Jim Cramer Blog

Scale out of Apple AAPL Jim Cramer said on CNBC's "Stop Trading!" segment Monday.
Cramer told investors to sell as Apple CEO Steve Jobs discussed the next-generation iPhone at the Worldwide Developer Conference. The phone has faster data downloads and may outpace devices from Apple rivals Palm PALM and Research In Motion RIMM.
Cramer called the news "marginally positive," saying, "You wanted to sell most of your position into this launch because of the hoopla." He said that he would have changed this strategy if the new phone had a camera that could simulate Apple's iChat software for its Mac computers. "I'm not changing my view," he said.
"I think Apple has been a great trade in a really bad market," Cramer said. However, "the odds do not favor another run on top of this."
As for RIM's prospects, Cramer said he doesn't want to sell the stock. "I still think that BlackBerry is a terrific name." He said he would be a buyer of RIM shares at around $120.
Cramer ended the segment by saying that debt downgrades in the homebuilders sector spell more pain for the space. He said that regional banks Washington Mutual (WM) and National City (NCC) also face similar difficulties. "When I see the homebuilders being downgraded, I know there's more pain ahead," he said.
Published By TheStreet.com

Labels: Apple Inc., Blackberry, iChat, iPhone, Jim Cramer, NCC, PALM, RIMM, Steve Jobs, Stop Trading, WM

News that the Centro smartphone was taking customers away from the iPhone boosted shares of Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM) which manufactures the Internet-capable device. The Short Term PowerRating for PALM is 3.
An upgrade from Deutsche Bank AG helped oil refiners such as Tesoro (NYSE:TSO) move higher on Monday. The Short Term PowerRating for TSO is 3.
Lehman Brothers (NYSE:LEH) was among a number of Wall Street investment banks that saw its debt rating downgraded by Standard and Poor's on Monday. The Short Term PowerRating for LEH is 6.
Acorda Therapeutics (NasdaqGM:ACOR) was a standout stock on Monday as investors bid shares higher in the wake of positive clinical trial results for the biotech company's multiple sclerosis drug.
Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL) is scheduled to announce quarterly earnings tomorrow morning before the bell. Analysts are expecting a loss of 0.87 EPS. The Short Term PowerRating for TOL is 5.
The board of directors of Wachovia (NYSE:WB) finally removed CEO Ken Thompson, while Washington Mutual (NYSE:WM) announced that Kerry Killinger would be replaced as chairman - though Killinger will stay on as CEO. The Short Term PowerRating for WM is 6.

Labels: ACOR, Hot Stocks, LEH, PALM, TOL, TSO, WB, WM

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Wednesday from TradingMarkets.com:
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News) beat earnings expectations on Tuesday afternoon, with -$0.07 EPS versus expectations of -$0.08 EPS. PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Take-Two Interactive (NasdaqGS:TTWO - News) also beat earnings, reporting -$0.10 EPS versus -$0.23 EPS. TTWO's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Actuant (NYSE:ATU - News) reports earnings on Wednesday before the bell, with traders looking for $0.48 EPS. ATU's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7.
CarMax (NYSE:KMX - News) announces quarterly results on Wednesday morning; look for $0.17 EPS. KMX's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
When General Mills (NYSE:GIS - News) reports results on Wednesday before the market opens, traders will be watching for $1.13 EPS. GIS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
Joy Global (NasdaqGS:JOYG - News) is set to announce $0.75 EPS on Wednesday morning before the bell. JOYG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7.
When Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS - News) announces quarterly results tomorrow morning, watch for -$0.39 EPS. MS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.

