Jim Cramer Blog

Bullish Calls:

Under Armour (NYSE: UA - News): 'I know the stock is up a lot ... but you know what? I am sticking by it.'Crocs (NasdaqGS: CROX - News)Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN - News): 'I'd rather see you in Texas.'Analog Devices (NYSE: ADI - News)Intel (NasdaqGS: INTC - News): ' ... and more important, I would rather see you in Intel.'Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED - News)Deere (NYSE: DE - News)Agrium (NYSE: AGU - News)Monsanto (NYSE: MON - News)Seaspan (NYSE: SSW - News)Eagle Bulk Shipping (NasdaqGS: EGLE - News)General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News)Integrys Energy (NYSE: TEG - News): 'High-quality electricity and natural gas distributor with a 5% yield ... That one I particularly like.'NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX - News): 'The estimates are too low. The volume's been great. ... That's why I like the New York Stock Exhange.'Air Products & Chemical (NYSE: APD - News)
Bearish calls:
Atmel (NasdaqGS: ATML - News)Hansen Natural (NasdaqGS: HANS - News): 'I have to give it a Don'tBuy, because I can't figure out why it was up today.'Terra Nitrogen (NYSE: TNH - News): 'I'd rather see you in Deere or Agrium or don't forget Monsanto. Those are better.'American Electric (NYSE: AEP - News): 'I think it's a well-run company, but I've got ConEd.'Akamai (NasdaqGS: AKAM - News)GrafTech (NYSE: GTI - News): ' ... At $14, it's too high for me. I'm going to tell you not to buy it.'

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Labels: ADI, AGU, APD, CROX, DE, ED, EGLE, GMR, GTI, INTC, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MON, NYX, SSW, TEG, TXN, UA

Bullish calls:
Total System (NYSE: TSS - News): 'I think Total System is worth much more than $27.'Crocs (NasdaqGS: CROX - News): 'will always keep some Crocs on hand ... I like the stock. It's had a nice pullback. It's having a nice quarter. ... I want to reiterate that Crocs is still in the growth phase. I'm not abandoning the story.'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK - News): 'That's the one you want to be in.'Eagle Bulk Shipping (NasdaqGS: EGLE - News)General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): ' ... you know I like Gen-Mar.'Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - News): 'I think Apple's come back enough. I like it. It's one of my four horsemen. I know it's been crushed.'Terex (NYSE: TEX - News): 'Terex is an inexpensive company that over the next few months is going to go up big.'BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: BMRN - News): 'That company is smoking. All the tests are good.'International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT - News): 'The way to play the big casinos. ... Great buybacks ... smart management. ... I think I'm gonna be right. I'm buying IGT. I'm sticking with IGT.'
Bearish calls:
QLogic (NasdaqGS: QLGC - News): 'They missed the quarter. We have so many tech stocks we like that are reporting great numbers. We do not need to go down the QLogic path.'Cepheid (NasdaqGM: CPHD - News): 'I still think the stock is too high. I want to ring the register.'Acadia Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGM: ACAD - News)Knight Transportation (NYSE: KNX - News)WMS Industries (NYSE: WMS - News): 'I don't want you in that. It's not best of breed.'
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Labels: AAPL, ACAD, BMRN, CPHD, CROX, EGLE, GMR, IGT, Jim Cramer, KNX, Lightning Round, NSTK, QLGC, TEX, TSS, WMS

Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC): 'I like APC. They loaded the boat up with properties. They still have to pay down some things.'XTO Energy (NYSE: XTO): 'I think APC is good, but I think that XTO rocks the boat, and will beat APC - in the long term race - to $100.'URS (NYSE: URS): 'They finally did something. They bought Washington Group. They got it cheaply, and the stock is, at last, on the move ... Buy, buy, buy! ... Washington is historically not a great operator. But at least there is a pulse at URS.'Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT): 'LVLT is going to sink or swim on the fundies. I think the fundies are good. I want to back up the truck in the mid $5s... 'Olin (NYSE: OLN): ' OLN did not buy Pioneer, they stole Pioneer! ... OLN's on the move... They suddenly have religion. Buy, buy, buy!'Carmike Cinemas (CKE): 'This is the one to play. I would sell the others and buy that one, and that's new information from me.'General Maritime (NYSE: GMR): 'Peter Georgiopolous, CEO and founder of GMR is the guy we back... He spent a lot of money buying back stock. He's got the safest yield. That's who we're going with.'Edison International (NYSE: EIX): 'EIX is one of the great... The utilities had an unbelievable bull market, but that's just one of the effects of the utilities... they're reorganized, they're terrific.'Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED)Dominion (NYSE: D)Cisco (NasdaqGS: CSCO): 'This is a stock that is growing at 15% that has a 20x multiple ... It just didn't say the right things on the conference call ... Let's buy some CSCO here.'Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM): 'The only stock I'm recommending over there [Japanese Market] is Toyota Motor, and even that's stalledthat's stalled. Although I do like that, and I own it for my charitable trust, and I continue to buy that stock.'Vodafone (NYSE: VOD): 'I'm going to send you to Vodafone after that beautiful quarter. VOD's got growth.'Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ): 'You know I'm a backer of WMT down here... Good article about China and WMT in The Wall Street Journal.'
Bearish calls:
Stratasys (NasdaqGS: SSYS): 'Computer-aided design and automation for semiconductors. No thank you. I want you to take your money and run there. Sell, sell, sell!'Ultra Clean Holdings (NasdaqGS: UCTT): 'No ... if the semiconductor capital equipment business is in bear market mode, I don't want to touch it.'DivX (NasdaqGM: DIVX): 'We are not going back to DIVX. Sell, sell, sell! 'American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO): 'AEO is too hard for me, my friend ... I am strictly going to put it in the 'don't buy' category.'Cinemark (NYSE: CNK - News)Regal Entertainment (NYSE: RGC)Nippon Telegraph & Telephone (NYSE: NTT): 'I don't like the Japanese market at all... NTT does not have growth.'

Labels: AEO, CNK, CSCO, DIVX, ED, EIX, GMR, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LVLT, Mad Money, OLN, RGC, SSYS, TM, UCTT, URS, VOD, WMT, XTO

Bullish:
NovaStar Financial (NYSE: NFI): ' I never do this on the show, but this stock is a call option. ... It could either double or go to zero. ... I am unbelievably blessing this stock. 6 down, 6 up, you make the call.'Marriott International (NYSE: MAR): 'People did not like the quarter with Marriott. ... I think that's a mistake. I think this is the level you want to pull the trigger at. Marriott is way too cheap. ... Let's get some Marriott right down here.'Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q): ' ... is resting after a tremendous run ... 50 cents down, 2 bucks up, that is my kind of risk/reward. BuyBuyBuy.'General Maritime (NYSE: GMR): 'That's our favorite. ... 6% yield ... [CEO] Peter Georgiopoulos, who is our favorite guy in the industry. ... I want you in General Maritime.'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK): 'It tells me that this stock could be at 15 in a month or two ... I want you in Nastech. ... BuyBuyBuy. That's 12 buys on Nastech.'Monsanto (NYSE: MON)Deere (NYSE: DE)
Bearish calls:
Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG): 'I cannot in good conscience tell you to buy Harley-Davidson. It is too risky. ... I am going to give it a Don'tBuy.'DryShips (NasdaqGS: DRYS): 'We're not into DryShips.'Mosaic (NYSE: MOS): 'The stock had a major ramp today. ... At these prices, I'm not going to get behind Mosaic.'

