TraderPlanet Market News - Stocks
HeidelbergCement Posts Rise In Q4 Operating Income
HeidelbergCement AG (OTC: HLBZF) reported a rise in its revenue and operating income in the fourth quarter.HeidelbergCement's quarterly revenue climbed 14% y/y to EUR3.28 billion. Its operating income surged 6.9% to EUR410 million. HeidelbergCement's operating income before depreciation rose 6.8% to EUR639 million.
Credit Suisse Posts Q4 Loss
Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS) swung to a loss in the fourth quarter. Credit Suisse posted a quarterly net loss of 637 million Swiss francs ($697 million), or a loss of 0.62 franc a share, versus a year-ago profit of CHF841 million, or 0.59 franc a share. Its net revenue dropped 38% to CHF4.49 billion, from CHF7.27 billion in the year-earlier period.Credit Suisse shares fell 1.85% to $27.13 in pre-market trading.
Rio Tinto Reports Decline In Fiscal-Year Net Profit
Rio Tinto Ltd (NYSE: RIO) reported a 59% drop in its fiscal-year net profit. Rio Tinto's net profit for the period declined to $5.8 billion. Its underlying earnings climbed 11% to $15.5 billion.Rio Tinto shares fell 1.40% to $60.67 in pre-market trading.
Advertisement
General Growth Posts Narrower Q4 Loss
General Growth Properties Inc (NYSE: GGP) reported a narrower Q4 loss. General Growth posted a quarterly loss of $367.8 million, or $0.39 per share, versus a year-ago loss of $1.14 billion. Its core funds from operations rose to $0.29 per share, from $0.23 per share. Its revenue rose 0.9% to $719.6 million. However, analysts were expected FFO of $0.28 per share on revenue of $683 million.General Growth shares gained 0.54% to close at $16.67 yesterday.
Omnicom Lifts Quarterly Dividend By 20%
Omnicom Group Inc (NYSE: OMC) lifted its quarterly dividend by 20%.Omnicom raised its dividend to $0.30 per share.Omnicom shares closed at $47.46 yesterday.
Noble Group Names Jose Luiz Glaser As Agri-Unit CEO
Noble Group Ltd (OTC: NOBGF) appointed Jose Luiz Glaser as chief executive of its Noble Agri unit.Noble Group also named Ernesto Leon-Gambetta and Jacques Gillaux as deputy CEOs of Noble Agri.Noble Group shares closed at $1.19 yesterday
Advertisement
Telstra First-Half Profit Climbs 23%
Telstra Corp (OTC: TLSYY) reported a 23% rise in its first-half profit.Telstra's net profit for the period surged to A$1.47 billion (US$1.59 billion), from A$1.19 billion, in the year-ago period. However, analysts were projecting net profit of A$1.48 billion.Telstra's domestic mobile revenue gained 11% to A$4.39 billion, while fixed-line voice revenues dropped 9% to A$2.49 billion.TLSYY shares closed at $18.42 yesterday.
China January Consumer Prices Surge 4.5%
China's consumer prices climbed 4.5% y/y in January.However, economists were expecting a 4.1% rise in the index. China's CPI surged 4.1% in December.
Lenovo Reports 54% Surge In Q3 Net Profit
Lenovo Group Ltd (OTC: LNVGY) reported a 54% rise in its third-quarter net profit.Lenovo's quarterly net profit climbed to US$153.46 million, from US$99.65 million, in the year-ago period. Its revenue surged 44% to US$8.37 billion from US$5.81 billion. However, analysts were expecting a net profit of US$148.3 million on revenue of US$8.13 billion.Lenovo's shares closed at $16.12 yesterday.
Advertisement
Japan Core Machinery Orders Decline 7.1% In December
Japan's core machinery orders dropped 7.1% y/y in December, the government reported Thursday. Economists were expecting a decline of 5% for the core orders.
Earnings Scheduled For February 9
Corn Products International Inc (NYSE: CPO) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $1.08 on revenue of $1.63 billion.Dunkin' Brands Group Inc (NASDAQ: DNKN) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $160.6 million.PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $1.13 per share on sales of $19.89 billion. Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON) is projected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.46 on revenue of $1.13 billion.Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE: PM) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $1.09 on revenue of $7.38 billion.Thomson Reuters Corp (NYSE: TRI) is projected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.56 on revenue of $3.33 billion.Lorillard (NYSE: LO) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $1.94 per share on revenue of $1.08 billion. Leapfrog Enterprises Inc (NYSE: LF) is expected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.42 on revenue of $202.56 million.Furniture Brands International (NYSE: FBN) is expected to post a Q4 loss at $0.14 per share on revenue of $271.97 million.Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc (NYSE: CCE) is expected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.36 on revenue of $1.90 billion.Noble Energy Inc (NYSE: NBL) is projected to post its Q4 EPS at $1.17 on revenue of $965.36 million.Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $0.49 on revenue of $2.08 billion.Pitney Bowes Inc (NYSE: PBI) is expected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.60 on revenue of $1.37 billion.Heartland Payment Systems Inc (NYSE: HPY) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $0.24 on revenue of $121.91 million.KKR & Co LP (NYSE: KKR) is projected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.74 on revenue of $225.21 million.Sirius XM Radio Inc (NASDAQ: SIRI) is expected to post its quarterly EPS at $0.01 on revenue of $785.53 million.Home Properties Inc (NYSE: HME) is projected to post its Q4 EPS at $0.88 on revenue of $150.77 million.Group 1 Automotive Inc (NYSE: GPI) is estimated to post its Q4 EPS at $0.87 on revenue of $1.59 billion.Hoku Corporation (NASDAQ: HOKU) is projected to post a Q3 loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $2.00 million.
