Special Reports

Top 10 News Items 5/21-5/25: Eurozone Fears Remain, But Stocks Charge Higher; Facebook Continues to Be Sold; HP Investors Cheer Q2 Results May 25, 2012 04:16PM

Here is a recap of the top 10 news items from this week on Wall Street:

1. Stocks were volatile this week, however closed up almost 2 percent as headlines on the crisis in the Eurozone remained but seemed to contain less fear than those over the last several weeks. While yields for German 30-year bunds tumbled below 2 percent for the first time ever, analysts considered the implications of a Greece exit from the euro. Concerns in Spain remained. The nation's Bankia sought €19 billion from a bank-rescue fund.

2. Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) shares continued lower this week as investors scrutinized Nasdaq's (Nasdaq: NDAQ) IPO debacle as well as Morgan Stanley's (NYSE: MS) analyst vs. underwriter controversy. The stock dipped to as low as $30.94 this week, however closed around $31.50, down about 4 percent on Friday, but capping off a loss of nearly 20 percent for the week. Morgan Stanley announced it will offer price adjustments to investors who's shares were given to them with an inaccurate price. Also, a rumor is being tossed around that Facebook could move to the NYSE (NYSE: NYX) after the Nasdaq blunder.

3. Shares of HP (NYSE: HPQ) finished the week on a strong note, jumping more than 3 percent on Thursday and another 2 percent on Friday following strong Q2 results. Earnings totaled 98 cents per share, beating the Street by about 7 cents, while sales were at $30.69 billion. The company is looking for Q3 EPS of 94-97 cents and FY12 EPS of $4.05-$4.10, up from prior guidance of about $4. HP also announced a massive restructuring plan which will reduce the company's global headcount by about 27,000 workers.

4. Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) shares plunged more than 17 percent on Wednesday after reporting Q1 earnings of 43 cents per share on sales of $14.42 billion. The Street was expecting EPS of 46 cents on sales of $14.91 billion. Q2 sales are expected to be up 2-4 percent from the first quarter.

5. Shares of Cooper Industries (NYSE: CBE) rallied more than 25 percent on Monday after Eaton (NYSE: ETN) announced an offer to buy the company. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, Cooper holders would receive $39.15 in cash and 0.77479 shares of New Eaton for each Cooper share, or about $72 per share in total value. Eaton shares were very modestly higher following the news.

6. Also on the M&A front, SAP (NYSE: SAP) announced a deal to buy Ariba (Nasdaq: ARBA) for $45/share. Ariba shares traded up 19 percent on Tuesday, and closed higher each day following.

7. NetApp (Nasdaq: NTAP) shares fell more than 12 percent on Thursday following the company's Q4 results and, more importantly, concerning Q1 guidance. The company posted quarterly EPS of 66 cents per share, 3 cents better than the analyst estimate of 63 cents per share, on sales of $1.7 billion. NetApp is expecting Q1 EPS of 34-39 cents, well below the analyst consensus estimate of 59 cents. Sales are expected to be around $1.4-$1.5 billion, which compares to the Street estimate of $1.61 billion.

8. Tiffany (NYSE: TIF) reported Q1 EPS of 64 cents, versus the analyst estimate of 69 cents. Revenue for the quarter came in at $819 million versus the consensus estimate of $816.85 million. The company sees FY2012 EPS of $3.70-$3.80, versus prior guidance of $3.95-$4.05 and the consensus of $3.97. The stock fell nearly 7 percent on Thursday and another 1.5 percent on Friday.

9. After years of restructuring its balance sheet, Ford (NYSE: F) got back its investment grade rating at Moody's Tuesday and with it the Blue Oval logo, which the automaker mortgaged in the past. The agency now rates Ford Motor Co. shares a Baa3, up from Ba2. In 2006, Ford pledged the Ford Blue Oval along with other domestic assets to secure $23.5 billion in liquidity, consisting of $18.5 billion of senior secured debt and credit facilities and $5 billion of unsecured convertible debt.

10. University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for the month of May came in at 79.3, which compares to the economist estimate of 77.8. The prior reading for May was 77.8. The sentiment reading was the strongest since all the way back to 2007.

Trading Radar for 05/29: Eltek (ELTK), Sanderson Farms (SAFM), Chimera Investment (CIM), Cavco Industries (CVCO) Report May 25, 2012 03:42PM

The Trading Radar highlights key earnings and economic announcements for tomorrow's trading session:

Before The Market Opens
Economic:
9:00am EDT

• Cast-Shiller 20-City Index - Street sees 2.8%

Earnings:

Eltek Ltd (Nasdaq: ELTK) - no Street consensus
Sanderson Farms, Inc. (Nasdaq: SAFM) - consensus EPS $0.92
e-Future Information Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: EFUT) - no Street consensus

Intraday or Not Specified
Economics:
10:00am EDT

• Consumer Confidence - Street sees 69.0

After the Market Closes
Earnings:

Cavco Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVCO) - no Street consensus
Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM) - consensus EPS $0.10

Check out our Earnings Insider for news and updates on earnings as they happen!

Notable 52-Week Highs and Lows of the Day 05/25: (LCC) (RPRX) High; (DCTH) (MXWL) (VIP) Low May 25, 2012 03:09PM

This report is an intraday check of some of the more notable stocks that have hit a 52-week high or low so far today.

52-Week High:

• US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) high of $12.40. US Airways continuing higher from Thursday following a positive note from JPMorgan on the potential for the sector with dipping fuel prices.
  
