Apple (AAPL) is always highlighted in investing news, but buyer beware — sometimes hype is just hype. Apple’s iWatch appears to be a reality; even Bloomberg noticed its 79 patent applications with the word ‘wrist’ in it. But that doesn’t mean it’s worth your time. (Read more at TheStreet)
“Dell (DELL) Thursday said activist investor Carl Icahn is pushing for a huge special dividend instead of a planned $24.4 billion leveraged buyout by founder Michael Dell, and threatened the company with “years of litigation” if it doesn’t combine a vote on the deal with its annual meeting,” writes the Wall Street Journal.
“Facebook (FB) may be launching a new monthly subscription plan for users who are tired of seeing ads on the social network,” writes Business Insider. “Facebook filed a patent for “Paid Profile Personalization” back in 2011 that would get rid of advertisements on profile pages, Janko Roettgers at GigaOm reports.”
At the Facebook (FB) conference this morning, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that “he wants Facebook’s News Feed to be each user’s “best personalized newspaper you can have” with social and local updates on a variety of topics,” writes VentureBeat. “We also believe [it] should be visual, rich, and engaging,” he continued. “Because News Feed supports such …
“Big increases in pay-TV prices are set to be the “new norm,” DirecTV’s (DTV) Chief Financial Officer Patrick Doyle told investors Wednesday morning. ”It behooves the industry to try to match up a little better with [programming] cost increases,” Mr. Doyle told the Deutsche Bank investor conference.”
“Samsung Electronics Co. agreed to invest ¥10.4 billion ($111 million) in Sharp Corp. and to buy more display panels from the struggling Japanese company, potentially blocking Apple (AAPL) from increasing its access to Sharp’s advanced mobile-screen technology,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “The 3% stake makes Samsung the fifth-largest shareholder in Sharp, behind Japanese financial …
“Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has been hit with a €561 million ($732.2 million) fine by European Union regulators after it broke its promise to offer millions of users of its Windows system a choice of rival Web browsers,” reports Wall Street Journal. “The European Commission said it was imposing the fine after the U.S. software giant …
Google (GOOG) has been slowly learning how to generate revenue from ads for years. Today, ad revenues are a sizable piece of Google;s revenue pie – and it is a pie from which Facebook (FB) is anxious to take a slice. “Facebook’s challenge is to demonstrate to advertisers that it deserves a lot more credit …
“Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)’s effort to resolve its relationship with Vodafone (VOD) Group Plc, potentially ending their wireless joint venture, would put it on a path to full ownership of the most profitable and fastest-growing major wireless carrier in the U.S.” writes Bloomberg. “The two phone companies have discussed a range of options, including the idea …
The Board at JC Penney (JCP) could be ready to oust CEO Ron Johnson. “Members of Penney’s board will consider selling the company or replacing the chief executive if a deep drop in sales can’t be reversed this year, people familiar with the matter said,” writes the Wall Street Journal.
Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) is up 6.3% after Chairman and CEO Eddie Lampert “bought 1.24 million shares of the company for $55 million using personal funds in a private transaction,” writes MarketWatch. Lampert’s ESL Investments is a majority shareholder of Sears. I still think Sears is a “sell” – It just doesn’t have the same …
So the buzz is that Google (GOOG) is launching a new challenge to Amazon (AMZN) – this time, it is trying to take on Amazon Prime. “Google is planning to introduce a competitor to Amazon Prime that will be cheaper and offer same-day delivery,” writes Mashable Business. “The service, called Google Shopping Express, would offer …
Gap (GPS) is up 2.6% in evening trading, at $33.79 on a 52-week range of $24.17 to $37.85, after beating on earnings and increasing its dividend 20%. The company reported late Thursday revenue of $4.73 billion on $4.28 billion the year before and analyst predictions of $4.63 million. Gap also topped on earnings, posting 73 …
Salesforce (CRM) is up 4.8% in after hours trading this evening after reporting its Q4 performance late Thursday. The company posted $835 million in revenue, beating analyst estimates of $830.85 million and well outpacing last year’s $631.91 million.Salesforce is currently trading at $177.35 post session, near its 52-week high of $178.91.
