How Square Is Now Valued at $3.25 Billion
So much for new-age virtual technology companies being at risk of more scrutiny for investors. AllThingsD and the FT have both reported that a pending fourth round of venture capital has been taken on…
All Work
Jon C. Ogg
BofA Adds GE, Gilead, Regions and Valero to Most Attractive Buy List
Key research changes have been made in the last few days over at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch’s research coverage. The firm published its 2013 target for an S&P 500 Index target of 1,600 last…
Quick Oil Drop, When SPR Speculation Turns into Rumors
What happens when too many market pundits start to talk about a possibility? Usually, it becomes a market rumor. Active traders (and penny-pinching consumers) have noticed that speculation about the administration’s possible release of…
BofA Sees Infosys Turning the Corner, Raises to Buy Rating
Apparently the business of IT-outsourcing to India has already hit its trough. The firm is upgrading shares of Infosys Ltd. (NASDAQ: INFY) after its shares have underperformed the broader market by 20%. In the local…
Wynn’s Founding Holder Takes Wynn Dispute to Shareholders
Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN) may have a distraction for its shareholders now with its ongoing fight between Steve Wynn and Kazuo Okada. Okada’s Aruze USA, Inc. has issued an open letter to the Wynn shareholders…
Gap Takes On New Creative Design Head
Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) is naming a new head of its global clothing design team. The retail apparel giant has now named Rebekka Bay to head its design team with the title Creative Director and…
12 Key Earnings Previews For The Week Ahead (CCL, FDX, ADBE, BBBY, AZO, KMX, CTAS, CAG, JEF, ORCL, TIBX, KBH)
This is not exactly a packed week for earnings like you would see in earnings season, but we still have many key earnings reports. We have provided previews for the following: Carnival Corporation (NYSE:…
More on Ford After the Mulally Regime (F, GM)
If there is one chief executive who deserves significant accolades in the U.S. auto sector, it is Alan Mulally of Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F). Now the public is going to have to get…
S&P 500 Chart Looking for Support
The markets are trying to hold on to some footing after big post-QE3 gains from last week. Today we are analyzing the SPDR S&P 500 (NYSEMKT: SPY) as it is the most liquid of…
Genomic Sequencing Firm Acquired by Chinese Company
The United States has seen its share of tension and protests over Chinese efforts to make acquisitions in North America, but usually this is over oil and gas assets. So what is there to…
Speaking of Apple Patents: VirnetX Refiles ITC Case Against Apple
Most patent case news of late has been Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) suing to block Samsung from having what appears as knock-off iPhones by the look and feel of the phones. This morning comes new…
Analysts Jump on Bloomin’ Brands with Strong Buy Ratings
Bloomin’ Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: BLMN) is public again after a private equity-led initial public offering. This is the former Outback Steakhouse parent. The analysts’ quiet period has ended and the ratings are very strong…
iPhone Presales Double Record, Many Deliveries Pushed Out to October
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has said that the demand has already exceeded its supply of the iPhone 5. We reported on Friday morning that the iPhone 5 was already sold out on the Apple…
Empire Manufacturing Index Falls Much Further in September
The Index has been released and the numbers are dismal as far as the New York Federal Reserve’s manufacturing base is considered. This was September’s report, and the index fell to -10.41. Bloomberg had…
Facebook Added to NASDAQ Q-50, Prelude to NASDAQ-100 Index Addition (FB, CNQR, GRPN, ONXX, RGLD, WDC, MELI, SINA)
The NASDAQ OMX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: NDAQ) has announced its changes in the quarterly reranking of the NASDAQ Q-50 Index, and the effects will take place prior to market open on Monday, September 24,…
Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades (ACN, AKS, NLY, BBVA, BLMN, LNG, CLF, DB, DFS, LM, NFLX, OPEN, PSX, GOLD, TM, TSLA, X, UA, WFC, CMO, CYS, HTS, IVR)
Jon OggThese are some of the top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen from Wall St. research calls this Monday. Accenture PLC (NYSE: ACN) reiterated Buy with $74 target at Argus. AK Steel Holding…
Liberty Now Even Closer to Sirius XM Takeover (LMCA, SIRI)
Sirius XMSirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) now are at a crossroads about their future. Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA) is now even closer to getting that 50% plus one vote that it needs…
NYSE Gets Tiny Slap on the Wrist on Improper Market Data Distribution
NYSE Euronext, Inc. (NYSE: NYX) is settling an SEC charge for what may be nothing more than a slap on the wrist. The Securities and Exchange Commission today brought what is the first ever charge…
Marc Faber Warns of Bernanke QE, Warns on How to Own Gold Too (GLD, SGOL)
If you do not know Marc Faber by name, perhaps you have heard of the Gloom Boom & Doom Report that he publishes. He is well known for criticism of monetary policies, as you…
Business Inventories Rise: Double Versus Expectations
We had already seen some very weak data from August for industrial production and for capacity utilization this morning. Then came a report showing a huge, more current pop in consumer sentiment from the…