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 Under Priced 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.
Sears Holdings Apr 190 Calls (NasdaqGS:SHLD - News). SHLD's PowerRating is 5.
Most Under Priced 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.
Whole Foods Market Inc. Apr 45 Puts (NasdaqGS:WFMI - News). WFMI's PowerRating is 5.
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.
Sandisk May 45 Calls (NasdaqGS:SNDK - News). SNDK's PowerRating is 4.
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.
Google Apr 410 Puts (NasdaqGS:GOOG - News). GOOG's PowerRating is 5.
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.
ISIS Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGM:ISIS - News). ISIS' 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.
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C - News). C's PowerRating is 5. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL - News). HAL's PowerRating is 5.
PowerRatings are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: C, GOOG, HAL, ISIS, SHLD, SNDK, stock options, WFMI

Alaska Communications (NasdaqGM:ALSK - News) was downgraded to underweight from equal weight at Lehman Bros.
Allied Capital Corp. (NYSE:ALD - News) agreed to sell its portfolio company, Palm Coast Data Holdco Inc., to Kable Media Services Inc., a unit of Amrep Corp. (NYSE:AXR - News). The value of the transaction was $92 million.
Blackbaud Inc. (NasdaqGS:BLKB - News) acquired privately owned sister companies Target Software Inc. and Target Analysis Group Inc. for $60 million, plus up to an additional $2.4 million under a 1-year earn-out arrangement. Blackbaud sees the acquisition cutting earnings per share, before items, in 2007 by 3 to 6 cents.
Cheesecake Factory Inc. (NasdaqGS:CAKE - News) said Peter D'Amelio, president and chief operating officer of the restaurant division, is leaving for personal reasons, effective Feb. 2. The company is searching for a replacement.
Cosi (NasdaqGM:COSI - News) was downgraded to buy from strong buy at Wedbush Morgan.
Fortunet Inc. (NasdaqGM:FNET - News) was initiated with a hold rating at W.R. Hambrecht & Co.
Fulton Financial (NasdaqGS:FULT - News) said fourth-quarter net income rose, as interest income gained, to $46.6 million, or 27 cents a share, from $40.9 million, or 25 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year. The Lancaster, Pa.-based financial holding company said quarterly net interest income rose to $121.7 million from $107.9 million in the prior year.
Genomic Health (NasdaqGM:GHDX - News) was downgraded to equal weight from overweight at Lehman Bros. on valuation concerns.
Health Care Property Investors Inc. (NYSE:HCP - News) priced a public offering of 6.77 million of its shares. The real estate investment focusing on healthcare facilities said it has granted underwriters a 10-day option to purchase an additional 1.02 million shares.
Indymac (NYSE:NDE - News) was downgraded to market perform from market outperform at JMP Securities.
Intel (NasdaqGS:INTC - News) said fourth-quarter profit dropped 39% as the world's largest chipmaker cut prices and boosted investment, attempting to beat back a challenge from smaller rival Advanced Micro Devices.
Isis Pharmaceuticals' (NasdaqGM:ISIS - News) shares slumped after the Carlsbad, Calif.-based company said late Tuesday it plans to raise roughly $125 million through an offering of convertible subordinated notes due 2027 in a private placement. Isis also plans to grant the initial purchasers a 30-day option to buy up to an additional $37.5 million of convertible notes. The company said it will use the proceeds of the offering repurchase, retire or repay its 5.5% convertible subordinated notes due 2009 and for general corporate purposes.
Linear Tech (NasdaqGS:LLTC - News) said second-quarter net earnings rose slightly to $105 million, or 34 cents a share, from $103.2 million, or 33 cents, last year, as sales were virtually flat. Excluding stock-based compensation, the company posted per-share earnings of 39 cents vs. 36 cents last year.
Polycom (NasdaqGS:PLCM - News) was downgraded to hold from buy at Wedbush Morgan.
Rackable Systems Inc. (NasdaqGS:RACK - News) said it expects fourth-quarter results to range from a net loss of $683,000, or 2 cents a share, to net earnings of $194,000, or 1 cent a share. The company said it is "disappointed" it did not meet its per-share earnings and gross margin goals, citing higher-than-expected DDR memory pricing and intense competition as reasons for the missed targets.
Ryanair Holdings (NasdaqGS:RYAAY - News) was downgraded to hold from buy at Citigroup Investment Research.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV - News) reported fourth-quarter net income fell 19% on 15% higher revenue. Earnings fell to $57 million, or 7 cents a share, from $70 million, or 9 cents, in the year-earlier period. Excluding special items, earnings were 12 cents against 10 cents. Revenue reached $2.28 billion from $1.99 billion. A survey of analysts by Thomson First Call produced a consensus estimate of 12 cents of profit on $2.28 billion of revenue. Southwest said it hopes in 2007 to exceed its target of 15% growth in earnings per share excluding special items. For the first quarter, Southwest said it's 100% hedged for jet-fuel prices at the equivalent of an average of $50 a barrel of crude. That's compared with the year-earlier period's level of 75% hedged at $36 a barrel.
Trustmark Corp. (NasdaqGS:TRMK - News) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $29.4 million, or 50 cents a share, up 6% from $27.7 million, or 50 cents a share, during the year-ago period. There were 59.1 million shares outstanding during the compared with 56 million a year ago.
UST Inc. (NYSE:UST - News) was downgraded to neutral from buy at UBS. The firm cited valuation.
Weyerhaeuser (NYSE:WY - News) was downgraded to neutral from buy at UBS. The firm cite weaker fundamentals.
World Acceptance Corp. (NasdaqGS:WRLD - News) was downgraded to hold from buy at Jefferies & Co., citing valuation. The firm also cut its price target on the stock to $49 from $53.

Labels: ALD, ALSK, AXR, BLKB, CAKE, COSI, FNET, FULT, GHDX, HCP, INTC, ISIS, LLTC, LUV, NDE, PLCM, RACK, RYAAY, TRMK

Drugmakers appear to be taking steps forward in their battle to save people from unhealthy levels of cholesterol. Isis Pharmaceuticals (ISIS) shares surged more than 26% Nov. 13 after the company announced positive results in two studies of its cholesterol drug "ISIS 301012."
The Carlsbad (Calif.)-based drug development company said Nov. 12 that ISIS 301012 lowers cholesterol levels in patients, both as a single agent and also when administered along with statins. (Statins are another kind of drug that inhibits cholesterol production in the body.) The company also found that it's okay to use ISIS 301012 in higher doses.
After the news, Isis' stock surged 26.1% to $13.09 per share in early Nasdaq trading Nov. 13.
One study looked for five weeks at patients who had high cholesterol on stable doses of statins. Patients who had 300 milligrams per week of ISIS 301012 in this study managed to lower their total cholesterol by 42% beyond the levels achieved with statins alone. The patients also achieved a 51% reduction in LDL-cholesterol --- the kind that can block arteries and cause heart disease. And patients had a 41% reduction in triglycerides, a type of fat in the bloodstream.

Labels: ISIS, ISIS 301012, Isis Pharmaceuticals