market, $28 Fair Value on December 12th
According to a recent report by research firm Infonetics, Juniper Networks jumped to second spot in the network security market pushing …
- Microsoft Rides Windows 8 Launch to $32 Fair Value on December 12th
Reports are suggesting that Microsoft will unveil the Windows 8 public beta in February 2012, following a demo at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 …
- Rising Sports Programming Costs Hits the Customer’s Pocket Book on December 12th
With NFL demanding significant increases in the money that ESPN pays, ESPN is likely to pass on this fee to cable operators without taking any hit to its own margins …
Consumer, Retail & Automotive
- Harley Updates: Restructuring on Track to Cut Resource Hogs on December 16th
Harley-Davidson, the largest U.S. motorcycle maker, is on track in executing the restructuring strategy, which it started in 2009 when when Mr. Keith Wandell joined the company as its CEO …
- McDonald’s, Starbucks Jump on Board Chipotle’s Green Machine on December 16th
Restaurant chains like Chipotle, McDonald’s and Starbucks are trying to be more green to win the hearts and minds of customers by sourcing natural ingredients and promoting recyclability …
- Heinz Struggles Down Under But Still Good for $54 on December 16th
H.J.Heinz Company continues to suffer significant declines in sales volume and gross margin in the Australian market, that accounts for almost almost 10% of the company’s revenues …
- Aeropostale Worth $20 Despite Tough Retail Market on December 16th
Teen specialty retailer Aeropostale showed an improvement in recent results, but the company’s struggles with negative sales comps and declining margins continue …
- American Eagle Readies for Holiday Push After Encouraging Q3 Results on December 16th
Teen specialty retailer American Eagle Outfitters reported earnings November 30th posting net sales increasing by 11% compared to that of last year…
- Costco Updates: Strong Comp Sales Drive Q1 Results on December 16th
Costco reported strong Q1 results, witnessing a 13% increase in net sales over the same period last quarter. This increase was driven by higher gasoline prices and positive effects of foreign exchange …
- Daimler Worth $72, But Europe’s Been a Drag on December 16th
Daimler recorded its highest global monthly sales ever for Mercedes-Benz in November 2011, up 8.3 percent yoy, in spite of growing fears of an auto-market slowdown due to deteriorating economic environment …
While it may have been more than a month into the holidays, the most important season for apparel retailers is still not over …
- As Gov’ts Raise Tobacco Taxes, Philip Morris Defends its Margins on December 16th
It looks like the decisions of the governments around the world to increase taxes on cigarettes has no effect on the profitability of Philip Morris…
- Starbucks’ Stock Looks Full at $40 on December 16th
Starbucks has been an investor favorite this year delivering 35% year to date gains, but now with the stock around $44, Starbucks’ valuation looks full in our view …
- Unilever Sees Growth in Russia, Emerging Markets for Beauty Products on December 16th
Unilever has completed its acquisition of the leading Russian beauty products company, Concern Kalina, with a stake of 82%, after obtaining regulatory clearances in Russia and Ukraine …
- EA’s Star Wars Game Launched Early Amid Hopes of a Blockbuster on December 16th
Electronic Arts wants to leave no stone unturned in the promotion of its biggest 2011 release, Star Wars: The Old Republic …
- After 50% YTD Run, Chipotle’s Stock is Stuffed at $320 on December 16th
Chipotle has performed exceptionally well this year. The stock is up more than 50% this year, outperforming the market indexes significantly …
- Honda’s Hampered in India Given Competition, Thai Floods on December 16th
Honda’s market share in India has been under intense pressure due to increased competition from other global car manufacturers …
- Coke Tries to Fizz to $75 with Freestyle Options, Indian Expansion on December 15th
The Coca Cola Company’s Freestyle soda got a major boost as Burger King plans to install the high tech machine in all of its 850 company owned restaurants …
- Gap to Benefit From Google’s Challenge of Amazon? on December 15th
Gap Inc. could benefit from Google’s planned challenge to Amazon’s Prime with an e-commerce extension of its Product Search service …