Labels: DE, DRYS, GMR, HOG, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MAR, MON, MOS, NFI, NSTK, Q

Buy Back Stock, Get Taken Over: Cigna (NYSE: CI), Sonic (NasdaqGS: SONC), United Stationers (NasdaqGS: USTR)
Cramer observed an interesting fact about takeovers; out of 14 companies which bought back a minimum of 17% of their stock last year, four were taken over. Although four out of 14 may not be an impressive figure at first glance, Cramer comments finding a takeover is like winning the lottery. Companies who buy back stock agressively are keen to increase their own value; "Any company buying back 17% or more of its shares doesn't need to be public." Cramer devoted the program to discussing potential takeover targets with generous buybacks. He gave a passing mention to CI, which is repurchasing stock, although he has covered the company already, and SONC, which he did not discuss because he is concerned about consumer spending. His first featured stock was office products wholesaler USTR, which has a buyback level of 20% and is a "primo" takeover target. He adds the company has a "good margin expansion story" and is currently covered by only three analysts.
On the Brinks (NYSE: BCO)
Brinks bought back 21% of its stock in 2006, and Cramer comments companies like BCO don't "just shrink the float -- they devour it." One segment of the company produces armored cars and the other manufactures security alarms, and BCO could split itself in two or could be bought. Cramer notes BCO is paying off its debts as aggressively as it is buying back stock.

The Skinny on Weight Watchers (NYSE: WTW)
Cramer's favorite stock on Monday was WTW, not only because obesity is a hot issue, but because it has among the most "voracious" buybacks he has ever seen along with a generous cash flow. He adds WTW is a "tremendous" brand, has a good business model, strong licensing and online businesses, and a satisfying quarterly report. Cramer predicts if WTW doesn't get bought, it could take itself private; "takeover or no takeover, Weight Watchers is a buy," Cramer said.
CEO Interview: Peter Georgiopoulos, CEO and Chairman of General Maritime (NYSE: GMR), Chairman of Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE: GNK), and Chairman of Aegean Marine Petroleum (NYSE: ANW)
When Cramer asked why Peter Georgiopoulos wears so many hats, he replied that while it would be simpler to consolidate the three companies, shareholders prefer to be invested in a specific market; "we think we'll get a better valuation for a pure play." Georgiopoulos notes GMR is up 40% since December and has a fixed $2 dividend in the works. Cramer said Georgiopoulos " is the guy I'm sticking with."
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Labels: ANW, BCO, CI, GMR, GNK, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, SONC, USTR, WTW

Bullish Calls:
Cepheid (NasdaqGM: CPHD)General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): 'General Maritime is the one to swap into.'Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP - News): 'That's our best play.'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK): 'Nastech has so many ways to win, that just to be up a buck and half is not enough.'
Neutral calls:
Starbucks (NasdaqGS: SBUX): 'I'm concerned still. ... If it can maintain its 20% growth, it now only sells at 33-34 times next year's earnings. ... Not in the buy camp but certainly not in the sell camp anymore.'Dyax (NasdaqGM: DYAX): 'The stock just ran all the way up to 6. It's now coming back ... Let it come back to 5. Then you can pull the trigger.'
Bearish calls:
Tribune (NYSE: TRB - News): 'You want to sell that nine ways to Sunday.'Excel Maritime Carriers (NYSE: EXM - News): 'Whenever I hear about bulk carrier stocks ... I always send people to the one that is best run. General Maritime.'Meruelo Maddux Properties (NasdaqGM: MMPI): 'I don't trust it. ... We want income-producing properties.'Houston Wire & Cable (NasdaqGM: HWCC): 'At its 52-week high, not expensive. ... I am not a buyer of that company.'
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Labels: CPHD, DYAX, EXM, GMR, Jim Cramer, KMP, Lightning Round, Mad Money, NSTK, SBUX, TRB

1. General Maritime (GMR)
Yield: 12%. The provider of seaborne oil transportation services was just 6% off a 52-week high. Earnings grew 321% and 97% in the past two quarters. It recently entered into time agreements for three of its tankers. Composite Rating: 95*

