U.S. Equity Preview: TRMB, THQI, SUN, IN, & APKT
Acme Packet Inc. (APKT) : The maker of devices that help transmit voice and data over Interner networks said fourth- quarter earnings excluding some items were 26 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate by 2 cents, Bloomberg data show.
Intermec Inc. (IN) : The maker of hand-held scanners reported a fourth-quarter profit of 13 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate by 29 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Sunoco Inc. (SUN) : Chief Executive Officer Lynn Elsenhans, who led the Philadelphia company’s exit from refining, will step down March 1. Chief Financial Officer Brian P. McDonald, 46, will take over as chief executive March 1 and as chairman May 1 as the company continues with its plans to sell or close its last two refineries in Philadelphia and Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania.
THQ Inc. (THQI) : The publisher of wrestling and martial arts video games reported third-quarter profit of 35 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate by 53 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Trimble Navigation Ltd. (TRMB) : The maker of global- positioning products said it expects profit of at least 61 cents excluding some items in the first quarter. That’s higher than the average analyst estimate of 58 cents in a Bloomberg survey.
Comments »Gapping Up and Down This Morning
Gapping up
TRMB +14.3%, SNE +8.3%, INFN +8.1%, TSYS +7.6%, DRIV +7.5%, GNW +5.7%, SIMO +5.2%, NSR +4.9%, GILD +4.7%, IAG +4.4%, PKI +4.3%, VRTX +4.2%,
N +4%, SIMG +3.5%, RDN +3.2%, ZNGA +3.2%, STD +2.9%, SUN +2.4%, SQNM +2.2%, URBN +2.1%, TTWO +1.8%, MYGN +1.3%
Gapping down
THQI -27.6%, IN -16.5%, APKT -13.7%, ATML -6.9%, COLM -6.5%, EW -4.5%, BBEP -4.3%, CAVM -3.9%, WYNN -3.1%, ARR -2.8%, CYMI -2.2%
Comments »Upgrades and Downgrades This Morning
Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
BB&T Corp. (NYSE: BBT) Raised to Equal-Weight at Barclays.
Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) Started as Neutral at Credit Suisse.
Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) named Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) named as Value stock of the day at Zacks.
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW) Cut to Market Perform at Wells Fargo.
Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) Cut to Hold at Argus.
Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) Started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEET) Raised to Outperform at Baird.
Research in Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ: RIMM) Cut to Underperform at Jefferies.
Royal Bank of Scotland (NYSE: RBS) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
SLM Corp. (NYSE: SLM) named as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) Raised to Buy from Neutral at Janney Capital.
In Play and On the Wires
Position Management
Comments »Once you are in a trade, only one of three outcomes can be the result:
1. Sell for a profit
2. Sell for a loss
3. The trade just sits thereClick here for a great article on Position Management.
The Super Bowl Prop Bettor’s Guide
via Cousin Sal’s Gambling Blog on Grantland.com
I can’t believe it’s already here. Super Bowl XXCLVICXIILCMCMC. (I did the Roman math — it works out). Either way — I’m prepared. I’ve read up on every degenerate gambler’s wagering option connected to this game. If Congress spent half as much time reading President Obama’s health care plan as I did peering over the Super Bowl proposition menu the country would be a better place.
I know betting on the big game can be a terrifying prospect. Eight months is a long time until your next pigskin wager so you absolutely must get it right. But we’ve been betting on NFL props all year long. We’re good at this — remember? How good? I’m only down 287,000 jermajesties* on the season. You don’t get more expert than that.
Here are a few can’t-lose Super Bowl props and a bunch that aren’t but should be.
The Patriots will convert a 4th down attempt (+120)
Is this a proptical illusion? Seems too easy. Two weeks ago, Belichick employed an inexplicably ridiculous, conservative offensive game plan against the Ravens and the Patriots still managed a 4th down conversion. And if you think I have a problem wagering on old men in striped outfits measuring chain lengths wait until you see the next bet …100,000 jermajesties
Henry Hynoski over 4.5 receiving/rushing yards (EVEN)
Here it is — my Gary Russell Memorial Super Bowl prop bet of the year. (have a listen to my appearance on this week’s BS Report to get the full Gary Russell history).