Stocks To Watch For February 9
Some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are:Visa Inc (NYSE: V) reported an upbeat quarterly profit and announced its plans to buy back $500 million worth of its stock. Visa shares climbed 3.09% to $111.70 in after-hours trading.Groupon Inc (NASDAQ: GRPN) posted a quarterly loss of $0.02 per share. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.03 per share. GRPN shares dipped 15.58% to $20.75 in the after-hours trading session.Wall Street expects PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) to post its Q4 earnings at $1.13 per share on sales of $19.89 billion. PEP shares gained 0.24% to $66.90 in after-hours trading. News Corp (NASDAQ: NWS) reported a 65% surge in its fiscal second-quarter profit. NWS shares gained 1.53% to $20.52 in the after-hours trading session.Analysts expect Lorillard (NYSE: LO) to post its Q4 earnings at $1.94 per share on revenue of $1.08 billion. LO shares rose 0.34% to $113.75 in after-hours trading.
Advertisement
Benzinga's Microcap Movers for Wednesday February 8, 2012
Below are highlights from 's daily coverage of microcap securities making big moves:S&W Seed CompanyShares of S&W Seed Company (NASDAQ: SANW), the Five Points, CA seed prducer, rose 12% Wednesday on 38 times the average daily volume.For the second quarter of fiscal year 2012, S&W reported revenue of $4.7 million versus $0.9 million in the comparable quarter last year; an increase of 420%. These results reflect both the strong demand of the company's proprietary alfalfa seed and the greatly increased price competitiveness due to the strategic decision to purchase its distributor's customer list and sell direct to dealers and large farms in key international markets. S&W reported operating income of $635,000 versus an operating loss of $216,000 in the comparable period of the prior year. Net income totaled $443,000, or $0.08 per basic and diluted share compared to a net loss of $82,000 or $(0.01) per basic and diluted share in the second quarter of the prior year.S&W Seed closed at $5.15 on Wednesday.MotricityShares of Motricity (NASDAQ: MOTR), the Bellevue, WA provider of relevance-driven mobile merchandising, marketing, and advertising solutions, rose 34% Wednesday on 5 times the average daily volume.Motricity announced Wednesday it will report its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 financial results for the period ended December 31, 2011 following the close of market on Thursday, March 1, 2012. On that day, management will hold a conference call and webcast at 2:00 p.m. PT to review and discuss the Company's results.Motricity has been moving higher since the Facebook IPO filng last week. It is a popular stock in chat rooms and on Twitter.Motricity closed at $1.74 on Wednesday.Bullion Monarch MiningShares of Bullion Monarch Mining (BULM), the St George, UT company involved in the exploration, acquisition, and development of mining properties in the western United States and South America, rose 38% Wednesday on 26 times the average daily volume.On Tuesday, Eurasian Minerals (NYSE: EMXX) and Bullion Monarch Mining announced they had entered into a definitive agreement with respect to a proposed merger of BULM with a wholly-owned subsidiary of EMX. EMX has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of BULM for which BULM shareholders will receive 0.45 of an EMX common share and US$0.11 in cash for each BULM share held. The Transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2012 and the BULM shares will cease trading thereafter.Bullion Monarch Mining closed at $1.11 on Wednesday.
