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McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) spends a great deal of its test kitchen time trying to beat the clock. It has occurred to the fast food chain that a customer who expects to wait 30 seconds for a meal may leave after a minute if his food is not ready. The world’s largest restaurant operator has its own Innovation Center where management works out the kinks of serving food hot and on time. Read More
Posts for Ticker ‘GIS’
24/7 Wall St. TV: McDonald’s (MCD) Consumer Service Lesson: Seconds Count
The 100 Hardest Working Brands In The World
There are a number of ways to rank brand values. One of the most important is the level at which a brand contributes to the market value of a public company.
24/7 Wall St. asked Corebrand, the brand research and consulting firm, to look at the top 100 brands based their contribution to market capitalizaton. Using this method, the hardest working brand was Hershey (NYSE:HSY), followed by Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) and Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG)
Corebrand described the process briefly to 24/7 Wall. St.
24/7 Wall St.: Corebard often refers to the brands on this list as the”hardest working brands”. How did you come to that description?
Corebrand: There are a lot of people measuring and examining the “strongest brands” or the “most valuable brands”. Our opinion is that examining one without the other is somewhat meaningless. How “strong” a brand is nice to know but not very relevant unless you understand how that strength benefits business. Similarly, “value” is little more than a measure of corporate size unless you understand the drivers of that value and how to influence it. By examining the strength of the brand and it’s contribution to total market value, we can help companies and their leadership manage that strength and value over time.
24/7 Wall St.: Is there any advantage or disadvantage to having a brand value be a very large percentage of market cap in the present and as an indication of a company’s future performance?
Corebrand: The brand will need to be in balance with the rest of the company’s assets. A company should strive to have it’s brand strong enough to fend off competitors or changing market conditions but not so strong that it becomes overly dependent on the brand as a single driver of value. If a company can achieve and maintain its appropriate maximum strength without becoming over-dependent, it will see greater returns in bull markets and retain greater value in bear markets.
The list: Read More
Top Analyst Upgrades (AFL, AMX, GLW, KOF, GIS, HIG, TIF, TJX)
These are this Tuesday morning’s top pre-market analyst upgrades, initiations, or relatively positive research calls from Wall Street:
AFLAC (NYSE: AFL) Raised to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
America Movil (NYSE: AMX) Raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Corning (NYSE: GLW) Raised to Buy at UBS.
Coca-Cola Femsa (NYSE: KOF) Raised to Buy at BofA/Merrill Lynch.
General Mills (NYSE: GIS) Raised to Overweight at Morgan Stanley
Hartford Financial (NYSE: HIG) Started as Buy at UBS.
Tiffany (NYSE: TIF) Started as Buy at Citigroup
TJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) Raised to Conviction Buy List (was Buy) at Goldman Sachs.
You can join our open email distribution list which goes out several times per week for reminders of the top day trader alerts, analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPO’s, key secondary offerings, guru investor data on Buffett and others, mergers, and more.
JON C. OGG
OCTOBER 6, 2009
The Death Of Brands: Passing Up Advil For Aspirin
Who needs Advil when it is more expensive than aspirin and probably does no better at reducing pain? Who needs Starbucks (SBUX) when Maxwell House has just as much caffeine?
A new survey of purchasing data from 23,000 stores conducted by the Pointer Media Network shows that many shoppers are simply walking away from their favorite brands because they can’t afford them due to high prices during a recession. Read More
FDA Attacks Cheerios Over Claims as a Drug (GIS)
General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS) maybe facing the same types of battles many supplement and diet product companies have seen with the FDA over advertising claims. The good news is that this is not a direct safety issue, but it is an issue over the claims of the long-lasting Cheerios whole-grain oat cereal.
Read More
Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (CAT, EMN, GIS, K, GNTX, MEDX, MRK, N, NE, PLT, WAG)
These are not the only analyst calls impacting stocks pre-market, but these are the top calls that 247WallSt.com is focusing on:
Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) raised to Outperform at Bear Stearns.
Eastman Chemical (NYSE: EMN) raised to Buy at UBS.
General Mills (NYSE: GIS) & Kellogg (NYSE: K) raised to Buy at Citigroup.
Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX)raised to Neutral at UBS.
Medarex (NASDAQ: MEDX) raised to Buy at Jefferies.
