Jim Cramer's Mad Money Review

This site is dedicated towards tracking Jim Cramer's stock picks on his TV show Mad Money. Read about and discuss Jim Cramer's ability to move markets. Be ahead of the stock market. Get the news before its news.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Jim Cramer's Mad Money Review

Rule #1: Resisting the Business Cycle, United Health Group (NYSE: UNH - News)
Cramer discussed more rules from his books: Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World, and Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich. His first rule deals with the business cycle which is largely controlled by the Federal Reserve's raising and cutting interest rates. When rates are reduced, the economy gets stronger, and investors should buy cyclicals such as "the dirty, smokestack stocks that make things like machinery, cars and minerals." When the Fed raises rates, the economy gets weaker, and it is time to get out of cyclical stocks and into companies that produce consumer staples, such as food and drugs. "You can't own cyclical stocks when the economy stinks, and you should stay away from the consumer staples when the economy's stronger," Cramer said, adding that this applies even if a company has strong fundamentals. He recalls his error of holding on to UNH when the economy picked up, and said that the selloff during the boom was a much bigger factor in the stock's decline than UNH's involvement in an options-backdating scandal.
Rule #2: "Analysts are never bullish enough on good stocks, and ... never bearish enough on bad stocks.": Ebay (NASDAQ: EBAY - News), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN - News) and Lucent (NYSE: LU - News)
The reason for the second rule is that analysts covering a stock are dealing with an entire sector for which they must find some stocks that are buys, sells and holds. "The Street will almost always treat a sector that's en fuego as being a lot less en fuego than it actually is," he said. Knowing this, investors can more easily spot which sectors are hot but underappreciated.He noted that this happened with oil stocks during certain times in the past few years when the sector was hot. Even the companies that were neglected or had a "sell" rating went up anyway. It can work the other way too, and Cramer thinks that analysts should have stayed bearish on eBay, Amazon and Lucent for a longer period of time.
Rule #3: Don't Be a Snob, Darden (NYSE: DRI - News), Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (NASDAQ: RUTH - News), Morton's (NYSE: MRT - News)
Because analysts inhabit an upper-class bubble, Cramer says they often miss out on companies that make low-end or mid-grade products. While they can more easily relate to stocks such as RUTH and MRT, most analysts missed out on 50% of Darden's big move between January 2005 and March 2006 because they turned their noses up at Red Lobster and the Olive Garden.
Rule #4 : "Whenever a stock is being heavily shorted and heavily hyped at the same time, it's time to sell that stock," NutriSystem (NASDAQ: NTRI - News)
Hype and a large short interest do not mix, but create a battleground where an investors should fear to tread, and Cramer commented, "You don't do something as risky as shorting a stock unless you're a well-educated investor who has done his or her homework on the thing." One can do research on a stock page on Yahoo or Google finance to see the percentage of shares that are shorted, and a large percentage of shorts indicates that there is a problem the bulls don't know about or do not want to face, as was the case with NTRI, which had problems with its distribution model. "So when all the analysts are having their lovefest with the stock, and you have an army of shorts sitting on the sidelines, you should see a red flag," Cramer said.
"Past performance is not indicative of future success."
Cramer warns viewers not to rely on past successes as a model for future investments, since "stocks have no memory and you could lose big." Investors should aim to make money, but not to feel "invincible" if they do and should avoid following the same patterns. Cramer recommended playing by the rules outlined in his books for successful investing.

