Jim Cramer Blog

A Deutsche Bank AG analysis of options trading activity in both Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) and Citigroup (NYSE:C) - among others - suggests that traders are pricing in significant dividend cuts across the board in the financial services industry. The Short Term PowerRating for GS is 5 and the Short Term PowerRating for C is 6.
Nvidia (NasdaqGS:NVDA), one of the biggest makers of computer graphics chips, was downgraded today from "neutral" to "sell" by FTN Midwest, citing growing inventories and competition. The Short Term PowerRating for NVDA is 5.
The death watch for Lehman Brothers (NYSE:LEH) continues, with Wachovia Corp and Credit Suisse downgrading the stock due to Lehman's larger than expected losses. The Short Term PowerRating for LEH is 6.
National City Corp (NYSE:NCC), the largest bank in Ohio, admitted to having a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland with regard to questions over asset quality, liquidity and risk management. The Short Term PowerRating for NCC is 8.
The less than optimistic forecast provided by Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN) during its mid-quarter outlook led traders to sell the stock on Tuesday. The Short Term PowerRating for TXN is 5.
Anticipated revenue growth from operations overseas led Deutsche Bank AG to upgrade Coca Cola (NYSE:KO) from "hold" to "buy." The Short Term PowerRating for KO is 4.

Labels: C, GS, Hot Stocks, KO, LEH, NCC, NVDA, TXN

Amback (ABK), Wachovia (WB), Countrywide Financial (CFC), MGIC (MTG), Washington Mutual (WM), Fannie Mae (FNM), Freddie Mac (FRE), Pepsico (PEP), Colgate (CL), Procter and Gamble (PG), Diageo (DEO)
Cramer said the Fed's liquidity strategy is going to make banks suffer more and noted the bad performance of ABK, WB, CFC, MTG, WM, FNM and FRE. He said favorite defensive stocks PEP, CL, PG and DEO were thriving. Cramer called on the Fed to vacate its Ivory Tower and find out what is really going on in the market.
Apple (AAPL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Google (GOOG), Research in Motion (RIMM), Intel (INTC), Nvidia (NVDA), Texas Instruments (TXN), Sigma Designs (SIGM), AT &T (T)
Cramer commented if the Fed had cut half a point, there would be more stocks to recommend, but with a quarter point interest rate reduction, it looks like slim pickings, except for tech. His perennial favorites in the sector: AAPL, HPQ, GOOG, RIMM, INTC, NVDA, TXN are in great shape, Cramer said.
In addition, Cramer singled out Sigma Designs as a play on the decline of cable companies and as comparable services are provided by telephone companies. AT &T announced it is spending $5 billion on its U-verse TV service, and Sigma, which designs the chips for service, will benefit. Analysts raised their price targets after Sigma reported a fantastic quarter, and the company has a high quality problem of not making enough chips to meet demand. Cramer suggests letting SIGM come down a bit before buying.
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: AAPL, ABK, CFC, CL, DEO, FNM, FRE, GOOG, HPQ, INTC, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, MTG, NVDA, PEP, PG, RIMM, TXN, WB, WM

Here are 7 trading ideas for today. This list comes directly from the TradingMarkets Stock Indicators page and is based upon our latest quantitative research.
Bullish
5+ Consecutive Down Days: These are stocks that have closed down for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that close down for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Intuit (NasdaqGS:INTU - News). INTU's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7.
2-Period RSI Below 2: These are stocks that have a 2-period RSI reading below 2 and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
National Instruments (NasdaqGS:NATI - News). NATI's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7.
Stocks Down 10% or More: These are stocks that have lost 10% or more over the past five days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that have lost 10% or more over the past five days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Cummins (NYSE:CMI - News) & NVIDIA (NasdaqGS:NVDA - News). CMI's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7, and NVDA's PowerRating (for Traders) is 8.
Bearish
5+ Consecutive Up Days: These are stocks that have closed up for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that close up for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
DuPont (NYSE:DD - News). DD's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
5+ Consecutive Higher Highs: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH - News). CAH's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Stocks Up 10% or More: These are stocks that have gained 10% or more over the past five days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that have gained 10% or more over the past five days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Biovail (NYSE:BVF - News). BVF's PowerRating (for Traders) is 2.
Published By TradingMarkets.com