Labels: ATU, GIS, Hot Stocks, JOYG, KMX, MS, PALM, TTWO

Stocks took a breather following a two-day rally, as Wall Street demonstrated caution ahead of next week's Fed meeting. The Dow posted a 6-point gain to close at 13,626 for the week. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq and S&P were just off at the bell to end at 2,706 and 1,505, respectfully. Light, sweet crude traded lower on the day to settle at $88.28 for January delivery. Treasury prices dropped, while gold prices fell to close at $800.20 for February delivery. The dollar traded higher against the yen, but eased versus the euro.
In economic news, a Labor Department report showed that 94,000 jobs were added to payrolls in the month of November. Analysts had estimated 70,000 new jobs would be added. The report also showed that the unemployment rate remained unchanged in October at 4.7%. Economists had predicted a rise to 4.8%. In a separate report, the University of Michigan said its consumer confidence index fell to 74.5 in early December, down from 76.1 in November. Economists had predicted a drop to 75.0.
On the earnings front, shares of Synopsys (Nasdaq: SNPS - News) surged 9.3% on the day after the maker of semiconductor design automation software said profits jumped on higher license revenues. For the quarter, the company posted earnings of $41 million, or 27 cents per share, up from $10.1 million, or 7 cents per share, last year. Excluding one-time items, Synopsys earned $60 million, or 40 cents per share, versus $30.7 million, or 22 cents per share, a year ago. Quarterly revenue rose to $315.2 million, up 11.2% from $283.4 million in last year's period. On average, analysts were looking for earnings of 36 cents per share.
In corporate news, billionaire Rubert Murdoch named new leaders at Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ - News), the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, one week before his media empire, News Corp (NYSE: NWS - News), is set to close its acquisition of the company. Les Hinton will become the new CEO at Dow Jones following a shareholder vote. Murdoch also appointed his son, James, as News Corp's chairman and chief executive for Europe and Asia. The move has fueled speculation that James will eventually succeed his father as CEO of News Corp. Shares of Dow Jones were off slightly in trading, while News Corp's stock posted a small gain.
After the bell yesterday, Palm (Nasdaq: PALM - News) warned that it would swing to a loss in the second quarter and lowered its sales guidance citing a product launch delay. The smart-phone maker said it now expects to post a loss of -22 to -24 cents per share, off from previous estimates of a loss of -1 to -3 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, Palm expects to report a loss between -8 to -10 cents per share. The company said it now expects sales to be between $345-$350 million, down from previous guidance of $370-$380 million. On average, analysts were calling for a profit of 4 cents per share on sales of $376 million. Shares of Palm plunged in trading and were off -12.9% at the bell.
In M&A news, Macrovision (Nasdaq: MVSN - News) has agreed to acquire Gemstar-TV Guide (Nasdaq: GMST - News) in a cash and stock deal worth $2.8 billion. According to terms, Gemstar-TV Guide shareholders will receive $6.35 in cash or 0.2548 of a share in a new holding company that owns both Macrovision and Gemstar-TV Guide. Meanwhile, Macrovision stockholders will own one share of the new holding company for each share held when the deal closes. Under the terms of the deal, the cash exchange will not exceed $1.55 billion. Upon completion of the takeover, Macrovision shareholders will own a 53% stake in the newly formed company, with former shareholders of Gemstar-TV Guide holding a 47% stake. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of next year. Shares of Macrovision plummeted -21.4% on the day, while Gemstar-TV Guide's stock tumbled to close off -16.6% at the bell.
By the BullMarket.com Staff

Labels: DJ, GMST, MVSN, NWS, PALM, SNPS

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 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.
Beckman Coulter (NYSE:BEC - News) & Oil States (NYSE:OIS - News). BEC's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6, and OIS's PowerRating (for Traders) 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.
Ampco-Pittsburgh (NYSE:AP - News). AP'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.
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News). PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
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.
US Bancorp (NYSE:USB - News). USB's PowerRating (for Traders) is 3.
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.
Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO - News). ARO's PowerRating (for Traders) 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.
Lehman Brothers (NYSE:LEH - News). LEH's PowerRating (for Traders) is 3.
Published By TradingMarkets.com

Labels: AP, ARO, BEC, Hot Stocks, LEH, OIS, PALM, USB

Shares of Treo maker Palm Inc. dropped Thursday, as some downgrades to its stock overshadowed positive views on the completion of its recapitalization plan.
Palm's shares declined $1.68, or 16.5 percent, to $8.50. They traded as low as $8.28.
In a Thursday client note, Bear Stearns analyst Andrew J. Neff lowered his rating for the stock to "Underperform" from "Peer Perform," saying the change was the result of a recent run-up in its share price.
Neff said that the company's completion on Wednesday of its recapitalization plan "creates optimism regarding potential revamp of its products and improvement in execution," but that it faces a variety of challenges in the near future.