I know what you’re thinking — EVERYONE’s going to take this one. It’s too obvious. Oh — that’s not what you’re thinking? Rest easy. I’ve researched this one a ton. Hynoski totaled a whopping 20 yards vs. the 49ers in the NFC title game. He’s surpassed five yards in seven games this year. Expect lots of points and lots of weird plays this Sunday. Sorry Gronkowski/Gostkowski — there’s a new Polish proposition sheriff in town — and his name is Henry Hynoski. Take the over. 150,000 jermajesties
Welker over 78.5 yards receiving (-115) and over 6.5 receptions (-115)
The Giants fantastic front four gives them the luxury of never having to blitz. That means they’ll be able to keep a few linebackers back in coverage to disrupt the Pats mutant beasts lining up at tight end. I think the confusion over the middle will force Brady to throw to his sure-handed go to route in Welker. Not to mention Welker racked up 136 yards against the Giants earlier in the year and that was before he grew the aerodynamically-enhancing mustache. 40,000 jermajesties each
First TD scored: Welker (8/1) and Manningham (12/1)
See Welker reasons above. These Manningham odds are high especially considering the man who will be responsible for covering him strongly resembles a guy who plays wide receiver for the Patriots. 10,000 jermajesties each
Total points 61-65 (7/1), 66-70 (9/1), 71-75 (12/1), 76-80 (15/1), 81+ (6/1)
All of a sudden, I’ve turned into the worst roulette player. Hear me out. Five out of the last 20 Super Bowls fell in this range. In that time half the games played in domes ended up at least in the mid 50s. That means these odds are too high. Worth a shot. 3,000 jermajesties each
Giants total points (+1/2) over Knicks 1st quarter points vs. Nets (-115)
Simple logic — the Knicks don’t get credit for points when an inbounded pass sticks to a forward’s head — the Giants do. 15,000 jermajesties
Don’t look for these. You won’t find them anywhere …
NE defensive tackle Vince Wilfork’s halftime bowel movement over/under 16.5 pounds?
That’s disgusting. I’m going over. And I don’t want to hear how I’m better than this. I’m not.
137,000/1 odds any valet would be excited to take Matthew Broderick’s Honda CRV for a joyride as they are in this Super Bowl commercial
Anyone else glad the Super Bowl ads are leaked online a week before the game so that we can go to the bathroom during commercial breaks? Anyone? Anyone?
12/1 odds Kelly Clarkson and Madonna will make out at halftime
Not likely.
38/1 Odds Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will make out at halftime
Even less likely.
2/1 odds Betty White will make out with and Seal at halftime.
This is a slam dunk. But not with the recently separated singer — an actual seal. That chick loves animals.
What shade of red will Tom Coughlin’s Rosacea-cursed face be at the end of the game?
Scarlet and crimson are sucker bets. I’m going with vermillion at 11/1.
65/1 odds Kelly Clarkson gets a last minute Chili’s endorsement deal and during the national anthem replaces the phrase “home of the brave” with “home of the awesome blossom”?
I know. That was a long way to go for a blooming onion joke. Bear with me — this is almost over.
Who will NBC show first in the owner’s box: The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo (Rooney Mara, daughter of Giants VP Chris Mara) or an actual girl with an actual dragon tattoo — Rob Gronkowski’s porn star girlfriend?
If the peacock network has any kind of sense of humor they’ll shoot for the latter.
Even odds that for the ninth year in a row Danica Patrick will get cut-off unzipping a leather jumpsuit in a godaddy.com ad.
I joke but the truth is to this day she’s still one of the sexiest female dwarf drivers NASCAR has to offer.
Over 35.5 players from both teams are forced to share the same two prostitutes in Indianapolis.
This is cruel and not at all fair to the players. Like the Brady children having to share the same bathroom as Alice the maid. Barbaric!
1/3 odds that Madonna gets replaced by Kellie Pickler after failing the HGH test.
Hold on. I have a few of these.
Number of game balls made from Madonna’s skin — over/under 8
Almost there.
Which will be higher: Victor Cruz receiving yards or number of visible veins in Madonna’s arms?
Okay — that’s enough. Wait — one more.
Over/under 2.5 friends of yours that will out themselves at your Super Bowl party by knowing all the lyrics to Madonna’s La Isla Bonita
If by any chance you dreamt of San Pedro last night — please keep it to yourself. Or at least save it for a Glee re-run.
5/2 odds Eli Manning’s wife Abby leaps from her luxury box seat to her death after NBC shows a side by side photo of her and Gisele Bundchen.
Hold on — I’m looking at a picture of Abby now. She’s actually pretty cute. Let’s make it 7/2 odds.