Labels: BVF, CAH, CMI, DD, Hot Stocks, INTU, NATI, NVDA

Bullish:
Nvidia (NVDA): Semiconductor play of choice.
Dynegy (DYN): Cramer thinks a buy below $9.
SunPower (SPWR)
First Solar (FSLR).
Taser (TASR): "Ring the register."
Bearish:
Sears Holdings (SHLD): Needs housing to do better
DSW (DSW): Can't get behind
Metabolix (MBLX): First Solar or Sun Power instead
Vasco Data Security (VDSI)

Labels: DSW, DYN, FSLR, Jim Cramer, Mad Money Lightning Round, MBLX, NVDA, SHLD, SPWR, TASR, VDSI

Bullish:
Cisco (CSCO): if you want to be in tech.
J.C. Penney (JCP): He thinks that this stock is undervalued and is a buy at this price.
Integrated oil companies like ConocoPhillips (COP), Chevron (CVX), and Exxon Mobil (XOM) are better plays.
American Eagle (AEO), Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) or Aeropostale (ARO), in that order.
Kellogg (K): Cramer is bullish on Kellogg, as well as General Mills (GIS) and ConAgra (CAG).
Cramer is sticking with Baidu.com (BIDU) as the best China play.
Cramer likes NVIDIA (NVDA), Texas Instruments (TXN), and Intel (INTC)

Bearish:
Xerox (XRX)
American Capital Strategies (ACAS): Cramer's undecided on the stock, so he's avoiding it.
Tesoro (TSO): Cramer thinks gas prices aren't high enough to be in a refiner,
Luxottica (LUX): "Don’t buy!"
Hot Topic (HOTT)
Aluminum Corp. of China (ACH)
American Superconductor (AMSC)

Labels: ACAS, AEO, ANF, ARO, BIDU, CAG, COP, CSCO, CVX, GIS, INTC, JCP, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money Lightning Round, NVDA, TXN, XOM, XRX

Labels: ACAD, CHL, CROX, GS, Jim Cramer, LULU, Mad Money, MCD, NSTK, NVDA, PCAR, SBUX, UA, WB, XING, YUM

Bullish Calls:
Yamana Gold (AUY): 'If you need a gold company, we're going to go with AUY.' Luxottica Group (LUX): 'Oakley shades.They're still talking about it.That means Oakley's still cool.T. Payne likes Oakley.I say two thumbs up, LUX.' Oakley (OO) Sam Adams (SAM) Molson Coors Brewing (TAP): 'I've got to tell you, TAP, at $89 bucks.' Nvidia (NVDA): 'That's what I want you in. NVDA is now best of breed. That's the play.' Wynn Resorts (WYNN): 'I recommended WYNN and the next day...Bear Stearns downgraded it, and you know what?... the stock went up. Cramer 1. Bear 0. And it's still up.' Service Corporation International (SCI):' this is a funeralcompany...this was the hottest, greatest company ever. It had some major financial problems, and it has come back. It's a buy on its own.' Bank of America (BAC)
Bearish calls:
Harmony Gold Mining (HMY): 'Whether it be the Harmony Club in New York City, or the HMY, I'm saying no way... Sell, sell, sell' Anheuser-Busch (BUD): 'BUD is the laggard. I don't want you to own BUD.' Silicon Motion Technology (SIMO) Melco PBL Entertainment (MPEL): 'MPEL is not for me, because of the big overruns. '
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Labels: AUY, BAC, BUD, HMY, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LUX, Mad Money, MPEL, NVDA, OO, SAM, SCI, SIMO, TAP, WYNN