  
• Repros Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: RPRX) high of $9.84. Repros breaking above the $8.50 level on strong volume after testing it earlier in the week. Of note, Repros is nearing a little bit of a potential resistance level at $9.92, which it tested following a dramatic drop in September 2009.

52-Week Low:

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• Delcath Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTH) low of $1.46. Delcath priced a 13.3 million common stock offering at $1.50 per share. The price is a 37 percent discount to Thursday' closing price at $2.38.
  
  
• VimpelCom Ltd. (NYSE: VIP) low of $7.05. VimpelCom got a new, expanded injunction order from the Moscow Arbitration Court over previously disclosed claims brought by the Russian Federal Anti-monopoly Service against two of the largest shareholders of VimpelCom, Telenor East Holding II AS and Weather Investments II S.a r.l., in the Moscow Arbitration Court.
  
  
• Maxwell Technologies (Nasdaq: MXWL) low of $6.90. Maxwell taking a hit Friday after Wedbush downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral, chopping its price target from $20 down to $8. For more color on the call, click here.
  
  
• LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) low of $2.34. LDK Solar moving lower from Thursday after issuing a statement over upcoming antidumping tariffs. LDK moved about another 9.6 percent lower on the session.

Unusual 11 Mid-Day Movers 05/25: (GNOM) (UPI) (RPRX) Higher; (TLB) (DCTH) (PAY) Lower May 25, 2012 01:42PM

Talbots, Inc. (NYSE: TLB) 39.1% LOWER; shares are collapsing early Friday after the company said the exclusivity agreement with Sycamore Partners expired without a definitive merger agreement. Sycamore Partners informed the company that it is not prepared to execute a transaction at this time. The company also reported Q1 EPS of $0.09, $0.11 better than the analyst estimate of ($0.02). Revenue for the quarter came in at $275.9 million versus the consensus estimate of $272.54 million.

Delcath (Nasdaq: DCTH) 36.6% LOWER; prices 13.3 million common shares at $1.50 per share. The company sees net proceeds of about $18.4 million.

Complete Genomics (Nasdaq: GNOM) 28.3% HIGHER; the stock is continuing sharply higher Friday following a 26.6 percent surge yesterday. The stock moved over $2 yesterday, and is vacillating around $3 today. Volume is extremely heavy.

Uroplasty, Inc. (Nasdaq: UPI) 19.1% HIGHER; reported Q4 EPS of ($0.03), $0.04 better than the analyst estimate of ($0.07). Revenue for the quarter came in at $5.6 million versus the consensus estimate of $5.51 million.

Repros Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: RPRX) 15.6% HIGHER; after testing the $8 level just before the close yesterday, shares broke above this level to close at $8.34 yesterday. Upon opening this morning, the stock continued higher until $9, where some resistance pushed shares lower. The stock has since successfully broke through this level. Shares are up 29 percent this week alone.

VeriFone Systems (NYSE: PAY) 15.8% LOWER; reported Q2 EPS of $0.64, $0.03 better than the analyst estimate of $0.61. Revenue for the quarter came in at $472 million versus the consensus estimate of $471.82 million. Sees Q3 2012 EPS of $0.68-$0.70, versus the consensus of $0.70. Sees sales of $495-$500 million. Sees FY2012 EPS of $2.60-$2.66, versus the consensus of $2.66. Sees sales of $1.9-$1.93 billion.

VimpelCom Ltd. (NYSE: VIP) 14% LOWER; announced the Moscow Arbitration Court has issued a new, expanded injunction order in connection with the previously announced claim by the Russian Federal Anti-monopoly Service. The injunction order is related to the previously disclosed claims brought by the FAS against two of the largest shareholders of VimpelCom, Telenor East Holding II AS and Weather Investments II S.a r.l., in the Moscow Arbitration Court.

Genetic Technologies (Nasdaq: GENE) 12.3% LOWER; continuing a recent volatile run. Shares surged about 65 percent on Tuesday, fell about 11 percent on Wednesday, and rose nearly 63 percent on Thursday.

Career Education Corp. (Nasdaq: CECO) 12.2% HIGHER; shares have been volatile at the $6.75 level, but have mow filled the gap following its earnings drop on May 11th.

Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (Nasdaq: PACB) 12.1% HIGHER; moving higher with other biosciences today.

Tucows (AMEX: TCX) 11.4% HIGHER; shares are breaking above the $1.40 level today following several days of bumping up against this resistance level. The stock pushed right to a new level at $1.50, but has since surged through and is now trading around $1.46. About 1.4 million shares of the stock have already changed hands today, which compares to the stock's 30-day average daily volume of about 410,000 shares.

To get this report daily visit http://www.streetinsider.com/entities/Unusual+11+Mid-Day+Movers.

Streetinsider.com's Hot Lunchtime Reads 05/25: (HAS) (ADP) (EMC) (PAY) May 25, 2012 12:24PM

The following is a list of notable articles to help get you through the lunch hour:

• Barclays Cuts Estimates and Price Target on ADP (ADP); Mixed Data From Investor Day -> Read this!
  
  
• Bill Gross Thinks China is the Real Elephant in the Room -> Read this!
  
  
• UBS Maintains a 'Neutral' on VeriFone (PAY); Europe Demand Healthy, but FX Emerges as Headwind -> Read this!
  
  
• Canaccord Genuity Morning Coffee on Hasbro (HAS): The Rock Says... -> Read this!
  
  
• EMC (EMC): Still Underestimated Despite All the Potential - Barron's -> Read this!

And don't forget to get updated by our other Special Reports. Access those here.