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Thursday, December 28, 2006

The 2006 Noisey Awards - Part 2

Best Backdoor IPO: Dov Charney's sexual escapades are legendary in the fashion and apparel business. They would have made for fun reading in a prospectus, but American Apparel's founder and chief executive doesn't have to worry about that now. Charney sold his company last week to Endeavor Acquisition Corp. (AMEX: EDA - News), a "blank-check" company. The deal allows American Apparel to go public without dealing with the scrutiny of analysts, investors, and underwriters. Hopefully, the company will do a secondary offering at some point, if only to feed my need to read one trashy novel a year.
Sportsman Director of the Year: Lance Armstrong won seven-consecutive Tour de France titles, but to employees of Morgans Hotel Group Co. (Nasdaq: MHGC - News), he's best known as a member of the board of the directors. A boutique hotel owner and operator, Morgans went public in February at $20.00. Armstrong bought 1,000 shares during the initial public offering, but the investment has yet to pan out. If nothing else, Armstrong receives an annual fee of $25,000 for serving on the board, plus free or discounted rooms at Morgans' properties. Now, if he could only get Morgans to install bike racks outside of their properties.
Thanks For Nothing Award: After Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F - News) laid off thousands of workers as part of its "Way Forward" announcement, a former employee of the automaker put his alarm clock up for sale on eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY - News), writing, "This is a one-of-a-kind dual alarm clock with AM/FM radio and with 'INDIGLO Right Light' display that worked phenomenally for 7 years for a Ford Motor Company engineer. This alarm clock is SO reliable that it helped me achieve a Perfect Attendance award for 4 of my 7 years at the company!!! Since I was laid off last week as part of Ford's 'Way Forward' initiative, I no longer have the need for an alarm clock." The clock, which retails for about $20, sold for $152.50.
I Hope They're Hedged Award: The implosion of biotech firm Telik Inc. (Nasdaq: TELK - News) was a rude, unwanted, late Christmas gift for many investors, but none more so than Eastbourne Capital Management, which owns about 13 million shares of the stock, or an almost 25% stake in the company. From February 24th to December 22nd, Eastbourne, through its Black Bear Offshore Master Fund LP, bought approximately 3.7 million shares of Telik at an average price of $16.90, or an investment of about $65 million. Eastbourne is down more than -72% on that position alone, and based on the firm's historic holdings of Telik and Telik's historic stock price, the firm looks to be anywhere from $150 million to $200 million in the red on the position.
The Seven Dirty Words Award: David Farr of Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE: EMR - News) takes this year's honors. The chairman and CEO of the electrical products maker used the S-word a combined three times on conference calls in August and November. Farr's best use of the word came in August when he answered a question regarding tax rates and worked in a jibe about the ability of Congress to pass new laws: "S!&%, miracles do happen."
The Un-Midas Touch Award: Daniel Snyder made a fortune in direct marketing, but thus far his efforts to turn around amusement park operator Six Flags Inc. (NYSE: SIX - News) have been anything but fun, as the stock looks like it will end the year down about -25% to -30%. Snyder's bigger problem is the on-the-field performance of the Washington Redskins. While he's built the team into the most valuable franchise in all of sports (thanks in part to the fact that it owns the stadium in which it plays), Snyder can't seem to put a winner on the gridiron. The 'Skins are wrapping up what is probably the most disappointing season of any NFL team, and fans in the D.C. area are increasingly debating whether Snyder or Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos is the worst owner in all of sports. Disclosure: The author was born in Washington, D.C. and lived in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area for 24 years.
Quote of the Week: "The three-martini lunch is the epitome of American efficiency. Where else can you get an earful, a bellyful, and a snootful at the same time?" - President Gerald R. Ford in 1976.
Quote of the Year: "However it happens, the hedge fund managers of today are often amassing huge fortunes. They are stars in the financial firmament. But clearly their social utility to the nation and to the world is hard to see when compared with the social utility conferred by an Andrew Carnegie, an Andrew Mellon, a Henry Ford, or a John D. Rockefeller, who genuinely built a nation and a world. Providing liquidity for different kinds of variable-rate mortgages simply does not compare, at least as I view it." - Ben Stein in the December 24th edition of The New York Times, in a column entitled, "The Hedge Kings Are Rich, but Will They Be Noble?"
Published by Ben Silverman, FindProfit.com

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The 2006 Noisey Awards - Part 1

Best CEO Ouster Award: North America's largest sweater maker, Hampshire Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: HAMP - News), canned CEO Ludwig Kuttner in September for submitting $1.45 million in questionable expense reports over a ten-year period. Kuttner also happens to be Hampshire Group's largest shareholder, owning a more than 33% stake. No word on whether the security guards were wearing cardigans when Kuttner was escorted from the building.
Favorite New Institutional Investor: Former major league baseball player Lenny Dykstra, who disclosed a 7% stake in Lipid Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: LIPD - News) in November. Fortune recently profiled Dykstra, who claims to be worth $50 million now. His investment in Lipid has proved limp thus far, but Dykstra's nickname as a player was "nails" (as in, "tough as nails").
Patrick Byrne Worst CEO of the Year Award: For the second-consecutive year, Patrick Byrne of Overstock.com Inc. (Nasdaq: OSTK - News) took home the award named after himself. Byrne's list of "achievements" was long in 2006, but it was his raising of cash twice via private placements - after telling shareholders numerous times that the company's liquidity was fine - that clinched the deal. With his paranoid delusions and obvious ignorance of the day-to-day operations of his company (listen to Overstock's third-quarter conference call), Byrne also takes home the Richard Nixon Final Days Award.
The Batman Award: He's not Bruce Wayne, but Matthew Feshbach is as close as we're going to come to Batman in real life. Back in May, the chairman of dELiA*s, Inc. (Nasdaq: DLIA - News) told The St. Petersburg Times that he was the first person "to take a highly classified Scientology program called Super Power." Feshbach, a noted short seller turned value investor, told journalist Robert Farley, "I'm not dependent on my physical body to perceive things." According to Feshbach, Super Power has allowed him to outperform his peers in the money management business. It also gives him a leg up on fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise, who has to settle for sleeping next to Katie Holmes every night.
Walt Disney Award: Future Electronics, a Canadian electrical component distributor, recently took a 6.2% stake in ON Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq: ONNN - News). Future is headed by Robert Miller, a reclusive billionaire who has never been photographed and who is leaving some of his fortune to ensure that he is cryogenically frozen. Miller also reportedly flew in two former NHL players at the last minute during an amateur hockey tournament last year. His team, not surprisingly, won.
Unwired Award: Gunmaker Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. (NYSE: RGR - News) saw its stock blast off in early November after the company posted solid third-quarter results and two insiders at the company bought stock. Sturm, Ruger reported those Q3 results on October 23rd, filing a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission two days later disclosing its earnings. The company, however, never issued a press release publicly (though it was available on Bloomberg terminals and via Dow Jones Newswires). Even now, Sturm, Ruger still has not posted its Q3 earnings release on its website.
Favorite Insider of the Year: Josiah T. Austin, who with a name like that can only be a cattle rancher. Austin is also a director at Goodrich Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: GDP - News), where from May 2005 to October 2006 he plowed $14.8 million into the stock at an average price of just $21.21 per share. Austin also sat on the board of North Fork Bancorp., Inc., which was recently acquired by Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF - News). Austin's holdings in North Fork were valued at over $100 million ahead of the deal, and the total value of his public holdings is more than $350 million. Not bad for someone most people have never heard of.
Published by Ben Silverman, FindProfit.com