Here are 7 trading ideas for today. These lists come directly from the TradingMarkets Stock Indicators page and are based upon our latest quantitative research.
Bullish
Gaps Down 5% or More: These are stocks that gap down by 5% or more and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that gap down by more than 5% have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
NVIDIA Corporation (NasdaqGS:NVDA - News). NVDA's PowerRating is 5.
Laps Down 5% or More: These are stocks that lap down by 5% or more and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that lap down by more than 5% have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
U.S. Global Investments (NasdaqCM:GROW - News). GROW's PowerRating is 4.
5+ Consecutive Down Days: These are stocks that have closed down for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that close down for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Station Casinos (NYSE:STN - News). STN's PowerRating is 6.
5+ Consecutive Lower Lows: These are stocks that have made a lower low for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that make lower lows for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Celanese (NYSE:CE - News). CE's PowerRating is 6.
2-Period RSI Below 2: These are stocks that have a 2-period RSI reading below 2 and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
AZZ Incorporated (NYSE:AZZ - News). AZZ's PowerRating is 9.
Bearish
5+ Consecutive Up Days: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Carnival (NYSE:CCL - News). CCL's PowerRating is 3.
Stocks Up 10% or More: These are stocks that have gained 10% or more over the past five days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that have gained 10% or more over the past five days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Cnet Networks (NasdaqGS:CNET - News). CNET's PowerRating is 3.
PowerRatings (for Traders) are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: AZZ, CCL, CE, CNET, GROW, Hot Stocks, NVDA, STN

Labels: NVDA, NVIDIA Corporation

Nvidia (NasdaqGS: NVDA - News): 'They make the fastest gaming chips. They make the best ones. You buy some and then, if it comes in, you buy some more ... It's a growth stock in the right quarter, at the right time of the year ... NVDA is two thumbs up.'Dynegy (NYSE: DYN - News): 'I like DYN as an asset play, and if the earnings don't hit the number, because of some natural gas realization, come on ('mon-back sound)... step up to the plate...'China Telecom (NYSE: CHA - News)Baidu.com (NasdaqGS: BIDU - News)Nymex (NYSE: NMX - News): 'I believe someone will buy, but I would not recommend a stock just on its takeover ability alone... I would emphasize that, on its earnings - and the earnings here are unbelievable.'Teck Cominco (NYSE: TCK - News): 'People worry that China doesn't have enough demand... that maybe our economy is so slow that it's going to bring down the rest of the world. That's not true. TCK is still a buy. I like it very much.'Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News): 'I want to buy the defense stocks here. I think it's a terrific opportunity. Don't take your cue from the stocks. Take your cue from the companies, and LMT is doing incredibly well!'General Dynamics (NYSE: GD - News)Raytheon (NYSE: RTN - News)Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC - News)Ralcorp Holdings (NYSE: RAH - News): 'I've liked RAH before on the show. I like it now.'ENGlobal (AMEX: ENG - News): 'This is a company that does everything you need to do to produce refining petroleum. It's right. You're right. I'm staying with it. 'Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA - News): 'I just don't think they're as bad as the bears think.'Allergan (NYSE: AGN - News): ' ... for anything eye... I'm going to send you that way.'
Bearish calls:
Spectranetics (NasdaqGM: SPNC - News): ' ... don't know whether I want to buy it all the way up here... don't buy, don't buy... there are so many that are still down, but it's a good quality company.'Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX - News)Perfect World (PWRD): 'I am just going to say forget about it... it's too darn hard.'RealNetworks (NasdaqGS: RNWK - News): 'Even thought the guys that run those companies throw really great cocktail parties, and probably wish that I was there, no thank you! (buzzer sounds)... 'Lowe's Companies (NYSE: LOW - News): 'You know, I can't recommend this sector right now - don't buy, don't buy - even though I know they have really easy comparisons. I can't go there. That sector's being too hurt. No to retail.'Advanced Medical Optics (NYSE: EYE - News)Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News): 'I think there's $3 up, $3 down... which means to me - don't buy, don't buy - not worth playing... '
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Labels: AGN, BIDU, CHA, DYN, ENG, GD, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LMT, NMX, NOC, NVDA, RAH, RTN, TCK, TMA