- Why Billionaire Phillip Frost’s Bet On PROLOR Biotech Is Lucrative on December 15th
While many investors flock to traditionally defensive companies, like Coca Cola and GE, amidst macro headwinds, some some of the best risk/reward can be found in biotechnology …
- Rite Aid Wellness+ Focus Boosts Growth, Fair Value $1.40 on December 15th
Rite Aid has revved up its successful customer loyalty program Wellness+ by introducing a unique coupon management program, Load2Card …
- Target Rolls to $60, Ready to Sell Card Unit & Focus on Retail Biz on December 15th
We believe if this sale materializes, it will let Target focus on its core business of retailing and help it explore various channels to reach targeted customers …
- Victoria’s Secret is the Key to Limited Brands’ Recent Success on December 14th
Intimate apparel retailer Limited Brands posted strong results ahead of market expectations a few weeks back riding primarily on the growth of its most well known brand Victoria’s Secret …
- Urban Gains on Holiday Sales, Stock Good for $29.50 on December 14th
Specialty retailer Urban Outfitters’ shares gained nearly 10% after the company reported in a regulatory filing that retail segment comp sales were up in mid-single digits …
- GM’s China Sales a Victim of US-China Trade Spats on December 14th
China has now decided to slap punitive duties on U.S. imported cars, which will be as high as 12.9 percent for autos from GM ….
- Gap Updates: Opens Banana Republic Store in France on December 14th
Continuing with its strategy of international expansion, Gap Inc. announced the opening of its first Banana Republic flagship store in France…
- Wal-Mart Updates: Launches Social Media App ShopyCat on December 14th
Wal-Mart recently launched ShopyCat, its first social shopping application, developed by its @WalmartLabs unit. The application helps Facebook subscribers to quickly find gifts…
- Honda Looks to Regain Market Share in U.S. After Setbacks on December 14th
Honda’s sales slump continued into November in the U.S., which is the automaker’s largest market furthering its year-to-date sales decline to 5.7 percent compared to last year …
- Coach Opens First Official Online Store in China on Taobao Mall on December 14th
Coach announced the opening of its first official online store in China for one month on Taobao Mall, in celebration of Coach’s 70th anniversary …
- Wynn in Talks to Build Casino in Massachusetts on December 14th
According to latest reports, Wynn Resorts is contemplating on building a casino in Massachusetts. Steve Wynn reportedly has sent a letter…
- EA Acquires KlickNation To Strengthen Hold in Social Games on December 13th
Leading video game developer Electronic Arts has announced the acquisition of KlickNation to strengthen its hold in social gaming …
- Home Depot on Track to Hit Sales Target, $40 Fair Value on December 13th
With good customer service and competitive pricing of products, Home Depot is well on track to increase its sales by 2.5% for fiscal 2011 …
- Las Vegas Sands Looks at Vietnam as its Next Asian Tiger on December 13th
According to reports, the project would be roughly the same scale of LVS’ Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore and be an integrated resort …
- Best Buy Preps for India Market with Talks of Next Retail Deal on December 13th
Best Buy is in talks to acquire a 51% stake in Next Retail, Videocon Industries’ multi-brand consumer durables retail venture …
- Honda Hopes Fuel-Efficiency Drive Will Recoup Some Market Share on December 12th
Honda has drawn up a new strategy to shore up its market share, which has been dropping for much of this year because of supply chain disruptions after the March 2011 earthquake in Japan …
Last week, Best Buy rolled out more than 80 Best Buy-branded DVD rental kiosks throughout c-stores and Best Buy stores across …
- Kraft Split No Guarantee of a Success, Too Early to Assess Impact on December 12th
Lower scale might leave the two yet-to-be-formed companies in a less advantageous position in terms of getting the best prices for raw materials …
- Unilever Update: U.K. Staff Strikes Over Pensions on December 12th
Unilever’s employees in the U.K. started a strike on Friday to protest against the company’s plans to scrap the company’s final salary pension schemes …
- Ann Updates: Deep Discounts Raise Concerns on Margins on December 12th