Even odds that NBC shoe horns in Whitney Cummings’ irreverent female take on football.
Hey NBC — you already spared us Fear Factor‘s donkey semen stunt. Please do us all a favor and give us a pass on this one as well.
Which will be higher: television shots of Peyton Manning or television shots of Peyton Manning doing shots?
I know — it’s a thinker.
3/1 odds that at next year’s Media Day I will be asking white players who their favorite black person is much like I did last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Sorry, black folks — white people are dumb.
That’s that. Enjoy the game. And regardless of how much real money I’ve cost you this year with my fake advice — let’s really try to stay friends this year.
— Cousin Sal
*(Obligatory weekly explanation: A “jermajesty” represents the fake name given for a dollar amount. It is also the unfortunate name of one of Jermaine Jackson’s sons.)
Comments »David Dreman: Stocks at Cheapest Levels Since 1982 so Buy Now
Christopher Whalen: Big Banks Are Going to Fail
“Big banks will fail because they don’t provide the added value that many think, says R. Christopher Whalen, a former banking analyst and now part of the hedge fund Tangent Capital Partners.
“We don’t need to have these behemoths. It’s just a total fallacy,” say Whalen, according to the New York Times.
“The big guys are going to break up,” adds Whalen, who is setting up an investment fund to focus on small and midsize banks using methodology he created at Institutional Risk Analytics, a research firm he co-founded.”
Comments »Five US Airports Doing Great Things with Concessions
Getting back to speed with a new baby in the house isn’t easy, so I’m posting one more guest post today to help me catch up. (Besides, I need time to read through all the American Airlines changes as well as the FAA reauthorization bill for posts next week.) This one is from a familiar face . . .
–
My frenemie Brett “Cranky Flier” Snyder begged me (ok, he just asked) to write a guest post for his tiny, insignificant blog. Normally, I would have just ignored Brett’s email (which I do 98.7% of the time). But he and his lovely wife delivered my baby avgeek niece or nephew, so I relented.
I had one 
of the best jobs in the world – airports and security editor for Aviation Week magazine. That, along with being a judge the past four years for Airports Council International-North America’s annual concessions contest and my extensive world travels going back to when I was 5, has given me a fine appreciation of what I like to see in airports when it comes to concessions.
I’m old enough to remember the days when airport concessions consisted of “Newstand,” “Restaurant,” “Snack Bar” and “Gifts.” but oh, how times have changed!! This change has come for two reasons.
One, as airlines have merged and cut routes and frequencies, they are paying airports less in landing fees and rent. Two, because of post-9/11 security changes, travelers are spending more time in airports, and they’re demanding more sophisticated food/beverage and retail options. So below are my five picks for airports doing great things with their concessions programs.
- Portland International Airport – This is a rare airport, in that they don’t contract with a big concession operator like HMS Host or Delaware North to handle their concessions. They use their own in-house team to come up with what I think is a near-perfect mix of local/regional and national brands. On the food side, they including theLaurelwood Brewing Co., Pizza Schmizza, Starbucks, and Panda Express. On the concessions side, there’s the iconic Powell’s Books, Columbia Sportswear, and The Oregonian news stand.
- San Francisco International Airport – I’ve had the chance to see my original hometown airport evolve over the years, and I love the changes. Among its treasures, this airport has a full-service medical clinic and a world-class art museum. As I write this, I haven’t been to the new Terminal 2, so nothing in there is in this post. But great food options abound: Andale Mexican Restaurant, Boudin’s Bakery and Café, Tomokazu and Peet’s Coffee. Retail options are U Threads (sells clothing and items from Bay Area universities), Aviator Books, Coach, and Ghiradelli.
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – This has always been one of my favorite airports because of features like free Wi-Fi, two pet parks, and one of the first cell phone lots in the country. Terminal 4 (home to Southwest Airlines and US Airways) has some great food choices: Blue Burrito Grille (restaurant and carry-out), Paradise Bakery and Café, Einstein Bagels and Quiznos. On the retail side, check out A to Z Kids, In Celebration of Golf, and See’s Candies.
- Chicago Midway Airport – I have actually scheduled some of my Southwest Airlines trips to go through Midway because I love the shopping options there. The main concessions area has an actual sense of place. Food choices include Harry Caray’s, Nuts on Clark (I’d kill for this popcorn), Ben & Jerry’s, and McDonalds. Available retail choices are House of Blues, Discover Chicago, and Kids Works.