Nvidia (NasdaqGS: NVDA - News): 'They make the fastest gaming chips. They make the best ones. You buy some and then, if it comes in, you buy some more ... It's a growth stock in the right quarter, at the right time of the year ... NVDA is two thumbs up.'Dynegy (NYSE: DYN - News): 'I like DYN as an asset play, and if the earnings don't hit the number, because of some natural gas realization, come on ('mon-back sound)... step up to the plate...'China Telecom (NYSE: CHA - News)Baidu.com (NasdaqGS: BIDU - News)Nymex (NYSE: NMX - News): 'I believe someone will buy, but I would not recommend a stock just on its takeover ability alone... I would emphasize that, on its earnings - and the earnings here are unbelievable.'Teck Cominco (NYSE: TCK - News): 'People worry that China doesn't have enough demand... that maybe our economy is so slow that it's going to bring down the rest of the world. That's not true. TCK is still a buy. I like it very much.'Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News): 'I want to buy the defense stocks here. I think it's a terrific opportunity. Don't take your cue from the stocks. Take your cue from the companies, and LMT is doing incredibly well!'General Dynamics (NYSE: GD - News)Raytheon (NYSE: RTN - News)Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC - News)Ralcorp Holdings (NYSE: RAH - News): 'I've liked RAH before on the show. I like it now.'ENGlobal (AMEX: ENG - News): 'This is a company that does everything you need to do to produce refining petroleum. It's right. You're right. I'm staying with it. 'Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA - News): 'I just don't think they're as bad as the bears think.'Allergan (NYSE: AGN - News): ' ... for anything eye... I'm going to send you that way.'
Bearish calls:
Spectranetics (NasdaqGM: SPNC - News): ' ... don't know whether I want to buy it all the way up here... don't buy, don't buy... there are so many that are still down, but it's a good quality company.'Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX - News)Perfect World (PWRD): 'I am just going to say forget about it... it's too darn hard.'RealNetworks (NasdaqGS: RNWK - News): 'Even thought the guys that run those companies throw really great cocktail parties, and probably wish that I was there, no thank you! (buzzer sounds)... 'Lowe's Companies (NYSE: LOW - News): 'You know, I can't recommend this sector right now - don't buy, don't buy - even though I know they have really easy comparisons. I can't go there. That sector's being too hurt. No to retail.'Advanced Medical Optics (NYSE: EYE - News)Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News): 'I think there's $3 up, $3 down... which means to me - don't buy, don't buy - not worth playing... '
Published by SeekingAlpha

Labels: AGN, BIDU, CHA, DYN, ENG, GD, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LMT, NMX, NOC, NVDA, RAH, RTN, TCK, TMA