Merck (NYSE: MRK) raised to Buy at UBS.
Netsuite (NYSE: N) initiated as Outperform at JMP Securities.
Noble Corp. (NYSE: NE) downgraded to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) raised to Neutral at JPMorgan.
Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) downgraded to Sell at Citigroup.
Jon C. Ogg
Januar 28, 2008
Pre-Market Stock News (DECEMBER 19, 2007) (ATU, ADCT, CEM, CSUN, DGIT, ETFC, AMTD, FITB, FRPT, GIS, GOOG, HOV, JOYG, LMC, MS, PALM, PHG, S, VIA, MSFT)
Below is a summary of many of the top headlines and news bits from individual stocks affecting share prices in pre-market trading this Wednesday:
- Actuant (ATU) $0.52 EPS vs $0.48 estimate.
- ADC Telecom (ADCT) traded down 4% after-hours. It filed a $400 million convertible note offering, and Cramer said it was a safe stock to play for Verizon and AT&T network build-outs.
- Chemtura (CEM) said it will review Strategic Alternatives, including a possible sale of the company.
- China Sunergy (CSUN) named Kenneth Luk as its Chief Financial Officer.
- DG FastChannel (DGIT) shares are up 5% after it raised its 2007 and 2008 guidance.
- E*Trade (ETFC) rose almost 4% in conjunction with
- Fifth Third (FITB) warned of more credit losses but increased its dividend.
- Force Protection (FRPT) traded down over 20% again after lower portion of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for U.S. Marines.
- General Mills (GIS) $1.14 EPS vs $1.13 estimates.
- Google (GOOG) said its application to bid for spectrum was accepted by the FCC.
- Hovnanian (HOV) losses reached $7.42 on lower sales and added charges and write-downs.
- Joy Global (JOYG) $0.80 EPS vs $0.75 estimates.
- Lundin Mining (LMC) stock indicated up almost 2% after it said it will repurchase up to 19.6 million shares of common stock.
- Morgan Stanley (MS) posted -$3.61 net but had $5.7 Billion in mortgage write-downs totaling roughly $9 Billion in charges now; it is also in pact with China Investment for $5 billion investment.
- Nike (NKE) reports earnings after the close today.
- Oracle (ORCL) posts earnings after the close today.
- Palm (PALM) lost 9% after wider losses than expected and even lower guidance ahead.
- Philips (PHG) plans a $7.2 Billion share buyback.
- Sprint (S) named Hesse from Embarq as its new CEO.
- TD Ameritrade (AMTD) rose 4% after it raised guidance.
- Viacom (VIA) in long-term digital content and advertising pact with Microsoft.
Jon C. Ogg
December 19, 2007
Pre-Market Analyst Calls (October 26, 2007)
ABK cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
ADVNA cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
BBY started as Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
BEN cut to Mkt PErform at FBR.
BG cut to Neutral at HSBC.
CC started as Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
CPS cut to Equal Weight at Lehman.
ELX cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
ETEL cut to Mkt Perform at JMP Securities.
EXBD raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
FADV cut to Equal Weight at Lehman.
FVE raised to Buy at Jefferies.
GIS raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
HES raised to Buy at B of A.
KND raised to Buy at Jefferies.
LVLT cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
LTM cut to Mkt Perform at Piper Jaffray.
MBI cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
NILE raised to Hold at Citigroup.
ORCC cut to Sector Perform at CIBC.
PENN cut to Hold at Jefferies.
POWI cut to Hold at Citigroup.
RRI started as outperform at Wachovia.
SE started as Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
STD raised to Buy at Citigroup.
STLD cut to Neutral at UBS.
TRID too 3 downgrades: Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, and Oppenheimer.
TSM raised to Overweight at HSBC.
USU started as Mkt Perform at Wachovia.
WCG raised to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Jon C. Ogg
October 26, 2007
Pre-Market Analyst Calls (September 20, 2007)
AKAM cut to Sell at Kaufman.
AUDC raised to Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.
AVR cut to Underperform at FBR.
BPL raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
BGH cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
CKEC started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
CLC cut to Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.
CNK started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
FARO cut to Neutral at Baird.
GIS raised to Outperform at Credit Suisse.
GLUU started as Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.
GLW started as Buy at Deutsche Bank.
IOM started as Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.