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7 Stocks You Need to Know for Thursday

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Thursday from TradingMarkets.com:
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - News) could be under pressure after a news report said the company may have falsified stock-options data in the past. AAPL's PowerRating is 8.
Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE - News) raised its earnings forecast in 2006 from $3.70 EPS to $4 EPS. SRE's PowerRating is 6.
HCC Insurance Holdings (NYSE:HCC - News) said that the company has completed its internal review of stock options grants, and that the results did not effect on its reported net revenue. HCC's PowerRating is 4.
Telik (NASDAQ:TELK - News) received a downgrade today from UBS from Buy to Neutral, stemming from a disappointing drug-cancer trial. TELK's PowerRating is 6.
Iron Mountain (NYSE:IRM - News) and Perry Ellis (NASDAQ:PERY - News) have both scheduled a 3:2 stock split for Friday, December 29. IRM's PowerRating is 5, and PERY's PowerRating is 6.
Learning Tree (NASDAQ:LTRE - News) is the only major stock reporting earnings next week. LTRE is expected to report $0.03 EPS on Thursday.
PowerRatings are courtesy of PowerRatings.net

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Google (GOOG) Moves Up

Internet search giant could vault ahead of Microsoft and Yahoo! in 2007 to become the world's most visited Web site, according to experts. Microsoft is No. 1 worldwide -- largely because of downloads of updates to its ubiquitous software -- and Yahoo! is the most visited Internet property in the U.S., according to ComScore Media Metrix. But Google is growing fast, and its $1.7 billion purchase of video sensation YouTube will speed up its rise. "It's a matter of math," says Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney.
Published by USA Today

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Apple Inc. (AAPL) Investors Worried about Steve Jobs

Apple Computer shares were rattled in Europe after the Financial Times reported that CEO Steve Jobs had received stock options in 2001 without his board's approval. Federal investigators are looking into whether Apple falsified documents to make it look like the board had signed off. Apple is one of the biggest names among more than 190 companies facing questions about the distribution of stock options. The new developments are the worst news yet for Apple, said Rob Enderle of the research firm Enderle Group, because they raise doubts about whether Jobs "can stay with the company." (Bloomberg) Apple's stock dipped but quickly recovered after another troubling article earlier this week. (BusinessWeek Online) UBS Investment Research Analyst Ben Reitzes said that since Jobs himself remains unscathed, investors' fears are "overblown."
Published by AP

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Investors Cautious Ahead of Key Data

Investors traded stocks cautiously Thursday ahead of economic reports that could extend or stifle a two-day rally that pushed the Dow Jones industrials past 12,500. Stocks were little changed as Wall Street awaited reports on December consumer confidence data, existing home sales for November, and a report on Midwest business activity. All three reports come out at 10 a.m. EST. The market surged Wednesday after a better-than-expected government report on new home sales suggested the housing slump could be at the bottom of its decline. A drop in oil prices this week also lent support to stocks in the final week of the year. With little in the way of corporate news, Apple Computer Inc. fell amid reports of a federal probe into the possible forgery of documents to boost executives' profit. Chief Executive Steve Jobs is said to have received 7.5 million stock options in 2001 without proper board approval. In the first hour of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 8.17, or 0.07 percent, to 12,502.40, retreating from its record close of 12,510.57. The index also hit a record trading level of 12,519.22 on Wednesday. Broader stock indicators were lower. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 1.92, or 0.13 percent, to 1,424.92, and the Nasdaq composite index gave up 5.64, or 0.23 percent, to 2,425.58. The advance this week leaves major indexes heading toward double-digit gains for the year. The Dow is now up 16.7 percent this year, while the Nasdaq has risen 10 percent and the S&P 500 is up 14.2 percent. Bonds were unchanged, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note flat at 4.65 percent. The dollar was mixed against other major currencies, while gold prices continued to rally. Oil and natural gas prices pushed below $61 per barrel this week on speculation the mild winter weather will depress demand for heating fuel. The market could get more detail when a crude inventory report is released at 10:30 a.m. EST. A barrel of light sweet crude rose 24 cents to $60.58 in pre-opening trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Among stock moves, Apple continued to slide on speculation it mishandled appropriating stock options to its top executives. The company also allegedly forged documents administering them. Shares fell $1.44 to $80.08. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies was down 0.20, or 0.03 percent, at 797.53. Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.01 percent. In afternoon trading, Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.08 percent, Germany's DAX index was up 0.08 percent, and France's CAC-40 was unchanged.
By Joe Bel Bruno, AP Business Writer