Greed is Bad: Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT - News), Google (NasdaqGS: GOOG - News), Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN - News), NVidia (NasdaqGS: NVDA - News), Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD - News), Corning (NYSE: GLW - News), Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - News), Bunge (NYSE: BG - News), Celgene (NasdaqGS: CELG - News), Cummins (NYSE: CMI - News),Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT - News), Chevron (NYSE: CVX - News) and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM - News), Countrywide Financial (NYSE: CFC - News), Amazon (NasdaqGS: AMZN - News), Boeing (NYSE: BA - News), Colgate (NYSE: CL - News), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP - News),
Cramer's said his Game Plan is a bit different this week; he is listing stocks reporting next week, but wants viewers to buy only one (Corning) before its report. While he is bullish in general and still believes the Dow will hit 14,500 by the end of the year, he admits things have been a bit precarious with the disappointing Google and CAT quarters, and suggests taking some profits to avoid being dangerously greedy. Cramer calls Google a "show me" company which has to prove that it can monetize its new hires, or face a decline. While he had faith in CAT for its international exposure, the culprit was "housing, which is so horrible that it brings down anything it touches." However, he thinks the stock will regain its momentum and eventually reach $120. Cramer discussed next week's earnings reports:
Monday: Cramer would buy TXN, his favorite semiconductor, if there is a decline after the report. He suggests selling some NVDA, which is up 6 points, and would buy some back if it gets knocked down by AMD's analyst meeting.
Tuesday: CFC is "the biggest and best view" of how housing really is .... "its really bad," and remarked that the Fed will only notice when a bank, broker or major homebuilder goes under. "Hobbled horseman" Amazon will be viewed negatively no matter what it says, so Cramer would buy on a decline.
Wednesday: BA's consistency during the selloff was impressive, said Cramer who predicts the stock is going to 120. He added if it drops to below $100 before its report, he might buy. While CL is a "classic weak dollar" play, it is a bit high. While COP may face a downgrade, Cramer would buy it on a decline because he predicts it will reach $120. Cramer called GLW "the gold star" and said it is the only stock he would buy ahead of its quarter next week, because doesn't think the company would raise its dividend and buy back stock right before a major disappointment. Cramer would sell some Apple since "hogs get slaughtered."
Thursday: Since Bunge rose after last quarter's decline, Cramer predicts a repeat performance and would buy Bunge when it drops. Cramer likes Celgene long-term and recommends picking some up when it declines. Although he thinks Cummins is not finished with its run, he would take some profits, especially after CAT's upset. No one will like Level 3 Communciation's quarter, said Cramer, and he would buy this stock which is a great play on internet video.
Friday: "Wake up and smell the gasoline!" said Cramer, remarking it is greedy to stay in CVX and XOM without selling a little.
French Foreign Legion of Oil Companies: Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT - News)
Cramer continued his series on European stocks with Total, a massive integrated oil with strong production and refining assets in 27 countries. He thinks TOT is as good as Exxon, better than Chevron, and is cheaper than other major oil companies. He also thinks TOT is better and cheaper than European oils BP and Shell. TOT has a 13% stake in Sanofi Aventis, the French drug company, and Cramer hopes TOT will sell some and use the cash for "oil-related activity."
On Speculation: Tessera Technologies Inc. (NasdaqGS: TSRA - News)Cramers speculative pick for Friday is TSRA, which specializes in miniature technologies, which is a hot area since 80% of the Dram memory industry uses TSRA's technology. TSRA licenses its technology, so it has no inventory to move, and since Microsoft's Vista will be memory-intensive, there will be more demand for TSRA's technology. While the company is involved in a lot of lawsuits, TSRA is winning the cases and protecting its intellectual property. Finally, the 20x multiple is cheap considering its 31% growth rate.
CEO Interview: CEO T.J. Rodgers Cypress Semiconductor (NYSE: CY - News) and SunPower (NasdaqGM: SPWR - News)
Cramer congratulated Rodgers on a "magnificent quarter" and added that CY would be undervalued at $800 million if it spun off its power systems and services company, SunPower. Rodgers responded that while investors sometimes give him "heat" about holding on to SPWR, "the overall value of the company is reasonable." Cramer called Rodgers a visionary and a moneymaker.
Published by SeekinAlpha

Labels: AAPL, AMD, AMZN, BA, BG, CAT, CELG, CFC, CL, COP, CVX, GLW, GOOG, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, NVDA, TSRA, TXN, XOM

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Friday from TradingMarkets.com:
Jabil Circuit (NYSE:JBL) beat earnings expectations on Thursday afternoon, announcing $0.23 EPS over an expected $0.20 EPS. JBL's PowerRating is 3.
Cognos (NasdaqGS:COGN) matched earnings expectations on Thursday with $0.32 EPS. COGN's PowerRating is 4.
General Electric (NYSE:GE) and Pearson (NYSE:PSO) each issued a separate statement, announcing intentions to drop their respective bids for Dow Jones (NYSE:DJ). GE's PowerRating is 5, PSO does not have a PowerRating due to volume constraints and DJ's PowerRating is 4.
Nvidia (NasdaqGS:NVDA) announced on Wednesday a new type of chip named "Tesla," designed for computation-intensive fields such as engineering and medicine. NVDA's PowerRating is 2.
H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) announced on Thursday that the company recorded a net loss of $85.6 billion last quarter, or 26 cents a share. Subprime mortgage worries continue to affect all areas of the financial services market. HRB's PowerRating is 5.
PowerRatings (for Traders) are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: COGN, DJ, GE, Hot Stocks, HRB, JBL, NVDA, PSO