JCOM cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
KIM started as Outperform at Credit Suisse.
KYPH cut to Neutral at B of A.
LYV started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
NAPS started as Buy at Cantor Fitzgerald.
OMTR cut to Mkt Perform at JMP Securities.
PEIX cut to Underperform at FBR.
RGC started as Neutral at JPMorgan.
SHOR started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
VSE cut to Mkt Perform at FBR.
WYNN cut to Hold at Jefferies.
Jon C. Ogg
September 20, 2007
Pre-Market Stock News (September 19, 2007)
(AIR) AAR Corp. $0.36 EPS vs $0.39 est.
(CMO) Capstead Mortgage will sell 8.5M shares of common stock.
(DT) Deutsche Telecom’s T-Mobile won iPhone exclusivity in Germany.
(EPAY) Bottomline Technologies announced a strategic pact with Wipro Technologies of Wipro to provide corporate payments and global cash management solutions to financial institutions.
(ETEL) eTelecare Global (ETEL) is acquiring AOL’s Customer Care & Technical Support subsidiary.
(GIS) General Mills $0.81 EPS vs $0.79 estimate.
(KMX) CarMax $0.29 EPS vs $0.29e; lowered 2008 guidance to $0.92-0.98 vs. prior guidance of $1.03-1.14.
(KWD) Kellwood received a $21 non-binding offer proposal from Sun Capital.
(LEND) Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. trading up 17% at $11.50 as Lone Star and it agreed on a lowered $11.75 buyout price.
(MS) $1.38 EPS vs $1.54 estimate; will take $940 million or $0.33 per share in writedowns; $480 million in quantitative strategies.
(PAA) Plains All American Pipeline’s subsidiary Plains L.P.G. Services has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Tirzah L.P.G. storage facility from Suburban Propane and Suburban Pipeline for approximately $55 million.
(RNVS) Renovis to be acquired by Evotec in an all stock transaction valued at approximately US$ 151.8 million.
(TASR) TASER won a U.S. Forest Service purchase order for 700 TASER X26 electronic control devices.
(XMSR/SIRI) XM & Sirius trading down on UBS downgrade, and Wisconsin AG sent letter to US Atty General asking him to block the merger.
Jon C. Ogg
September 19, 2007
Nestle Raises A Warning Flag
The head of Nestle told the FT that long-term food prices were going up, perhaps sharply. He indicated that demand in China and India were one component this trend, and the need for corn in biofuels was the other.
Someone ought to tell Nelson Peltz about this. He has just put a bunch of money up to buy 3% of Kraft (KFT). Kellogg (K) and General Mills (GIS) should feel the pinch as well.
It should have occurred to the good companies that their investors long ago that the same supply pressure that are hitting oil and metals are coming to the food business as well. It may not be as easy to get consumers to pay a "China premium" on food as it has been on gasoline. They can always turn to Spam and Velveeta.
General Mills trades near its 52-week high. So does Kellogg (K).
That may not last.
Douglas A. McIntyre can be reached at douglasamcintyre@247wallst.com.
Kraft (KFT): Never Give A Sucker An Even Break
"Never give a sucker an even break and never wise up a chump" — P.T. Barnum
Krafts’s (KFT) shares are up 7% on a rumor that Nelso Peltz has bought 3% of the company and wants to have talks about focusing on the firm’s more profitable products. A couple of months ago, the stock got boiling on a rumor that Warren Buffett liked the company.
Kraft is not in a great set of businesses. In the last quarter, revenue rose about 5% to $8.6 billion. Earnings dropped 30%. The company’s costs for the commodities it buys to make its products are rising. Increasing prices to consumers is tough. Companies like ConAgra (CAG), General Mills (GIS), and Kellogg (K) want those customers, too.
Altria (MO), Kraft’s former parent, tried to get the company to perform better for years. They found out that selling cigarettes beats peddling food hands down.
Maybe Peltz will buy a piece of the company. But, he may face the same resistance that Carl Icahn faced at Motorola (MOT). Kraft’s fairly new CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, thinks she knows what she is doing. Her board is likely to give her some time.
But food is not a great business, no matter who wants to own the company.
Douglas A. McIntyre can be reached at douglasamcintyre@247wallst.com. He does not own securities in companies that he writes about.