2. Southern Copper (PCU)
Yield: 9.6%. The Arizona-based copper producer continued to head higher after a rebound from its 10-week moving average. Earnings and sales growth has accelerated for four straight quarters. The stock owns the best Fundamental Rating in the 60-member Metal Ores group. Composite Rating: 99

3. Seaspan (SSW)
Yield: 6.6%. The China-based firm owns containerships and deploys a fleet of vessels for time charters. Analysts expect full-year 2007 profit to grow 22% this year, the estimate was recently revised higher. Composite Rating: 93

4. Aluminum Corp. of China (ACH)
Yield: 5%. China’s biggest aluminum producer is pulling back to its 50-day moving average on light volume. Earnings and sales growth has turned higher in recent quarters. Composite Rating: 98

5. Valero GP Holdings (VEH)
Yield: 4.7%. The Texas based provider of oil transportation and storage services delivered a 200% surge in profit in its latest reported quarter. Last month, Citigroup upgraded the stock to buy from hold. Composite Rating: 95

6. Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI)
Yield: 3.9%. Earlier this month, the television broadcaster revised its 2007 retransmission revenue estimate after it reached an agreement with Comcast allowing the cable company to carry Sinclair’s stations. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Composite Rating: 96

7. Mechel OAO (MTL)
Yield: 3.8%. The Russian maker of steel products said it would acquire a majority stake in Southern Kuzbass Power Plant for $265.5 million. Full-year 2007 profit is expected to grow 24%, the estimate was recently revised higher. Composite Rating: 99

8. Partner Communications (PTNR)
Yield: 3.7%. The provider of wireless communications products continued to recover from a pullback to its 50-day line. Earnings growth has been in triple-digit territory for two quarters. Sales growth has been rising. Composite Rating: 99

9. Tupperware Brands (TUP)
Yield: 3.6%. Matrix Research upgraded the food container maker to buy from hold. Revenue growth has ranged from 30% to 46% in the past four quarters, up from the single-digit territory throughout 2004 and 2005. The stock was perched near a 52-week high. Composite Rating: 87

10. Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PHI)
Yield: 3.2%. Mutual fund ownership of the Filipino telecommunications services company has increased to 60 funds from 39 three quarters ago. It owns three-year earnings growth rate of 138%. Composite Rating: 98

*The IBD SmartSelect Composite Rating combines all five SmartSelect Ratings. Of the five, the Earnings Per Share Rating and Relative Price Strength Rating get the most weight; stocks’ percentage off their high price is also considered. Ratings are from 1-99, with 99 being the best.

Labels: ACH, Dividends, GMR, Hot Stocks, MTL, PCU, PHI, PTNR, SBGI, SSW, TUP, VEH

Bullish:
General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): 'GMR, my favorite tanker!'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK): 'I like this, because I feel like there's a lot of ways to win: There's autism, there's obesity, insulin... Meantime, nobody likes the stock. But it's got a lot of money.'Transocean (NYSE: RIG - News): 'We have been recommending RIG for the last 7 points.'CMGI (NasdaqGM: CMGI): 'I believe that this company - if it did a 10 for 1 reverse split, people would be all over it like a cheap suit. CMGI has real earnings. It's got a business-to-business model that works. Here's the problem: It's up 74%. We know we should let it cool off a little, and then we should pull the trigger.'J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP - News)Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB - News)Natco (NYSE: NTG - News): ' This company, NTG, is one of those companies that we've seen ... that could get a bid, and yet the earnings are really good. I like your call. I think NTG should be added into my closely-followed companies that I like in the drilling patch.'National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV - News)Movado (NYSE: MOV - News): 'This is a stock that I recommended on Friday's show at $30. It's now about $35. I'm beginning to think there's too much love being shown to MOV, but I do expect a dynamite quarter ... if I had not bought any yet, now I want to wait for a little pullback. 'Landec (NasdaqGS: LNDC): ' They just reported a good quarter... I still like LNDC.'Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: ADM - News)Monsanto (NYSE: MON - News):Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX - News): 'FCX remains best in show.'Southern Copper (NYSE: PCU - News): 'PCU is the real deal. I think copper is going to remain in short supply for the next couple of years.'Buffalo Wild Wings (NasdaqGS: BWLD): 'Sally Smith may be the single best CEO in the restaurant business, but does she get any respect? ... even at $64 - because that combination of beer and hot sauce is a total winner. I want you to stick with Sally. I want you to stick with BWLD.'
Bearish calls:
Pioneer Drilling (AMEX: PDC - News): 'Noooo! That's a land driller. We don't like the land drillers.'American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO - News): I do believe that you're taking a risk, but you're talking about a business in retail that is fickle... '
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Labels: AEO, FCX, GMR, JCP, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, MON, MOV, NTG, PCU, PDC, RIG, WMB