Labels: PALM, Palm Inc.

After the Dow hit an all-time high yesterday, stocks were mixed on the session today. Wall Street cooled off some, with only the Nasdaq holding on to a modest gain among the three major indices. The dollar rebounded against the euro and gained versus the yen, which helped send commodity prices lower including a dip in oil and gold prices. Investors moved cautiously as they weighed the latest reading from the housing sector and sales from the nation's automakers.
In economic news, The National Association of Realtors' pending home sales index fell to a record low of 85.5 from an upwardly revised 91.4 reading in July. The drop was worse than expected by economists, who had predicted a -2% dip from the previous reading. The steep decline breaks the previous low of 89.8, which was set in September 2001, following the terrorist attacks that knocked consumer confidence. The trade group started the index in 2001.
Overall U.S. auto sales were soft in September on mixed reports from General Motors (NYSE: GM - News), which saw its overall sales of cars and light trucks edge up 0.3% in September, and Ford (NYSE: F - News), which saw sales plummet more than -20% for the same month.
On the earnings front, investors are growing increasingly impatient with smartphone pioneer Palm (Nasdaq: PALM - News) following the company's lackluster earnings release delivered after the market close yesterday. Palm announced that it had lost -$841,000, or -1 cent per share, in the first quarter on revenue that increased to $360.8 million. Palm's outlook didn't do much to raise investor confidence as the company is expecting a current quarter loss of -1 cent to -3 cents per share on revenue between $370 million and $380 million. On an adjusted basis, it expects a profit of 6-8 cents per share versus analyst estimates of 11 cents per share on sales of $413.5 million. Shares slumped -3.4%.
Shares of Pepsi Bottling Group (NYSE: PBG - News) reached an all-time high today after the largest bottler for PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP - News) reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday. The company said net income for the third quarter, which ended September 8th, rose 26% to $260 million, or $1.12 per share, from $207 million, or 86 cents per share, a year ago. The company also raised its full-year outlook. The stock rose 2.1%.
The M&A world saw Canada's TD Bank Financial Group (NYSE: TD - News) double its U.S. presence today when it acquired Mid-Atlantic regional bank Commerce Bancorp (NYSE: CBH - News) for $8.5 billion in cash and stock. As a result of the takeover, TD Bank will add nearly 460 branches along the East Coast when the deal closes in the spring of 2008, pending regulatory approval. Terms call for a 75% stock and 25% cash transaction that values Commerce at $42 per share, a 6% premium over the stock's closing price of $39.61 on Monday. Details have Commerce shareholders receiving 0.4142 shares of TD Bank common stock and $10.50 in cash for each share of Commerce owned.
Citigroup (NYSE: C - News) continued to reach into the world's second-largest economy by announcing earlier today that it would complete its acquisition of Japanese brokerage firm Nikko by paying $4.6 billion to buy out the remaining minority shareholders.
By the BullMarket.com Staff

Labels: C, CBH, F, Ford Motor co., General Motors Corp., GM, PALM, Palm Inc., PBG, PEP, Pepsico Inc., TD