Market Trades For Super-Bulls, Chicken-Bulls, and Outright Bears
Stock Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, RIMM, BA, UTX, ATI, RTP, RIO, FLR, SGR, PEP, KO, BUD, CAG, HNZ, CPB, HRL, K, GIS, KFT, MCD, MRK, PFE, ALO, PYX, HME, WTR, SNH, SRZ, PG, CL, MO, RAI, CLX, NVO, BRK/A, FLO, DLM, PSQ, DOG, SSO, SH, BIL, IEI, TLT, TLH
There is more than enough bantering back and forth out there about the week’s sell-off in reaction to long-term interest rates and the Bill Gross predictions for potentially higher rates longer-term. So, if you are a super-bull then you’d want to use the leadership stocks to pile surplus cash into thinking the world didn’t really change. If you are a chicken-bull (want to buy but not overly aggressive and still cautious) then you want to buy defensive stocks. If you’re a bear, well at least you get the 5% interest. We wanted to provide at least a partial list of the bull and bear go-to picks ahead of the weekend when many will be doing extra amounts of reading.
Aggressive Bullish Picks
IF this was just an unwarranted sell-off that came because of a rate spook and if Mr. Gross is wrong, then you go hard and fast into what has been working before. Aerospace, Infrastructure, Metals & Mining, very selective Tech. So out of selective tech the two most obvious names are Apple (AAPL) and either Google (GOOG) or Research-in-Motion (RIMM). In Aerospace the go-to names are Boeing (BA) and United Tech (UTX). In metals its Allegheny Tech (ATI), Rio Tinto (RTP), and Companhia Vale do Rio Doce ‘CVRD’ (RIO). In infrastructure the go-to names are Fluor (FLR), Shaw Group (SGR). This week Jim Cramer gave his New Four Horsemen of Technology and booted the old ones.
Defensive Stock Plays For Chicken-Bull
Because this sell-off is for a different reason, we have eliminated the power companies because of the tie being so geared toward higher rates. We’ve also pulled out the debt collection companies because they ran so much after the last sub-prime scare. Here was the first line of 20 defensive stocks back in February from the mini-Asian meltdown and here was the list of second-line defensive names. This still leaves plenty of options, and we added in a few more.
First Line Defensive Stocks: Coca-Cola (KO), PepsiCo (PEP), Anheuser-Busch (BUD), ConAgra (CAG), Heinz (HNZ), Campbell Soup (CPB), Hormel (HRL), Kellogg (K), General Mills (GIS), Kraft (KFT), McDonalds (MCD), Merck (MRK), Pfizer (PFE), P & G (PG), Colgate-Polmolive (CL), Altria (MO), Reynolds American (RAI), and Clorox (CLX).
Second-Line Defensive Stocks: Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/a), Flowers Foods (FLO), Del Monte Foods (DLM), Novo Nordisk (NVO), Alpharma (ALO), Playtex (PYX), Home Properties (HME), Aqua America (WTR), and Senior Housing (SNH), Sunrise Senior Living (SRZ).
The Bearish Trades
If you are still bearish or are completely bearish, then you’ve got Treasuries and all of the inverse ETF funds. Some of the negative market ETF trades that move invesrely are the SHORT QQQ PROSHARES (PSQ), SHORT DOW30 PROSHARES (DOG), ULTRA S&P500 PROSHARES (SSO), SHORT S&P500 PROSHARES (SH), and more. For short-term rate ETF’s you have the fairly new STREETTRACKS SERIES TRUST Lehman 1-3 MO T-BILL (BIL). The more liquid interest rate ETF’s that actually trade are the iShares Lehman 20+ Year Treas Bond (TLT), iShares Lehman 10-20 Year Treas Bond (TLH), iShares Lehman 3-7 Year T-Note (IEI), and more.
As a reminder, defensive stocks still tend to get hit when the market gets so bad that they throw out the baby with the bath water, but they usually start to fall less and less and are usually the first stocks that traders commit money to at the turns. Defensive doesn’t mean immune. Also, all of these are merely part of a partial list and the list could have easily been 3-times the size.
Jon C. Ogg
June 8, 2007
Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.
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Today’s top tickerspy Indexes Domestic Telecom ... +2.6% Stem Cell Stocks +2.3% Pain Management S... +2.1% Ethanol and Biofu... +1.9% Savings and Loan ... +1.8% 
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