Jim Cramer Blog

Here are 7 options to watch for today. This list comes directly from the TradingMarkets Options Indicators page. The list is created using OptionVue options analysis software.
Most Underpriced Calls: These are the most under priced calls of all stocks in our database. While the Equities Explosion List finds groups of calls for individual equities that are under priced, this list finds the most under priced individual calls. Thus, the options listed here will tend to be more severely under priced.
Goldman Sachs August 250 Calls (NYSE:GS). GS' PowerRating is 6.
Most Underpriced Puts: These are the most under priced puts of all stocks in our database. While the Equities Explosion List finds groups of puts for individual equities that are under priced, this list finds the most under priced individual puts. Thus, the options listed here will tend to be more severely under priced.
Mastercard Inc. July 150 Puts (NYSE:MA). MA's PowerRating is 6.
Most Overpriced Calls: These are the most overpriced calls of all stocks in our database. While the Equities Implosion List finds groups of calls for individual equities that are overpriced, this list finds the most overpriced individual calls. Thus, the options listed here will tend to be more severely overpriced.
NYMEX Holdings Aug 145 Calls (NYSE:NMX). NMX's PowerRating is currently unavailable due to the stock not meeting certain parameters.
Most Overpriced Puts: These are the most overpriced puts of all stocks in our database. While the Equities Implosion List finds groups of puts for individual equities that are overpriced, this list finds the most overpriced individual puts. Thus, the options listed here will tend to be more severely overpriced.
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Aug 120 Puts (AMEX:EEM). EEM's PowerRating is 6.
Stocks with Abnormal Call Volume: These are stocks which showed unusual call option volume not easily explained by arbitrage operations. The appearance of a stock on the Call Volume Alerts list suggests a possible takeover, extraordinarily good earnings report, or other news which may favorably affect the stock.
Affymetrix (NasdaqGS:AFFX). AFFX's PowerRating is 5.
Stocks with Abnormal Put Volume: These are stocks which showed unusual put option volume not easily explained by arbitrage operations. The appearance of a stock on the Put Volume Alerts list suggests an extraordinarily negative earnings report, or other news which may negatively affect the stock.
None today
Abnormal Put/Call $ Volume: These stocks have the highest dollar put volume in relation to their call volume. These high ratios are indicative of extreme bearish sentiment in the underlying stock.
KB Home (NYSE:KBH). KBH's PowerRating is 5.
Starbucks Corp. (NasdaqGS:SBUX). SBUX's PowerRating is 4.

Labels: AFFX, EEM, GS, MA, NMX, SBUX, stock options

Symbol
Name
Last Trade
Change
Volume
Related Info
SMMX
SYMYX TECHNOLOGIES
11.68 12:07PM ET
6.12 (34.38%)
3,387,244
ISLN
ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
13.30 12:05PM ET
4.81 (26.56%)
1,842,359

DVW
COVAD COMM GROUP INC
0.97 12:02PM ET
0.22 (18.49%)
8,094,762
BW
BRUSH ENGINEERED MAT
51.86 12:02PM ET
9.88 (16.00%)
1,897,930