The Dow Jones Industrial hit new highs on Monday as the market shook off a warning from Citigroup (C), which reported a 60% drop in earnings for the current quarter. The S&P 500 is within 9 points of a record and the NASDAQ hit a 6 year high. Finerman: surprised with the market strength on Monday. Najarian suggested that these are investors who sat on the sidelines during the summer. They are now putting money back into the markets in sectors like technology, commodities and financials. Gasparino: the worst is over for the financials.
Wireless
Nokia (NOK) bought NAVTEQ (NVT) for $8 billion. Najarian: this takeover suggests to him that M&A is not done. Research In Motion (RIMM) is set to report earnings on Thursday. Adami: if you're not already in Research In Motion don't buy it now. Palm (PALM) reported earnings after the bell Monday and traded lower after-hours. Najarian likes the new Centro smart phone that Palm is introducing and thinks the future is bright for PALM. Finerman: the valuation on NAVTEQ is over done and thinks the deal makes Garmin (GRMN) over valued and recommends buying puts on the GPS maker. Macke agrees with Finerman that Garmin is topped.
Global
Big runs in ETF names like Materials EFT (XLB), Tech ETF (XLK) and Energy ETF (XLF). Adami: companies like Fluor Corp (FLR) are up 87% in 9 months, McDermott (MDR) up 120% since January and Jacobs Engineering (JEC) is up 100% since January. He suspects these stocks are due for a pullback and taking profits in these names isn't a bad idea. Macke: Investors have to chase these stocks. Finerman prefers Flowserve (FLS).
Micron (MU): set to report earnings on Tuesday. Najarian: last week someone bought 27,000 call options on Micron, so keep an eye on it. He also wants investors to put ScanDisk (SNDK) on their watch list after the firm just opened up a plant in China. Adami: Micron is a buy.
Conferences
Investment conferences at Deutsche Bank, Jefferies and William Blair will catch investor's attention this week. Najarian: stocks to watch off these conferences are OSI Systems (OSIS), Cepheid (CPHD) and Manitowoc (MTW).
Earnings Warnings
Macke devised a three point checklist to watch as a warning sign from a firm's earnings reports. Any company that points the finger outside of things they can't control, doesn't have a solution, or has a warning that is 10% below estimates should be avoided. Walgreen's (WAG) gave all three of these today and that's why the stock fell apart. Macke: Don’t buy the dip on Walgreen's.
Pops & Drops
Pops- Time Warner (TWX) traded up 2%. Adami could see the stock moving from $18 to $28, if the CEO is ousted.
BorgWarner (BWA): popped 4% off a bullish Barron's article. Adami: still likes BWA.
Electronic Arts (ERTS): popped 4%. Macke: entire video game sector is going higher into the holidays.
AMR Corp (AMR): traded up 12% off a positive Barron's article. Adami says sell.
First Solar (FSLR): traded up 8%. Najarian continues to point investors to Cypress Semiconductor (CY) as the safest play in the solar space.
Drops- SuperValu (SVU): fell 6% after Bank of America downgraded the stock to a sell. Macke likes SVU right here and right now.
Acxiom (ACXM): plunged 20% after a $2.25 billion takeover offer fell through. Finerman wonders if something could be wrong at the company.
Final Trade
Macke advises buying Caterpillar (CAT).
Adami prefers Tesoro (TSO).
Finerman recommends YUM! Brands (YUM).
Najarian would go long Terra Industries (TRA).

Labels: C, CNBC, Fast Money, Fast Money Recap, GRMN, MDR, NOK, NVT, PALM, RIMM, SNDK, XLB, XLK

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Tuesday from TradingMarkets.com:
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News) beat earnings estimates on Monday afternoon, announcing $0.09 EPS over an expected $0.08 EPS. PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Pepsi Bottling (NYSE:PBG - News) should report $0.89 EPS on Tuesday before the market opens. PBG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Citigroup (NYSE:C - News) and UBS (NYSE:UBS - News) both announced major profit warnings for Q3 of this year, as the subprime mortgage effects continue to reverberate in the margin. C speculated that profit would fall 60% from last year, while UBS said it would probably lose about $3.4 billion. Despite the news, both companies were up on the day. C's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4, and UBS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Nokia (NYSE:NOK - News) announced plans to buy digital-map provider Navteq for $8.1 billion. NOK's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Walgreen (NYSE:WAG - News) lost 15% on Monday, after missing analyst earnings estimates by a long-shot before the market opened. WAG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Acxiom (NasdaqGS:ACXM - News) announced that its $2.2 billion buyout by private firms has cancelled. ACXM will be awarded a $65 million termination fee, but the stock fell about 20% on the news. ACXM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7.