Heavy discounts during Black Friday weekend comes as a surprise as Ann Taylor is not recognized as a high promotional retailer and will likely pressure margins in the fourth quarter …
- GM Forges Ahead in China Despite Auto Industry Uncertainty on December 12th
We believe that Chinese auto-market conditions will remain challenging in the near term but will be supported by pro-growth policy as China reins in inflation further …
- Gatorade’s Nutrition Push Will Pump Up Pepsi Stock to $71 on December 12th
The iconic drink, which dominates the $7 billion U.S. sports drink industry is hoping to replicate its success in the $20 billion U.S. sports nutrition industry …
- Can Chipotle, McDonald’s Repeat its Stellar Gains in 2012? on December 12th
We expect a correction going forward. Recent exuberance in the industry has been due to a better than expected holiday spend combined with an overall increase in the prices …
Banking & Financial Services
- NYSE Takes Another Lick as Texas Instruments Nuzzles up with Nasdaq on December 16th
Nasdaqhas taken a lead in the stock listing battle between NYSE as Texas Instruments has decided to transfer its stock listing to the Nasdaq from the New York Stock Exchange early next year …
- Financials Weekly Notes: Citigroup, BofA & JPMorgan on December 16th
Bank stocks slid over trading this week with investors sizing up their expectations from the 2-day EU leaders’ summit that concluded last Friday …
- BofA Leans on Merrill Edge Offerings with More Financial Advisors on December 16th
Bank of America recently announced its decision to hire more than 160 financial solutions advisors (FSAs) in Southern California and Arizona to bulk up the bank’s Merrill Edge service offerings …
- Visa Stock More Appealing as Credit Card Usage Soars on December 15th
Credit card companies like Visa have recently been benefiting from soaring credit card usage and these enterprises stand to profit from rising consumer willingness to pay for goods and services on credit as opposed to debit …
- Elliott Wave Analysis of Deutsche Bank on December 15th
Elliott Wave analysis of Deutsche Bank’s stock price chart suggests that the decline into January 2009 finished with an extended fifth wave …
- Goldman Sachs: Worth $126 Once Market Settles Down on December 15th
This past year has been one of Goldman Sachs’ (NYSE:GS) toughest years since going public in 1999 with the global investment bank posting only its second-ever quarterly loss in Q3 …
- Capital One Updates: Fair Value $58, Adding Jobs on Growth Outlook on December 15th
It has already added about 2,300 positions in the region this year and expects to increase its headcount in the bank and card operations, information technology and other business and support roles …
- JPMorgan’s Dimon Says Investment Banking Will Hold up in Q4 on December 15th
JPMorgan CEO James Dimon set investor expectations straight by announcing that the investment banking revenues for Q4 will be more-or-less at the same level as witnessed in Q3 2011 …
- Moody’s, Euro Concerns Weigh on Citi & Bank Stocks on December 14th
Shares of most of the major banks took a hit earlier in the week after Moody’s announced that it could downgrade the credit…
- Morgan Stanley: New $21 Estimate, Volatile But Undervalued on December 14th
Morgan Stanley is currently trading at around $15 after losing more than half of its value since its $31 highs at the the beginning of the year …
- Manulife Could See $13.50 with Broader Asian Presence on December 14th
Manulife Financial is looking to expand its sales force in Southeast Asia by as much as 30% a year to meet the apidly growing demand for life insurance and wealth management products in this region …
- Wells Fargo New $30 Price Estimate: Mortgage Concerns Overdone on December 13th
We believe that this decline is a result of negative investor sentiment regarding the European debt situation and overall macroeconomic conditions as opposed to anything specific to Wells Fargo …
- Financials Notes: Deutsche Bank & Barclays on December 13th
Bank stocks swung wildly last week with early gains in the first three trading days of the week almost wiped out on Thursday before a before a partial recovery on Friday …
- Sentiment on Financials Remains Poor After Last Week’s EU Actions on December 13th
The recovery in bank stocks of the last two weeks came to a halt as the hopes for a quick-fix to the current debt crisis…