HLIT
HARMONIC INC
8.65 12:07PM ET
1.64 (15.94%)
5,724,707

PTC
P A R TECH CP
9.11 12:01PM ET
1.51 (14.22%)
238,200
AFFX
AFFYMETRIX INC
27.13 12:07PM ET
4.34 (13.79%)
4,353,666

VIGN
VIGNETTE CORP
18.79 12:07PM ET
2.37 (11.20%)
594,663

CCMP
CABOT MICROELECTR
32.86 12:07PM ET
4.33 (11.64%)
1,304,084

CGM
CONGOLEUM CORP
1.38 10:41AM ET
0.17 (10.97%)
3,700

HBE
HENRY BROS ELCTRNCS
4.12 11:59AM ET
0.42 (9.25%)
45,700

CCBL
C-COR INCORPORATED
12.03 12:07PM ET
1.40 (10.42%)
1,024,923

TYL
TYLER TECHNGIES
11.86 12:01PM ET
1.25 (9.53%)
582,300

CBT
CABOT CP
45.03 12:02PM ET
4.74 (9.52%)
754,700

LSI
LSI CORPORATION
8.93 12:02PM ET
0.99 (9.98%)
29,761,558

TCHCZ
21ST CENTURY HLDG WT
7.88 9:30AM ET
0.87 (9.94%)
160

VII
VICON INDS INC
11.45 12:02PM ET
1.26 (9.91%)
216,750

MVISW
MICROVISION INC WTS
2.21 11:46AM ET
0.24 (9.80%)
10,700

PRC
PETRO RESOURCES CORP
2.80 9:52AM ET
0.19 (6.35%)
3,900

ARBA
ARIBA INC
9.06 12:07PM ET
0.94 (9.40%)
2,171,110

Labels: AFFX, ARBA, BW, CBT, CCBL, CCMP, CGM, DVW, HBE, HLIT, ISLN, LSI, MVISW, PRC, PTC, SMMX, TCHCZ, TYL, VIGN, VII

Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX - News) forecast revenue of about $100 million for the fourth quarter. The current average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call is for revenue of $99.5 million in the December period. The Santa Clara, Calif., biotechnology company plans to release its results for the fourth quarter and full year after the closing bell on Feb. 7.
Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (NYSE:BBW - News) said President and Chief Operating Officer Barry Erdos is resigning. The company named Scott Seay to succeed him.
Cray (NASDAQ:CRAY - News) received an order to provide two supercomputers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Financial terms weren't disclosed.
Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CBST - News) reported fourth-quarter U.S. revenue of $56.2 million for its antibiotic product Cubicin, up 54% from the same quarter last year. Full-year 2006 U.S. Cubicin revenue came in at $189.5 million, the Lexington, Mass.-based company said. Cubist shares rose 2.4% to $17.80 in Monday afternoon trade.
DST Systems (NYSE:DST - News) was upgraded to overweight from underweight at Morgan Stanley. The firm said it sees potential for a strong fourth quarter from the company and set a price target of $74.
EMC Corp. (NYSE:EMC - News) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS. The firm boosted its price target on the stock to $16 from $13.50.
General Dynamics (NYSE:GD - News) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Cowen & Co.
Hauppage Digital (NASDAQ:HAUP - News) shares rose after the company unveiled a line of four TV tuner products designed to support Microsoft's Vista Media Center.
Houston Exploration (NYSE:THX - News) agreed to be acquired by Forest Oil (NYSE:FST - News) for $52.47 a share. That's 8% above Friday's closing price but below the $62 a share that a hedge fund offered Houston Exploration last summer.
Human Genome Sciences (NASDAQ:HGSI - News) said it expects 2006 results to be in line with prior forecasts, including net cash burn of less than $125 million. The Rockville, Md.-based drug development company said it has completed its facilities consolidation program and expects to record a non-cash charge to the fourth quarter of 2006. For 2007, it expects net cash burn to be in the range of $145 million to $165 million. Revenue is expected to increase by about 50% from 2006 to 2007, but total expenses, research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses are expected to remain about flat from 2006 to 2007. Human Genome said it expects cash and investments at year-end 2007 to total in the range of $560 million to $580 million.
IBM (NYSE:IBM - News) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS. The firm cited improving fundamentals in its core businesses and the belief that acquisitions in the software market will expand growth rates and margin expansion. Analyst Benjamin Reitzes also raised his stock price target for the Dow component to $118 from $100, his 2007 earnings estimate to $6.70 a share from $6.62 and his 2008 forecast to $7.40 a share from $7.25. "After having underperformed over the last several years as it rebalanced its portfolio and restructured, we believe IBM is embarking on a multi-year cycle leverage acquisitions and cost cutting," Reitzes said in a research note. "We also think IBM can leverage trends in information technology spending as corporations need software, hardware and consulting services to help manage an explosion in content."
Incyte Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:INCY - News) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Piper Jaffray. The firm also lifted its price target on the stock to $8 from $4.
IntraLase Corp. (NASDAQ:ILSE - News) agreed to be acquired for $25 a share, or $808 million, by Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (NYSE:EYE - News) That's 12.5% over IntraLase's closing price on Friday.
Nautilus Inc. (NYSE:NLS - News) formed a partnership with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The deal calls for Nautilus to provide research and training support for new fitness products. Financial terms weren't disclosed. In addition, the company was upgraded to neutral from sell at Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.
NCR Corp. (NYSE:NCR - News) unveiled plans to separate into two independent publicly-traded companies through a spin-off of its Teradata Data Warehousing business to shareholders. The company expects the transaction, which it anticipates will be tax-free, to be completed within six to nine months. NCR said Bill Nuti, its current president and chief executive officer, will serve in the same capacity following the spin-off, and that Mike Koehler will be president and CEO of Teradata. Koehler is currently senior vice president of the Teradata operations.