Stocks In Play

8:54AM Ness Tech says awarded multi-year offshore contract by InfoVista (NSTC) 14.60 : Co announces that it has been awarded a multi-year offshore development contract by InfoVista. Under the terms of the contract, NSTC will establish an R&D center for InfoVista at NSTC's offshore facility in Bangalore, India.
8:51AM On The Wires (WIRES) : Think Partnership (THK) released the results of its online shopping statistics for the 2006 holiday season. In 2006, there was a surge in online holiday shopping that lasted beyond Cyber Monday (the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday). Shopping actually increased in volume through Dec 18... Reliance Steel & Aluminum (RS) announce that it has reached an agreement to acquire the net assets and business of the Encore Group of metals service center cos. Terms were not disclosed.
8:46AM Competitive Technologies says interest in Nano Group's slate of directors do not appear to be aligned with those of shareholders (CTT) 2.47 : Co announces that it has mailed the following letter to all shareholders. " The interests of the Nano Group's slate of Directors do not appear to be aligned with those of our shareholders. The slate they present is hardly a "blue ribbon" panel. Furthermore, Mr. Nano currently owns only 22 shares of CTT, and four of the other five proposed director nominees do not own any shares. -- Mr. Nano is a former President and CEO of CTT who was terminated by CTT and is currently in litigation with CTT. Among other things, CTT believes that Mr. Nano misappropriated for his own benefit confidential CTT documents and CTT monies."
8:35AM On The Wires (WIRES) : The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX) announce the initiation of a multi-center Phase I clinical program to explore the convenient all-oral combination of KRX-0401, Revlimid and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma... First Data (FDC) announces it has renewed its agreement to provide signature debit processing for cardholders of First Federal... Jupitermedia (JUPM) announces the acquisition of JustTechJobs.com, an online tech job site. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
8:31AM United Online and Covad announce broadband service agreement (UNTD) 13.62 : UNTD and Covad Communications (DVW) announce an agreement through which UNTD will expand its NetZero DSL broadband Internet service offering using DVW's network. UNTD recently launched NetZero Digital Subscriber Line broadband Internet service to provide its customers with an opportunity to upgrade to broadband.
8:31AM LeCroy announces agreement with TOYO Corporation to distribute and support LeCroy products in Japan (LCRY) 11.26 : Co announced that an agreement has been reached with TOYO Corporation, a distributor of test equipment in Japan, for exclusive distribution of LeCroy's full product line of protocol analyzers, protocol exercisers, error injectors, and associated accessories in Japan.
8:31AM S&P futures vs fair value: -2.3. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.8. :
8:10AM S&P futures vs fair value: -2.3. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.8. :
8:09AM On The Wires (WIRES) : Myers Industries (MYE) announces that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire ITML Horticultural Products. ITML, a private co, designs, manufactures, and markets plastic containers and related products for professional floriculture / horticulture grower markets across North America. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed at this time... BioSante Pharmaceuticals (BPA) announces that it has initiated a Phase III safety and efficacy trial of LibiGel in the treatment of female sexual dysfunction... CRM Holdings (CRMH) announces top-level mgmt changes. Effective Dec 28, 2006, Daniel Hickey will transition from Co-CEO to CEO, while remaining as Chairman of the Board.
8:08AM LSB Bancshares' earnings expected to decline in fourth quarter and year (LXBK) 16.50 : Co announces Q4 and full year earnings will decline from the year-ago levels due to the write-down of certain credits at the Bank and at Peoples Finance Company of Lexington, the Bank's finance subsidiary. Earnings will also be affected by a nonrecurring gain resulting from an easement granted to the Department of Transportation and by a one-time charge related to the freezing of the co's defined benefit plan. During Q4, deterioration in the quality of a number of credits led to write-downs of $1.9 mln at the Bank and at Peoples Finance. These write-downs and an additional $1.05 mln to account for the possibility of future losses will result in the co's Q4 provision for loan losses being approx $2.9 mln. This provision would result in a year-end allowance for loan losses of approx 1.26% of gross loans. Co says while EPS will decline, the Bank expects the quarter will be profitable.
8:06AM MedImmune announces it in-licenses novel inflammatory disease tgt (MEDI) 32.35 : Co announced that it intends to develop a monoclonal antibody targeting pathways within the CD28 receptor family for treatment of certain inflammatory diseases under a recently signed license agreement with Japan Tobacco. MedImmune's initial efforts will focus on developing the current lead antibody, which aims to inhibit a receptor believed to play a key role in controlling adaptive immune responses, called inducible-costimulator, and thereby regulate T-cell dependent activation of B cells. Under the terms of the agreement, J.T. will receive an undisclosed upfront payment, milestone payments and royalties on any future marketed products.
8:06AM Eaton announces acquisition Of Argo-Tech (ETN) 75.43 : Co announces it will purchase AT Holdings, the parent of Argo-Tech for $695 mln. With this acquisition, ETN's aerospace operations will grow to approximately $1.5 bln in annual revenues.
8:01AM Tandy Leather Factory appoints Ron Morgan as CEO (TLF) 7.90 : Co anounces that Wray Thompson will resign as the co's CEO effective Dec 31. Mr. Thompson will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board. At the same time, the company announces that Ron Morgan, the co's President and COO, has accepted the appointment of CEO beginning January 1, 2007.
8:01AM Computer Sciences announces $643 mln in previously unannounced Federal contracts (CSC) 53.93 :
8:00AM Array Biopharma announces its KSP inhibitor for cancer to advance into human trials (ARRY) 13.06 : Co announces it filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ARRY-520 with the FDA and is now able to proceed with human clinical studies. ARRY-520 is a Kinesin Spindle Protein inhibitor that caused marked tumor regression in preclinical models of human solid tumors and human leukemias, often leading to durable responses. Co plans to commence the Phase 1 clinical trial at three academic medical centers in the United States in early 2007.
7:50AM Science Applications International says awarded defense threat reduction agency contract (SAI) 17.51 : Co announces it won a contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to work on the Integrated Weapons of Mass Destruction Toolset Phase II. The multiple-award cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a 3-yr base period with an optional 5-yr total period of performance. If all options are exercised, co says it will have a total value of $53.9 mln.