tame inflation report had investors once again hopeful that the Federal Reserve will consider rate cuts later this year. After the sharpest sell-off in weeks yesterday, stocks rebounded strongly to close out the week, recouping much of the ground lost the day before. Crude oil prices moved higher, while the 10-year Treasury note lost ground.
The Labor Department's core producer price index was flat in April compared with the previous month, which suggests moderating inflation. Core PPI excludes food and energy. Including those items, wholesale prices were up 0.7%. Separately, the Commerce Department said retail sales declined -0.2% in April, which was not expected. Wall Street expected a gain of 0.4%. March sales were up 1.0%.
Chicago Mercantile Holdings (NYSE: CME - News) increased its offer for cross-town rival CBOT Holdings (NYSE: BOT - News) by $1 billion. The CME is hoping to avoid a bidding war with upstart IntercontinentalExchange Holdings (NYSE: ICE - News). CBOT's board said the CME's $9.2 billion offer was superior to the estimated $10.1 billion from Atlanta-based ICE.
Paul McCartney was quoted in music industry trade publication Billboard as saying a digital downloading deal for the Beatles' catalog on iTunes was imminent. No specifics were offered, but shares of Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) were 1.3% higher today.
In earnings news, Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU - News) reported a -35% decline in Q1 profit, but the shares traded 4.4% higher today on the company's upbeat forecast. The company said revenue is expected to rise 10% sequentially in Q2 on strong order flow. Graphic chipmaker Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA - News) added 7.1% today after reporting a 44% jump in Q1 profit. Revenue increased 24%. The company's chips are used in such gear as video game consoles and televisions. Shares of Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN - News) shed -1.8% after an FDA advisory panel suggested the company's anti-anemia drugs should carry additional warnings on their use. Four investment banks quickly downgraded the biotechnology company's stock. Citigroup and Lazard Capital recommend selling Amgen's shares; HSBC Securities and JP Morgan cut their ratings to "hold."

Labels: AAPL, ALU, AMGN, BOT, CME, ICE, NVDA

Bullish calls:
Chemed (NYSE: CHE - News): 'I prefer CHE, when I want to do hospice.'Brush Engineered (NYSE: BW - News): 'We caught a double in this one. You know I like high-performance materials.'Allegheney Technologies (NYSE: ATI - News): 'I also reiterate right here, ATI, $107. Going higher.'FactSet Research (NYSE: FDS - News): 'Fabulous, fabulous quarter. This company seems to be doing everything Cheesecake Factory (NasdaqGS: CAKE)Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG - News)TD Ameritrade (NasdaqGS: AMTD): 'I didn't know that stock was below $15... You know, that's attractive here. Wow. Below $15? ... That's too cheap.'Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q - News):'I think this company is just part of a major ramp. You know that I think Dick Notebart is the best of an industry ... I'd like to buy even more.'Gmarket (NasdaqGM: GMKT): 'Look, I think the worst is over ... I just did a terrible job with it. I said take a little profit on it. I should have said take it all ... But down here, no. I would never back away from it down here, but if it gets back to $20, sell, sell, sell! All right?'eBay (NasdaqGS: EBAY)Marvell Technology (NasdaqGS: MRVL): 'They still can't get their financials out because of this darn options probe ... I don't want to sell it at $16. There's too much upside, because I just believe it's a coiled spring. I think it could go back to the $30s when they get it right ... I'm really mad at them. Memo to Marvell Tech: You guys should be ashamed!'Kinder Morgan Energy (NYSE: KMP - News): 'You are so in the house of pleasure, with a 6% dividend, with monster-good management, with a shareholder-friendly outfit... with a stock that just kind of perks along, that is the kind of thing I want you to stay with.'
Neutral calls:
Brocade (NasdaqGS: BRCD): 'I 'm waiting for the news out of the meeting, because I think that BRCD is suffering from the same incredible, unbelievable bear market that tech is in right now ... I still thought BRCD could be a good trade. Let me get more intel about how that meeting's going before I slam it here, because I like the stock.'
Bearish calls:
Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM - News): 'I am concerned about YUM ... it didn't go down enough after the Taco Bell incident... I think that you should get out of YUM.'Stride Rite (NYSE: SRR - News): 'The quarter wasn't that good ... they've got to show some growth in the core, regular Stride Rite shoes, and they didn't do it. I think that stock is not going up here. Sell, sell, sell.'Nvidia (NasdaqGS: NVDA): 'I am not a fan of graphic chips. It's too expensive. I fear that almost every single semiconductor company that I recommend on this show goes bad. I'm saying take profits on NVDA.'

