I know better than to say "I told you so" (see " Gold: Has the Bubble
Finally Burst? " from early last week). The market gods tend to be jealous and
vengeful and appear to take great pleasure in humbling the arrogant. So I know
better than to tempt them. Besides, even after last week's bloodletting, gold
still is one of the best-performing assets of 2011; the September selloff did
little more than erase August's parabolic surge. And, in the interests of full
disclosure, I've been on the record as a gold bear since it crossed the $1,200
mark (it was at about that point that the gold bull market entered the theater
of the absurd with such novelties as ATM machines that dispense gold ingots).
Still, it would only be appropriate if last week's action did mark the top.
The market gods might indeed have a twisted sense of humor, and Donald Trump's
high-profile blustery rant that immediately preceded the crash would have been a
good opportunity for divine smite. After Trump accepted $176,000 in gold bullion
as a security deposit from a new tenant, he announced loudly that "It's a
sad day when a large property owner starts accepting gold instead of the dollar.
… If I do this, other people are going to start doing it, and maybe we'll
see some changes." (See " Trump's New Gold Standard ") Whether other
people follow in The Donald's footsteps and accept gold as collateral remains
to be seen, but if they do, they no doubt will require a few more ounces given
the drop in price. The question on everyone's mind is "What now?" Does the
gold rout continue from here, or can gold bugs look forward to a nice bounce
this week? According to precious metals site Kitco.com, the spot price of gold
has continued its downward drift, falling to $1,606 per ounce in Hong Kong early
Monday trading. And while anything can happen once the larger American markets
open, there is reason to believe this correction has a way to go. Gold's
parabolic rise in August prompted the CME Group to raise margins on its gold and
silver futures contracts on Friday by 21.5% and 15.6%, respectively. Given the
recent price action and the uncertainty coming out of Europe, speculators are
not likely to risk margin calls with aggressive bullish bets on the yellow metal
at the moment. Furthermore, with the end of the year fast approaching, portfolio
managers who have profited handsomely from gold's rise are more likely to take
profits than to add to their positions. But perhaps most damaging is the
psychological angle. Both market professionals and retail investors alike have
been attracted to gold for its perceived status as a safe haven. But after the
wild ride that the price of gold has seen during the past month, its credibility
as a haven is almost laughable. What good is fire insurance that disappears the
moment your house actually catches fire?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Gold: Is it Time to Call the Top?
I know better than to say "I told you so" (see " Gold: Has the Bubble
Finally Burst? " from early last week). The market gods tend to be jealous and
vengeful and appear to take great pleasure in humbling the arrogant. So I know
better than to tempt them. Besides, even after last week's bloodletting, gold
still is one of the best-performing assets of 2011; the September selloff did
little more than erase August's parabolic surge. And, in the interests of full
disclosure, I've been on the record as a gold bear since it crossed the $1,200
mark (it was at about that point that the gold bull market entered the theater
of the absurd with such novelties as ATM machines that dispense gold ingots).
Still, it would only be appropriate if last week's action did mark the top.
The market gods might indeed have a twisted sense of humor, and Donald Trump's
high-profile blustery rant that immediately preceded the crash would have been a
good opportunity for divine smite. After Trump accepted $176,000 in gold bullion
as a security deposit from a new tenant, he announced loudly that "It's a
sad day when a large property owner starts accepting gold instead of the dollar.
… If I do this, other people are going to start doing it, and maybe we'll
see some changes." (See " Trump's New Gold Standard ") Whether other
people follow in The Donald's footsteps and accept gold as collateral remains
to be seen, but if they do, they no doubt will require a few more ounces given
the drop in price. The question on everyone's mind is "What now?" Does the
gold rout continue from here, or can gold bugs look forward to a nice bounce
this week? According to precious metals site Kitco.com, the spot price of gold
has continued its downward drift, falling to $1,606 per ounce in Hong Kong early
Monday trading. And while anything can happen once the larger American markets
open, there is reason to believe this correction has a way to go. Gold's
parabolic rise in August prompted the CME Group to raise margins on its gold and
silver futures contracts on Friday by 21.5% and 15.6%, respectively. Given the
recent price action and the uncertainty coming out of Europe, speculators are
not likely to risk margin calls with aggressive bullish bets on the yellow metal
at the moment. Furthermore, with the end of the year fast approaching, portfolio
managers who have profited handsomely from gold's rise are more likely to take
profits than to add to their positions. But perhaps most damaging is the
psychological angle. Both market professionals and retail investors alike have
been attracted to gold for its perceived status as a safe haven. But after the
wild ride that the price of gold has seen during the past month, its credibility
as a haven is almost laughable. What good is fire insurance that disappears the
moment your house actually catches fire?
Finally Burst? " from early last week). The market gods tend to be jealous and
vengeful and appear to take great pleasure in humbling the arrogant. So I know
better than to tempt them. Besides, even after last week's bloodletting, gold
still is one of the best-performing assets of 2011; the September selloff did
little more than erase August's parabolic surge. And, in the interests of full
disclosure, I've been on the record as a gold bear since it crossed the $1,200
mark (it was at about that point that the gold bull market entered the theater
of the absurd with such novelties as ATM machines that dispense gold ingots).
Still, it would only be appropriate if last week's action did mark the top.
The market gods might indeed have a twisted sense of humor, and Donald Trump's
high-profile blustery rant that immediately preceded the crash would have been a
good opportunity for divine smite. After Trump accepted $176,000 in gold bullion
as a security deposit from a new tenant, he announced loudly that "It's a
sad day when a large property owner starts accepting gold instead of the dollar.
… If I do this, other people are going to start doing it, and maybe we'll
see some changes." (See " Trump's New Gold Standard ") Whether other
people follow in The Donald's footsteps and accept gold as collateral remains
to be seen, but if they do, they no doubt will require a few more ounces given
the drop in price. The question on everyone's mind is "What now?" Does the
gold rout continue from here, or can gold bugs look forward to a nice bounce
this week? According to precious metals site Kitco.com, the spot price of gold
has continued its downward drift, falling to $1,606 per ounce in Hong Kong early
Monday trading. And while anything can happen once the larger American markets
open, there is reason to believe this correction has a way to go. Gold's
parabolic rise in August prompted the CME Group to raise margins on its gold and
silver futures contracts on Friday by 21.5% and 15.6%, respectively. Given the
recent price action and the uncertainty coming out of Europe, speculators are
not likely to risk margin calls with aggressive bullish bets on the yellow metal
at the moment. Furthermore, with the end of the year fast approaching, portfolio
managers who have profited handsomely from gold's rise are more likely to take
profits than to add to their positions. But perhaps most damaging is the
psychological angle. Both market professionals and retail investors alike have
been attracted to gold for its perceived status as a safe haven. But after the
wild ride that the price of gold has seen during the past month, its credibility
as a haven is almost laughable. What good is fire insurance that disappears the
moment your house actually catches fire?
Tumblr Raises $85M Despite Skinny Revenues
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace In today's volatile markets, investors even have a tough time buying solid companies like Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG ), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) and IBM (NYSE: IBM ). Isn't the world falling into a recession? Well, this kind of pessimism means nothing to venture capitalists. Not even the terrible IPOs of Pandora (NYSE: P ) and Demand Media (NYSE: DMD ) have had an effect. Hey, there always is something new in Techland. Just take a look at Tumblr. This week, the company raised a cool $85 million in financing. Investors included Greylock Partners, Insight Venture Partners, The Chernin Group, Capital, Union Square Ventures and Sequoia Capital. Even Virgin's Sir Richard Branson wrote a check. Why all the excitement? Basically, Tumblr is a next-generation Twitter service. It makes it much easier to share things like photos, links and videos. You also have full power of customizing the theme of your blog, such as with funky colors and graphics. And Tumblr is growing like a weed — despite having just about 50 employees. For example, the site now has more than 30 million blogs that generate about 13 billion page views per month, which is up from 2 billion per month at the start of the year. A big part of the growth story has been with mobile use — especially on Apple's ( NASDAQ : AAPL ) iPhone — as well as penetration into foreign markets. Tumblr also has been extremely popular in the fashion industry. Yet there is a sticking point: revenues. For the most part, they are fairly minimal. Of course, Tumblr's investors think the company eventually will have numerous various ways to monetize things. This has been the case with other standout web services like Facebook and YouTube. Then again, there are other examples where this theory turned out to be a bust, such as with ICQ. But VCs have no choice but to make big bets. And so far, Tumblr has the kind of growth ramp that attracts mega-bucks — regardless of the market environment. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and "All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli. He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Analyst Actions on Chinese Stocks: ASIA, CEO, GSH, MR, PWRD, SHI, SOHU, TUDO (Sep 26, 2011)
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 China Analyst Below are today's
What Traders Need to Know About Option Settlement
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Most traders confine the universe of their options trading to two broad categories of underlyings: one group consists of individual equity issues and the similar group of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while the other group is composed of the various broad-based index products.
Rare Opportunity to Buy Silver and Gold at Fire-Sale Rates
Gold Price Close Today : 1592.70 Change : (45.00) or -2.7% Silver Price Close
Today : 29.929 Change : (0.131) or -0.4% Gold Silver Ratio Today : 53.22 Change
: -1.265 or -2.3% Silver Gold Ratio Today : 0.01879 Change : 0.000436 or 2.4%
Platinum Price Close Today : 1562.00 Change : -48.40 or -3.0% Palladium Price
Close Today : 632.00 Change : -9.10 or -1.4% S&P 500 : 1,162.95 Change : 26.52
or 2.3% Dow In GOLD$ : $143.34 Change : $ 7.39 or 5.4% Dow in GOLD oz : 6.934
Change : 0.358 or 5.4% Dow in SILVER oz : 369.00 Change : 10.67 or 3.0% Dow
Industrial : 11,043.86 Change : 272.38 or 2.5% US Dollar Index : 77.95 Change :
0.646 or 0.8% I reckon mobs of silver and gold investors out there are chewing
their fingernails down to the quick, but they could spare themselves a lot of
blood loss if they'd lift up their heads and look around. 'Tain't the end of the
world, let alone the end of the bull market. 'Tis a routine correction - a large
one, but routine as a bull market unfolds. Dollar index today rose through 78
and closed at 78.50. Then something happened in the aftermarket, I don't know
whether it was a news item or just the herd stampeding the other way, and the
dollar sank back to 77.95, which was still higher than Friday. Dollar will rise
further. Euro rose to 1.3451 at close today, up 0.37%, but in aftermarket
trading stands at 1.3365. Doomed. Yen rose 0.44% to 130.97 cents/Y100
(Y76.35=$1). Trying to rise. The Tooth Fairy visited the stock market today and
raised the Dow 272.38 points (2.53%) to 11,043.86. S&P500 also rose 2.33% or
26.52 points to 1,162.95. Technically looks like Thursday and Friday formed a
rounding bottom, and it rose today to the 11,100 point where it broke down
Wednesday. Must prove itself by crossing that barrier. STOCKS -- Wall Street's
way of harvesting Main Street. GOLD and SILVER markets today hardly can be
described. I came in and silver was at 2884, I grabbed phones and started
answering and before I could cover what I'd sold SILVER had climbed 100c.
Today's low came at 2604c, but about 3:00 a.m. our time. Nobody got it there.
High on silver was 3078c, and after closing Comex down 13.1c at 2992.9c, it's
trading in the aftermarket at 3062c. What chaps me most of all is the premium on
US 90% rising, 50c/oz. at a lick at the end of the day. Back in 2008, y'all may
remember, same thing happened when all forms of physical silver just
disappeared. The GOLD PRICE lost $45.00 when Comex closed, coming to rest at
$1,592.70. High was 1,637.65, low (again, at 3:00 a.m.) at $1,532.45. In the
aftermarket it climbed to $1,623.65. Hogwash. It's neither normal nor sensible,
but then sometimes markets aren't either. Here's what's most occupying my mind.
The gold/silver ratio as a percentage of its 20 day moving average yesterday
touched 120%, highest it has ever been, far's as my file runs to 1998. Today it
fell a little, to 116.8%. Generally that's a very reliable indicator, 115% at
bottoms and 88 - 92% at tops. What does that mean? That we may have seen the
high in the gold/silver ratio. However, as violent as this day's trading was, I
want to give SILVER and GOLD PRICES another little while to fall. I may end up
eating gravel, but the rational side of my brain keeps telling me to wait just a
little. Another thing nagging at me is that the SILVER PRICE has dropped below
its 300 day moving average, a rare occurrence. Now it might stay below that
300dma for two or three weeks, but crossing it almost always says, the bottom is
near. SILVER and GOLD PRICES could drop more. My rational mind and the charts
tell me that. But my intuition keeps on asking where all that buying was coming
from today. A 70 cent silver rise and $31 silver rise in the aftermarket is
right stout, no matter how you cut it. Gently, gently I am starting to buy. Just
can't help it, I'm too nervous about silver and gold. Nervous, too, about the
unfolding crisis. Of this much I am sure: you are now watching a rare
opportunity to buy silver and gold at fire-sale rates. Friday after markets
closed Comex announced it was raising margins on silver and gold contracts. No
doubt somebody got that news before the press release and sold in anticipation.