Network Appliance (NASDAQ:NTAP - News) was upgraded to buy from neutral at UBS. The firm also lifted its price target on the stock to $47 from $43.
Omnivision Technologies (NASDAQ:OVTI - News) was upgraded to buy from neutral at American Technology Research.
ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ONNN - News) was upgraded to overweight from equal weight at Lehman Bros. on valuation.
Quebecor World Inc. (NYSE:IQW - News) plans to close its L'Eclaireur facility in Beauceville, Quebec, impacting about 155 employee positions. The closure is part of the company's plan to consolidate its Quebec-based magazine and catalog printing operations. Quebecor World said it continues to employ about 2,000 employees at seven facilities in Quebec
Quigley Corp. (NASDAQ:QGLY - News) shares advanced after its Quigley Pharma subsidiary said a preliminary study has demonstrated its QR-441(a) compound to be a potential antiviral agent in reducing infectious bronchitis and New Castle disease, two viral poultry diseases. The Doylestown, Pa.-based company said QR-441(a) showed positive results in a study evaluating the compound in embryonating egg and VERO E6 cell test models.
RadioShack Corp. (NYSE:RSH - News) said fourth-quarter net income will rise from the $51 million the consumer electronics retailer earned in the year-ago quarter, but same-store sales will drop.
Rite Aid (NYSE:RAD - News) shares gained after the company said both Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis & Co., two proxy advisor firms, have recommended Rite Aid shareholders vote in favor of plans to issue 250 million common shares to The Jean Cotu Group as part of the purchase of the Brooks and Eckerd drugstore chains. Shareholders are scheduled to vote on the proposal in a special meeting on Jan. 18.
Savient Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ:SVNT - News) shares rose after the East Brunswick, N.J.-based company announced late Friday that, as part of its restructuring of its commercial operations, it will discontinue its 19-person Oxandrin field sales force. The move follows the company's launch of oxandrolone, the generic version of Oxandrin.
Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ:SGEN - News) said it entered a license agreement with Genentech (NYSE:DNA - News) to develop cancer treatment SGN-40, which is currently undergoing Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. As part of the agreement, Seattle Genetics will receive an up-front payment of $60 million and could receive milestone payments of as much as $800 million, as well as potential royalties on sales.
Skechers USA (NYSE:SKX - News) lifted its outlook for the fourth quarter to earnings of 28 to 31 cents a share on revenue of between $295 million and $300 million. The Manhattan Beach, Calif., footwear provider previously forecast a profit of 22 to 27 cents a share for the period on revenue of $255 million and $265 million. For the full year, the company now sees earnings of $1.55 to $1.58 a share on revenue of between $1.196 billion and $1.201 billion. Skechers' prior projection for fiscal 2006 was for a profit ranging from $1.49 to $1.54 a share on revenue of $1.156 billion to $1.666 billion.
Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group (NASDAQ:SWRG - News) said its December sales at restaurants open at least one year rose 5.1% to $14.1 million. Total consolidated restaurant sales for the month increased 9% percent to $15.3 million, the New York company said.
St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ - News) said it expects fourth-quarter earnings of 42 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call forecast earnings of 39 cents a share, on average. The St. Paul, Minn. medical device company will report net sales of approximately $864 million for the fourth quarter, an increase of more than 9% compared to the year-ago period and approximately $20 million above current analysts' consensus revenue estimates, the company said.
Syntax-Brillian, (NASDAQ:BRLC - News) the high-definition-television maker, said fiscal second-quarter sales will exceed $240 million, with LCD television shipments greater than 350,000 units. Gross margins will be at the top half of its 15%-to-17% range.
Telestone Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:TSTC - News) shares rose after the Beijing-based provider of wireless services said it has been awarded bids from four regional telecom operators. The company said it was awarded indoor coverage system equipment contracts from the Sichuan Telecom subsidiary of China Telecom; the Guizhou Unicom subsidiary of China Unicom; the Heibei Netcom subsidiary of China Netcom; and the Jiangxi Telecom subsidiary of China Telecom. Financial terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Therma-Wave Inc. (NASDAQ:TWAV - News) agreed to be acquired for $1.65 a share, or $75 million, by KLA-Tencor. (NASDAQ:KLAC - News) The offer represents a 25% premium to Therma-Wave's closing price on Friday. KLA-Tencor, which provides semiconductor manufacturing systems, said the deal will strengthen its customers' access to Therma-Wave's advanced measurement capabilities.
TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO - News) shares rose after the company announced a number of new products and partnerships, including alliances with Music Choice and RealNetworks, and a deal with Roxio to provide joint content mobility product for Macintosh computers. The company also said it plans to maker a presentation at a conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Also, Bear Stearns upgraded the stock to peer perform.
United Surgical Partners (NASDAQ:USPI - News) said it was being acquired by an affiliate of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe affiliate for $1.8 billion in cash and debt. UNCN will pay $31.05 for each United Surgical share, a 13% premium to Friday's closing price of $27.39.