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Electro Scientific Industries Inc. (NASDAQ:ESIO - News) shares fell 6.5% Friday after the company reported second-quarter net earnings of $3.79 million, or 13 cents a share, compared with $3.19 million, or 11 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Portland, Ore.-based provider of manufacturing systems to the electronics market posted revenue of $59.3 million vs. $48.6 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had forecast second-quarter earnings of 16 cents a share on revenue of $59 million. Additionally, the company said it expects third-quarter shipments and revenue of $55 million to $65 million, and a gross margin increase of 2 to 3 percentage points from the second quarter.
Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN - News) shares tumbled 16% after the company reported net income of $34 million, or 42 cents a share, for the second quarter ended Nov. 30, up from $30.6 million, or 37 cents, earned during the same period during fiscal 2006. The Atlanta-based provider of electronic transaction processing services generated quarterly revenue of $260.7 million, up 19% from the prior year's $219.7 million. Adjusted to exclude one-time items, the company said earnings were 44 cents a share in the latest quarter, up from 38 cents a year earlier. Analysts, were looking for earnings of 44 cents a share on revenue of $260 million, according to the average estimate compiled by Thomson First Call. In addition, Global Paymemts affirmed its full-year forecast calling for a profit of $1.79 to $1.85 a share, excluding the impact of stock-option expenses. The company also revised its projected revenue range for the year to $1.057 billion to $1.069 billion. The First Call-derived average forecasts for fiscal 2007 stand at $1.87 a share and $1.069 billion, respectively.
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF - News) shares plunged 24% after the company forecast fourth-quarter 2006 sales of $482.7 million to $484.7 million, and said it still sees earnings in the range of 52 cents to 55 cents a share, excluding expenses associated with its realignment. For full-year 2007, the company reaffirmed its earnings forecast of $2.40 to $2.47 a share, excluding items. For the first-quarter of 2007, the Los Angeles-based herbal supplement maker forecast earnings of 50 cents to 55 cents a share on sales growth of 6% to 10%.
Lenox Group (NYSE:LNX - News) shares tumbled 37% after the company said Susan Engel, its chairwoman and chief executive, has resigned, effective immediately. In a statement, Engel said she and the board of directors agreed that "this is an appropriate time for the company to bring in an individual with substantial operational expertise and skills that will complement the strengths of the existing management team." Stewart Kasen, lead director of the Lenox board, will assume the role of chairman, while Marc Pfefferle, a partner at Carl Marks Advisory Group, LLC, becomes interim chief executive. Engel said the company's 2006 results will fall short of its expectations, impacted by slower than expected sales and lower than expected margins as it focused on an effort to liquidate excess inventory. Lenox now expects that its 2006 loss from continuing operations, excluding items, will be between 20 cents and 30 cents a share.
Medifast Inc. (NYSE:MED - News) shares lost 6.4% after the company said Bradley MacDonald will transfer his responsibilities as chief executive to Michael McDevitt, the company's president and chief financial officer, on March 1. MacDonald will continue to serve as executive chairman of the Owings Mills, Md.-based weight-loss company. As part of a board-approved succession p