But the stories metastisizing on the internet that this proves a conspiracy are
just silly. Commodity markets are run for the benefit of the market makers, and
it's not in their interest for investors to go bankrupt. They raise margins on
EVERY hot market. Argentum et aurum comparenda sunt -- -- Gold and silver must
be bought. - Franklin Sanders, The Moneychanger The-MoneyChanger.com © 2011,
The Moneychanger. May not be republished in any form, including electronically,
without our express permission. To avoid confusion, please remember that the
comments above have a very short time horizon. Always invest with the primary
trend. Gold's primary trend is up, targeting at least $3,130.00; silver's
primary is up targeting 16:1 gold/silver ratio or $195.66; stocks' primary trend
is down, targeting Dow under 2,900 and worth only one ounce of gold; US$ or
US$-denominated assets, primary trend down; real estate in a bubble, primary
trend way down. Whenever I write "Stay out of stocks" readers inevitably ask,
"Do you mean precious metals mining stocks, too?" No, I don't. WARNING AND
DISCLAIMER. Be advised and warned: Do NOT use these commentaries to trade
futures contracts. I don't intend them for that or write them with that short
term trading outlook. I write them for long-term investors in physical metals.
Take them as entertainment, but not as a timing service for futures. NOR do I
recommend investing in gold or silver Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs). Those are NOT
physical metal and I fear one day one or another may go up in smoke. Unless you
can breathe smoke, stay away. Call me paranoid, but the surviving rabbit is wary
of traps. NOR do I recommend trading futures options or other leveraged paper
gold and silver products. These are not for the inexperienced. NOR do I
recommend buying gold and silver on margin or with debt. What DO I recommend?
Physical gold and silver coins and bars in your own hands. One final warning:
NEVER insert a 747 Jumbo Jet up your nose.
Today : 29.929 Change : (0.131) or -0.4% Gold Silver Ratio Today : 53.22 Change
: -1.265 or -2.3% Silver Gold Ratio Today : 0.01879 Change : 0.000436 or 2.4%
Platinum Price Close Today : 1562.00 Change : -48.40 or -3.0% Palladium Price
Close Today : 632.00 Change : -9.10 or -1.4% S&P 500 : 1,162.95 Change : 26.52
or 2.3% Dow In GOLD$ : $143.34 Change : $ 7.39 or 5.4% Dow in GOLD oz : 6.934
Change : 0.358 or 5.4% Dow in SILVER oz : 369.00 Change : 10.67 or 3.0% Dow
Industrial : 11,043.86 Change : 272.38 or 2.5% US Dollar Index : 77.95 Change :
0.646 or 0.8% I reckon mobs of silver and gold investors out there are chewing
their fingernails down to the quick, but they could spare themselves a lot of
blood loss if they'd lift up their heads and look around. 'Tain't the end of the
world, let alone the end of the bull market. 'Tis a routine correction - a large
one, but routine as a bull market unfolds. Dollar index today rose through 78
and closed at 78.50. Then something happened in the aftermarket, I don't know
whether it was a news item or just the herd stampeding the other way, and the
dollar sank back to 77.95, which was still higher than Friday. Dollar will rise
further. Euro rose to 1.3451 at close today, up 0.37%, but in aftermarket
trading stands at 1.3365. Doomed. Yen rose 0.44% to 130.97 cents/Y100
(Y76.35=$1). Trying to rise. The Tooth Fairy visited the stock market today and
raised the Dow 272.38 points (2.53%) to 11,043.86. S&P500 also rose 2.33% or
26.52 points to 1,162.95. Technically looks like Thursday and Friday formed a
rounding bottom, and it rose today to the 11,100 point where it broke down
Wednesday. Must prove itself by crossing that barrier. STOCKS -- Wall Street's
way of harvesting Main Street. GOLD and SILVER markets today hardly can be
described. I came in and silver was at 2884, I grabbed phones and started
answering and before I could cover what I'd sold SILVER had climbed 100c.
Today's low came at 2604c, but about 3:00 a.m. our time. Nobody got it there.
High on silver was 3078c, and after closing Comex down 13.1c at 2992.9c, it's
trading in the aftermarket at 3062c. What chaps me most of all is the premium on
US 90% rising, 50c/oz. at a lick at the end of the day. Back in 2008, y'all may
remember, same thing happened when all forms of physical silver just
disappeared. The GOLD PRICE lost $45.00 when Comex closed, coming to rest at
$1,592.70. High was 1,637.65, low (again, at 3:00 a.m.) at $1,532.45. In the
aftermarket it climbed to $1,623.65. Hogwash. It's neither normal nor sensible,
but then sometimes markets aren't either. Here's what's most occupying my mind.
The gold/silver ratio as a percentage of its 20 day moving average yesterday
touched 120%, highest it has ever been, far's as my file runs to 1998. Today it
fell a little, to 116.8%. Generally that's a very reliable indicator, 115% at
bottoms and 88 - 92% at tops. What does that mean? That we may have seen the
high in the gold/silver ratio. However, as violent as this day's trading was, I
want to give SILVER and GOLD PRICES another little while to fall. I may end up
eating gravel, but the rational side of my brain keeps telling me to wait just a
little. Another thing nagging at me is that the SILVER PRICE has dropped below
its 300 day moving average, a rare occurrence. Now it might stay below that
300dma for two or three weeks, but crossing it almost always says, the bottom is
near. SILVER and GOLD PRICES could drop more. My rational mind and the charts
tell me that. But my intuition keeps on asking where all that buying was coming
from today. A 70 cent silver rise and $31 silver rise in the aftermarket is
right stout, no matter how you cut it. Gently, gently I am starting to buy. Just
can't help it, I'm too nervous about silver and gold. Nervous, too, about the
unfolding crisis. Of this much I am sure: you are now watching a rare
opportunity to buy silver and gold at fire-sale rates. Friday after markets
closed Comex announced it was raising margins on silver and gold contracts. No
doubt somebody got that news before the press release and sold in anticipation.
But the stories metastisizing on the internet that this proves a conspiracy are
just silly. Commodity markets are run for the benefit of the market makers, and
it's not in their interest for investors to go bankrupt. They raise margins on
EVERY hot market. Argentum et aurum comparenda sunt -- -- Gold and silver must
be bought. - Franklin Sanders, The Moneychanger The-MoneyChanger.com © 2011,
The Moneychanger. May not be republished in any form, including electronically,
without our express permission. To avoid confusion, please remember that the
comments above have a very short time horizon. Always invest with the primary
trend. Gold's primary trend is up, targeting at least $3,130.00; silver's
primary is up targeting 16:1 gold/silver ratio or $195.66; stocks' primary trend
is down, targeting Dow under 2,900 and worth only one ounce of gold; US$ or
US$-denominated assets, primary trend down; real estate in a bubble, primary
trend way down. Whenever I write "Stay out of stocks" readers inevitably ask,
"Do you mean precious metals mining stocks, too?" No, I don't. WARNING AND
DISCLAIMER. Be advised and warned: Do NOT use these commentaries to trade
futures contracts. I don't intend them for that or write them with that short
term trading outlook. I write them for long-term investors in physical metals.
Take them as entertainment, but not as a timing service for futures. NOR do I
recommend investing in gold or silver Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs). Those are NOT
physical metal and I fear one day one or another may go up in smoke. Unless you
can breathe smoke, stay away. Call me paranoid, but the surviving rabbit is wary
of traps. NOR do I recommend trading futures options or other leveraged paper
gold and silver products. These are not for the inexperienced. NOR do I
recommend buying gold and silver on margin or with debt. What DO I recommend?
Physical gold and silver coins and bars in your own hands. One final warning:
NEVER insert a 747 Jumbo Jet up your nose.
Coach is Most Clutch Among Luxury Leaders
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Tiffany (NYSE: TIF ), Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL ) and Coach (NYSE: COH ) all registered great performances in the first half of 2011. But with the U.S. economy growing at less than 1% and 14 million people out of work, how could that be? A quick look at these luxury goods purveyors reveals that things never have been better for their American businesses. And wealthy Americans aren’t the only ones willing to spend — the rich around the world are gladly grabbing up these luxury brands. Just take a look at Tiffany. Its value has tripled since 2009, and now that it has ended a joint venture with Swiss watch retailer Swatch, Tiffany could be a takeover target. Since June 2009, Tiffany’s value has grown from about $3 billion to $8.6 billion, and it’s expected to enjoy 30% revenue growth in the next few years as it continues to expand in Asia and Europe. Third Asset Management, a New York money manager, estimates that Tiffany could be sold for as much as $12 billion as it enjoys a growing share of China’s emerging affluent. Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren also is enjoying strong growth in Europe and Asia. One analyst expects Ralph Lauren to get 60% of its growth from these markets in the future. By spending $500 million in capital expenditures for its expansion in these markets, Ralph Lauren will get a bigger share of the high-rent consumers in these areas, and if it can keep its prices up, it will enjoy a bottom-line boost, partially on a 50% drop in cotton prices. Coach’s leather handbags are enjoying a spurt in global demand. In the past 12 months, its sales have grown 15% on 20% net income growth — yielding fantastic 21% profit margins. Coach seems to be enjoying not only growth in China and other East Asian markets, but also improved sales and profits in the U.S. As CEO Lew Frankfort pointed out after Coach reported its fiscal 2011 results in early August, North American revenues were up 17% thanks to market share gains, higher productivity and distribution expansion. Finally, Coach is benefiting from new men's products and its digital strategies. These consumer goods companies are attracting newly affluent consumers around the world who are willing to pay a price premium for what they perceive as prestigious American brands. Tapping that hunger for the accoutrements of success is boosting their growth, but does this mean all three companies are good investments? Here’s a quick breakdown of the three luxury retailers: Coach: Very profitable company,
Use Call Options for a Dollar Tree Bounceback
The market experienced a tremendous selloff last week, which automatically
makes some traders think of bearish strategies. There are still strong bullish
stock candidates out there it just may take more time to filter them out.
Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR ) looks like a strong play for playing bullish call
options. It's a pretty sound fundamental stock, and the retailer's return on
equity has improved in the past five years. Technically, the stock has been in a
nice uptrend for most of 2011, and it managed to go higher when the market sold
off last week, which shows some strength. The area of support to watch is $74.
If DLTR moves much below that support level, the trade can be exited. Its
previous high was right around $78, which it should have no trouble moving
above. Buying the November call will give
makes some traders think of bearish strategies. There are still strong bullish
stock candidates out there it just may take more time to filter them out.
Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR ) looks like a strong play for playing bullish call
options. It's a pretty sound fundamental stock, and the retailer's return on
equity has improved in the past five years. Technically, the stock has been in a
nice uptrend for most of 2011, and it managed to go higher when the market sold
off last week, which shows some strength. The area of support to watch is $74.
If DLTR moves much below that support level, the trade can be exited. Its
previous high was right around $78, which it should have no trouble moving
above. Buying the November call will give
Groupon Having an IPO Meltdown
Even when the equities markets are in the bull mode, it's not easy to pull
off an IPO. A CEO needs to spend lots of time wooing investors as well as making
sure the business is running smoothly. It's a tough balancing act. That's
why it is important to have experienced leadership. This certainly has been
critical for recent IPOs like Zillow (NYSE: Z ) and LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD ). But
when it comes to the Groupon deal, things have been much different. The
company's 29-year-old CEO, Andrew Mason, can't seem to do anything right.
The latest bad stuff came in a Friday filing. First of all, Groupon's No. 2
senior executive, Margo Georgiadis, has left the company to go back to Google
(NASDAQ: GOOG ). She held the post for a mere five months. Interestingly enough,
Mason blogged about the departure, It would have been great if I could say that
we batted 1,000%, but thats rarely the case. (In fact, lately it seems he has
only been able to strike out.) Next, Groupon had to restate its financials. This
is something investors never like to see, especially when it involves major
changes. To this end, the Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled that
Groupon can only recognize its commissions as revenue, not the gross value of a
voucher. The result: For 2011, Groupon posted $688.1 million in revenue, not
$1.52 billion. But wait, there's more: Groupon's filing also addresses
Mason's controversial memo, in which he complained about "insane" media
criticism and said the company is stronger than ever. Such missives can be
violations of the "quiet period," which forbid hyped statements from
companies. What to do? In this case, the SEC has required Groupon to disclose
the memo. And there even is a disclaimer that tells investors to not rely on it!
No doubt, the securities laws can be paradoxical. Perhaps this filing will mark
the end of the drama and maybe Mason will benefit from some hard lessons.
Still, this might not be enough for investors to get comfortable with the deal.
For the most part, Groupon has become the laughingstock of the IPO world. Tom
Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and "All About
Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli. He does not
own a position in any of the stocks named here.
off an IPO. A CEO needs to spend lots of time wooing investors as well as making
sure the business is running smoothly. It's a tough balancing act. That's
why it is important to have experienced leadership. This certainly has been
critical for recent IPOs like Zillow (NYSE: Z ) and LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD ). But
when it comes to the Groupon deal, things have been much different. The
company's 29-year-old CEO, Andrew Mason, can't seem to do anything right.
