The Unusual Suspects for the Week Ahead (ABKFQ, AAPL, BHP, BX, DYN, BSX, DELL, ETFC, GENZ, HGSI, JKS, MELA, NBG, PBR, RAI, STX, ST, WMT, HD)

The list of Unusual Suspects for the week ahead is a rather different list.  Some are due with earnings, some have FDA events, and others just have shareholder specific events coming down the pipe.  Some of the key issues we will be watching this week are AMBAC Financial Group Inc. (Pink Sheets: ABKFQ), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), BHP Billiton plc (NYSE: BHP), The Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX), Dynegy Inc. (NYSE: DYN), Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX), Caesars Entertainment (NYSE: CZR), Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL), E*TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC), Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ), General Motors (NYSE: GM), Human Genome Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI), JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: JKS), MELA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELA), National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG), Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR), Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI), Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ: STX), Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. (NYSE: ST), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), and The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD).  We have compiled notes and offered color on each as the new week events are set to unfold.

AMBAC Financial Group Inc. (Pink Sheets: ABKFQ) is bankrupt and is now a Pink Sheet listed stock.  The stock trades as ABKFQ rather than ABK.  Hearings start Monday NOV. 15 for the bankruptcy process and many creditors and mortgage investors in the line of creditors may have an unusual fight ahead of themselves.  If you are a common shareholder, you can probably count on using those share certificates as fuel for a fire or ground pulp as a food filler if things ever get too tough.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was one of the NASDAQ’s high-flyers to get its wings clipped on Friday.  An SEC Filing from Capital Growth Management showed that esteemed portfolio manager Ken Heebner had cuts CGM’s stake by some 90% or so now that its shares have rocketed so much higher.  Shares were down 2.7% at $308.03 Friday.

BHP Billiton plc (NYSE: BHP) will have an interesting day on Tuesday.  Its shareholders at a meeting get a chance to question management about its failed attempt to acquire Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan.  Shares may have slid from above $92 to under $87 this last week, but shares had been at highs despite the merger blockage.

On Wednesday comes a key shareholder vote on The Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) acquisition of Dynegy Inc. (NYSE: DYN); While ISS and others have backed the deal, Carl Icahn and others with close to 20% of the votes are opposing the deal.

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) will webcast its Investor Day meeting on Friday NOV. 19 at 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM EST.  As the perpetual ‘stuck like Chuck’ dead turnaround, it is a sure thing that it will have a feisty investor crowd.

Caesars Entertainment (NYSE: CZR) is set to come public this week (again).  This is really Harrah’s, which private equity groups TPG and Apollo bought at the private equity peak in a leveraged buyout the size of nearly $30 billion after all debt had been assumed.  More than 30 million shares are expected in a range of $15 to $17 per share.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is due with earnings after the close on Thursday NOV. 18; full earnings preview available.

E*TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: ETFC) was one of the online brokerage firms highlighted as a possible buyout candidate in Barron’s this weekend.  We have highlighted this as a takeover candidate in more detail.

Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) is losing its momentum in the merger as Friday’s close of $69.84 is actually its lowest closing bell price going all the way back to the end of August.  A full review is at BioHealthInvestor.com, but this one also made our stand-out options trading review this weekend at VSInvestor.com.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) returns via an IPO on or about Wednesday NOV. 17.

Human Genome Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI) had a rough day on Friday as the FDA grilled it over Benlysta safety and efficacy as the first new lupus treatment in two generation.  An FDA panel advisory meeting will likely keep shares halted all of Tuesday during the FDA panel review.  Our full synopsis and outlook is available at BioHealthInvestor.com.  This also had highly unusual options trading on Friday per our weekend review.

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: JKS) is a questionable name to be the #1 stock in the Investors Business Daily 100 or IBD 100.  The Chinese solar player closed at $35.99 a week earlier and shares closed down at $32.64 on Friday.  IBD must be keying on the movement seen so far this year as shares have risen here from under $10 after its IPO this May.

MELA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELA) is on deck with a FDA panel review of its MELAFind device for detecting melanoma.  We gave a full review at BioHealthInvestor.com as its shares put in a 52-week low ahead of the decision.

National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) will be one to watch this coming week as Greece’s government submits a 2011 budget draft on Thursday NOV. 18.  Austerity measures meet bailouts.

Petroleo Brasileiro (NYSE: PBR), or Petrobras, has its analyst meeting, which is now post-earnings and post-secondary-offering.  Shares slid last week and the stock is back under $34.00 and under its secondary offering price.

Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) fell only 0.17% Friday after Citi cut Lorillard and Altria but gave a BUY and $79 target here.  RAI meets investors and will split its shares in a 2-for-1 stock split and higher dividend payout on Monday NOV. 15.  At $64.72, its 52-week range is $39.00 to $66.82.

Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ: STX) must have some merger hopes still alive and well.  Despite its stock being lower Friday, there was unusual call option activity and this is likely bets around its review of a private equity merger.

Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. (NYSE: ST) must be one to watch as its shares rose $1.70 on Friday to $25.90 on more than 9 million shares.  What is unusual is that the Dutch industrial technology company priced a 20 million share secondary offering at $24.10 per share for selling holders and Friday hit a new 52-week high of $26.11 as well… Very unusual to see a gain like this on that news.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) both report earnings Tuesday morning.  We gave a full earnings preview on these two and nine other large and/or active stocks due with earnings this week.

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JON C. OGG