Posts for Ticker ‘UST’

The Credit Markets Emasculated: Altria (MO) Delays Deal, Or Kills It

Cammonopoly_wideweb__430x3250As long as companies in the "smokes" business are not being sued by dead people who used their products, it is a hell of a business. Operating margins can run above 20% and cash flow is stupendous.

All of that makes Altria’s (MO) decision to delay its buyout of UST (UST) more troubling. The credit markets have been mauled to the extent that the banks helping finance the deal have suggested it be delayed until early next year. The MO press release on the acquisition said "While Altria currently has fully committed financing to complete the transaction, Altria’s lenders advised that it would be preferable to close the transaction in 2009."

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Posted on: October 4, 2008 – 7:18 am in Tobacco, , , ,

Top Pre-Market Analyst Downgrades (AZO, CX, FNM, ISIL, MHK, NVDA, PETM, POR, TSCO, UST)

These are some of the larger impact calls from analysts with downgrades or negative calls we are seeing this Monday morning with more than two hours to the open:

  • AutoZone (AZO) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • Cemex (CX) Cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE) Cut to Sell from Buy at Citigroup.
  • Intersil (ISIL) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Mohawk Industries (MHK) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
  • NVIDIA (NVDA) Cut to Sell at UBS.
  • PetSmart (PETM) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • Portland General Electric (POR) Cut to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.
  • Tractor Supply (TSCO) Cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • UST (UST) Cut to Neutral at UBS.

Jon C. Ogg
September 8, 2008

Posted on: September 8, 2008 – 6:34 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , ,

Altria & UST Could Face Antitrust Issues (MO, UST)

Altria_logoThe merger chatter this morning has Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO) looking at UST Inc. (NYSE: UST) in a deal valued at $10 Billion or higher.  This could be a major score for Big Tobacco.  The Us cigarette leader could grab hold of the largest smokeless tobacco company.  Marlboro could add Skoal, Husky, Copenhagen, and other brands to its smokeless tobacco operations to become the leader in that sector as well. But that may also bring up antitrust issues and potential regulatory hurdles. 

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Posted on: September 5, 2008 – 9:36 am in Mergers and Buy Outs, Regulation, Tobacco, ,

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (ACAS, AAPL, CAi, CMA, DBD, GYI, UST, WHQ, YHOO)

These are some of the analyst calls affecting shares this Monday morning:

  • American Capital Strategies (NASDAQ: ACAS) downgraded to Sell at UBS.
  • Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) raised target to $220 from $200 at RBC.
  • CACI International (NYSE: CAI) raised to Buy at Jefferies & Co.
  • Comerica (NYSE: CMA) raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
  • Countrywide (NYSE: CFC) cut tp underperform at FBR.
  • Diebold (NYSE: DBD) raised to Buy at KeyBanc Capital Markets.
  • Getty Images (NYSE: GYI) downgraded to Market Perform at William Blair.
  • UST Inc. (NYSE: UST) raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
  • W-H Energy Services (NYSE: WHQ) raised to Buy at Deutsche Bank.
  • Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) downgraded to Sell at Citigroup.

Jon C. Ogg
May 5, 2008

Posted on: May 5, 2008 – 7:12 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (AFL, CROX, DKS, DWA, EXPD, ERIC, POT, STT, UST, XTO)

Below are the top analyst calls we are focusing on this Wednesday morning:

  • AFLAC (NYSE: AFL) cut to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  • Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX) cut to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan.
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) cut to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  • DreamWorks Animation (NYSEL DWA) started as Neutral at UBS.
  • Expeditors International (NYSE: EXPD) cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • LM Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) cut to Neutral at HSBC Securities.
  • Potash Corp. (NYSE: POT) target Raised to $240 From $200 at CIBC.
  • State Street (NYSE: STT) cut to Market Perform from Outperform at KBW.
  • UST (NYSE: UST) cut to Neutral from Buy at Goldman Sachs.
  • XTO Energy ((NYSE: XTO) started as Outperform at Morgan Keegan.

Jon C. Ogg
April 2, 2008

Jon Ogg produces the Special Situation Investing Newsletter and he can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Posted on: April 2, 2008 – 6:52 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , ,

The 52-Week Low Club

UST Inc (UST) Philip Morris USA is testing rival product. Shares drop to $47.73 from 52-week high of $61.17.

Saks (SKS) Market miffed about Q2 loss. Drops to $16.55 from high of $23.25.

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) Citi initiates retailer as "sell". Falls to $29.51 from 52-week high of $36.95.

Oplink Communications (OPLK) Fiber optics company gives weak outlook. Fall sto $13 from 52-week high of $22.38.