The latest bad stuff came in a Friday filing. First of all, Groupon's No. 2
senior executive, Margo Georgiadis, has left the company to go back to Google
(NASDAQ: GOOG ). She held the post for a mere five months. Interestingly enough,
Mason blogged about the departure, It would have been great if I could say that
we batted 1,000%, but thats rarely the case. (In fact, lately it seems he has
only been able to strike out.) Next, Groupon had to restate its financials. This
is something investors never like to see, especially when it involves major
changes. To this end, the Securities and Exchange Commission has ruled that
Groupon can only recognize its commissions as revenue, not the gross value of a
voucher. The result: For 2011, Groupon posted $688.1 million in revenue, not
$1.52 billion. But wait, there's more: Groupon's filing also addresses
Mason's controversial memo, in which he complained about "insane" media
criticism and said the company is stronger than ever. Such missives can be
violations of the "quiet period," which forbid hyped statements from
companies. What to do? In this case, the SEC has required Groupon to disclose
the memo. And there even is a disclaimer that tells investors to not rely on it!
No doubt, the securities laws can be paradoxical. Perhaps this filing will mark
the end of the drama and maybe Mason will benefit from some hard lessons.
Still, this might not be enough for investors to get comfortable with the deal.
For the most part, Groupon has become the laughingstock of the IPO world. Tom
Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and "All About
Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli. He does not
own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Four Film Companies That Should Follow Dreamworks to Netflix
Streaming video giant Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) lost about 1 million paying
subscribers to its new dual-pricing model. Heres what worried investors need to
consider, though: Netflix still has a total subscriber base of more than 23
million customers, and 21 million of them subscribe to the streaming service.
For movie companies still finding their feet in streaming video, Netflix still
is like it or not where the audience is. Dreamworks (NASDAQ: DWA ) knows it:
The company behind movies like Shrek announced a new agreement with Netflix on
Sunday, one that will bring its movies to the streaming service instead of Time
Warner s (NYSE: TWX ) HBO in 2013. The deal will bring Dreamworks an estimated
$30 million per movie when it goes into effect. Netflix needs partners now more
than ever, and movie-makers need to reach an audience disinterested in going to
theaters or buying DVDs. Here are four movie-makers that investors should keep
an eye on as key Netflix partners in the coming year: Sony Sony (NYSE: SNE ) has
been hurting as a whole during the past two quarters. The March earthquake and
tsunami in Japan, hurting production and resulting in poor television sales,
fueled a net loss of $191 million in the quarter that ended in June. However,
the companys movie division, Sony Pictures, remains a bright spot for the
company, raking in an operating profit of $53 million during the same period. It
was at the end of that quarter that Netflixs failed negotiations with Liberty
Media s (NASDAQ: LSTZA ) Starz saw Sonys movies pulled from the streaming
service . At a time when Sony could use every last bit of revenue from its
movie-making segment, the company should follow Dreamworks lead in partnering
with Netflix rather than a traditional movie channel like Starz, especially when
it could mean $30 million in revenue per movie. Walt Disney Walt Disney (NYSE:
DIS ) is enjoying some renewed vitality in its theatrical movie business thanks
to the re-release of The Lion King in 3D . However, its future in the streaming
video is fuzzy at this point in time. Its films will disappear from Netflix when
Starz does in the coming months, and competing service Hulu, partially owned by
Disney, is likely to sell to another company soon . Disney needs to decide soon
whether it wants to run its own streaming service or provide its content to
multiple partners. Viacom (NYSE: VIA ) has proven that licensing to many
streaming partners is most profitable , and Disney would benefit greatly from
partnering directly with Netflix following the dissolution of its agreement with
Starz, the same as Sony.
subscribers to its new dual-pricing model. Heres what worried investors need to
consider, though: Netflix still has a total subscriber base of more than 23
million customers, and 21 million of them subscribe to the streaming service.
For movie companies still finding their feet in streaming video, Netflix still
is like it or not where the audience is. Dreamworks (NASDAQ: DWA ) knows it:
The company behind movies like Shrek announced a new agreement with Netflix on
Sunday, one that will bring its movies to the streaming service instead of Time
Warner s (NYSE: TWX ) HBO in 2013. The deal will bring Dreamworks an estimated
$30 million per movie when it goes into effect. Netflix needs partners now more
than ever, and movie-makers need to reach an audience disinterested in going to
theaters or buying DVDs. Here are four movie-makers that investors should keep
an eye on as key Netflix partners in the coming year: Sony Sony (NYSE: SNE ) has
been hurting as a whole during the past two quarters. The March earthquake and
tsunami in Japan, hurting production and resulting in poor television sales,
fueled a net loss of $191 million in the quarter that ended in June. However,
the companys movie division, Sony Pictures, remains a bright spot for the
company, raking in an operating profit of $53 million during the same period. It
was at the end of that quarter that Netflixs failed negotiations with Liberty
Media s (NASDAQ: LSTZA ) Starz saw Sonys movies pulled from the streaming
service . At a time when Sony could use every last bit of revenue from its
movie-making segment, the company should follow Dreamworks lead in partnering
with Netflix rather than a traditional movie channel like Starz, especially when
it could mean $30 million in revenue per movie. Walt Disney Walt Disney (NYSE:
DIS ) is enjoying some renewed vitality in its theatrical movie business thanks
to the re-release of The Lion King in 3D . However, its future in the streaming
video is fuzzy at this point in time. Its films will disappear from Netflix when
Starz does in the coming months, and competing service Hulu, partially owned by
Disney, is likely to sell to another company soon . Disney needs to decide soon
whether it wants to run its own streaming service or provide its content to
multiple partners. Viacom (NYSE: VIA ) has proven that licensing to many
streaming partners is most profitable , and Disney would benefit greatly from
partnering directly with Netflix following the dissolution of its agreement with
Starz, the same as Sony.
History Shows Promise for ‘Operation Twist’
At the end of its two-day confab last week, the Fed said that as expected it
would shift $400 billion of its enormous bond holdings from short-term to
longer-term Treasuries in the hopes of knocking rates down further and
stimulating the economy in what some are calling Operation Twist. Have we heard
this record before? In one way yes, of course. But like many cover songs, this
one comes with a different beat. Rather than spending new money, the Fed will
sell short-term bonds (which should push yields higher) and buy longer-term
bonds (which will push yields lower), flattening the yield curve. They dont plan
to do anything with their mortgage bonds other than to reinvest the interest
and/or returned principal received on them. For some historical perspective, it
was more than 50 years ago that the Fed first put needle to vinyl on Operation
Twist. In that version, which debuted in February 1961, the Fed initiated a
similar strategy of selling short-term bonds and buying longer-term bonds. There
still is some debate about how effective the measure was, but the Dow was up 7%
a year after the policy took effect and up 50% four years later. Wall Streets
immediate reaction to the Feds move was to pout and then came the rout. Traders
took the Dow down about 100 points following the Fed announcement, hesitated,
then kept selling. At markets close, the Dow had fallen 284 points, or 2.5% on
the day. Thursday was even more extreme, with the Dow dropping another 391
points, or 3.5%, on recessionary fears sparked by weak data out of China and
Europe. While all of the major indices were in the red on the day, Wall Street
was picking losers and big losers, with energy and precious metal stocks taking
the biggest hits, while health care and consumer goods and services stocks saw
more modest losses. But the market began to pick itself up Friday, with the Dow
gaining around 200 points, or 1.9%, from Fridays open to about midday Monday.
Still, it has been only five days since Operation Twist was announced itll take
a lot longer before we can measure its full effect.
would shift $400 billion of its enormous bond holdings from short-term to
longer-term Treasuries in the hopes of knocking rates down further and
stimulating the economy in what some are calling Operation Twist. Have we heard
this record before? In one way yes, of course. But like many cover songs, this
one comes with a different beat. Rather than spending new money, the Fed will
sell short-term bonds (which should push yields higher) and buy longer-term
bonds (which will push yields lower), flattening the yield curve. They dont plan
to do anything with their mortgage bonds other than to reinvest the interest
and/or returned principal received on them. For some historical perspective, it
was more than 50 years ago that the Fed first put needle to vinyl on Operation
Twist. In that version, which debuted in February 1961, the Fed initiated a
similar strategy of selling short-term bonds and buying longer-term bonds. There
still is some debate about how effective the measure was, but the Dow was up 7%
a year after the policy took effect and up 50% four years later. Wall Streets
immediate reaction to the Feds move was to pout and then came the rout. Traders
took the Dow down about 100 points following the Fed announcement, hesitated,
then kept selling. At markets close, the Dow had fallen 284 points, or 2.5% on
the day. Thursday was even more extreme, with the Dow dropping another 391
points, or 3.5%, on recessionary fears sparked by weak data out of China and
Europe. While all of the major indices were in the red on the day, Wall Street
was picking losers and big losers, with energy and precious metal stocks taking
the biggest hits, while health care and consumer goods and services stocks saw
more modest losses. But the market began to pick itself up Friday, with the Dow
gaining around 200 points, or 1.9%, from Fridays open to about midday Monday.
Still, it has been only five days since Operation Twist was announced itll take
a lot longer before we can measure its full effect.
60 Minutes Spotlights Counter Terrorism in NYC: Top Anti Terrorism Stocks
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 On 60 Minutes, the first segment covered how the City of New York is using numerous ways of fighting terrorism, and the pro-active processes in place to prevent anything from happening in the first place. Commissioner Ray Kelly, the chief of the New York Police Department said on the program that they are ready for various types of situations including taking down a plane. There are many businesses that market to the Federal government, New York City, and other governments and communities to help them with offsetting and preventing terrorism. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has just updated its list of over 20 different anti terrorism companies which develop products and services in various areas of domestic security. Most of these stocks have market caps over $250 million and over half a dozen of the stocks pay a dividend. One example is American Science & Engineering (ASEI) makes and markets X-ray inspection equipment and systems for homeland security. The company has a market capitalization of $506.57 million and trades at 11.5 times forward earnings. It sports a yield of 2.1%. FLIR Systems, Inc. (FLIR) is a provider of thermal imaging and infrared camera systems for force protection, counter terrorism, search and rescue, perimeter security, navigation safety, and law enforcement. The company has a market cap of $4.17 billion with a forward PE of 15. The company is debt free with over $235 million in cash. Analogic (ALOG) is in the business of making and marketing security technology products, explosives detection systems, and weapon and threat detection aviation security systems, in addition to their medical imaging business. The stock has a market cap of $554 million, and a forward PE of 18.6. This debt free company has $12.24 in cash per share and pays a yield of 1.00%. To see all of the counter terrorism stocks, check out the free database at wsnn.com , which can be downloaded, updated, and added to. Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written. By Stockerblog.com
Dow Surges 272, Gold Shares Rebound
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Gold shares rebounded Monday afternoon amid a broad-based rally in U.S. equity markets. The AMEX Gold Bugs Index (HUI), a basket of the world’s largest gold companies, climbed 2.0% to 547.30 after being down as much as 2.1% at 525.03 this morning.
FTC Cracks Down on the iPhone Acne Treatment App
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 There is an Apple (AAPL) iPhone app for treating acne, called AcneApp , which purportedly uses red and blue lights generated by the app for the treatment. However the Federal Trade Commission said No Way to this $1.99 app.
Unemployment Checks and Social Security Benefits At Risk; Jobs in USA Needed; Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA Index DJX DJI goes Green Today
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 Unemployment continues to be a major problem in the United States. The national unemployment rate remains above the 9 percent mark and the debate continues regarding government intervention. Many believe the government needs to take action to stimulate the slumping U.S. economy and ultimately lower the unemployment rate across the nation. One way the Feds might do this is to lower interest rates. Not all think this is a smart move for our nation however due to the risk of promoting inflation. Regardless of cautions relating the potential negative side effects, the one thing that most do agree on is that something must be done. Zero jobs were added in August according to the governments data and the economy grew at an annual rate .7 percent through the first half of the year. This rate was weaker than expected and much weaker than most were hoping to observe during this time. Now, President Obama is trying to lower the national deficit and some think that programs like unemployment, social security and Medicare should be reviewed for potential cuts. Americans are struggling right now though and this is, and always will be, controversial. The median national income data recently revealed that the average American made less in take home pay in 2010. The U.S. market has struggled lately and so turning these trends around will be a challenge. One good note for the day specifically pertains to the stock market . After an abysmal week last week, the three primary composites ended green today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average approached close higher by 2.29 percent at 11,018. Today was a step in the right direction for the U.S. Stephen Johnson
Gold Sinks to 2-Month Low, to “Take a Back Seat”
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 Gold futures sunk to a two-month low on Monday after the CME raised margin requirements yet again this year. COMEX gold futures, per the December 2011 contract, settled down $45.00, or 2.7%, at $1,594.80 per ounce – its lowest close since July 21.
Monday Apple Rumors: iPad Price Cut?