It’s official.. Groupon CEO Andrew Mason has been ousted, and the news is causing an after hours surge in Groupon (GRPN) stock. Business Insider reports that Mason, who had founded the company, said in an email to Groupon employees, “I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding – I …
Things just keep getting worse for JC Penney (JCP). The department store chain is currently down 15.7%. It closed yesterday at $21.16 and it is trading at just $17.84 right now. That may be an improvement from the day’s low of $16.57, but its still pretty dismal. I have to reiterate… JC Penney… What Happened? …
Groupon (GRPN) is down more than 21%. The stock closed yesterday at $5.98. Right now, it is trading at just $4.72, up from a low today of $4.24. The sharp decline comes after the company reported a disappointing Q4 yesterday (read more here). If you shorted the stock yesterday, get out now. The stock will …
Kohls (KSS) is down 2.1%, to $45.65 off a close yesterday of $46.61, after a disappointing Q4. The company reported sales of $6.34 billion, topping estimates of $6.24 billion and outshining last year’s $6.02 billion. Kohls, however, did not do as well on earnings for the quarter. It brought in $1.61 a share. Analysts were …
Pandora (P) “will begin to cap the number of hours of free music available on mobile devices as it copes with rising royalty rates,” writes MarketWatch. “The limit, 40 hours per month for free mobile listening, is expected to impact less than 4% of active listeners, the Oakland, Calif.-based company said. Free listening on a …
“Twitter isn’t worth $10 billion if you benchmark it to its curr ent financials. But that hardly matters now. The prime question is just how big Twitter can get—and how profitable,” writes the WSJ.com at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323384604578328303487784818.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_tech “Advertising-data-firm eMarketer Inc. estimates 2014 revenue at $808 million, but people in the venture-capital community are already whispering that …
JC Penney (JCP) reported massive earnings loss (see Business Insider http://www.businessinsider.com/jc-penney-q4-2012-earnings-2013-2) … The company ex-Apple exec Ron Johnson and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman tried so hard to turn around tanked. It missed on revenues and sales were almost 1/3 less than what was expected. Johnson said in the press release, “Sales and customer traffic …
Groupon ends the day down after reporting its fourth quarter earnings earlier today. It isn’t bringing in as much cash as last year and, going forward, its first quarter looks to be just as dismal via WSJ.com http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/02/27/groupon-tanks-five-takeaways-from-its-4q-results/ But really, is anyone surprised? Stocks like this are fantastic to short because they are faddish… and …
Fed Chief: Easy-Money Policies Outweigh Riskshttp://on.wsj.com/13PVwuW via @WSJ Bond buying continues… Is the Fed clutching at straws??
Home Depot Profit Pops via WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324338604578327760647596162.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection No big surprise that The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD) should see a jump in profits given recent weather.. but what about when the forecast is clear?
Judge Grants Einhorn Bid to Block Apple Vote http://t.co/f7yPSzZ3z2 Hmmm. via Renee Ann Butler, MBA http://t.co/f7yPSzZ3z2
Microsoft Hit by Hackers http://t.co/GaJugTgvBB Could this mean that Norton and other security software makers will pop? via Renee Ann Butler, MBA http://t.co/GaJugTgvBB
Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) is hot right now. The stock reached a new 52-week high of $47.60 on news that the company sold more Model S vehicles than it had previously expected, and the momentum that accompanied it. In February, the company had forecasted selling just 4,500 Model S vehicles in the first quarter, but actual … Continue reading »
Eli Lilly (LLY) Chief Executive John Lechleiter said in an interview that European nations should pay more for new medicines and warned that the current low prices could pose a threat to innovation in the region, reports the Wall Street Journal. I can’t help but wonder… does Lechleiter really mean it or is he sort of preempting … Continue reading »
“Activist investor Steven Roth’s Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) confirmed in a regulatory filing it sold 10 million JC Penney (JCP) shares to Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) cutting its loses on a stock that has fallen more than 60% in the past 12 months,” writes the Wall Street Journal. ”According to a filing with the Securities and … Continue reading »
Ascena Retail Group Inc. (ASNA) is popping, up almost 13% since the markets opened this morning, after reporting its fiscal second quarter results. For the second quarter of 2013, earnings per diluted share from continuing operations decreased to $0.23 per share, while earnings from discontinued operations were $0.06 per share. This compares to diluted earnings … Continue reading »
“Groupon’s woes won’t end by firing Chief Executive Andrew Mason,” writes Reuters Breaking Views. “The troubled Internet daily deal firm’s stock rallied around 5 percent after the board sent its witty boss packing. But with overseas operations a mess, coupons in decline and a controversial chairman calling the shots, the company has bigger problems.” I … Continue reading »
“U.S. stocks on Thursday were little changed, with equities taking a near-neutral stance after mixed economic data failed to move the needle for benchmark indexes that are within reach of closing highs,” writes MarketWatch. “In position for a monthly gain of 1.6%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 11.48 points, or 0.1%, at 14,086.85, which was … Continue reading »
“The U.S. economy grew in the fourth quarter – but just barely – instead of contracting for the first time in three and a half years,” writes MarketWatch. “Stronger residential construction and an improvement in net exports pushed growth into positive territory,” offsetting “a bigger decline in government spending than previously suggested as well as … Continue reading »