Freeport McMoran (NYSE: FCX - News):Cramer would buy FCX "hand over fist" and thinks an analyst estimate of $80 from $62 was too conservative, since its acquisition of Phelps Dodge was a "smart combination." Because of demand from China, Cramer predicts copper will rise dramatically. He also sees a "big upturn" for nickel and zinc.
Newcastle (NYSE: NCT - News) and Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC - News): On reports NCT is buying a $1.7 billion residential mortgage porfolio from an unmentioned seller, Cramer comments "these guys are being very shrewd" and says it is a sign not to give into the "torch your home" mentality in the wake of the subprime lending crisis. He would also take WFC at $25, and notes only 30% to 40% of loans are in trouble. "They are choosing not to listen to us and, because they're not listening to us, they are making money!" Cramer said.
General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): This stock is Cramer's lone pick in the shipbuilding sector and he believes CEO Peter Georgiopoulos is "going to deliver the numbers," and GMR is a company that "has its shareholders in mind."
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Labels: FCX, GMR, Jim Cramer, Jim Cramer's Stop Trading, NCT, WFC

Bullish calls:
RPM International (NYSE: RPM - News): 'Rustoleum! The stock got hit for $2 bucks. Down to 3% yield again. C'mon! Back up the truck for RPM, one of the great long-term performers and, by the way, a very conservative management.'Six Flags (NYSE: SIX - News): 'You should buy SIX in the spring, ahead of the summer season... We had that guy Mark Shapiro on... That guy just rocks.'General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): ' Remember, I have not been a fan of the tanker stocks, but the one guy I trust is Georgiopoulos. He's the CEO. He's actually the founder. It's his money man. We've got to go with him.'Halliburton (NYSE: HAL - News): 'You keep your HAL! The prince ... is now the king! ... has a 10% buyback ... HAL is awakening from its slumber. It is now marching upward. It has been my value stock of the year.'Staples (NasdaqGS: SPLS): 'Sport, I recommended this thing right here (at its current price) and it has not moved at all. And yet, it keeps delivering and delivering and delivering. I am not abandoning it. It's one of the best-run retailers out there.'Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ - News): 'I like HPQ. It's been stuck here, under $40. I want you to make the switch out of the DELL and into the HPQ.'Under Armour (NYSE: UA - News): 'That stock holds in like you won't believe! ... I think the breakdown in Reebok, which is now owned by Adidas, where it's now going to lose a lot of shelf space, is going to be UA's gain. I like UA so much, that I have to contain myself!'Charter Communications (NasdaqGM: CHTR): ' ... this is the level. Anybody who bought CHTR at $3.10, you must buy it here. This company is going to be able to refinance and refinance and refinance, because interest rates are so low. I am sticking by CHTR. 'Graco (NYSE: GGG - News): 'I didn't believe that the stock should be this low. He does have a lot of North America that's weak... I think that guy is great. I would take advantage of the fact that GGG is down. Take advantage of his honesty. I would pull the trigger.'
Neutral calls:
Cadbury Schweppes (NYSE: CSG - News): 'It yields 3.68% and it's all the way down to $41?... I've got to look at that .... Let's do a segment on CSG - I don't know whether it's going to be positive or negative - next week.'
Bearish calls:
Bausch & Lomb (NYSE: BOL - News): ' Here's the deal: I think that BOL - as long as it's run by Ron Zarella - is a nightmare. And he is in my hall of shame. Sell, sell, sell! He's ridiculous. He should step down. And, you know what Ron? It's not personal. It's just business.'American Home Mortgage (NYSE: AHM - News): 'That dividend is 18%, and I think some large dividends, unlike hips, do lie. I want to be careful of that ... that dividend is a distinct red flag. I'm nervous.'Dell (NasdaqGS: DELL): 'No. Sell, sell, sell! No, Michael Dell cannot work miracles. I like HPQ*. It's been stuck here, under $40. I want you to make the switch out of the DELL and into the HPQ.'Iconix Brand (NasdaqGM: ICON): 'This stock has so much momentum that it actually - and I don't mean this to be negative - this one scare's me, it's got so much momentum... I keep reading about it virtually everywhere ... I don't want to buy it, even though I know it's doing the right thing. Don't buy, don't buy.'Gmarket (NasdaqGM: GMKT): 'You know, GMKT's bad ... This has been a tough market. GMKT I was too bullish on it ... I hope it really goes up so we can really dump on it and get everybody out of it.'Melco PBL Entertainment (NasdaqGM: MPEL):Micron Technology (NYSE: MU - News): 'Not in our lifetime. Sell, sell, sell! Stay away my friend!'Pfizer (NYSE: PFE - News):Crown Media Holdings (NasdaqGM: CRWN): 'Your stock stinks! Sell, sell, sell!'