Here are your Apple news items and rumors for Monday: Apple Dropping iPad Price
to Match Amazon?: Not to alarm Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) shareholders still enjoying
the constant flow of cash and champagne, but rumblings around the web say the
iPad honeymoon might be over . A Monday report at Apple Insider compiled
information from two reports one from Bloomberg and another from DigiTimes
that suggests iPad 2 demand is starting to cool after two quarters of monumental
sales. The first of these reports said JPMorgan Chase & Co. analysts believe
Apple has cut its orders for new iPads by 25%, bringing order estimates down to
13 million tablets in the fourth quarter rather than 17 million. The latter
report claimed Apple, seeing a decline in demand for its tablet, might lower the
price of the device to lure consumers back in. With Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN )
expected to reveal a $250 Kindle tablet this week and with consumers
increasingly wise to Apples ways of annually updating its devices, the company
might be forced to drop the iPads price if it hopes to see holiday sales in line
with previous expectations. Curved Glass is the New Black in 2012: Apple and
every other mobile device maker might be introducing smartphones and tablets in
the next 12 months that look markedly different than previous products. A Monday
DigiTimes report said that, according to industry sources, a type of curved,
malleable glass developed by Corning (NYSE: GLW ) called gorilla glass will be
used by G-Tech, Lens Technology, Fuji Lens and other glass screen suppliers that
work with Apple. Presumably the iPhone 6 and iPad 3 would feature curved
surfaces rather than the rigid, flat surfaces in current products. Verizon
Stands With Samsung: Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) waited a long time to partner with
Apple to sell the iPhone to millions more consumers in the U.S., but now it
looks like the telecom is biting one of the hands that feeds it. A Saturday
story originating at Litigating Apple says the telecom has sided with Samsung
(PINK: SSNLF ) in the ongoing legal tug-of-war over patent infringement between
the Korean mobile phone maker and Apple. Verizon filed an amicus brief, arguing
that the blocking of Samsungs tablets and smartphones from the market is not in
the publics best interests. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own
a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
to Match Amazon?: Not to alarm Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) shareholders still enjoying
the constant flow of cash and champagne, but rumblings around the web say the
iPad honeymoon might be over . A Monday report at Apple Insider compiled
information from two reports one from Bloomberg and another from DigiTimes
that suggests iPad 2 demand is starting to cool after two quarters of monumental
sales. The first of these reports said JPMorgan Chase & Co. analysts believe
Apple has cut its orders for new iPads by 25%, bringing order estimates down to
13 million tablets in the fourth quarter rather than 17 million. The latter
report claimed Apple, seeing a decline in demand for its tablet, might lower the
price of the device to lure consumers back in. With Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN )
expected to reveal a $250 Kindle tablet this week and with consumers
increasingly wise to Apples ways of annually updating its devices, the company
might be forced to drop the iPads price if it hopes to see holiday sales in line
with previous expectations. Curved Glass is the New Black in 2012: Apple and
every other mobile device maker might be introducing smartphones and tablets in
the next 12 months that look markedly different than previous products. A Monday
DigiTimes report said that, according to industry sources, a type of curved,
malleable glass developed by Corning (NYSE: GLW ) called gorilla glass will be
used by G-Tech, Lens Technology, Fuji Lens and other glass screen suppliers that
work with Apple. Presumably the iPhone 6 and iPad 3 would feature curved
surfaces rather than the rigid, flat surfaces in current products. Verizon
Stands With Samsung: Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) waited a long time to partner with
Apple to sell the iPhone to millions more consumers in the U.S., but now it
looks like the telecom is biting one of the hands that feeds it. A Saturday
story originating at Litigating Apple says the telecom has sided with Samsung
(PINK: SSNLF ) in the ongoing legal tug-of-war over patent infringement between
the Korean mobile phone maker and Apple. Verizon filed an amicus brief, arguing
that the blocking of Samsungs tablets and smartphones from the market is not in
the publics best interests. As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own
a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) To Highlight Featured News Content
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has added 'standout content' tags to Google News.
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) To Highlight Featured News Content The search engine
giant Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has added a new feature to its Google News which
will allow publishers to add standout metadata tags to top stories. Google Inc.
(NASDAQ:GOOG) News product specialist David Smydra said, "We can showcase that
standout piece of journalism in Google News by putting a featured label in front
of it. And that featured label will help that article persist while other news
organisations are following and developing their coverage on that story".
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) stocks are currently standing at 525.51. Price History
Last Price: 525.51 52 Week Low / High: 473.02 / 642.96 50 Day Moving Average:
555.93 6 Month Price Change %: -9.4% 12 Month Price Change %: 2.3%
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) To Highlight Featured News Content The search engine
giant Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has added a new feature to its Google News which
will allow publishers to add standout metadata tags to top stories. Google Inc.
(NASDAQ:GOOG) News product specialist David Smydra said, "We can showcase that
standout piece of journalism in Google News by putting a featured label in front
of it. And that featured label will help that article persist while other news
organisations are following and developing their coverage on that story".
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) stocks are currently standing at 525.51. Price History
Last Price: 525.51 52 Week Low / High: 473.02 / 642.96 50 Day Moving Average:
555.93 6 Month Price Change %: -9.4% 12 Month Price Change %: 2.3%
Dow Surges 272, Gold Shares Rebound
Gold shares rebounded Monday afternoon amid a broad-based rally in U.S. equity
markets. The AMEX Gold Bugs Index (HUI), a basket of the worlds largest gold
companies, climbed 2.0% to 547.30 after being down as much as 2.1% at 525.03
this morning.
markets. The AMEX Gold Bugs Index (HUI), a basket of the worlds largest gold
companies, climbed 2.0% to 547.30 after being down as much as 2.1% at 525.03
this morning.
Gold Sinks to 2-Month Low, to “Take a Back Seat”
Gold futures sunk to a two-month low on Monday after the CME raised margin
requirements yet again this year. COMEX gold futures, per the December 2011
contract, settled down $45.00, or 2.7%, at $1,594.80 per ounce its lowest close
since July 21.
requirements yet again this year. COMEX gold futures, per the December 2011
contract, settled down $45.00, or 2.7%, at $1,594.80 per ounce its lowest close
since July 21.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Cutting iPad Orders
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has cut supply chain orders for its iPad tablet
computer. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Cutting iPad Orders According to a report by
JPMorgan Chase & Co., the US based technology giant Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has
lowered its fourth-quarter iPad tablet orders to vendors by 25 percent. Analysts
at JPMorgan's electronic manufacturing services team in Hong Kong said that
this is first such cut they have ever seen. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), however,
has not commented on the report yet. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stocks are
currently standing at 404.3. Price History Last Price: 404.3 52 Week Low / High:
275 / 422.86 50 Day Moving Average: 383.93 6 Month Price Change %: 15.0% 12
Month Price Change %: 39.9%
computer. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Cutting iPad Orders According to a report by
JPMorgan Chase & Co., the US based technology giant Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has
lowered its fourth-quarter iPad tablet orders to vendors by 25 percent. Analysts
at JPMorgan's electronic manufacturing services team in Hong Kong said that
this is first such cut they have ever seen. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), however,
has not commented on the report yet. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stocks are
currently standing at 404.3. Price History Last Price: 404.3 52 Week Low / High:
275 / 422.86 50 Day Moving Average: 383.93 6 Month Price Change %: 15.0% 12
Month Price Change %: 39.9%
Top 10 Best-Rated U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks: KH, BONA, CCIH, SSRX, XRS, CCM, CHOP, SNP, SVN, WX (Sep 26, 2011)
Below are the top 10 best-rated U.S.-listed Chinese stocks, based on the number
of positive ratings by brokerage analysts. China Kanghui Holdings (ADR)
(NYSE:KH) is the 1st best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated
positively by 100% of the 6 brokerage analysts covering it. Bona Film Group Ltd
(ADR) (NASDAQ:BONA) is the 2nd best-rated stock in this segment of the market.
It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage analysts covering it.
ChinaCache Internatnl Hldgs Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:CCIH) is the 3rd best-rated stock
in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage
analysts covering it. 3SBio Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:SSRX) is the 4th best-rated stock
in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage
analysts covering it. TAL Education Group (ADR) (NYSE:XRS) is the 5th best-rated
stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5
brokerage analysts covering it. Concord Medical Services Hldg Ltd (ADR)
(NYSE:CCM) is the 6th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is
rated positively by 100% of the 4 brokerage analysts covering it. China Gerui
Adv Mtals Grp Ltd (NASDAQ:CHOP) is the 7th best-rated stock in this segment of
the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 4 brokerage analysts covering
it. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (ADR) (NYSE:SNP) is the 8th best-rated
stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 4
brokerage analysts covering it. 7 DAYS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED(ADR) (NYSE:SVN) is
the 9th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively
by 92% of the 13 brokerage analysts covering it. WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc.
(ADR) (NYSE:WX) is the 10th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It
is rated positively by 92% of the 13 brokerage analysts covering it.
of positive ratings by brokerage analysts. China Kanghui Holdings (ADR)
(NYSE:KH) is the 1st best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated
positively by 100% of the 6 brokerage analysts covering it. Bona Film Group Ltd
(ADR) (NASDAQ:BONA) is the 2nd best-rated stock in this segment of the market.
It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage analysts covering it.
ChinaCache Internatnl Hldgs Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:CCIH) is the 3rd best-rated stock
in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage
analysts covering it. 3SBio Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:SSRX) is the 4th best-rated stock
in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5 brokerage
analysts covering it. TAL Education Group (ADR) (NYSE:XRS) is the 5th best-rated
stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 5
brokerage analysts covering it. Concord Medical Services Hldg Ltd (ADR)
(NYSE:CCM) is the 6th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is
rated positively by 100% of the 4 brokerage analysts covering it. China Gerui
Adv Mtals Grp Ltd (NASDAQ:CHOP) is the 7th best-rated stock in this segment of
the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 4 brokerage analysts covering
it. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (ADR) (NYSE:SNP) is the 8th best-rated
stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively by 100% of the 4
brokerage analysts covering it. 7 DAYS GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED(ADR) (NYSE:SVN) is
the 9th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It is rated positively
by 92% of the 13 brokerage analysts covering it. WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc.
(ADR) (NYSE:WX) is the 10th best-rated stock in this segment of the market. It
is rated positively by 92% of the 13 brokerage analysts covering it.
Paychex — How to Play Tuesday’s Earnings Report
Small-business human resource and payroll staffing company Paychex (NASDAQ:
PAYX ) reports earnings for the quarter ending Aug. 31, 2011, after the market
closes Tuesday. With the job market in the doldrums and the economy stuck in
neutral, don't expect much from the report. Big companies are doing just fine
in this economy. Balance sheets are strong. More importantly, big companies can
borrow money at extremely low rates and they are using the cash to buy back
stock. The situation is quite different for smaller companies. Regulatory
hurdles, fierce competition and increased operating costs make it difficult for
small businesses to keep their head above water, and companies like Paychex that
cater to small businesses are likely to struggle in such an environment. Plain
and simple, growth prospects are not very promising at the moment. Paychex has
managed to meet or slightly beat expectations during the past four quarters: In
looking at the companys performance, one gets the sense that Paychex is hanging
by a thread. Will this be the quarter when investors begin to see the company
disappoint Wall Street? Estimates for the current period have been rock-steady
during the past 90 days. There is no sign from analysts covering the company
that a miss is forthcoming. For the quarter ending Aug. 31, the average Wall
Street estimate for profits is 38 cents per share. For the current fiscal year
ending May 31, 2012, the average estimate for profits is $1.50 per share. In the
following year, profits are expected to grow by 9% to $1.64 per share. At
current prices, PAYX trades for 17.5 times current-fiscal-year estimated
earnings. Thanks to a steep drop in share price in 2011, Paychex is trading for
less than prices reached 12 months prior: Although shares of PAYX have sold off
significantly since May, they still are overvalued considering valuation and
current economic conditions. It is difficult to see how this stock will move
higher after it reports earnings results Tuesday. If anything, the most likely
outcome for Paychex is a sharp selloff. Paychex trades at a premium, going for
more than 17 times earnings with profit growth anticipated to be less than 10%.
We have seen many stocks, including FedEx (NYSE: FDX ) last week, trade lower
after reporting results that included lower guidance for the future. The same is
likely to occur for Paychex. It would be in the best interest of shareholders
for management to paint a more realistic picture for this company given the
current economic environment. Jobless claims still are above 400,000 . Such a
number suggests hiring still is anemic. That does not bode well for Paychex and
certainly is not conducive to strong profit growth. This is one of those moments
when a stock could decline by 10% or more after reporting results. That would be
my expectation when Paychex releases its earnings report Tuesday.
PAYX ) reports earnings for the quarter ending Aug. 31, 2011, after the market
closes Tuesday. With the job market in the doldrums and the economy stuck in
neutral, don't expect much from the report. Big companies are doing just fine
in this economy. Balance sheets are strong. More importantly, big companies can
borrow money at extremely low rates and they are using the cash to buy back
stock. The situation is quite different for smaller companies. Regulatory
hurdles, fierce competition and increased operating costs make it difficult for
small businesses to keep their head above water, and companies like Paychex that
cater to small businesses are likely to struggle in such an environment. Plain
and simple, growth prospects are not very promising at the moment. Paychex has
managed to meet or slightly beat expectations during the past four quarters: In
looking at the companys performance, one gets the sense that Paychex is hanging
by a thread. Will this be the quarter when investors begin to see the company
disappoint Wall Street? Estimates for the current period have been rock-steady
during the past 90 days. There is no sign from analysts covering the company
that a miss is forthcoming. For the quarter ending Aug. 31, the average Wall
Street estimate for profits is 38 cents per share. For the current fiscal year
ending May 31, 2012, the average estimate for profits is $1.50 per share. In the
following year, profits are expected to grow by 9% to $1.64 per share. At
current prices, PAYX trades for 17.5 times current-fiscal-year estimated
earnings. Thanks to a steep drop in share price in 2011, Paychex is trading for
less than prices reached 12 months prior: Although shares of PAYX have sold off
significantly since May, they still are overvalued considering valuation and
current economic conditions. It is difficult to see how this stock will move
higher after it reports earnings results Tuesday. If anything, the most likely
outcome for Paychex is a sharp selloff. Paychex trades at a premium, going for
more than 17 times earnings with profit growth anticipated to be less than 10%.