7:31AM TASER announces dismissal of product liability lawsuit (TASR) 7.50 : Co announced that the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, entered an order granting TASER's summary judgment motion dismissing the in-custody death product liability lawsuit filed by the estate of Ronald Hasse, Plaintiff, against TASER International.
7:30AM Alliance Data's Epsilon to acquire Abacus (ADS) 62.00 : Co announces that its Epsilon unit has agreed to acquire Abacus, a division of DoubleClick. Abacus is a provider of data, data management and analytical services for the retail and catalog industry, as well as other sectors. Co expects the acquisition to be a minimum of $0.05 accretive to cash EPS in 2007 and neutral to GAAP earnings. Co says accretion will accelerate thereafter due to both growth in the business and the de-leveraging of acquisition debt.
7:10AM ZOLL Medical receives marketing clearance for R Series ''Code-Ready'' defibrillator in Canada (ZOLL) 59.20 : Co announces it has received a Medical Device License from Health Canada for the ZOLL R Series, which ZOLL believes is the first and only "Code-Ready" defibrillator that can help improve in-hospital resuscitation efforts. This license provides the necessary approval for the marketing and sale of the device in Canada.
7:05AM On The Wires (WIRES) : Cadence Financial (CADE) announces that its stock began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "CADE." The co's stock previously traded on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "NBY"... Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO) announces that it has reached its goal of launching four to six new digital billboard networks by the end of 2006 with the installation of eight, large format digital displays in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
7:03AM Quigley Corp says HSV-1/NZW rabbit keratitis model study showed that it did not remain in eye long enough to penetrate corneal epithelial cells (QGLY) 6.00 : Co and its wholly owned subsidiary Quigley Pharma, announce that a series of studies were conducted on the advice of Campbell Laboratories, University of Pittsburgh, to assess QR-435 potential for treating Herpes Keratitis. Co says while the in-vitro studies were very successful at killing the herpes virus on direct contact, the HSV-1/NZW rabbit keratitis model study showed that the compound, in its aqueous form, did not remain in the eye long enough to penetrate the corneal epithelial cells where the virus resides in an infection.
7:01AM Bioenvision says has completed substantive work and analysis involved with finalizing the MAA to expand the Evoltra label (BIVN) 4.38 : Co announces it has completed the substantive work and analysis involved with finalizing the Marketing Authorization Application to expand the Evoltra label and is now involved with the administrative aspects of formally submitting the filing to the European Medicines Agency for the use of Evoltra in adult A.M.L patients over 65 years and who are considered unsuitable for intensive therapy. The formal submission of the M.A.A is expected in the early part of Q1 2007. The co continues to expect a decision on this regulatory filing in calendar 2007.
7:01AM Senesco executes licensing deal with ArborGen, no terms (SNT) 0.94 : Co and ArborGen, the co's forestry product co-development partner, announced the execution of a licensing agreement for exclusive use of the co's technology for the enhancement of forestry products. Execution of the agreement follows ArborGen's decision, announced in June 2006, to exercise its option to license Senesco's technology based on positive field trial results. No terms disclosed.
6:40AM Star Gas Prtnrs says to revise unaudited results for Q4 and fiscal year ended Sept 30, 2006 (SGU) 3.84 : Co announces that as a result of the previously announced assessment of its accounting treatment and disclosures relating to certain derivative transactions under SFAS 133, it will be necessary to amend and restate it's financial statements for each of the fiscal years ended Sept 30, 2004 and 2005 as well as the it's qtrly reports for the periods ended June 30, 2006, March 31, 2006 and Dec 31, 2005 and selected financial data for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005. Mgmt estimates that the adjustments will net out to a cumulative total of $0.2 mln impact on income (loss) from continuing operations for fiscal years 2004 through 2007. Co says the restatement does not impact the economics of the hedge transactions nor does it affect it's liquidity, cash flow from operating activities in any historical or future period, or the amount of available cash to pay distributions as defined in the Partnership agreement in any historical or future period.
6:30AM SciClone Pharma says submits regulatory application for DC bead in China (SCLN) 2.89 : Co announces that it has submitted a regulatory application to the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration for approval to market the DC Bead, a product for the treatment of liver cancer. Co also announces, with its European partner Sigma-Tau S.p.A., that full patient enrollment is complete for its phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the use of Zadaxin in combination with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin to treat patients infected with the hepatitis C virus. This trial is being conducted by Sigma-Tau in Europe and has enrolled a total of 553 patients.
6:24AM CHC Helicopter regrets to announce fatal accident in North Sea (FLI) 20.94 : Co regrets to confirm that one of its Eurocopter AS365N type aircraft crashed in the East Irish Sea at approx 1835 hours, UK time today (Wednesday December 27, 2006). Six bodies have now been recovered from the area. The emergency services are presently continuing their search for the remaining person involved. The aircraft was carrying five passengers and two crew.
6:18AM S&P futures vs fair value: -2.9. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.5. :
6:17AM European Markets : FTSE...6234.10...-11.10...-0.2%. DAX...6606.18...-2.68...-0.0%.
6:17AM Asian Markets : Nikkei...17224.81...+1.66...+0.0%. Hang Seng...20001.91...+276.18...+1.4%.
6:07AM Digital Music Group announces Anders Brown, COO, have resigned (DMGI) 45.00 : Co announces that Anders Brown, COO, has resigned. Mr. Brown has expressed a desire to pursue opportunities closer to his home and family in Seattle, Washington, and will remain active in his position through March 31, 2007, in order to ensure a smooth transition of his responsibilities.
6:05AM AsiaInfo to upgrade China Telecom's business support systems (ASIA) 6.58 : Co announces that it has recently signed contracts to upgrade the Business Support Systems of China Telecom's Henan, Shanxi, Tianjin and Heilongjiang subsidiaries.
4:56AM On The Wires (WIRES) : AEGON (AEG) and Ranbaxy Promoter Group sign definitive agreements to jointly enter the life insurance and asset management business in India.
Published by Briefing.com