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Labels: AHM, BOL, CHTR, CRWN, CSG, DELL, GGG, GMR, HAL, HPQ, ICON, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MU, pfe, RPM, SIX, UA

Bullish calls:
Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU - News): 'If you want to be tar sands, oil sands, you're going to have to go with SU or ECA.'EnCana (NYSE: ECA - News)Verizon (NYSE: VZ - News): ' You've got VZ selling cheap... You've got T selling cheap.'AT&T (NYSE: T - News)Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ - News): 'I know a lot of people are saying, 'Jim, shouldn't you run tail; shouldn't you just admit that HPQ wasn't a good quarter?...' No! HPQ was a good quarter. The guidance was good. Mark Hurd has done a great job ... I am telling you to back up the truck HPQ - right here at $40. I see good quarters out for the next 8 quarters ... triple buy!'Vasco Data (NasdaqCM: VDSI): 'This is a data security company that looks so much more like every other one that has been taken over, and it has good earnings ... I would buy it, but not with reckless abandon, because it's at its 52-week high.'Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN - News): ' ... if you want ... a takeover, and possibility of big numbers in the out year ... move into DVN. DVN has got that giant Gulf of Mexico find, and the stock is only up 4 points from when it was announced. Pull the trigger on DVN.'Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI - News): 'How about that buyback? It's gigantic. The stock is up 10% from when I recommended it... ACI is not done going up!'Peabody (NYSE: BTU - News): 'I also like BTU.'General Maritime (NYSE: GMR - News): 'I have been telling people that, if you have to own a tanker stock - if you just insist on owning one - own GMR. GMR had a really beautiful quarter. They've returned unbelivable amounts of money to their shareholders. That is one of the great companies. Buy, buy, buy!'Prudential (NYSE: PRU - News): ' Stick with it. It goes to $100.'Toyota (NYSE: TM - News): 'TM will be the largest hirer and major company in this country over the next five years. There will be no backlash. I remain a buyer of TM.'Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX - News): 'People think the margins are bad ... The quarter is going to be good! The margins are good! The stock is cheap! I would buy, buy, buy DGX!'
Bearish calls:
Oilsands Quest (AMEX: BQI - News): 'No, c'mon!... If you want to be tar sands, oil sands, you're going to have to go with SU or ECA.'Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL - News): ' Way too dicey ... Just pull the trigger to exit.'Sprint (NYSE: S - News): 'Stay away from Sprint.'Petrohawk Energy (NasdaqGS: HAWK): 'It's been a punching bag, because of that natural gas exposure ... I would swap out of the HAWK, and move into DVN.'Frontline (NYSE: FRO - News): 'I say ix-nay on the FRO.'Tronox (NYSE: TRX - News): '... I don't like TiO2. It's too commoditized.'
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Labels: ACI, BQI, BTU, CEL, DGX, DVN, ECA, FRO, GMR, HPQ, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, PRU, S, SU, TM, TRX, VZ

Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. (NYSE:AEM - News) reported fourth-quarter earnings more than doubled to 35 cents a share from 13 cents in the year-earlier period. The Toronto gold producer's revenue nearly doubled to $138.4 million from $71.4 million.

Ambassadors International (NasdaqGM:AMIE - News) shares climbed after Carnival Corp. (NYSE:CUK - News) said it signed a definitive agreement to sell its Windstar Cruises brand to Ambassadors $100 million. Carnival said the purchase price includes $40 million cash and the assumption of liabilities, and Carnival will provide mortgage financing for the remaining $60 million. Windstar Cruises operates three vessels and is a unit of Carnival's Holland America Line subsidiary.
Analog Devices Inc. (NYSE:ADI - News) fiscal first-quarter profit rose 26% on 6% higher sales. It sold more microchips used in industrial equipment and consumer electronics.
Arrow Electronics (NYSE:ARW - News) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $128.1 million, or $1.04 a share, up from a year-ago profit of $74.4 million, or 60 cents a share. Excluding certain items, such as restructuring charges and a gain from a tax settlement, the Melville, N.Y., electronics components distributor said it earned $92.2 million, or 75 cents a share, in the latest quarter. Sales rose in the latest three months to $3.49 billion from $2.96 billion in the same period a year earlier. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Financial was for a profit of 73 cents a share in the December period. Looking ahead, Arrow sees earnings of 72 to 76 cents a share in the first quarter on sales ranging from $3.525 billion to $3.725 billion. Wall Street's current consensus estimate is for earnings of 74 cents a share in the March period.
Catalina Marketing Corp. (NYSE:POS - News) said it received an unsolicited proposal from ValueAct Capital Master Fund LP to acquire by merger all of the Catalina stock it doesn't already own, for $32 a share. Jeffrey Ubben, a Catalina director since May 2006, is principal owner of ValueAct, according to a statement. Catalina said it advised ValueAct that its proposal is under consideration by the company's board of directors.
Ensco International Inc.'s (NYSE:ESV - News) fourth-quarter net income rose to $210.4 million, or $1.39 a share, from $103.6 million, or 67 cents a share, a year ago. Earnings from continuing operations for the quarter were $1.36 a share, up from 65 cents a year ago. A Thomson Financial survey of analysts, on average, predicted earnings of $1.29 a share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates usually exclude items. The Dallas provider of contract drilling services said revenue for the quarter rose 51% to $470.6 million from $311.3 million last year. The company is "positive" about its 2007 outlook and expects first quarter results to be improved compared to the fourth quarter.
First Data Corp. (NYSE:FDC - News) said it would exit its official check and money-order operations over two to three years. The wind-down will free up $250 million to $300 million of cash for potential acquisitions, share repurchases and other purposes this year, FDC said.
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group Inc. (NYSE:FBR - News) reported a turn back to profit in the fourth quarter on Thursday, although the company today remained solidly in the red for the full year 2006. Friedman, Billings said it earned $3.8 million, or 2 cents a share, reversing a loss of $271.6 million, or $1.60 a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue came in at just under $176 million, vs. negative revenue of $114 million due to an investment loss in the same quarter of 2005. For the full year 2006, Friedman, Billings lost 39 cents a share, compared to a loss of $1.01 a share in 2005.
General Maritime Corp.'s (NYSE:GMR - News) fourth-quarter net income fell 79% on 56% lower revenue, hurt by lower spot charter rates and a smaller fleet.