We have seen many stocks, including FedEx (NYSE: FDX ) last week, trade lower
after reporting results that included lower guidance for the future. The same is
likely to occur for Paychex. It would be in the best interest of shareholders
for management to paint a more realistic picture for this company given the
current economic environment. Jobless claims still are above 400,000 . Such a
number suggests hiring still is anemic. That does not bode well for Paychex and
certainly is not conducive to strong profit growth. This is one of those moments
when a stock could decline by 10% or more after reporting results. That would be
my expectation when Paychex releases its earnings report Tuesday.
Unemployment Checks and Social Security Benefits At Risk; Jobs in USA Needed; Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA Index DJX DJI goes Green Today
Unemployment continues to be a major problem in the United States. The national
unemployment rate remains above the 9 percent mark and the debate continues
regarding government intervention. Many believe the government needs to take
action to stimulate the slumping U.S. economy and ultimately lower the
unemployment rate across the nation. One way the Feds might do this is to lower
interest rates. Not all think this is a smart move for our nation however due to
the risk of promoting inflation. Regardless of cautions relating the potential
negative side effects, the one thing that most do agree on is that something
must be done. Zero jobs were added in August according to the governments data
and the economy grew at an annual rate .7 percent through the first half of the
year. This rate was weaker than expected and much weaker than most were hoping
to observe during this time. Now, President Obama is trying to lower the
national deficit and some think that programs like unemployment, social security
and Medicare should be reviewed for potential cuts. Americans are struggling
right now though and this is, and always will be, controversial. The median
national income data recently revealed that the average American made less in
take home pay in 2010. The U.S. market has struggled lately and so turning these
trends around will be a challenge. One good note for the day specifically
pertains to the stock market. After an abysmal week last week, the three primary
composites ended green today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average approached close
higher by 2.29 percent at 11,018. Today was a step in the right direction for
the U.S. Stephen Johnson
unemployment rate remains above the 9 percent mark and the debate continues
regarding government intervention. Many believe the government needs to take
action to stimulate the slumping U.S. economy and ultimately lower the
unemployment rate across the nation. One way the Feds might do this is to lower
interest rates. Not all think this is a smart move for our nation however due to
the risk of promoting inflation. Regardless of cautions relating the potential
negative side effects, the one thing that most do agree on is that something
must be done. Zero jobs were added in August according to the governments data
and the economy grew at an annual rate .7 percent through the first half of the
year. This rate was weaker than expected and much weaker than most were hoping
to observe during this time. Now, President Obama is trying to lower the
national deficit and some think that programs like unemployment, social security
and Medicare should be reviewed for potential cuts. Americans are struggling
right now though and this is, and always will be, controversial. The median
national income data recently revealed that the average American made less in
take home pay in 2010. The U.S. market has struggled lately and so turning these
trends around will be a challenge. One good note for the day specifically
pertains to the stock market. After an abysmal week last week, the three primary
composites ended green today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average approached close
higher by 2.29 percent at 11,018. Today was a step in the right direction for
the U.S. Stephen Johnson
Tumblr Raises $85M Despite Skinny Revenues
In today's volatile markets, investors even have a tough time buying solid
companies like Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG ), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) and IBM
(NYSE: IBM ). Isn't the world falling into a recession? Well, this kind of
pessimism means nothing to venture capitalists. Not even the terrible IPOs of
Pandora (NYSE: P ) and Demand Media (NYSE: DMD ) have had an effect. Hey, there
always is something new in Techland. Just take a look at Tumblr. This week, the
company raised a cool $85 million in financing. Investors included Greylock
Partners, Insight Venture Partners, The Chernin Group, Capital, Union Square
Ventures and Sequoia Capital. Even Virgin's Sir Richard Branson wrote a check.
Why all the excitement? Basically, Tumblr is a next-generation Twitter service.
It makes it much easier to share things like photos, links and videos. You also
have full power of customizing the theme of your blog, such as with funky colors
and graphics. And Tumblr is growing like a weed despite having just about 50
employees. For example, the site now has more than 30 million blogs that
generate about 13 billion page views per month, which is up from 2 billion per
month at the start of the year. A big part of the growth story has been with
mobile use especially on Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iPhone as well as
penetration into foreign markets. Tumblr also has been extremely popular in the
fashion industry. Yet there is a sticking point: revenues. For the most part,
they are fairly minimal. Of course, Tumblr's investors think the company
eventually will have numerous various ways to monetize things. This has been the
case with other standout web services like Facebook and YouTube. Then again,
there are other examples where this theory turned out to be a bust, such as with
ICQ. But VCs have no choice but to make big bets. And so far, Tumblr has the
kind of growth ramp that attracts mega-bucks regardless of the market
environment. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and
"All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli.
He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
companies like Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG ), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) and IBM
(NYSE: IBM ). Isn't the world falling into a recession? Well, this kind of
pessimism means nothing to venture capitalists. Not even the terrible IPOs of
Pandora (NYSE: P ) and Demand Media (NYSE: DMD ) have had an effect. Hey, there
always is something new in Techland. Just take a look at Tumblr. This week, the
company raised a cool $85 million in financing. Investors included Greylock
Partners, Insight Venture Partners, The Chernin Group, Capital, Union Square
Ventures and Sequoia Capital. Even Virgin's Sir Richard Branson wrote a check.
Why all the excitement? Basically, Tumblr is a next-generation Twitter service.
It makes it much easier to share things like photos, links and videos. You also
have full power of customizing the theme of your blog, such as with funky colors
and graphics. And Tumblr is growing like a weed despite having just about 50
employees. For example, the site now has more than 30 million blogs that
generate about 13 billion page views per month, which is up from 2 billion per
month at the start of the year. A big part of the growth story has been with
mobile use especially on Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iPhone as well as
penetration into foreign markets. Tumblr also has been extremely popular in the
fashion industry. Yet there is a sticking point: revenues. For the most part,
they are fairly minimal. Of course, Tumblr's investors think the company
eventually will have numerous various ways to monetize things. This has been the
case with other standout web services like Facebook and YouTube. Then again,
there are other examples where this theory turned out to be a bust, such as with
ICQ. But VCs have no choice but to make big bets. And so far, Tumblr has the
kind of growth ramp that attracts mega-bucks regardless of the market
environment. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and
"All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli.
He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Google Alert - gas prices today
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Icahn Doesn’t Clean Up on Clorox
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace So far, it's been a good year for activist investor Carl Icahn. Of course, when you're worth $12.5 billion, this usually is the case. But how good has 2011 been? First of all, Icahn scored a $435 million profit on his stake in Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI ), which recently was purchased by Google ( NASDAQ : GOOG ). Icahn also knows how to protect his downside. To this end, he put short positions on the S&P 500. The result: a $100 million gain. Great, huh? Yet despite all the big trades, Icahn is far from perfect. Just take a look at Clorox (NYSE: CLX ). He took a 9.4% position in the company then went on the attack, trying to unseat the board. He thought Clorox would be a good buyout candidate for a major player like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) or Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ). Unfortunately, the strategy fizzled. Icahn has pulled his slate of directors and will not make a bid for Clorox. Why? Basically, the company's shareholders think this is the wrong time to sell. After all, the global economy is slowing down and the financial markets are in disarray. But the decision also points to something else that's interesting: If Clorox's investors want to hold on, might this be a bullish sign? Keep in mind that Icahn was willing to offer as much as $80 per share for the company — and he is not known for paying hefty premiums. The current stock price is only $64.39. No doubt, Clorox has a tremendous portfolio of brands. Examples include Armor All, Kingsford, Hidden Valley and Glad — all top dogs in or near the top of their market segments. And Clorox has continued to invest in marketing and new innovations, such as organic and natural product offerings. Clorox's strong cash flows also allow for a hefty dividend, which currently is at 3.6%. All in all, with the valuation at roughly 16 time earnings, the stock looks attractive for those investors who take a longer-term view on things. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and "All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli. He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Eastman Kodak Headed to Zero
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
tdp2664 InvestorPlace Eastman Kodak 's (NYSE: EK ) shares were off 23% on Monday amid the company's latest ugly news that it had tapped into $160 million from its credit line for "general business purposes" — prompting fears the company is preparing for the worst. With the stock down 66% this year to below $2, you'd have to ask yourself, "How much worse can things get?" To be blunt, it can get as bad as bankruptcy — and probably will sometime in the next few years. The struggling company is running out of time. Barring some groundbreaking change, Kodak eventually will go to zero because of weak sales, poor brand image and a generally inhospitable economic environment. Bloomberg reports that credit-default swaps on Eastman Kodak are up 2.2 percentage points to a 41% upfront cost as a result of Monday's mayhem. That means investors must front $4.1 million initially, then pay $500,000 annually to protect against $10 million of Kodak's debt. A steep premium like that tells you how optimistic Wall Street is about Kodak's future. It's safe to say that "death spiral" is as good a phrase as any for the company's recent financial performance. Its "best" year in recent memory was 2008, where it managed to post one good quarter and squeak out a full-year profit. Some might think it's hasty to write off Kodak just yet, since a lot of the damage in recent years has been because of costly layoffs and corporate restructurings. In fact, its fiscal 2010 results reflected successful investments emerging markets as well as intellectual property licensing agreements, to say nothing of leaner operations and bigger margins. A look at the company's balance sheet shows nearly $1 billion in cash and short-term equivalents as of June 30, 2001, so it's not like Kodak won't be able to keep the lights on tomorrow. However, many brand studies show consumers think Kodak is a stodgy film-and-negatives company. It might never be seen as a premium option in the digital media world. A decade ago, Interbrand
Todays Dow Jones Average Index DJX DJI, S&P 500 Nasdaq, Money Profit Stock Market Investing News Mid-Day Today
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 The positive momentum that built during the last trading session in the U.S. helped to push stock futures higher this morning. Prior to opening bell, stock future tracking revealed green across the board for the primary index composites. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as well as the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were green and stocks positioned for the higher open. Last week, market indices were dragged lower by negative global trends. Investors continue to hold onto worries relevant to the European debt crisis, specifically revolving around Greek default. The banking system is on shaky ground right now in Europe and the ramifications of a collapse in the sector could send negative ripple effects overseas. We observed negative ripple effects last week and the threat still remains this week. This weekend, Greek Finance Minister, Evangelos Venizelos, announced that his country would do whatever it takes to achieve financial stability. He cautioned those listening by reporting that Greece was just one piece of the debt problem in the eurozone however. Prior to opening bell this morning in the U.S., primary Asian indicators went red. As the trading session in the U.S. reached the mid-day mark, the primary index composites were trending in positive territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher by 1.62 percent at 10.945.47. The Nasdaq was higher by .51 percent at 2,495.96. The S&P 500 was higher by .92 percent at 1,147. Investors are opening the week with a bit of optimism regarding the global marketplace and the debt resolution strategy in the eurozone. Frank Matto
Todays Gold Price per ounce Silver price per ounce spot gold price per gram and spot silver price per ounce
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
dow2664 Gold and silver contracts continue to feel the negative pressure of a deflationary marketplace. Even though the economic reports have skewed negative lately, the safe haven appeal of precious metal commodities like gold and silver has attracted little attention. Both gold and silver are tracking decisively negative over the past 30 days. Both gold and silver contracts for December delivery closed out the last trading session red and were decisively negative for the week overall. Prior to opening bell this morning, spot gold and spot silver continued to track in the red. The turmoil in the marketplace right now is not enough to push investors towards the precious yellow metal. Last Friday saw the biggest one day drop in gold prices since the 1980′s. Silver contract was in the same boat last Friday and saw noteworthy drop-offs in trending as well. As the trading session reached the halfway point in the U.S. today, precious metals gold and silver continue to trend in the red. Electronic price for contract silver is red by .14 percent at 30.06 per troy ounce. Electronic price for December contract gold is red by 1.42 percent at 1616.50 per troy ounce. Spot gold and spot silver were negative at this point too. Spot gold price per gram was red by 1.12 at 51.53 and spot silver price per ounce was red by .35 at 29.71. Camillo Zucari
Gold Stocks (GDX) Slide, Gold Drops to $1,600
XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF
DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 GOLD STOCKS NEWS – Gold stocks slid Monday as the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) fell $0.76, or 1.3%, to $55.65 per share in early afternoon trading.
Icahn Doesn’t Clean Up on Clorox
So far, it's been a good year for activist investor Carl Icahn. Of course,
when you're worth $12.5 billion, this usually is the case. But how good has
2011 been? First of all, Icahn scored a $435 million profit on his stake in
Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI ), which recently was purchased by Google (NASDAQ:
GOOG ). Icahn also knows how to protect his downside. To this end, he put short
positions on the S&P 500. The result: a $100 million gain. Great, huh? Yet
despite all the big trades, Icahn is far from perfect. Just take a look at
Clorox (NYSE: CLX ). He took a 9.4% position in the company then went on the
attack, trying to unseat the board. He thought Clorox would be a good buyout
candidate for a major player like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ),
Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) or Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ). Unfortunately, the
strategy fizzled. Icahn has pulled his slate of directors and will not make a
bid for Clorox. Why? Basically, the company's shareholders think this is the
wrong time to sell. After all, the global economy is slowing down and the
financial markets are in disarray. But the decision also points to something
else that's interesting: If Clorox's investors want to hold on, might this
be a bullish sign? Keep in mind that Icahn was willing to offer as much as $80
per share for the company and he is not known for paying hefty premiums. The
current stock price is only $64.39. No doubt, Clorox has a tremendous portfolio
of brands. Examples include Armor All, Kingsford, Hidden Valley and Glad all
top dogs in or near the top of their market segments. And Clorox has continued
to invest in marketing and new innovations, such as organic and natural product
offerings. Clorox's strong cash flows also allow for a hefty dividend, which
currently is at 3.6%. All in all, with the valuation at roughly 16 time
earnings, the stock looks attractive for those investors who take a longer-term
view on things. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and
"All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli.