Adams Respiratory (ARXT) Posts loss and see generic competition. Falls to $34.50 from 52-week high of $46.67.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: August 21, 2007 – 3:50 pm in Uncategorized, , , , ,

Pre-Market Earnings Gappers (July 26, 2007)

(AAPL) Apple traded down initially, but shares are up 7% pre-market after earnings and maintaining 2008 iPhone sales.
(AKAM) Akamai Tech $0.30 EPS vs $0.30 estimate; shares down over 10% pre-market on guidance being in-line and after broker downgrades.
(AN) Auto Nation $0.38 EPS vs $0.42 estimate.
(APA) Apache $1.89 EPS before items vs $1.90.
(ARTG) Art Tech $0.00 EPS vs $0.01 estimate.
(BC) Brunswick $0.65 EPS vs $0.64 estimate.
(BDK) Black & Decker $1.75 EPS versus $1.73 estimate.
(BIDU) Baidu.com posted over 100% growth in earnings and revenues; $0.54 EPS equivalent versus $0.43 estimate; trading up 17% pre-market.
(BZH) Beazer Homes -$0.06 EPS versus -$0.46 estimate, although estimates are all over the place.
(CMCSA) Comcast $0.19 EPS & $7.71 Billion revenues versus $0.19/$7.71B estimates; shares trading down 3% pre-market.
(CMI) Cummins $2.13 EPS versus $1.58 estimate.
(CNX) Consolidated Energy $0.83 EPS vs $0.60 estimate; unsure if comparable.
(COL) Rockwell Collins $0.86 EPS vs $0.83 estimate.
(F) Ford $0.13 EPS versus -$0.36 estimate; unsure if comparable; shares trading up 2% pre-market.
(GT) Goodyear Tire $0.35 EPS vs $0.37 estimate.
(ICE) IntercontinentalExchange $0.85 EPS versus $0.76 estimate.
(IKN) IKON Office $0.23 EPS vs. $0.23 estimate; sees next quarter $0.22 EPS vs $0.23 estimate.
(KEI) Keithly -$0.03 EPS vs -$0.01 estimate.
(KLIC) Kulicke & Soffa $0.08 EPS versus $0.08 estimate; shares down 1% pre-market.
(LLL) L-3 Communications $1.49 EPS versus $1.43 estimates.
(MMM) 3M $1.25 EPS vs $1.18 estimate.
(ODFL) Old Dominion Freight Line $0.57 EPS versus $0.55 estimate.
(PCCC) PC Connection $0.21 EPS versus $0.19 estimate.
(PMTI) Palomar Meed $0.43 EPS vs $0.29 estimates.
(QCOM) Qualcomm $0.55 EPS vs $0.51 estimate; fiscal guidance raised to $1.95 to $1.97 versus prior $1.84 to $1.88 range; shares up 1.5% pre-market.
(QLTI) QLT Inc. $0.08 EPS vs $0.07 estimate.
(RAIL) Freightcar America $0.93 EPS vs $0.92 estimate.
(RCL) Royal Caribbean $0.60 EPS vs $0.60 estimate.
(RTN) Raytheon $0.79 EPS versus $0.68 estimate; unsure if comparable.
(TEN) Tenneco $0.87 EPS vs $0.77 estimate.
(UST) UST Inc. $0.90 EPS vs $0.85 estimate.
(UTEK) Ultratech $0.04 EPS vs -$0.04 estimate.
(WEN) Wendy’s $0.33 EPS vs $0.33 estimate.
(XOM) Exxon Mobil $1.83 EPS vs $1.96 estimate; trading down 2% pre-market.
(XMSR) XM Satellite Radio -$0.45 EPS and $277M revenues versus estimates of -$0.44/$274.75M; added about 338,000 net subscribers; shares down 1.75%.

Jon C. Ogg
July 26, 2007

Posted on: July 26, 2007 – 7:58 am in Earnings, Pre-Market Activity, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cramer Sticks With Tobacco & Sin Stocks (MO, RAI, VGR, UST, BUD)

Stock Tickers: MO, RAI, VGR, UST, BUD

On tonight’s MAD MONEY on CNBC, Jim Cramer came out very positive on Vector Group Ltd. (VGR-NYSE).  He noted that Carl Icahn is a big backer of the company and noted hat it has a monster yield and has hiked its dividends almost yearly.  In call-ins he also noted Altria (MO-NYSE) and Reynolds (RAI-NYSE) in regular tobacco, and even UST (UST-NYSE) in smokeless tobacco all as undervalued stocks.  As far as another sin name, he also noted Anheuser Busch (BUD-NYSE) positively in a call-in during the segment.

Jon C. Ogg
June 20, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in any of the companies he covers.

Posted on: June 20, 2007 – 5:20 pm in Cramer, Tobacco, , , , ,

Earlybird Analyst Calls (June 11, 2007)

AGP raised to Hold at Jefferies.
ARAY started as Underperform at CIBC.
BE cut to Underperform at Jefferies.
BF/a raised to Overweight at JPMorgan.
BOT cut to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
CAVM started as Buy at Deutsche bank.
CPS raised to Outperform at JMP Securities.
HRB raised to Buy at UBS.
JNJ raised to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
KFS raised to Outperform at CIBC.
MKTX cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
NKE raised to Overweight at HSBC.
NFLX cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
RKT raised to Neutral at Credit Suisse.
UST raised to Buy at UBS.
VAR raised to Outperform at CIBC.
VRUS started as Buy at UBS.
WB raised to Outperform at FBR.
WDC raised to Buy at UBS.

Jon C. Ogg
June 11, 2007

Posted on: June 11, 2007 – 6:19 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,