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Market Overview

09:55 am : If the initial stages of trading are any indication as to how today is going to play out, it is going to be a long day. The indices are experiencing some light profit taking after yesterday's outsized gains, but overall, are little changed relative to the scope of yesterday's advance. The economic releases due at the top of the hour should offer some definition for today's session as the corporate headlines aren't holding much influence. The only one garnering any added attention is a report in the Financial Times that alleges Apple (AAPL 80.04, -1.48) CEO Steve Jobs received as many as 7.5 million unauthorized stock options.DJ30 -16.58 NASDAQ -8.31 SP500 -2.97 NASDAQ Dec/Adv 1263/1131 NYSE Dec/Adv 981/814
09:40 am : Market is off to a sluggish start with the major indices showing little change. After yesterday's rally, some early profit taking can be expected, but with a batch of economic data on the near horizon that includes Existing Home Sales, Consumer Confidence, and the Chicago Purchasing Manager's Index at 10:00ET, participants are in more of a wait-and-see mode at this point before they make any concerted moves.DJ30 +2.65 NASDAQ -1.88 SP500 -0.71
09:14 am : S&P futures vs fair value: -1.5. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -5.0.
09:05 am : S&P futures vs fair value: -1.3. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -5.0. Market remains poised for a slightly lower open, but there has been a bit of improvement in the wake of the weekly initial claims report. Although claims rose 1K to 317K, the 4-week moving average dipped to 315,750 from 326,000 which continues to reflect a tight labor market.
08:30 am : S&P futures vs fair value: -2.3. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.8.
08:00 am : S&P futures vs fair value: -2.3. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.8.
06:18 am : S&P futures vs fair value: -2.9. Nasdaq futures vs fair value: -6.5.
06:17 am : FTSE...6234.10...-11.10...-0.2%. DAX...6606.18...-2.68...-0.0%.
06:17 am : Nikkei...17224.81...+1.66...+0.0%. Hang Seng...20001.91...+276.18...+1.4%.
Published by Briefing.com

Best and Worst of 2006

Only two trading days remain in the year and, in the absence of any market nosedives between now and Friday, bulls will probably be pleased with the stock market’s performance in 2006. The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has added a respectable 14.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) is up 16.74% to record highs, and the NASDAQ ($COMPQ) is up 10.24%.The gains aren’t limited to the large cap stocks of the Dow, S&P 500, or NASDAQ. The Russell 2000 Small Cap Index ($RUT) gained 18.5% and the S&P MidCap Index ($MID) rose more than 10%. In addition, nearly every sector of the market moved higher as well. Steel stocks were among the best gainers. Investor appetite for steel companies rose amid merger hopes and better pricing for the metal. So, despite concerns about slowing demand from autos and housing, stocks like AK Steel (AKS) and Chaparral Steel (CHAP) surged more than 100%. The SIG Steel Producers Index ($STQ) is up nearly 50% on the year. Tech stocks traded mostly higher. Computer stocks led the sector in 2006. The GSTI Computer Index ($GHA) surged 31.65% since December 31, 2005. Internet and software stocks also did well. However, semiconductors did not. The PHLX Semiconductor Index ($SOX) is off 2% and, at 469.97; the chip index is below its 2003 closing value of 508.21 The Dogs of the Dow ($MUT) made a comeback. The investment strategy, which involves buying the ten Dow stocks with the highest dividend yields at the beginning of the year, delivered a 27% return so far in 2006. The advance follows an 8.85% decline in 2005. Energy stocks continued their dominant performance. The Select Sector Energy Fund (XLE), which holds all of the energy-related stocks from within the S&P 500 Index, is up 18%. The gains add to a 23.4% advance in 03, a 31.8% rally in 04, and a 38.5% surge last year. Major oil companies led the rally. The AMEX Oil Index ($XOI) is up 21.4%. Meanwhile, the AMEX Natural Gas Index ($XNG) has added 12.53% and the PHLX Oil Service Index ($OSX) gained 11.1%.Brokers and banks helped lift the financials. The Select Sector Financial Fund (XLF) rallied 17.21%. Commodity-related stocks, consumer staples, retailers, and cyclicals also beat the S&P 500 Index. Utilities, airlines, and gold mining stocks also did well in 2006.
By Frederic Ruffy, Optionetics.com

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Hot stocks for Thursday

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Thursday from TradingMarkets.com:Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL - News) could be under pressure after a news report said the company may have falsified stock-options data in the past. AAPL's PowerRating is 8.Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE - News) raised its earnings forecast in 2006 from $3.70 EPS to $4 EPS. SRE's PowerRating is 6.HCC Insurance Holdings (NYSE:HCC - News) said that the company has completed its internal review of stock options grants, and that the results did not effect on its reported net revenue. HCC's PowerRating is 4.Telik (NASDAQ:TELK - News) received a downgrade today from UBS from Buy to Neutral, stemming from a disappointing drug-cancer trial. TELK's PowerRating is 6.Iron Mountain (NYSE:IRM - News) and Perry Ellis (NASDAQ:PERY - News) have both scheduled a 3:2 stock split for Friday, December 29. IRM's PowerRating is 5, and PERY's PowerRating is 6.Learning Tree (NASDAQ:LTRE - News) is the only major stock reporting earnings next week. LTRE is expected to report $0.03 EPS on Thursday.PowerRatings are courtesy of PowerRatings.net