Labels: ACXM, Hot Stocks, NOK, PALM, Palm Inc., PBG, UBS, WAG

Cramer began Friday's show by sharing his CEO Hall of Shame. These are stocks that he thinks would be better off if the CEO quit or was forced out.
Alcatel-Lucent (ALU): Cramer thinks the CEO was given an ultimatum to deliver results now.
Marsh McLennan (MMC): The company should be broken up, and that splitting the company up is the only way shares will increase unless the CEO leaves.

Next, Cramer took some phone calls about other stocks with bad CEOs, like Pall (PLL). He also told people that he can't recommend buying Sirius (SIRI) now because it's too expensive, and that he thinks you should stay away from Palm (PALM).
Next, Cramer did a "Speculation Friday" segment, where he recommends high risk stocks. BioMarin (BMRN), a small biotech firm. It has developed a drug for pheylketonuria that will be the only drug on the market, protecting it from generic competition until 2015 in the US and 2018 in Europe. Cramer thinks the drug will be approved by the end of the year, but if it doesn't, it will be a risky investment.
Other calls: La-z-boy (LZB): Cramer doesn't like, and Sangamo BioSci (SGMO):He thinks is very risky.

After the lightning round, Cramer discussed what stocks he think will take the Dow to his year end target of 14,548. They are American Express (AXP), AIG (AIG), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Citigroup (C), DuPont (DD), Altria (MO), Boeing (BA), and Caterpillar (CAT).

In the last segment, Cramer answered some emails. He changed his mind on GigaMedia (GIGM), making it a buy now, and told viewers to wait for a pullback on (AMZN) since it's "marked up heavily."

Labels: ALU, AMZN, AXP, BA, BMRN, CAT, DD, Jim Cramer, JPM, Mad Money, Mad MOney Recap, MMC, PALM, Pll, SIRI

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Monday from TradingMarkets.com:
Walgreen (NYSE:WAG - News) reports earnings on Monday before the bell, with analysts looking for $0.47 EPS. WAG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
AngioDynamics (NasdaqGS:ANGO - News) is looking to announce $0.10 EPS on Monday morning after the market closes. ANGO's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Analysts are watching for Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News) to report $0.08 EPS after the market closes. PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Pepsi Bottling (NYSE:PBG - News) reports earnings on Tuesday before the bell, so watch for heightned price action and volatility ahead of the close. PBG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
3Com (NasdaqGS:COMS - News) rallied 35% on Friday after announcing plans to be acquired for $2.2 billion by Bain Capital, LLC. COMS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
First Solar (NasdaqGM:FSLR - News) gained over 7% on Friday after announcing new contracts and extending existing ones which are valued at $1.1 billion over 5 years. FSLR's PowerRating (for Traders) is 3.
Wynn Resorts (NasdaqGS:WYNN - News) fell over 4.6% after announcing plans to sell 3.75 million shares at a market discount. WYNN's PowerRating (for Traders) is 2.

Labels: ANGO, COMS, FSLR, Hot Stocks, PALM, Palm Inc., PBG, WYNN, Wynn Resorts Ltd.

