Jim Cramer Blog

Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (NYSE:EYE - News), the Santa Ana, Calif., producer of ophthalmic surgical devices and eye-care products, reported a fourth-quarter loss compared with a year-earlier profit, primarily because of "recall-related sales declines, product returns and costs, and the tax effect of these issues." The loss was $7.6 million, or 13 cents a share, compared with net income of $2.3 million, or 3 cents, in the year-earlier period. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced a consensus estimate of a loss of 5 cents a share.
Alliance Data Systems Corp. (NYSE:ADS - News) was downgraded to neutral from overweight at J.P. Morgan.
Amvescap (NYSE:AVZ - News), the Anglo-American owner of the AIM and Invesco lines of mutual funds, swung to a fourth-quarter profit of $163.5 million, or 20 cents a share, with revenue up 20% to $879 million. The company was affected by a $76 million restructuring charge in the year-ago quarter. Assets under management at Dec. 31 rose 20% to $463 billion, though it saw $4.5 billion in net outflows during the quarter.
Comstock Resources Inc. (NYSE:CRK - News) reported net earnings of $8.41 million, or 19 cents a share, compared with $41.3 million, or 96 cents a share, in the same period last year, as expenses rose sharply. The Texas-based energy company said oil and gas sales rose 35% to $126.8 million from $93.4 million.
Delphi Corp. (Other OTC:DPHIQ.PK - News) said its third-quarter loss more than doubled to $2 billion, or $3.51 a share, from $788 million, or $1.40 a share, in the year-earlier period. Delphi, which is in Chapter 11 reorganization, said the 2006 third quarter included $1 billion related to U.S. employee attrition payments. Troy, Mich.-based Delphi said revenue in the three months ended Sept. 30 fell to $6 billion from $6.3 billion in the year-ago period. Quarterly revenue from sources other than automaker General Motors Corp. stayed "essentially flat" at $3.4 billion compared with the previous year's $3.3 billion, Delphi said.
En Pointe Technologies Inc. (NasdaqCM:ENPT - News) said it swung to first-quarter profit of $272,000, or 4 cents a share, as the cost of sales fell. In the same period last year, the provider of business-to-business information technology products posted a net loss of $997,000, or 14 cents a share.
Expeditors International of Washington (NasdaqGS:EXPD - News) said its fourth-quarter net income fell to $62.6 million, or 28 cents a share, from $74.3 million, or 34 cents a share, a year ago. The year-ago period included a tax benefit of $21.7 million, or 10 cents a share. A Thomson Financial survey of analysts, on average, predicted earnings of 31 cents a share for the quarter. Analysts estimates usually exclude items. The Seattle logistics company's revenue rose 13% to $1.24 billion from $1.10 billion a year ago.
Ford Motor (NYSE:F - News) was downgraded to sell from neutral at Merrill Lynch. The firm cited valuation concerns following a run-up of almost 30% from the stock's mid-December low.
Genta Inc. (NasdaqGM:GNTA - News) said its fourth-quarter loss widened to $17.3 million, or 11 cents a share, from $10.2 million, or 9 cents, a year earlier. The Berkeley Heights, N.J. biopharmaceutical company said Tuesday revenue rose to $117,000 from $97,000. Total costs increased to $18.8 million from $10.8 million. Results for the latest period included costs of $5.28 million for the settlement in principle of class action lawsuit and the write-off of a $1.27 million prepaid royalty payment.
Hansen Natural (NasdaqCM:HANS - News) was downgraded to neutral at Goldman Sachs.
Hub Group Inc. (NasdaqGS:HUBG - News) said fourth-quarter net income rose, as operating margin gained, to $13.5 million, or 34 cents a share, from $10.1 million, or 25 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year. Analysts had expected per-share income of 32 cents.
Interactive Intelligence (NasdaqGM:ININ - News) shares tumbled after the Indianapolis-based software developer reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $1.56 million, or 8 cents a share, down from $1.77 million, or 10 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $23.9 million from $17.5 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were forecasting a per-share profit of 9 cents on revenue of $22 million.
IRobot Corp. (NasdaqGM:IRBT - News) said it swung to a net loss in the fourth quarter of $1.78 million, or 8 cents a share, as operating expenses rose. During the same period in the prior year, net income was $15,000, or breakeven on a per share basis.
Knot (NasdaqGM:KNOT - News) shares lost ground after the New York-based media company and wedding services provider reported a fourth-quarter net profit of $14.6 million, or 45 cents a share, up from $1.48 million, or 6 cents a share, last year. The results for the fourth quarter of 2006 included a non-cash income tax benefit and a gain from the settlement of a legal action. Revenue rose to $21.7 million from $12.8 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting a per-share profit of 11 cents on revenue of $21.8 million.