- CME Hungry for China Growth Accepts Yuan for Collateral on December 13th
As China looks to promote the yuan as a global currency, CME Group, which operates the world’s largest futures has decided to accept offshore yuan as collateral on futures trading …
UBS’s shares have been languishing below $13 for more than 3 months now, having lost more than a third of their value from their $20 high back in April …
- NYSE Update: Deutsche Boerse Deal Faces More Hurdles on December 12th
The European regulators are looking to block the $9 billion merger Deutsche Boerse AG and NYSE Euronext unless the companies agree to offload some of their assets …
- Capital One Updates: Highlights Senior Housing Finance Opportunity on December 12th
According to a Capital One real estate executive, there is ample room for growth in the senior housing industry and Capital One intends to take advantage of the opportunity …
- Barclays Scales Down its Indian Operations on December 12th
Barclays has decided to cut down its retail lending business in India, which includes mortgages, consumer loans and credit card loans …
- Visa Sees a Big Future in Africa on December 12th
Visa and the Government of Rwanda recently announced an agreement to develop solutions that will facilitate access to financial services for for customers around the country …
Credit Suisse shares are currently trading at just less than $25 – almost half the $47 per share commanded in February… Industrials & Transportation
- UPS Updates: Expansion in Pharma Logistics Shows Promise on December 16th
Among the noticeable developments at UPS this month, the company announced an agreement to purchase Italy-based pharmaceutical logistics provider, Pieffe Group …
- CSX Chugs to $33 with King Coal’s Help on December 16th
We believe that coal demand in the longer term will remain strong, particularly driven by infrastructure investments by Asian economies, which should improve coal production levels …
- Halliburton, Schlumberger Shares Feel Tremors from Fracking Concerns on December 15th
Days after the Environmental Protection Agency linked chemicals found in groundwater samples in Wyoming to hydraulic fracturing activity, the process is now being blamed …
- UPS, Fedex Ready for Generic Drugs as Next Boom in Shipping on December 15th
UPS is poised to cash in on the expanding pharmaceutical logistics market as expiring patents on popular drugs like Lipitor push up demand for generic exports from Asia …
- Kinder Morgan Expansion Readies for Oil Sands Bonanza on December 15th
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners is pushing hard to expand its terminal capacity at various locations, keeping in mind the rapid development …
- Transocean Can Tap $71 With Improved Efficiency, Management on December 15th
It’s no secret that stock prices can swing based on investor or analyst perceptions, which certainly seems to be the case for Swiss-based Transocean …
- Baker Hughes Still Worth $71 Though Fracking Concerns Weigh on Stock on December 15th
Oilfield services provider Baker Hughes has seen its stock tumble over the past two weeks as investors were spooked by a slight demand for generic exports from Asia …
- Caterpillar Updates: Shifting Bucyrus Distribution to Dealer Network on December 14th
Caterpillar has started aligning Bucyrus’ distribution with its own by roping in existing Caterpillar dealers to sell and support former Bucyrus mining products …
- FedEx Earnings Preview: Trends We’re Watching Thursday on December 14th
The logistic services company FedEx is all set to release its Q2 2012 results Thursday. The company saw international growth moderate …
- JetBlue Courts Business Travelers in New York, Washington on December 14th
JetBlue Airways is set to double its presence at New York LaGuardia Airport and Washington Reagan National Airport following the acquisition of 16 slot pairs at the business hubs …
- FedEx on Track for Record Holiday Volumes on December 13th
FedEx is primed to cash in this Christmas after the holiday shopping season got off to a strong start with e-commerce driving volumes …
- Slowing F-35 Deliveries Could Trim Lockheed Valuation on December 13th
Lockheed Martin may consider slowing production of its flagship F-35 fighter jet in the wake of remarks by Vice Admiral David Venlet, the Pentagon’s F-35 program director …
- JetBlue Updates: Opportunistic Expansion Supports Stock Gains on December 12th
