Alcatel-Lucent Suddenly The Sector Leader of 2011 (CSCO, ALU)

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
By Jon C. Ogg Updated Published

Invalid Image
Despite being grossly disappointed with John Chambers and the earnings guidance from Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), it is still hard for us to believe that Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) is causing the trouble for Cisco.  Alcatel-Lucent did not exactly make that claim on its own either.  Still, shares of the distant competitor are soaring today.

Alcatel-Lucent SA saw its ADRs rally handily in the double digits today after beating its fourth quarter expectations.  Sales grew 22.6% in quarter and about 5.5% for the year.

The company was able to show that it got margins above 5% and it was far more positive for 2011 than what we have seen in recent reports from this turnaround.  What is funny is that management even went as far as to claim that it has the ability to transform back into a normal company again.  Go figure.

Alcatel-Lucent shares were up 25% in the final hour of trading to $4.45 and shares hit a 52-week high of $4.46 today.  The volume was more than impressive at 6-times normal and above 100 million shares.

Consider this: after a $2.96 close on December 31, 2010, shares are up a whopping 50% for 2011 so far.  When compared to a 52-week low of $2.25, the ADRs have now nearly doubled.

JON C. OGG

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. www.247wallst.com.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

DELL Vol: 42,366,555
NTAP Vol: 15,911,807
NOW Vol: 68,243,561
IBM
IBM Vol: 28,527,546
HPE Vol: 86,996,387

Top Losing Stocks

CTRA Vol: 73,319,495
CLX Vol: 4,744,001
RMD Vol: 3,526,686
INTC Vol: 191,680,425
SWKS Vol: 5,407,806