Liquidity Services Inc. (NasdaqGM:LQDT - News) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed secondary offering of roughly 5.6 million common shares. The Washington, D.C.-based online asset auction services provider plans to issue and sell 100,000 shares in the offering, while certain stockholders offer the remainder.
Macerich Co. (NYSE:MAC - News) said its fourth-quarter net income jumped to $147.9 million, or $1.98 a share, from $23.6 million, or 39 cents a share. Revenue for the quarter rose 14% to $233.8 million and funds from operations increased to $1.36 a share from $1.32 a share. The company said it benefited from strong occupancy levels and good tenant sales gains. It added it continued to improve its portfolio through the sale of three non-core assets and the acquisition of another East Coast mall.
MoSys Inc. (NasdaqGM:MOSY - News) said it swung to net income in the fourth-quarter of $567,000, or 2 cents a share, as royalty revenue increased. During the same period in the prior year, the net loss was $1.08 million, or 4 cents a share. Analysts had expected per-share earnings of 4 cents for the recent quarter.
Nasdaq Stock Market (NasdaqGS:NDAQ - News) said its fourth-quarter earnings rose to $63 million, or 43 cents a share, from $17.1 million, or 15 cents a share, a year earlier, as revenue rose 72%. The latest results included a post-tax gain of $29.4 million, or 19 cents a share, on foreign currency options contracts purchased to hedge the foreign exchange exposure on the failed bid for the London Stock Exchange. The quarter also included pretax charges of $4.6 million for restructuring and integration of INET. The New York electronic equities market said Tuesday that revenue grew to $447.3 million from $259.5 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial, on average, expected earnings of 24 cents a share on revenue of $424.8 million.
Omnicom Group (NYSE:OMC - News) reported fourth-quarter net income of $277.2 million, or $1.62 a share, up from $252.6 million, or $1.41 a share, earned in the final three months of 2005. The New York-based advertising giant's quarterly revenue reached nearly $3.22 billion from the prior year's $2.94 billion, up more than 9%. Domestic revenue rose 7%, Omnicom said. Analysts were looking for earnings of $1.62 a share on revenue of nearly $3.21 billion, according to estimates compiled by Thomson First Call. Omnicom's operating profit improved to $474.2 million from $426.1 million.
Osiris Therapeutics (NasdaqGM:OSIR - News) shares fell after the Baltimore-based company announced six-month interim results in its evaluation of Chondrogen for the regeneration of meniscus in the knee. The company said Chondrogen met its primary endpoint; however the Phase I/II trial did not demonstrate that Chondrogen resulted in a statistically significant increase in the volume of meniscus as compared to placebo. Osiris added that an improvement in baseline cartilage and joint condition was noted in patients treated with the stem cell drug that was not seen in patients that received placebo.
Radyne Corp. (NasdaqGS:RADN - News) reported fourth-quarter earnings $3.6 million, or 19 cents a share, down from $4.3 million, or 24 cents a share, as revenue dropped and expenses rose.
R&G Financial Corp. (NYSE:RGF - News) shares fell after the New York Stock Exchange said it late Monday that it will suspend trading of the San Juan, P.R.-based financial holding company's shares due to its failure to file its 2005 10-K by an April 3 deadline. The NYSE will suspend trading of R&G shares on Feb. 22. R&G, which is completing restatements for 2002 through 2004, announced separately that it now expects the restatements to reduce stockholders' equity by $185 million to $200 million after-tax, up from the $168 million to $183 million it had previously estimated.
Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE:SGR - News) said Ernst & Young LLP has notified the company of its decision to resign as Shaw's independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young said it will resign effective upon the filing of Shaw's report for the quarter ending Feb. 28.
Ultra Clean Holdings Inc. (NasdaqGS:UCTT - News) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $4.65 million, or 22 cents a share, compared with $683,000, or 4 cents a share, in the same period last year, on higher sales from the acquisition of Sieger Engineering Inc.
WNS Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:WNS - News) said its fiscal third-quarter net profit rose 21% to $7.1 million, or 17 cents a share, from $5.9 million, or 17 cents a share a year ago after an increase in the number of shares in circulation. Revenue at the firm more than doubled to $102 million from $49.8 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting earnings of 17 cents a share. The firm said it has increased client contracts more quickly than previously expected and has exceeded internal expectations for revenue growth. Growth in profit lagged revenue growth due to $2.4 million of deferred revenue recognized in the year-ago quarter, WNS said. For 2007 the firm increased its revenue guidance to slightly above $213 million from slightly above $208 million. It also reaffirmed its guidance for 2007 net income in the range of $30.5 million to $32.5 million.
Yum Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM - News) posted a 2.7% increase in fourth-quarter profit as higher margins and international growth offset flat sales in the U.S. as well as the impact of an e. coli outbreak at its Taco Bell unit that sickened dozens last fall.

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