He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
when you're worth $12.5 billion, this usually is the case. But how good has
2011 been? First of all, Icahn scored a $435 million profit on his stake in
Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI ), which recently was purchased by Google (NASDAQ:
GOOG ). Icahn also knows how to protect his downside. To this end, he put short
positions on the S&P 500. The result: a $100 million gain. Great, huh? Yet
despite all the big trades, Icahn is far from perfect. Just take a look at
Clorox (NYSE: CLX ). He took a 9.4% position in the company then went on the
attack, trying to unseat the board. He thought Clorox would be a good buyout
candidate for a major player like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ),
Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) or Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ). Unfortunately, the
strategy fizzled. Icahn has pulled his slate of directors and will not make a
bid for Clorox. Why? Basically, the company's shareholders think this is the
wrong time to sell. After all, the global economy is slowing down and the
financial markets are in disarray. But the decision also points to something
else that's interesting: If Clorox's investors want to hold on, might this
be a bullish sign? Keep in mind that Icahn was willing to offer as much as $80
per share for the company and he is not known for paying hefty premiums. The
current stock price is only $64.39. No doubt, Clorox has a tremendous portfolio
of brands. Examples include Armor All, Kingsford, Hidden Valley and Glad all
top dogs in or near the top of their market segments. And Clorox has continued
to invest in marketing and new innovations, such as organic and natural product
offerings. Clorox's strong cash flows also allow for a hefty dividend, which
currently is at 3.6%. All in all, with the valuation at roughly 16 time
earnings, the stock looks attractive for those investors who take a longer-term
view on things. Tom Taulli is the author of "All About Short Selling" and
"All About Commodities." You can also find him at Twitter account @ttaulli.
He does not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Introduces Windows 8 To World
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has introduced Windows 8 at its
developers' conference. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Introduces Windows
8 To World Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has announced further details on
its next operating system to the world. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)s new
Windows 8 will replace the traditional, cluttered, point-and-click systems with
a touch-friendly experience thats focused on a new way of computing. Windows 8
is based largely on a new user interface concept, which is named "Metro.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) stocks were at 25.06 at the end of the last days
trading. Theres been a 3.1% movement in the stock price over the past 3 months.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy
Mean recommendation: 1.75 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.84 Zacks
Rank: 26 out of 5 in the industry
developers' conference. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Introduces Windows
8 To World Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has announced further details on
its next operating system to the world. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)s new
Windows 8 will replace the traditional, cluttered, point-and-click systems with
a touch-friendly experience thats focused on a new way of computing. Windows 8
is based largely on a new user interface concept, which is named "Metro.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) stocks were at 25.06 at the end of the last days
trading. Theres been a 3.1% movement in the stock price over the past 3 months.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) Analyst Advice Consensus Opinion: Moderate Buy
Mean recommendation: 1.75 (1=Strong Buy, 5=Strong Sell) 3 Months Ago: 1.84 Zacks
Rank: 26 out of 5 in the industry
Gold Stocks (GDX) Slide, Gold Drops to $1,600
GOLD STOCKS NEWS Gold stocks slid Monday as the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF
(GDX) fell $0.76, or 1.3%, to $55.65 per share in early afternoon trading.
(GDX) fell $0.76, or 1.3%, to $55.65 per share in early afternoon trading.
Top 10 Fastest-Growing Solar Stocks: HSOL, CSIQ, FSLR, DQ, YGE, SOL, STP, SPWRA, LDK, TSL (Sep 26, 2011)
Below are the top 10 fastest-growing Solar stocks, based on the average
long-term earnings growth rate estimated by Wall Street analysts. Eight Chinese
companies (HSOL, CSIQ, DQ, YGE, SOL, STP, LDK, TSL) are on the list. CLICK HERE
for Solar Stocks Comparison Table Hanwha Solarone Co Ltd (NASDAQ:HSOL) is the
1st fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual
EPS growth is expected to be 22.5%. This number is based on the average estimate
of 4 brokerage analysts. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSIQ) is the 2nd
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 22.4%. This number is based on the average estimate of
5 brokerage analysts. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is the 3rd fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 20.3%. This number is based on the average estimate of 13 brokerage
analysts. Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE:DQ) is the 4th fastest-growing stock in
this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
19.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts.
Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:YGE) is the 5th fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 18.8%. This number is based on the average estimate of 4 brokerage
analysts. ReneSola Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:SOL) is the 6th fastest-growing stock in
this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
18.3%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts.
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:STP) is the 7th fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 17.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 6 brokerage
analysts. SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWRA) is the 8th fastest-growing stock
in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
16.9%. This number is based on the average estimate of 8 brokerage analysts. LDK
Solar Co., Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:LDK) is the 9th fastest-growing stock in this segment
of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 16.7%. This
number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts. Trina Solar
Limited (ADR) (NYSE:TSL) is the 10th fastest-growing stock in this segment of
the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 13.4%. This number
is based on the average estimate of 7 brokerage analysts. CLICK HERE for Solar
Stocks Comparison Table
long-term earnings growth rate estimated by Wall Street analysts. Eight Chinese
companies (HSOL, CSIQ, DQ, YGE, SOL, STP, LDK, TSL) are on the list. CLICK HERE
for Solar Stocks Comparison Table Hanwha Solarone Co Ltd (NASDAQ:HSOL) is the
1st fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual
EPS growth is expected to be 22.5%. This number is based on the average estimate
of 4 brokerage analysts. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSIQ) is the 2nd
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 22.4%. This number is based on the average estimate of
5 brokerage analysts. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is the 3rd fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 20.3%. This number is based on the average estimate of 13 brokerage
analysts. Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE:DQ) is the 4th fastest-growing stock in
this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
19.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts.
Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:YGE) is the 5th fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 18.8%. This number is based on the average estimate of 4 brokerage
analysts. ReneSola Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:SOL) is the 6th fastest-growing stock in
this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
18.3%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts.
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:STP) is the 7th fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 17.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 6 brokerage
analysts. SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWRA) is the 8th fastest-growing stock
in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
16.9%. This number is based on the average estimate of 8 brokerage analysts. LDK
Solar Co., Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:LDK) is the 9th fastest-growing stock in this segment
of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 16.7%. This
number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts. Trina Solar
Limited (ADR) (NYSE:TSL) is the 10th fastest-growing stock in this segment of
the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 13.4%. This number
is based on the average estimate of 7 brokerage analysts. CLICK HERE for Solar
Stocks Comparison Table
Todays Gold Price per ounce Silver price per ounce spot gold price per gram and spot silver price per ounce
Gold and silver contracts continue to feel the negative pressure of a
deflationary marketplace. Even though the economic reports have skewed negative
lately, the safe haven appeal of precious metal commodities like gold and silver
has attracted little attention. Both gold and silver are tracking decisively
negative over the past 30 days. Both gold and silver contracts for December
delivery closed out the last trading session red and were decisively negative
for the week overall. Prior to opening bell this morning, spot gold and spot
silver continued to track in the red. The turmoil in the marketplace right now
is not enough to push investors towards the precious yellow metal. Last Friday
saw the biggest one day drop in gold prices since the 1980s. Silver contract was
in the same boat last Friday and saw noteworthy drop-offs in trending as well.
As the trading session reached the halfway point in the U.S. today, precious
metals gold and silver continue to trend in the red. Electronic price for
contract silver is red by .14 percent at 30.06 per troy ounce. Electronic price
for December contract gold is red by 1.42 percent at 1616.50 per troy ounce.
Spot gold and spot silver were negative at this point too. Spot gold price per
gram was red by 1.12 at 51.53 and spot silver price per ounce was red by .35 at
29.71. Camillo Zucari
deflationary marketplace. Even though the economic reports have skewed negative
lately, the safe haven appeal of precious metal commodities like gold and silver
has attracted little attention. Both gold and silver are tracking decisively
negative over the past 30 days. Both gold and silver contracts for December
delivery closed out the last trading session red and were decisively negative
for the week overall. Prior to opening bell this morning, spot gold and spot
silver continued to track in the red. The turmoil in the marketplace right now
is not enough to push investors towards the precious yellow metal. Last Friday
saw the biggest one day drop in gold prices since the 1980s. Silver contract was
in the same boat last Friday and saw noteworthy drop-offs in trending as well.
As the trading session reached the halfway point in the U.S. today, precious
metals gold and silver continue to trend in the red. Electronic price for
contract silver is red by .14 percent at 30.06 per troy ounce. Electronic price
for December contract gold is red by 1.42 percent at 1616.50 per troy ounce.
Spot gold and spot silver were negative at this point too. Spot gold price per
gram was red by 1.12 at 51.53 and spot silver price per ounce was red by .35 at
29.71. Camillo Zucari
Todays Dow Jones Average Index DJX DJI, S&P 500 Nasdaq, Money Profit Stock Market Investing News Mid-Day Today
The positive momentum that built during the last trading session in the U.S.
helped to push stock futures higher this morning. Prior to opening bell, stock
future tracking revealed green across the board for the primary index
composites. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as well as the Nasdaq
and the S&P 500 were green and stocks positioned for the higher open. Last week,
market indices were dragged lower by negative global trends. Investors continue
to hold onto worries relevant to the European debt crisis, specifically
revolving around Greek default. The banking system is on shaky ground right now
in Europe and the ramifications of a collapse in the sector could send negative
ripple effects overseas. We observed negative ripple effects last week and the
threat still remains this week. This weekend, Greek Finance Minister, Evangelos
Venizelos, announced that his country would do whatever it takes to achieve
financial stability. He cautioned those listening by reporting that Greece was
just one piece of the debt problem in the eurozone however. Prior to opening
bell this morning in the U.S., primary Asian indicators went red. As the trading
session in the U.S. reached the mid-day mark, the primary index composites were
trending in positive territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher by
1.62 percent at 10.945.47. The Nasdaq was higher by .51 percent at 2,495.96. The
S&P 500 was higher by .92 percent at 1,147. Investors are opening the week with
a bit of optimism regarding the global marketplace and the debt resolution
strategy in the eurozone. Frank Matto
helped to push stock futures higher this morning. Prior to opening bell, stock
future tracking revealed green across the board for the primary index
composites. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as well as the Nasdaq
and the S&P 500 were green and stocks positioned for the higher open. Last week,
market indices were dragged lower by negative global trends. Investors continue
to hold onto worries relevant to the European debt crisis, specifically
revolving around Greek default. The banking system is on shaky ground right now
in Europe and the ramifications of a collapse in the sector could send negative
ripple effects overseas. We observed negative ripple effects last week and the
threat still remains this week. This weekend, Greek Finance Minister, Evangelos
Venizelos, announced that his country would do whatever it takes to achieve
financial stability. He cautioned those listening by reporting that Greece was
just one piece of the debt problem in the eurozone however. Prior to opening
bell this morning in the U.S., primary Asian indicators went red. As the trading
session in the U.S. reached the mid-day mark, the primary index composites were
trending in positive territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher by
1.62 percent at 10.945.47. The Nasdaq was higher by .51 percent at 2,495.96. The
S&P 500 was higher by .92 percent at 1,147. Investors are opening the week with
a bit of optimism regarding the global marketplace and the debt resolution
strategy in the eurozone. Frank Matto
Gold a “Victim of Its Own Success”
In light of this mornings sell-off in gold, coupled with last weeks substantial
decline, UBS analyst Edel Tully explained her reasoning for the yellow metals
weakness in a note to clients. Gold is one of the few assets that remains in
positive territory this year, in a sense it is one of the last assets standing,
and because of this as investors head for cash they sell the assets that have
performed, Tully wrote. Essentially gold is a victim of its own success as
liquidity trumps. Nic Brown, a
decline, UBS analyst Edel Tully explained her reasoning for the yellow metals
weakness in a note to clients. Gold is one of the few assets that remains in
positive territory this year, in a sense it is one of the last assets standing,
and because of this as investors head for cash they sell the assets that have
performed, Tully wrote. Essentially gold is a victim of its own success as
liquidity trumps. Nic Brown, a
Gold Price Falls as Margins Hiked Again
GOLD PRICE NEWS – The gold price continued to fall Monday, plunging $44.25 to
$1,615 per ounce.
$1,615 per ounce.