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – I did an insider’s tour of this facility a few years ago and had a grand time. This is a very passenger-focused airport, with concessions including free Samsung lounges (with seats, outlets and Wi-Fi) and the giant Shop 24 vending machine that sells everything from diapers to Caesar salads. I’m also a big fan of the La Bodega Winery, Cereality Breakfast Bar, Dunkin Donuts, and Au Bon Pain. Retail options include my beloved Bijoux Terner (everything is $10!), Natalie’s Candy Jar, Official Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, and Bose.
–
I appreciate Brett allowing me to blog on one of my favorite topics. You can follow my musings over at AviationQueen.com and follow me on Twitter at @AvQueenBenet.
O’Niel: Current Slowdown ‘Nothing Like 2008’
Global Strategists Give Up on their Bearish Views
Bernanke Sees Improvement in the Economy
The Q Factor: Doug Short Says the Market is Currently Overvalued by 33-44%
Chart Porn: Extreme Bearishness Reaches Trend Line; Bullish Sign for Stocks ?
U.S. Equity Preview: All, EA, EQR, GMCR, LVS, QCOM, SD, & SFLY
Allstate Corp. (ALL) : The largest publicly traded U.S. auto and home insurer said fourth-quarter profit more than doubled on lower costs tied to catastrophes.
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) (EA US): The second-largest U.S. video-game publisher reported a 70 percent increase in third- quarter profit.
Equity Residential (EQR) : The largest publicly traded U.S. apartment landlord said fourth-quarter funds from operations climbed as the nation’s rents increased amid a 10- year low in vacancies.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR) : The maker of Keurig brand single-cup pods and brewers reported first-quarter profit that exceeded analysts’ estimates as sales of K-Cups surged.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) : The U.S. casino company said fourth-quarter profit rose 17 percent on growth in Singapore and China. The company also declared its first common stock dividend.
Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) : The world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone chips raised its sales and profit expectations for this quarter and the year as the it benefits from growing demand for smartphones.
SandRidge Energy Inc. (SD) : The energy company agreed to buy Dynamic Offshore Resources LLC for $1.28 billion in cash and stock. The purchase will be made using $680 million in cash and about 74 million shares of SandRidge.
Shutterfly Inc. (SFLY) : The Internet-based photo storage and printing company said it sees a loss of as much as 43 cents a share in the first quarter, missing the average analyst estimate of a loss of 30 cents.
Comments »Upgrades and Downgrades This Morning
AK Steel Holding Corp. (NYSE: AKS) Cut to Underperform at BofA/ML.
Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) Cut to Underperform as Bear of the Day at Zacks.
Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) Started as Buy at Canaccord Genuity.
Calpine Corporation (NYSE: CPN) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) Raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW) Cut to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) Started as Buy at Canaccord Genuity.
Nomura Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NMR) Raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ: STLD) Cut to Neutral at BofA/ML.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE: GWW) Maintained Outperform as Bull of the Day at Zacks.
Comments »
Gapping Up and Down This Morning
Gapping up
GMCR +21.6%, RLD +12.9%, OTEX +8.5%, ZNGA +6.9%, SNN +5.2%, NAVB +5%, QCOM +4.8%, ALL +4.4%, NVO +4%, OCLR +3.8%, CGEN +3.8%, FNSR +3.7%,
CACI +3.5%, ABTL +3.4%, EXXI +3.2%, ABCO +3.1%, JDSU +2.8%, RENN +2.6%, CNQR +2.2%, USLM +1.7%, CLB +1.1%, GMCR +21.6%, RLD +12.9%, OTEX +8.5%,
CMI +4.5%, SNN +4.5%, ALL +4.4%, GPS +4.4%, NVO +4%, CACI +3.5%, ABTL +3.4%, BZH +2.5%, CX +2.3%, CNQR +2.2%, TGT +2.1%, USLM +1.7%,
Gapping down
SFLY -8.4%, SD -8%, NG -7.6%, SNE -5.7%, AZN -4.5%, UN -3.8%, LVS -3%, ENTR -2.5%, EA -2.4%, RDS.A -2.2%, TFSL -2.1%, CMG -1.7%, TSCO -1.4%, DB -1%,
DOW -3.7%, BSX -3.1%, PCX -2.8%, DB -2.6%, ENTR -2.5%,
Comments »