HealthSpring Inc.'s (NYSE:HS - News) fourth-quarter net income more than tripled to 35 cents from 10 cents in the year-earlier period. The Nashville provider of prescription-drug plans posted revenue of $335.7 million, up from $246.1 million. The company still expects 2007 earnings of $1.55 and $1.65 a share on revenue of $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion.
Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. (NYSE:HRH - News) fourth-quarter earnings rose to 59 cents a share from 54 cents in the year-earlier period. Revenue at the Richmond, Va., insurance and risk management intermediary climbed to $175.5 million from $164 million. Lamar Advertising Co.'s board declared a special dividend of $3.25 a share, payable March 30 to shareholders of record March 22.
Industrial Distribution Group Inc. (NasdaqGM:IDGR - News), a maker and distributor of cutting tools and abrasives, said fourth-quarter net income rose 33% to $1.9 million, or 20 cents a share, from $1.5 million, or 15 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales climbed 1% to $131.6 million. Gross margins in the quarter came in at 23% compared to 22.4% in the year-ago period.
J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE:JCP - News) on Thursday said fourth-quarter net income slipped to $477 million, or $2.09 a share, from $551 million, or $2.34 a share, in the year-ago period. On a continuing operations basis, it earned $2 a share vs. $1.92 a year earlier. Total net sales rose to $6.66 billion from $6.2 billion, while sales at stores open at least one year rose 2.2%. Analysts, on average, expected it to earn $1.97 a share on revenue of $6.64 billion, according to Thomson Financial. For the first quarter, Plano, Texas-based J.C. Penney expects to earn 99 cents a share, for the year it is targeting profit at $5.44 a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect it to earn $1.05 a share for the first quarter and $5.42 for the year.
Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. (NasdaqGS:MCRI - News) shares rose after Standard & Poor's said it will add the company to the S&P SmallCap 600 index on a date to be announced, replacing Advo Inc. (NYSE:AD - News).
Moscow CableCom Corp.: (NasdaqGM:MOCC - News) Renova Media Enterprises Ltd. agreed to acquire the equity in Moscow CableCom that it does not already own for $12.90 a share and an equivalent price for Moscow CableCom's Series A convertible preferred stock.
National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM - News) was upgraded to overweight from equal-weight by Morgan Stanley. "Following three consecutive quarters with negative surprises, we believe that National Semiconductor's fundamentals will likely bottom in the current quarter. Although we expect the ensuing recovery in fundamentals to be slow and potentially choppy during the next couple of quarters, we expect the company's underlying earnings power to show solid signs of improvement during the next couple of years, and this trend should drive NSM higher," the broker said.
OfficeMax Inc. (NYSE:OMX - News)earned 76 cents a share in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of 62 cents in the year-earlier period. Excluding items, the office-supply retailer earned 48 cents a share compared with 7 cents. From continuing operations, OfficeMax earned 71 cents. Sales fell to $2.26 billion from $2.46 billion. Analysts, on average, expected it to earn 40 cents on revenue of $2.31 billion, according to Thomson Financial. In the retail segment, sales at stores open at least one year fell 0.4%.
PDL BioPharma Inc. (NasdaqGS:PDLI - News) reported that its fourth-quarter net loss widened to 78 cents a share from 31 cents in the year-earlier quarter. Excluding one-time items, the Fremont, Calif., biopharmaceutical company earned 5 cents a share. Revenue climbed to $107.8 million from $83.7 million. For 2007, PDL forecast earnings of 38 cents to 54 cents a share on revenue of $450 million to $500 million. Wall Street is currently forecasting 64 cents on revenue of $495.7 million.

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