Labels: AFFX, BBW, CBST, CRAY, DNA, DST, EMC, EYE, FST, GD, HAUP, HGSI, IBM, ILSE, INCY, KLAC, NLS, NTAP, THX, Tivo

American Italian Pasta Co. (NYSE:PLB - News) said the New York Stock Exchange is planning to move forward with the suspension and delisting of the company's common stock following its failure to meet certain filing requirements by an extended deadline. The company expects trading in its stock to be suspended on Dec. 20. It plans to appeal the move. The shares will be eligible for trading on the Pink Sheets following the suspension. American Italian Pasta also said it expects to file its annual report for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2005 by the end of January. The company also said it believes price increases for its products will not fully offset the negative impact of higher durum costs in fiscal 2007.
Affymetrix Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX - News) shares sagged after its chief financial officer, Greg Schiffman, left to take the same position at cancer-focused biotechnology company Dendreon Corp.
Apple Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - News) shares dipped after the company said Friday it will delay its annual report for the fiscal year ended in September. The company has also delayed filing its last two quarterly financial reports amid an internal probe into the backdating of employee stock option grants.
Asta Funding (NASDAQ:ASFI - News) was downgraded to market perform from outperform at Ryan, Beck & Co. The firm lowered its price target on the stock to $34 from $50, citing a lack of valuation catalysts.
Avery Dennison (NYSE:AVY - News) was downgraded to neutral from overweight at J.P. Morgan.
Biopure Corp. (NASDAQ:BPUR - News) shares tumbled after the FDA's blood products advisory committee recommend against proceeding with the Navy's proposed Phase III study of Hemopure, the company's pre-hospital treatment for hemorrhaging shock resulting from traumatic injury.
Black & Decker Corp. (NYSE:BDK - News) shares plunged after the tool maker said a slowdown in the housing market and weakening demand for discretionary goods will pose stiff headwinds in the coming year.
California Micro Devices Corp. (NASDAQ:CAMD - News) backed its third-quarter results outlook of a range of a loss of 2 cents a share to earnings of 1 cent a share. The company also confirmed its revenue outlook of $16.5 and $18.5 million.
Conolog (NASDAQ:CNLG - News) shares lost ground after the Somerville, N.J., provider of digital signal processing products posted a loss from continuing operations of $710,613, or 41 cents a share, for its fiscal first quarter ended Oct. 31. This performance was a wider loss than last year as product revenue fell 32% in the latest quarter to $127,661 from $187,938 a year ago.
Dendrite International Inc. (NASDAQ:DRTE - News) said it sees fourth-quarter revenue of $107 to $112 million, with a per-share loss of 23 cents to 35 cents. The company expects 2007 revenue of $430 million to $445 million, and per-share income of 43 to 51 cents.
Encana (NYSE:ECA - News) was downgraded to sell from hold at Citigroup Investment Research. The firm cited cost run-ups and concerns about the quality of the company's portfolio.
Enzo Biochem Inc. (NYSE:ENZ - News) said it plans to sell 3.3 million common shares at $14 each in a registered direct offering to institutional investors. Enzo, a New York health-care research compay said it expects to raise $43.1 million from the offering. The company said it plans to use the money for general corporate purposes, including potential acquisitions, clinical research and development, and the development of product candidates.
Genta Inc. (NASDAQ:GNTA - News) shares plunged after the Food and Drug Administration rejected its application seeking approval for its experimental blood cancer treatment, Genasense.
Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW - News) lowered its outlook for the fourth quarter to a profit of between 72 and 74 cents a share from its prior projection of 77 to 81 cents a share. The company cited lower than expected base revenue growth and anticipated continuing weakness in North America end markets in December. The current average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call is for a profit of 78 cents a share in the December period. For the year, the company now sees earnings of $2.96 to $2.98 a share, below its previous view of $3.01 to $3.05 a share. It expects base revenue growth of 1.8% to 2.4% for the fourth quarter and 3.7% to 3.8% for the year.
International Rectifier (NYSE:IRF - News) was downgraded to neutral from buy at UBS.