3 Big Changes at Facebook That Are Bad News for Big Competitors
Facebook's path toward complete world domination is filled with peaks and
valleys. Mark Zuckerberg and his team make decisions on how to run their
business that thrill and terrify in equal measure. The 2010 introduction of
Facebook Credits , a virtual currency purchased with cash and used to buy
services and goods in the social network from movie rentals to Farmville items,
has proven extremely lucrative for the company. Meanwhile, other choices like
the network's latest redesign have given users and analysts pause. Of the many
announcements made during this week's f8 developer's conference , the only
people that should be concerned are the company's rivals. Here are three of
Facebook's new initiatives and the companies that will be impacted by the
network's evolving business: Netflix The announcement that Netflix (NASDAQ:
NFLX ) has entered into a partnership with Facebook could not have come at a
better time for the company or its shareholders, who still are feeling the burn
of the streaming video company's meltdown. Although Facebook integration into
Netflix is only available in Canada and Latin America at this point, it will be
coming to the U.S. as soon as the company finds a way around a law preventing
U.S. members from sharing what they watch . As Facebook has ramped up its own
video rental services, it looked as though the network would be competing with
Netflix , but their partnership creates a unified front against other streaming
competitors. In particular, Dish Network 's (NASDAQ: DISH ) new Blockbuster
streaming service, Amazon 's (NASDAQ: AMZN ) Amazon Prime streaming video, and
the News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS ), Disney (NYSE: DIS ) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA
)-owned Hulu should all prepare for Netflix to recover some of its lost ground
thanks to the support of Facebook's 750 million users. Spotify The U.K.-based
streaming music Spotify isn't the only Internet radio company Facebook
announced a partnership with at f8. The company also is teaming up with MOG,
Rdio, Slacker and iHeartRadio to make for a unified front of web music services
on Facebook users' profiles. The service undoubtedly is going to cause trouble
for the already embattled Pandora (NYSE: P ), but that's hardly the only
publicly traded company in the music business that potentially will lose
business to Facebook and its partners. Amazon and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) are just
two of the companies trying to transform their download-based digital music
businesses into cloud-based services this year (through Amazon Cloud Player and
iTunes Match/iCloud, respectively.) With Facebook heavily promoting streaming
services, these bigger companies will have to work even harder to promote their
new wares. Facebook News Facebook announced partnerships with News Corp., The
Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO ) and Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO ) that will go a long
way toward transforming how news is consumed through Facebook. The social
network no longer will act as a jumbled series of links to stories posted on
user profiles, but a wide-ranging news aggregator providing articles through new
pages on the network and mobile apps. These include the Washington Post's
Social Reader app, Yahoo's Into Now app (which previously focused on
television rather than news), and News Corp.'s previously iPad-only The Daily
digital paper. These partnerships should help YHOO and WPO a great deal by
bringing in new prospective audience members. These partnerships are bad news
for other major news aggregators, particularly Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ). Facebook
already is cutting heavily into Google's display advertising revenue, and lost
viewership at Google News will only exacerbate the problem. As of this writing,
Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Follow him on Twitter at
valleys. Mark Zuckerberg and his team make decisions on how to run their
business that thrill and terrify in equal measure. The 2010 introduction of
Facebook Credits , a virtual currency purchased with cash and used to buy
services and goods in the social network from movie rentals to Farmville items,
has proven extremely lucrative for the company. Meanwhile, other choices like
the network's latest redesign have given users and analysts pause. Of the many
announcements made during this week's f8 developer's conference , the only
people that should be concerned are the company's rivals. Here are three of
Facebook's new initiatives and the companies that will be impacted by the
network's evolving business: Netflix The announcement that Netflix (NASDAQ:
NFLX ) has entered into a partnership with Facebook could not have come at a
better time for the company or its shareholders, who still are feeling the burn
of the streaming video company's meltdown. Although Facebook integration into
Netflix is only available in Canada and Latin America at this point, it will be
coming to the U.S. as soon as the company finds a way around a law preventing
U.S. members from sharing what they watch . As Facebook has ramped up its own
video rental services, it looked as though the network would be competing with
Netflix , but their partnership creates a unified front against other streaming
competitors. In particular, Dish Network 's (NASDAQ: DISH ) new Blockbuster
streaming service, Amazon 's (NASDAQ: AMZN ) Amazon Prime streaming video, and
the News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS ), Disney (NYSE: DIS ) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA
)-owned Hulu should all prepare for Netflix to recover some of its lost ground
thanks to the support of Facebook's 750 million users. Spotify The U.K.-based
streaming music Spotify isn't the only Internet radio company Facebook
announced a partnership with at f8. The company also is teaming up with MOG,
Rdio, Slacker and iHeartRadio to make for a unified front of web music services
on Facebook users' profiles. The service undoubtedly is going to cause trouble
for the already embattled Pandora (NYSE: P ), but that's hardly the only
publicly traded company in the music business that potentially will lose
business to Facebook and its partners. Amazon and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) are just
two of the companies trying to transform their download-based digital music
businesses into cloud-based services this year (through Amazon Cloud Player and
iTunes Match/iCloud, respectively.) With Facebook heavily promoting streaming
services, these bigger companies will have to work even harder to promote their
new wares. Facebook News Facebook announced partnerships with News Corp., The
Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO ) and Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO ) that will go a long
way toward transforming how news is consumed through Facebook. The social
network no longer will act as a jumbled series of links to stories posted on
user profiles, but a wide-ranging news aggregator providing articles through new
pages on the network and mobile apps. These include the Washington Post's
Social Reader app, Yahoo's Into Now app (which previously focused on
television rather than news), and News Corp.'s previously iPad-only The Daily
digital paper. These partnerships should help YHOO and WPO a great deal by
bringing in new prospective audience members. These partnerships are bad news
for other major news aggregators, particularly Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ). Facebook
already is cutting heavily into Google's display advertising revenue, and lost
viewership at Google News will only exacerbate the problem. As of this writing,
Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
Follow him on Twitter at
Randgold Resources - Blocklisting Interim Review
Randgold Resources - Blocklisting Interim Review MarketWatch - 1 hour ago
JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS, Sep 26, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- RANDGOLD
RESOURCES LIMITED Incorporated in Jersey, Channel Islands Reg. No. 62686 LSE
Trading Symbol: RRS Nasdaq Trading Symbol ...
JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS, Sep 26, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- RANDGOLD
RESOURCES LIMITED Incorporated in Jersey, Channel Islands Reg. No. 62686 LSE
Trading Symbol: RRS Nasdaq Trading Symbol ...
Top 10 Fastest-Growing Media Stocks: BONA, IMAX, ROVI, DLB, NWSA, VIA.B, DIS, TWX, MHP, WWE (Sep 26, 2011)
Below are the top 10 fastest-growing Media stocks, based on the average
long-term earnings growth rate estimated by Wall Street analysts. One Chinese
company (BONA) is on the list. Bona Film Group Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:BONA) is the
1st fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual
EPS growth is expected to be 47.6%. This number is based on the average estimate
of 3 brokerage analysts. IMAX Corporation (USA) (NYSE:IMAX) is the 2nd
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 26.7%. This number is based on the average estimate of
7 brokerage analysts. Rovi Corporation (NASDAQ:ROVI) is the 3rd fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 21.6%. This number is based on the average estimate of 7 brokerage
analysts. Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) is the 4th fastest-growing stock
in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
17.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 5 brokerage analysts.
News Corp (NASDAQ:NWSA) is the 5th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the
market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 16.9%. This number is
based on the average estimate of 12 brokerage analysts. Viacom, Inc.
(NYSE:VIA.B) is the 6th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its
long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 15.5%. This number is based on the
average estimate of 14 brokerage analysts. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is
the 7th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term
annual EPS growth is expected to be 14.3%. This number is based on the average
estimate of 14 brokerage analysts. Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) is the 8th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 14.2%. This number is based on the average estimate of
13 brokerage analysts. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MHP) is the 9th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 10.2%. This number is based on the average estimate of
5 brokerage analysts. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) is the 10th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 8.6%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3
brokerage analysts.
long-term earnings growth rate estimated by Wall Street analysts. One Chinese
company (BONA) is on the list. Bona Film Group Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:BONA) is the
1st fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual
EPS growth is expected to be 47.6%. This number is based on the average estimate
of 3 brokerage analysts. IMAX Corporation (USA) (NYSE:IMAX) is the 2nd
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 26.7%. This number is based on the average estimate of
7 brokerage analysts. Rovi Corporation (NASDAQ:ROVI) is the 3rd fastest-growing
stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected
to be 21.6%. This number is based on the average estimate of 7 brokerage
analysts. Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) is the 4th fastest-growing stock
in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be
17.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 5 brokerage analysts.
News Corp (NASDAQ:NWSA) is the 5th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the
market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 16.9%. This number is
based on the average estimate of 12 brokerage analysts. Viacom, Inc.
(NYSE:VIA.B) is the 6th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its
long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 15.5%. This number is based on the
average estimate of 14 brokerage analysts. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is
the 7th fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term
annual EPS growth is expected to be 14.3%. This number is based on the average
estimate of 14 brokerage analysts. Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) is the 8th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 14.2%. This number is based on the average estimate of
13 brokerage analysts. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MHP) is the 9th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 10.2%. This number is based on the average estimate of
5 brokerage analysts. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) is the 10th
fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS
growth is expected to be 8.6%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3
brokerage analysts.
The Sweet Taste of Swiss Pharma
There's an old adage among currency traders that the "Swissy never lies."
What this means is that the Swiss franc's movements are seen to have the
uncanny power to follow all of the world's ups and downs. Unfortunately, a
move this month by the Swiss National Bank to peg the Swiss franc to the euro at
a rate of 1.2-to-1 could place in jeopardy the Swissy's status as a currency
with the utmost veracity. Perhaps more than just a loss of its reputation, the
move by the Swiss bank also sparked a huge bout of selling in Swiss equities.
Moreover, fund managers who previously had sought the ultimate safety of the
Swiss franc now find themselves highly exposed to the future direction of the
euro. Now, as anyone who has been following the financial headlines of late
knows, being associated with the euro isn't exactly a bullish proposition. So,
it should come as no surprise that there was a lot of selling in Swiss stocks.
One Swiss stock that has taken a big haircut of late is Swiss drug-maker Roche
Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ: RHHBY ). The company, whose medical products are
indispensable to the world, currently is selling about 13% below where it was at
the beginning of September. I think this selloff is a major overreaction to the
Swiss National Bank's move, and given Roche's position within the
pharmaceutical industry, I think the currency-inspired selloff represents a
great buying opportunity. Roche is hugely profitable, and following the
acquisition of San Francisco-based Genetech in 2010, the company is positioned
to pile on the profits. Roche offers a vast array of therapies and diagnostic
products that target inflammatory diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases and
metabolic disorders, and the company has made big strides in developing drugs
that combat Alzheimer's disease. Unlike many legacy pharmaceutical companies
like Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY ) and Eli Lilly (NYSE:
LLY ), where patent expirations of major drugs loom large, Roche has a rich
pipeline of cancer-fighting drugs, like Avastin for breast cancer, and Zelboraf,
which was approved by the FDA in August to treat metastatic melanoma. Patients
taking the drug saw their risk of death decrease by 64%, and the treatment
offers a brand new alternative to chemotherapy in fighting melanoma. Sales of
this drug alone could easily top $1 billion. Recent earnings metrics for Roche
are outstanding. For 2011, the company is expected to see revenues rise by 7.3%,
to $54 billion, and see earnings per share increase by 16%, to $3.97 per share.
At its current price of just under $40, the stock is trading with a P/E of about
10. That's very cheap for such a promising blue chip. Roche also pays a
healthy annual dividend of $1.72 per share, which translates into a nice yield
of 4.2%. I believe the move by the Swiss National Bank to devalue the franc will
only juice earnings further to the upside, which in turn will propel the shares
higher. And that makes this Swiss pharma stock a tasty treat for investors.
Disclosure: Bryan Perry recommends Roche Holding Ltd. in his Cash Machine
advisory service.
What this means is that the Swiss franc's movements are seen to have the
uncanny power to follow all of the world's ups and downs. Unfortunately, a
move this month by the Swiss National Bank to peg the Swiss franc to the euro at
a rate of 1.2-to-1 could place in jeopardy the Swissy's status as a currency
with the utmost veracity. Perhaps more than just a loss of its reputation, the
move by the Swiss bank also sparked a huge bout of selling in Swiss equities.
Moreover, fund managers who previously had sought the ultimate safety of the
Swiss franc now find themselves highly exposed to the future direction of the
euro. Now, as anyone who has been following the financial headlines of late
knows, being associated with the euro isn't exactly a bullish proposition. So,
it should come as no surprise that there was a lot of selling in Swiss stocks.
One Swiss stock that has taken a big haircut of late is Swiss drug-maker Roche
Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ: RHHBY ). The company, whose medical products are
indispensable to the world, currently is selling about 13% below where it was at
the beginning of September. I think this selloff is a major overreaction to the
Swiss National Bank's move, and given Roche's position within the
pharmaceutical industry, I think the currency-inspired selloff represents a
great buying opportunity. Roche is hugely profitable, and following the
acquisition of San Francisco-based Genetech in 2010, the company is positioned
to pile on the profits. Roche offers a vast array of therapies and diagnostic
products that target inflammatory diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases and
metabolic disorders, and the company has made big strides in developing drugs
that combat Alzheimer's disease. Unlike many legacy pharmaceutical companies
like Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ), Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY ) and Eli Lilly (NYSE:
LLY ), where patent expirations of major drugs loom large, Roche has a rich
pipeline of cancer-fighting drugs, like Avastin for breast cancer, and Zelboraf,
which was approved by the FDA in August to treat metastatic melanoma. Patients
taking the drug saw their risk of death decrease by 64%, and the treatment
offers a brand new alternative to chemotherapy in fighting melanoma. Sales of
this drug alone could easily top $1 billion. Recent earnings metrics for Roche
are outstanding. For 2011, the company is expected to see revenues rise by 7.3%,
to $54 billion, and see earnings per share increase by 16%, to $3.97 per share.