ETFs to Watch February 9, 2012
Here is the ETF Professor's ETF Watch List for Thursday February 9, 2012.The Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSE: TAN) shined bright on Wednesday.The Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (NYSE: GREK) did not.Keep an eye on the Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE).Emerging markets plays of the day: EGShares India Small Cap ETF (NYSE: GXG).Forex play of the day: ProShares UltraShort Euro (NYSE: EUO).Bond play of the day: Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSE: BND).Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/ETFProfessor1
Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Wednesday February 8, 2012
The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Wednesday February 8, 2012:Akamai Acquires BlazeThe Deal: Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM) announced Wednesday that it has acquired Blaze Software in a cash transaction. The acquisition is expected to complement Akamai's market-leading site acceleration solutions with technology designed to optimize the speed at which a web page is rendered, regardless of end user device.Akamai shares closed at $34.44, a gain of 2.35% on more than twice the average daily volume. After hours Akamai reported better than expected earnings and traded over $39.00.Samsung to Acquire Micron TechnologyThe Rumor: Korean technology giant Samsung to acquire Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) for $13.50, according to sources. On February 3, Micron lost its CEO, Steve Appleton, in a plane crash.A spokesperson for Micron would not comment on the rumor.Micron Technology closed at $8.16, a gain of 3.68% for the day on 1.35 times the average daily volume.Amazon to Acquire Research in MotionThe Rumor:Amazon (NASDAQ: RIMM) for $25 per share, according to sources. There have been many rumors involving a Research in Motion in recent months. Vodaphone was the most recent rumored buyer at $22.A spokesperson for Amazon would not comment on the Research in Motion takeover rumor, while a RIMM spokesperson could not be reached for comment.Research in Motion closed at $16.49, a loss of 1.32% for the day on 70% of the average daily volume.BHP Billiton to Acquire AlcoaThe Rumor:BHP Billiton (NYSE: AA) for $16 per share or more.A spokesperson for Alcoa would not comment on the rumor. A BHP Billiton spokesperson could not be reached for comment.-Alcoa closed at $10.67 Wednesday, no change for the day on just under the average daily volume.Bristol-Meyers Squibb to Acquire Vertex PharmaceuticalsThe Rumor:Bristol-Meyers Squibb (NYSE: ACHN).A spokesperson for Vertex would not comment on the chatter. A Bristol-Meyers spokesperson could not be reached for comment.Vertex closed at $36.78 Wednesday, a loss of 2.15% for the day on 80% of the average daily volume.Pershing Square/Bill Ackman Pushing Radio Shack for a SaleThe Rumor:Investor Bill Ackman of Pershing Square is pushing Radio Shack (NYSE: RSH) to find a buyer for the company, according to reports.A spokesperson for Radio Shack would not comment to on the report. Radio Shack closed at $7.51 Wednesday, a gain of 3.3% for the day on almost twice the average volume.American Airlines Creditors Want to Explore Merger with US AirwaysThe Rumor:Creditors for AMR Corp (AAMRQ) want American Airlines to explore a merger with US Airways or another carrier, according to an exclusive Reuters story.Creditors include banks, employees and vendors. US Airways has already indicated it is considering a bid for AMR.AMR Corp closed at $0.64 Wednesday, a loss of 0.85% for the day on 10% of the average daily volume.Cellcom in Talks to Sell NetwiseThe Rumor:Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL) is in talks to sell subsidiary Netwise Applications to Matrix IT Ltd, according to Globes.Cellcom Israel closed at $15.37 Wednesday, a gain of 1.86% for the day on average volume.
Advertisement
Questcor Pharmaceuticals Spokesperson Comments on Reports of Conference Cancellation
Questcor spokesperson Gregory Gin told : "Questcor maintains an active schedule in communicating and meeting with investors. The company will participate at the Leerink conference on February 16th and the Citi conference on February 27th that overlaps the RBC conference, which is the reason for the cancellation."
Diamond Foods Spokesperson Says it is Hard to Speculate on What Today's Announcement Will Mean for Pringles Deal
Diamond Foods met Wednesday with Senior Proctor & Gamble management.
Proctor & Gamble Releases Statement on Diamond Foods
Proctor & Gamble spokesperson Paul Fox released the following statement:"This is breaking news for us and the information released by Diamond Foods is very disappointing. Pringles remains a valuable asset and it has attracted considerable interest from other outside parties. We need to evaluate next steps and we are currently keeping all our options open. As we evaluate the right next steps, we will be guided by what is best for our shareholders and our employees. In the meantime, we are focused on building and supporting the Pringles business and our employees."
Advertisement
Aflac Incorporated Prices $750 Million of Senior Notes
Aflac Incorporated announced today that it has priced $400 million (par value) of five-year fixed rate, senior notes with a coupon of 2.65%, and $350 million (par value) of 10-year fixed rate senior notes with a coupon of 4.00%. The five-year notes will be issued at a price of 99.911 to yield 2.669% and the 10-year notes will be issued at a price of 99.820 to yield 4.022%. The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay in full at maturity the Parent Company's $347 million aggregate principal amount of 1.87% Samurai notes due June 2012. The company intends to use the balance of the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, including capital contributions to subsidiaries, if needed.
Robert Half International Announces Quarterly Dividend; Increases to $0.15 from $0.14
Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE symbol: RHI) today announced an increase to its quarterly cash dividend, from $.14 to $.15 per share. The cash dividend will be paid on March 15, 2012, to all shareholders of record as of February 24, 2012.