Navistar International Corp. (NYSE:NAV - News) said worldwide shipments of its school buses, Class 6-7 medium trucks and Class 8 heavy trucks rose 14% to 147,400 units in 2006 from 129,600 units shipped in 2005. The company also said it shipped 11,000 Class 4-5 small bus and stripped chassis units for the motor home and step-van markets in 2006, and that its diesel engine shipments totaled 519,700 engines for the year, down slightly from 522,600 engines shipped in 2005. The company also added that it's made significant progress on completing the previously disclosed restatement of certain historical financial statements and that it doesn't plan to comment on 2006 results until the statements are finished. It anticipates it won't complete the restatement until after Feb. 1. Navistar added that it's been informed that the New York Stock Exchange plans to suspend trading in its stock by Dec. 20 and begin delisting procedures. The company plans to contest these actions by the exchange.
Optical Communication Products (NASDAQ:OCPI - News) shares slumped after the Woodland Hills, Calif.-based maker of fiber optic components late Thursday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $1.4 million, or a penny a share. In the same quarter last year, the company posted a net profit of $1.57 million, or a penny a share. Revenue rose to $19.1 million from $14.8 million. Optical Communication expects revenue of $80 million to $90 million for fiscal 2007, and a "significant" gross margin decline in the first half of fiscal 2007 when compared with the fourth quarter, with the potential for "modest quarter-to-quarter improvements later in the year." The company announced separately that Chief Technology Officer Muoi Van Tran and Chief Financial Officer Susie Nemeti, company founders, will resign. Tran will continue to serve as chairman.
Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ:PENN - News) has reportedly launched a bid for the far larger Harrah's Entertainment (NYSE:HET - News), competing with a private group that is already trying to buy the gambling giant.
PRA International (NASDAQ:PRAI - News) was downgraded to neutral from buy at Goldman Sachs. The move follows the company's announcement late Thursday that Patrick Donnelly has resigned as president and CEO, effective immediately. The company named Terrance Booker to serve as interim CEO, and said Melvin Booth would succeed Jean-Pierre Conte in the chairman role. PRA also said it now expects earnings of $1.08 to $1.11 a share for 2006, including a charge of 5 cents a share related to Donnelly's resignation and a charge of 2 cents a share stemming from a debt write-off. It also narrowed its service revenue outlook for the year to between $300 million and $305 million.
ProQuest Co. (NYSE:PQE - News) agreed to sell its ProQuest Informantion and Learning unit to Cambridge Information Group for about $222 million.
Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR - News) was downgraded to accumulate from strong buy at C.L. King.
Tektronix Inc. (NYSE:TEK - News) said second-quarter net earnings fell, as selling, general and administrative expenses rose, to $19.6 million, or 24 cents a share, from $19.9 million, or 24 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year. For the third quarter, Tektronix sees sales of $275 to $285 million, and earnings per share from continuing operations of 34 cents to 39 cents, before items such as acquisition and business realignment costs.
United American Healthcare Corp. (NASDAQ:UAHC - News) shares fell after the Detroit-based provider of healthcare services for Medicaid recipients said late Thursday it has raised $6.5 million through the sale of 1 million newly issued shares to institutional investors for $6.50 each. The deal also included warrants to buy 100,000 shares at an exercise price of $8.50 each, expiring in December 2011. United American said the proceeds will be primarily be used for start-up costs associated with the its Tennessee subsidiary's new Medicare Advantage contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
VistaCare Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTA - News) said its fourth-quarter net loss widened to $10.9 million, or 66 cents a share, from $5.1 million, or 31 cents a share, in the same period last year. Excluding a non-cash valuation allowance of $8.3 million, per-share earnings were 16 cents.
Zoltek Cos. (NASDAQ:ZOLT - News) shares dropped after the St. Louis-based maker of carbon fibers late Thursday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $22.9 million, or 89 cents a share, compared with $11.1 million, or 61 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The latest quarter included $23.1 million of litigation charges. Revenue rose to $23.8 million from $14.9 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had forecast revenue of $31.3 million. The company expects fiscal first-quarter revenue of more than $30 million. Analysts are looking for revenue of $37.1 million. Zoltek also said it will delay the filing of its fiscal 2006 10-K in order to complete documentation and other arrangements related to the funding of an appeal bond for its litigation.
-MarketWatch

Labels: AAPL, AFFX, ASFI, AVY, BDK, BPUR, CAMD, CNLG, DRTE, ECA, ENZ, GNTA, ITW, OCPI, PENN, PLB, TEK, UAHC, VSTA, ZOLT