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Stock Watch List for Thursday

Alcoa Inc. (AA : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 30.02+0.65+2.21%) said UAW Local 1050 has ratified a new 4-year labor agreement that covers about 830 employees at the company's Cleveland Works facility. The aluminum company said the UAW represented employees will return to work Jan. 2 after an 8-week strike.
BioForm Medical Inc. said the Food and Drug Administration has approved Radiesse, a cosmetic dermal filler for the long-lasting correction of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Shares of BioForm's competitor, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (MRX : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 35.53-0.24-0.67%), which makes wrinkle-treatment Restylane, closed down 0.67%.
Champion Industries Inc. (CHMP : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 6.75-0.07-1.02%) reported fiscal fourth-quarter net earnings of $1.97 million, or 20 cents a share, up from $569,000, or 6 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue in the three months ended Oct. 31 rose 6.6% to $37 million from $34.7 million.
Directed Electronics Inc. (DEIX : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 11.53+0.28+2.49%) said Ronald Dutt, executive vice president for finance, operations and legal, will be appointed chief financial officer and treasurer, effective Jan. 2. The Vista, Calif.-based designer and marketer of home theater loudspeakers, said Dutt will succeed John Morberg, who is leaving the company.
ON Semiconductor Corp. (ONNN : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 7.51+0.11+1.49%) said it has agreed to repurchase $70 million of its shares from TPG Semiconductor Holdings LLC and TPG ON Holdings LLC, which together are the company's largest stockholder.
Sento (SNTO : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 3.24+1.32+68.75%) said it swung to a second-quarter net loss attributable to stockholders of $2.58 million, or 65 cents, due to higher costs of sales after the termination of a client program. In the same period last year, the Salt Lake City-based provider of call center services posted net earnings of $310,000, or 8 cents a share.
Standard & Poor's said First Cash Financial Services Inc. (FCFS : News , chart, profile, more,
Last: 23.53+0.37+1.60%) will replace Republic Bancorp Inc. (RBNC : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 14.48+0.36+2.55%) in the SmallCap 600 index after the close of trading on Friday. Citizens Banking Corp. (CBCF : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 28.06+0.56+2.04%) is acquiring Republic in a deal expected to close on or about that date.
Tapestry Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TPPH : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 1.82-0.02-1.09%) named Donald Picker as president, effective Jan. 2. Picker was most recently executive vice president of research and development at Callisto Pharmaceuticals.
Threshold (THLD : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 3.20+0.10+3.23%) said it is pleased with the results from the Phase 2 clinical trial of glufosfamide in combination with gemcitabine for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. The cancer treatments developer said 21% of patients in the clinical trial had a partial response.
VCA Antech (WOOF : News , chart, profile, more, Last: 32.29-0.03-0.09%) said it sees 2007 revenue of $1.05 billion to $1.08 billion. The operator of veterinary hospitals said it sees annual income of $109 million to $113 million, and per-share income of $1.27 to $1.31.
Published by MarketWatch

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Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Oil Prices Drop on Depressed Demand

Oil prices fell for the fourth straight trading session Wednesday, settling at their lowest level in more than a month amid mild U.S. weather that has depressed demand for home-heating fuels. Natural gas futures have fallen even harder in recent days for the same reason, settling Wednesay at their lowest level in more than 12 weeks. Light sweet crude for February delivery declined by 76 cents to settle at $60.34 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where natural gas futures declined by 27.5 cents to settle at $5.838 per 1,000 cubic feet. The last time natural gas futures settled below $6 was Oct. 13, when prices ended at $5.66. The last time crude oil futures settled below $61 was Nov. 28, when prices ended at $60.99. Analysts expect the mild weather to keep energy prices under downward pressure for another couple of weeks. Prices slid last week as brokers weighed slower economic growth and expectations of a mild winter against OPEC's determination to tighten up worldwide supplies. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said earlier this month that it plans to reduce output by an additional 500,000 barrels a day beginning in February. That comes on top of a previously announced cut of 1.2 million barrels per day. This week, traders are looking ahead to the weekly inventory report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. According to a survey by Dow Jones Newswires, crude oil stocks are expected to decline, while distillate and gasoline stocks should rise. The report will be issued Thursday, a day later than normal due to the Christmas holiday. U.N. sanctions against Iran that were approved over the weekend could also raise concerns about supply in 2007, though traders so far appear to have shrugged off the continuing dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures fell 1.45 cent to settle at $1.6088 a gallon, and unleaded gasoline futures gained 1.53 cent to settle at $1.5875 a gallon.
Source: AP

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Apple Inc. (AAPL) iTunes Store Overwhelmed

Swarms of online shoppers armed with new iPods and iTunes gift cards apparently overwhelmed Apple's iTunes music store over the holiday, prompting error messages and slowdowns of 20 minutes or more for downloads of a single song. Frazzled users began posting urgent help messages Monday and Tuesday on Apple's technical forum for iTunes, complaining they were either not allowed into the store or were told the system couldn't process their request to download songs and videos. It was not immediately clear how many people were affected by the slowdowns, and Apple Computer Inc. would not immediately comment Wednesday on what caused the slowdown and whether it had been fixed. Analysts said the problems likely were the result of too many people with holiday iPods and iTunes gift cards trying to access the site at once. Apple commands about 75 percent of the market for downloaded music, but could lose as much as 5 percent of that market share in 2007 because of increased competition from rival services, according to Piper Jaffray. Apple's stock price fell almost 5 percent before rebounding to close at $81.52, up a penny, on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