Positive developments at JetBlue Airways have bolstered the stock’s value since the start of this month, enabling it to gain over 20% despite flat broader market indices …
- While AMR Regroups, JetBlue Edges Into Dallas Fort Worth Airport on December 12th
JetBlue Airways will start serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport with three daily flights to Boston starting in May, the company announced …
Energy & Natural Resources
- Chesapeake’s FTS Stake Could Reap Big Gain on December 16th
Chesapeake Energy is eying an opportunity to offload its stake in the oilfield services’ company FTS International Inc., previously known as Frac Tec …
In August 2011, the oil giant paid $7 billion to acquire a 30% interest in 21 oil and gas production sharing agreements operated by Reliance Industries …
Brazil’s state prosecutors have slapped a lawsuit on Chevron and its contractor Transocean demanding $10.6 billion in damages and asking both the companies to suspend their operations …
- Exxon Gains as U.S. Becomes Net Gas Exporter, Fair Value $93 on December 15th
ExxonMobil Corporation and other oil and gas refining companies are positioned to benefit greatly from an emerging market – exporting gasoline…
- Exxon’s Costs to Increase as Fear of Fracking Grows on December 14th
The shale gas industry has seen several major players like Exxon Mobil and Chevron expand their operations significantly over the past few years as companies scout for energy prospects closer to home …
- ConocoPhillips in Hot Water with Chinese Gov’t Over Bohay Bay Spill on December 14th
Chinese fishermen are suing ConocoPhillips and are seeking 490 million Yuan ($77 million) in compensation for the June oil spill in the Bohay Bay region …
- First Solar Loses Chief Technologist as Company Cuts Costs on December 14th
First Solar’s Chief Technologist Marcus Beckand and a few other members of his team are leaving the company as the firm focuses on its core technologies in the present downturn …
- BP Gets a Break on Some Gulf of Mexico Claims on December 14th
BP saw some mixed progress in the Macondo spill incident as a federal judge in New Orleans threw out claims by Mexican and inland cities in Alabama that they were physically harmed by the disaster …
- Chevron Dilutes Share in Kazakhstan Project to Avoid Penalties on December 13th
Chevron and its partners in the Karachaganak oil field in the oil rich central Asian country of Kazakhstan will dilute their shares…
- Conoco Adds to Alaska Assets as State Opens Up for New Exploration on December 13th
ConocoPhillips increased its holdings in Alaska’s Northern Slope in state and federal oil lease sales held recently. The oil major acquired leases in both state and federal land …
- Buffett Affiliate MidAmerican Places Bet on Solar’s Future on December 12th
First Solar struck a deal to sell its 550 MW Topaz plant in California to MidAmerican Energy, a unit of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway …
Basic Materials
- US Real Interest Rates Indicate Gold Slightly Undervalued on December 15th
In this update, we look at the latest trend emerging in US real rates that continue to fall and as a result we remain bullish on gold …
Cliffs Natural Resources’ recent announcement that it will cut iron ore production by 50 percent next year at its Empire Empire Mine in Michigan came as no big surprise …
- Arcelor Mittal Updates: Limited Impact from Labor Strikes, Kumba Arbitration Postponed on December 14th
ArcelorMittal, one of the better positioned steel manufacturers globally, is making some very important moves by reallocating its production numbers from the mills in order to maintain its profitability …
Rio Tinto announced that it has secured control of Hathor Exploration Ltd. Hathor Exploration primarily focuses on uranium exploration projects in the Athabasca Basin in Canada …
- DuPont’s Ag Business Keeps Stock Growing to $59 on December 12th
DuPont expanded its research partnership with Evogene to increase its product offerings for soybean farmers as well as unveiled new product improvements…
- Dow’s Olympic Deal at Risk from Memory of Bhopal Tragedy on December 12th
The 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the world’s worst ever industrial disaster, is coming back to haunt Dow and threatening its worldwide sponsorship agreement with the Olympics through 2020 …
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