At its current price of just under $40, the stock is trading with a P/E of about
10. That's very cheap for such a promising blue chip. Roche also pays a
healthy annual dividend of $1.72 per share, which translates into a nice yield
of 4.2%. I believe the move by the Swiss National Bank to devalue the franc will
only juice earnings further to the upside, which in turn will propel the shares
higher. And that makes this Swiss pharma stock a tasty treat for investors.
Disclosure: Bryan Perry recommends Roche Holding Ltd. in his Cash Machine
advisory service.
It’s Christmas in Fall for Wal-Mart
How do you ramp up sales when consumers are keeping a death grip on their
wallets? Simple: Let them put their purchases on layaway. This logic is what
Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) is banking on with their announcement that, starting in
October, it will offer a layaway program on select merchandise. The layaway plan
is part of Wal-Mart's strategy to bring on the holidays early, and to get
customers to start coughing up cash well before the traditional Christmas
shopping season begins. The layaway program is the centerpiece of what can be
described as the retailer's "Christmas in fall" plans. The program, which
debuts Oct. 17, marks the return of layaway after a five-year absence from the
world's largest retailer. It also speaks volumes for the current state of the
struggling U.S. economy, as Wal-Mart now thinks a layaway plan is the path to
prosperity. Wal-Mart currently does offer layaway on jewelry, but customers soon
will be able to put items such as toys and electronics on the program. According
to the company, customers have to spend at least $50 to sign up for the new
layaway plan, and each item has to be priced at $15 or greater. For the
privilege of entering into this deferred payment agreement, customers will post
a $5 fee, put 10% of the purchase price down, then complete their payments and
pick up the items by Dec. 16. Of course, Wal-Mart isn't the only discount
retailer to offer layaway. Sears Holdings Corp. 's (NASDAQ: SHLD ) Kmart
division has been offering layaway plans for more than four decades, but given
the struggles it has experienced of late, the layaway plan doesn't seem to be
helping the company's bottom line. It also hasn't helped the stock much
SHLD is down almost 28% year to date. By contrast, WMT shares are up 4.8% so far
in a rough 2011 for equities. In addition to the layaway program, Wal-Mart plans
to cut prices on holiday items such as toys. It also plans to stock its shelves
early with a variety of seasonal items such as Christmas decorations. Last year,
the retailer removed many of its Christmas items in an attempt to streamline its
holiday assortment of goods. That plan didn't work, so now Wal-Mart is going
big and going early with its holiday fare. The move to bring back layaway, and
the plans to have Christmas in fall, could very well help the retailer's
bottom line. The company's same-store sales have struggled for nine straight
quarters, and although there was a turnaround in sales in July, Wal-Mart knows
it must take bold steps to get consumers to spend. If the plans work, WMT shares
could end up being one of the best retail values out there for investors. At the
time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned
in this article.
wallets? Simple: Let them put their purchases on layaway. This logic is what
Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) is banking on with their announcement that, starting in
October, it will offer a layaway program on select merchandise. The layaway plan
is part of Wal-Mart's strategy to bring on the holidays early, and to get
customers to start coughing up cash well before the traditional Christmas
shopping season begins. The layaway program is the centerpiece of what can be
described as the retailer's "Christmas in fall" plans. The program, which
debuts Oct. 17, marks the return of layaway after a five-year absence from the
world's largest retailer. It also speaks volumes for the current state of the
struggling U.S. economy, as Wal-Mart now thinks a layaway plan is the path to
prosperity. Wal-Mart currently does offer layaway on jewelry, but customers soon
will be able to put items such as toys and electronics on the program. According
to the company, customers have to spend at least $50 to sign up for the new
layaway plan, and each item has to be priced at $15 or greater. For the
privilege of entering into this deferred payment agreement, customers will post
a $5 fee, put 10% of the purchase price down, then complete their payments and
pick up the items by Dec. 16. Of course, Wal-Mart isn't the only discount
retailer to offer layaway. Sears Holdings Corp. 's (NASDAQ: SHLD ) Kmart
division has been offering layaway plans for more than four decades, but given
the struggles it has experienced of late, the layaway plan doesn't seem to be
helping the company's bottom line. It also hasn't helped the stock much
SHLD is down almost 28% year to date. By contrast, WMT shares are up 4.8% so far
in a rough 2011 for equities. In addition to the layaway program, Wal-Mart plans
to cut prices on holiday items such as toys. It also plans to stock its shelves
early with a variety of seasonal items such as Christmas decorations. Last year,
the retailer removed many of its Christmas items in an attempt to streamline its
holiday assortment of goods. That plan didn't work, so now Wal-Mart is going
big and going early with its holiday fare. The move to bring back layaway, and
the plans to have Christmas in fall, could very well help the retailer's
bottom line. The company's same-store sales have struggled for nine straight
quarters, and although there was a turnaround in sales in July, Wal-Mart knows
it must take bold steps to get consumers to spend. If the plans work, WMT shares
could end up being one of the best retail values out there for investors. At the
time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned
in this article.
How to Beat the Market — Buy What Your Friend’s Friend is Buying
Yale economics professor Robert J. Shiller wrote a stellar column in The New
York Times at the beginning of September. It sought to explain whipsaw trading
in August via "a Keynesian beauty contest" on Wall Street. So what's the
reason for the market volatility, Mr. Shiller? John Maynard Keynes supplied the
answer in 1936, in "The General Theory of Employment Interest and Money," by
comparing the stock market to a beauty contest. He described a newspaper contest
in which 100 photographs of faces were displayed. Readers were asked to choose
the six prettiest. The winner would be the reader whose list of six came closest
to the most popular of the combined lists of all readers. The best strategy,
Keynes noted, isn't to pick the faces that are your personal favorites. It is
to select those that you think others will think prettiest. Better yet, he said,
move to the "third degree" and pick the faces you think that others think
that still others think are prettiest. Similarly in speculative markets, he
said, you win not by picking the soundest investment, but by picking the
investment that others, who are playing the same game, will soon bid up higher.
It's a fascinating theory and one that has even more evidence after the
antics of August continued this month. As I wrote a few days ago , it's not
"news" moving this market because frankly, there's nothing new here.
Europe is up to its eyeballs in debt, unemployment is high, yadda yadda yadda.
There clearly is more at work here than fundamentals or chart watching. So maybe
it's other investors that Wall Street is watching these days more than
anything else. The idea of second-degree investing based on what you think
others are buying and selling or even third-degree investing based on picking
stocks you think other investors are buying based on what still others are
buying is a bit of a head-scratcher. But it certainly is one way to explain
wholesale selloffs and $100 daily declines in the price of gold . How to Get
Rich With Third-Hand Stock Picks I'll admit this is highly counterintuitive.
Stock picks that are exclusive tend to be the best, right? That's why insider
traders get busted. If buying things late made you rich, then we'd still be in
a dot-com bubble. But you can't look at it that way. You have to think about
the fact that what makes sense to you might not make sense to other investors.
Even if you're "right" and a stock's earnings and revenue are ugly, if
two people want to buy that stock and only you are selling it, the price will go
up.
York Times at the beginning of September. It sought to explain whipsaw trading
in August via "a Keynesian beauty contest" on Wall Street. So what's the
reason for the market volatility, Mr. Shiller? John Maynard Keynes supplied the
answer in 1936, in "The General Theory of Employment Interest and Money," by
comparing the stock market to a beauty contest. He described a newspaper contest
in which 100 photographs of faces were displayed. Readers were asked to choose
the six prettiest. The winner would be the reader whose list of six came closest
to the most popular of the combined lists of all readers. The best strategy,
Keynes noted, isn't to pick the faces that are your personal favorites. It is
to select those that you think others will think prettiest. Better yet, he said,
move to the "third degree" and pick the faces you think that others think
that still others think are prettiest. Similarly in speculative markets, he
said, you win not by picking the soundest investment, but by picking the
investment that others, who are playing the same game, will soon bid up higher.
It's a fascinating theory and one that has even more evidence after the
antics of August continued this month. As I wrote a few days ago , it's not
"news" moving this market because frankly, there's nothing new here.
Europe is up to its eyeballs in debt, unemployment is high, yadda yadda yadda.
There clearly is more at work here than fundamentals or chart watching. So maybe
it's other investors that Wall Street is watching these days more than
anything else. The idea of second-degree investing based on what you think
others are buying and selling or even third-degree investing based on picking
stocks you think other investors are buying based on what still others are
buying is a bit of a head-scratcher. But it certainly is one way to explain
wholesale selloffs and $100 daily declines in the price of gold . How to Get
Rich With Third-Hand Stock Picks I'll admit this is highly counterintuitive.
Stock picks that are exclusive tend to be the best, right? That's why insider
traders get busted. If buying things late made you rich, then we'd still be in
a dot-com bubble. But you can't look at it that way. You have to think about
the fact that what makes sense to you might not make sense to other investors.
Even if you're "right" and a stock's earnings and revenue are ugly, if
two people want to buy that stock and only you are selling it, the price will go
up.
Gold & Silver Prices – Daily Outlook September 26
Gold and silver prices continued their free-fall not only on Friday, but also
today. The recent CME announcement to raise margin requirements on gold and
silver contracts is likely to be among the reasons for the current drop in
precious metals prices as hot speculative money is cashing out.
today. The recent CME announcement to raise margin requirements on gold and
silver contracts is likely to be among the reasons for the current drop in
precious metals prices as hot speculative money is cashing out.
Why You Should be Leery of a Strong Open Today
Following one of the best weeks in two months, last week's performance
through Thursday, put the Dow Jones Industrial Average on course for its sixth
worst week in its 115-year history (off 6.4%), according to The Wall Street
Journal . And even though the week ended with a mild recovery on Friday, the Dow
has been down for seven of the past nine weeks. The European sovereign debt
issue was blamed for most of the selling. But the worst day, Thursday, was
clearly attributable to the Fed's statement that there were significant
downside risks to the economy and a strain in global financial markets. European
markets fell sharply andShanghaiandHong Kong's indices set new 52-week lows.
On Friday, the market stabilized with small gains in each of the major indices.
Advancing stocks were ahead of decliners by about 2-to-1. And volume for the
NYSE totaled 1.2 billion shares, the best for an advancing day in two weeks. But
the technical damage inflicted on the major indices has been enormous.
through Thursday, put the Dow Jones Industrial Average on course for its sixth
worst week in its 115-year history (off 6.4%), according to The Wall Street
Journal . And even though the week ended with a mild recovery on Friday, the Dow
has been down for seven of the past nine weeks. The European sovereign debt
issue was blamed for most of the selling. But the worst day, Thursday, was
clearly attributable to the Fed's statement that there were significant
downside risks to the economy and a strain in global financial markets. European
markets fell sharply andShanghaiandHong Kong's indices set new 52-week lows.
On Friday, the market stabilized with small gains in each of the major indices.
Advancing stocks were ahead of decliners by about 2-to-1. And volume for the
NYSE totaled 1.2 billion shares, the best for an advancing day in two weeks. But
the technical damage inflicted on the major indices has been enormous.
Todays Gold price per ounce spot gold price per gram; Silver price per ounce spot silver prices Today Open News
Precious metal gold and silver prices continue to trend lower. Contract gold
and silver closed out the last week in negative territory as did spot gold price
per gram and spot silver price per ounce. The safe haven appeal of precious
metals has diminished over the last several weeks as many investors believe that
prices in the sector have ballooned and are overstated. Gold and silver prices
have been moving in a negative direction as corrective pressures affect trends.
Precious metal gold prices have dropped lower by 6.24 percent according to
one-month change tracking. Silver prices have dropped to an even greater degree
over the same time frame. According to one month tracking analysis, silver price
has dropped lower by a more significant 24.44 percent based as of the one month
overview. The most recent negative action occurred last session on Friday.
Specifically, gold plunged by over 100 dollars. This was significant in that a
drop this severe hasnt been seen since 1980. Prior to opening bell this morning,
spot gold and spot silver prices continued to trend in negative territory. Spot
gold price per gram was lower by .03 at 52.63. Spot gold price per kilo was
lower by 25.40 at 52627.88. Spot silver price per kilo was lower by .43 at 29.63
and spot silver price per ounce was lower by 13.87 at 952.58.
and silver closed out the last week in negative territory as did spot gold price
per gram and spot silver price per ounce. The safe haven appeal of precious
metals has diminished over the last several weeks as many investors believe that
prices in the sector have ballooned and are overstated. Gold and silver prices
have been moving in a negative direction as corrective pressures affect trends.
Precious metal gold prices have dropped lower by 6.24 percent according to
one-month change tracking. Silver prices have dropped to an even greater degree
over the same time frame. According to one month tracking analysis, silver price
has dropped lower by a more significant 24.44 percent based as of the one month
overview. The most recent negative action occurred last session on Friday.
Specifically, gold plunged by over 100 dollars. This was significant in that a
drop this severe hasnt been seen since 1980. Prior to opening bell this morning,
spot gold and spot silver prices continued to trend in negative territory. Spot
gold price per gram was lower by .03 at 52.63. Spot gold price per kilo was
lower by 25.40 at 52627.88. Spot silver price per kilo was lower by .43 at 29.63
and spot silver price per ounce was lower by 13.87 at 952.58.
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