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Dow Jones Reaches 12,500, Stocks Rise

Wall Street surged higher Wednesday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials past 12,500 for the first time as yearend bargain hunters picked up stocks across a variety of sectors.
The auto industry was in focus after a meeting between executives at Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co. sparked hope about a potential alliance between the two rivals. Shares of both companies moved sharply higher.
Further takeover activity lent support to the overall market after McClatchy Co. announced late Tuesday it agreed to sell the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis to a private equity fund. Also, graphics communication company Cenveo Inc. agreed to buy rival Cadmus Communications Corp.
But investors looking to buff up their portfolios by year's end were behind most of the gains.
"What you're seeing is window dressing, people want to finish up the year looking like they own the best names," said Philip S. Dow, managing director of equity strategy at RBC Dain Rauscher. "And for those that missed the market, they're trying to put their cash to work and play catch-up. You've got momentum on your side this year."
The session was again marked by thin volume typical of the week between Christmas and New Year's. The New York Stock Exchange began the session with two minutes of silence as a tribute to President Gerald Ford, while the Nasdaq Stock Market had a similar observance later in the morning.
According to preliminary calcuations, the Dow rose 102.94, or 0.83 percent, to 12,510.57. The index hit a record trading level of 12,519.22 earlier in the session.
Broader stock indicators also advanced. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up 9.94, or 0.70 percent, at 1,426.84, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 17.71, or 0.73 percent, to 2,431.22.

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Jim Cramer Mad Money Stock Recap-Dec. 26

Stocks discussed in the in-depth session of Jim Cramer’s Mad Money TV program, Tuesday December 26. Click on a stock ticker for more analysis:
New Rule #1 : "There's a market for everything; pay attention to how it works," Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM - News), Andersons (NASDAQ: ANDE - News) and VeraSun (NYSE: VSE - News)
Cramer reiterated his recommendation that investors read his first book: Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World, in addition to his newest publication, Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV Get Rich, which contains 20 brand new investment rules, 5 of which he described on Tuesday's show. His first new rule requires that investors be aware of how stocks trade and that there are many sub-markets within the market. When faced with a trendy stock, it is more important to pay attention to supply and demand than media hype. For instance, late in 2005 when demand for ethanol stocks was high and supply was low, it was possible to make "truckloads of money" with ADM and ANDE. However, when VeraSun went public in June 2006, Cramer declared that the ethanol story was over, since the supply of ethanol exceeded demand. "If you'd just been paying attention to the fundamentals, or to the hype about ethanol in the media, you would've been caught totally off-guard by the downturn in ethanol," Cramer said.
New Rule #2: "Make sure your stocks actually fit the bill," Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT - News) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO - News)
In addition to doing homework, Cramer warned, "Don't be bamboozled by what sector your stock belongs to. Instead, know precisely what you own and why you own it." Cramer cautions viewers not to confuse a rally in an entire sector with a rally within the sector. Broad sector rallies are not too difficult to spot or predict. For instance, when the Fed cuts interest rates, rallies are prevalent among cyclicals, and when the economy is perceived as being weak, consumer staples rally. However, "most rallies don't work that way," Cramer said. For instance, when there were stories about a tech rally in June 2005, Cramer chose MSFT and CSCO as names that "represented" tech, when the upsurge was actually a gadget rally, and did not affect these stocks. Cramer suggests looking at industries within sectors.
New Rule #3: "Latin America is Always a Trade," BanColombia (NYSE: CIB - News)
Cramer envisions that one day this rule may be revoked, but not in the near future, because every time there is an "amazing, long-term growth story" in Latin America, it will wind up being a trade. This has nothing to do with the fundamentals of the companies, but is the result of huge market-moving investment firms which have the conviction that Latin America is always a trade, and the stocks get hammered as soon as they move on. Cramer admitted that he made this mistake by thinking that CIB was an investment when it was actually a trade.
New Rule #4: "Be a Lemming."
Although he confessed that, at first, this rule may sound "stupid" and "terrible," it actually makes sense to go with the big institutions and the movement of the market if the investor has done sufficient homework. This doesn't mean to ride momentum blindly, but it is true that stocks which hit a 52-week high often keep increasing. "This isn't about being a unique and individual snowflake. It's about trying to make money," Cramer said.
New Rule #5: "Don't be afraid to say something is too hard."
Some things are just too difficult to game, even after doing lot of homework. Cramer confesses that his rough spot is predicting restaurant same-store sales growth; "There are too many better, easier ways to make money in the market," he said. "Restaurant CEOs have a hard time predicting their own same-store sales, and the weirdest, most unexpected factors can cause worse-than-expected results." Since there is always a bull market somewhere, Cramer doesn't see the point in knocking one's head against the wall with something that is too hard.

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Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Ford (F) and Toyota (TM) Officials Hold Talks

Ford Motor Co. president and CEO Alan Mullally met with officials from Toyota Motor Corp. last week, according to Japanese business newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Toyota chairman Fujio Cho and Ford executive vice president Mark Fields attended the meeting, which might be the start of potential partnership negotiations, the newspaper said. Both companies have ties to Kentucky. Toyota (NYSE: TM - News) bases its North American manufacturing operations in Erlanger, Ky. It also has a plant in Georgetown, Ky., which is the company's largest manufacturing facility in North America. Ford (NYSE: F - News) operates two plants in Louisville: the Kentucky Truck Plant on Chamber