For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – March 22, 2010 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), Cisco System Inc. (CSCO), Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), Adtran Inc. (ADTN) and Alkermes Inc. (ALKS).
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:
Comcast Firms SMB Footprint
Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), the largest cable MSO of the world, recently completed its proposed acquisition of Cimco Communications Inc, after receiving FCC approval. Cimco is a privately held competitive local exchange carrier in the Chicago area with more than 23,000 customers in the small & medium sized (SMB) commercial business segment. The FCC cleared Comcast for taking over all of Cimco’s operations except Detroit region.
In addition to bringing in a new base of customers, Cimco will give Comcast some innovative engineering, customer service, and operations, specifically designed for the mid-range business services market. Cimco has strategic relationship with some industry leading original equipment manufacturers like Cisco System Inc. (CSCO), Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), and Adtran Inc. (ADTN).
Various industry researches estimate SMB segment of having a $30 billion market opportunity. Despite being a late entrant in this segment, Comcast is quickly gaining strong foothold in the market. Management estimated approximately $2.3 billion of annual revenue from this segment alone by 2012.
Comcast has already launched its next-generation high-speed voice and Internet service for SMB segment. Leveraging on the DOCSIS 3.0 platform, this new service will provide downstream speeds of 100 Mbps and upstream speeds of 15 Mbps for a price of $369.95 per month.
Alkermes Pipeline Advances
Recently, Alkermes Inc. (ALKS) initiated a multidose early-stage study of its candidate of ALKS 37. ALKS 37 is an orally active, peripherally-restricted opioid antagonist, which has the potential to block the effects of opioid agonists on gastrointestinal motility, commonly termed as opioid-induced constipation (OIC).
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose early-stage trial is designed to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of daily oral administration of two dose levels of ALKS 37. Approximately 24 healthy volunteers will be studied for a period of one week. The study will see two dose levels of ALKS 37 being tested in sequential cohorts.
This study comes after the completion of a previous single dose clinical study in healthy volunteers. In that study ALKS 37 was generally well tolerated and demonstrated low systemic exposure across a wide range of doses. These results will support a mid-stage study of ALKS 37 expected to begin in the first half of calendar 2010. The mid-stage study will assess the safety, tolerability and efficacy of ALKS 37 in individuals suffering from OIC.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks “Profit from the Pros” e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it’s your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Contact:
Mark Vickery
Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com
