Investing
The 24/7 Wall St./Flame Index: Companies With The Worst Press (May 31)
May 31, 2011 10:47 am
Last Updated: May 31, 2011 10:48 am
Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB) was sued for supporting dangerous para-military groups in Columbia in 2007. The EU began what is likely to be a vigorous examination of the Western Digital (NYSE: WDC) takeover of Samsung’s disk drive business. The Flame Index started as a research tool in 2008 at the NY Innovation Design Lab (nyidlab). It was used as a general metric to evaluate companies and their risk in the media. Publicly traded Fortune 500 companies are used as a measure to calculate an overall market of negative news and the companies are ranked within that market.
| Rank | Company | Ticker | Score | Change in Rank | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GOOG | 35.86 | +4 | More concerns that Android does not make money | |
| 2 | Chiquita Brands International | CQB | 35.729 | +656 | Columbia paramilitary payoffs |
| 3 | Research In Motion Limited | RIMM | 34.034 | -1 | Still being beaten down by Apple |
| 4 | Massey Energy | MEE | 30.687 | +3 | West Virginia may block M&A |
| 5 | General Motors | GM | 29.789 | -2 | May auto sales will be weak |
| 6 | Western Digital | WDC | 28.731 | +326 | EU may stop purchase of Samsung disk unit |
| 7 | Hewlett-Packard | HPQ | 28.166 | +6 | Management turnover grows |
| 8 | Comerica | CMA | 27.804 | -4 | Bank gets low rating in new reputation report |
| 9 | Pfizer | PFE | 26.891 | +6 | About to buy Ferrosan’s consumer healthcare business. |
| 10 | Fannie Mae | FNM | 26.442 | -1 | Will almost certainly be shuttered |
| 2 | Chiquita Brands International | CQB | 35.729 | +656 | Trouble with Columbian payments |
| 6 | Western Digital | WDC | 28.731 | +326 | EU scrutiny of deal |
| 14 | Freddie Mac | FMCC | 25.297 | +168 | Issues new three-year reference notes |
| 15 | BB&T Corp. | BBT | 23.24 | +181 | Criticism of bank’s trust preferred securities |
| 21 | Exxon Mobil | XOM | 21.617 | +42 | Restarts key LA refinery |
Data and ranking provided by the Flame Index.
Sponsored: Tips for Investing
A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.
Editors' Picks