Stocks teetered between positive and negative territory for most of the day before finally finishing in the red. On the final trading day of the quarter, the Dow ended down -17 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P fell -0.3%. Oil hit an all-time high intra-day before dropping to close -$1.22 lower at $81.66 a barrel. Gold finished the day solidly higher.
In economic news, the Commerce Department reported that consumer spending rose 0.6% in August, the fastest growth rate in two years, helped by a 0.4% rise in after-tax income adjusted for inflation and lower consumer prices. Consumer prices fell -0.1% for August, while the core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, rose 0.1%. Wages rose 0.2%. Former Fed chief Alan Greenspan, meanwhile, said the chances that the economy will see a recession are growing, but the odds are still less than 50/50.
On the earnings front, consulting firm Accenture (NYSE: ACN - News) reported a profit of $316.8 million, or 50 cents per share, after the bell last night, beating estimates by 2 cents. Revenue grew 29% to $5.11 billion, easily surpassing the $4.89 billion consensus. The firm also upped its dividend to 42 cents a share. The stock rose 5.9%.
Contract electronics manufacturer Jabil Circuits (NYSE: JBL - News) beat earnings by a penny last night. The company reported net income of $11.7 million, or 6 cents per share, compared with a year-ago loss of -$45.6 million, or -22 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, EPS came in at 29 cents. Revenue climbed to $3.13 billion, a 6% increase. The stock fell -6.8%.
In M&A news, private equity firm Bain Capital Partners has agreed to buy ethernet inventor 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq: COMS - News) for $2.2 billion in cash. As part of the deal, Chinese networking behemoth Huawei Technologies will take a minority stake in 3Com. The acquisition price was a 44% premium to the stock's closing price on Thursday.
Shares of 3Com spin-off Palm (Nasdaq: PALM - News), meanwhile, initially climbed after the company introduced a new $99.99 smartphone last night. The model, called the Centro, is lighter, thinner, and cheaper than its previous offerings. Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S - News) will have exclusivity for the device for 90 days. Palm shares, however, finished the day down -0.8%.

Labels: 3Com Corp., ACN, COMS, Jabil Circuit, JBL, PALM, Palm Inc., S

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Friday from TradingMarkets.com:
Cintas (NasdaqGS:CTAS - News) missed earnings on Thursday afternoon, with $0.51 EPS versus estimates of $0.53 EPS. CTAS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Jabil Circuit (NYSE:JBL - News) beat earnings on Thursday afternoon, reporting $0.29 EPS over an expected $0.28 EPS. JBL's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
AZZ Incorporated (NYSE:AZZ - News) reports on Friday before the market opens, with analysts looking for $0.48 EPS. AZZ's PowerRating (for Traders) is 3.
Chattem (NasdaqGS:CHTT - News) rose over 7% to 20 year highs today, after beating analyst earnings report estimates. CHTT's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Moody's (NYSE:MCO - News) rose more than 5%, and McGraw-Hill (NYSE:MHP - News) also rose, on widespread speculation that the companies will avoid lawsuits stemming from the recent sub-prime mortgage meltdown. MCO's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4, and MHP's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News) jumped more than 5% on Thursday after the company unveiled its new $99 "smart phone." PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.

Labels: AZZ, Chattem, CHTT, Cintas, CTAS, Hot Stocks, Jabil Circuit, JBL, MCO, PALM, Palm Inc.

Stocks opened the session sharply lower, but quickly rallied as upbeat economic data sent bears to the sidelines. At the close, all major indexes closed with small gains. Oil prices finally sold off, as crude eased -99 cents to finish the week at $79.10 a barrel.
On the economic front, the Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose less than forecast for the month of August. Sales rose 0.3% in August, following a revised 0.5% increase in July. Purchases excluding autos unexpectedly fell -0.4%. Industrial output, meanwhile, rose 0.2%, with factory output declining for the first time since February. Elsewhere, a report from the University of Michigan said that consumer confidence increased.
The subprime mess is being felt overseas, as Europe's 3rd largest mortgage lender Northern Rock sought emergency funding from the European Central Bank (ECB). The bailout is the nation's biggest in more than 30 years. Rising credit costs left the lender unable to make new loans. News sent customers scrambling to its branches to get their money out. Northern Rock currently has 1.4 million depositors and approximately 800,000 mortgage customers.
In Wall Street news, Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER - News) told investors that credit market conditions have continued to remain challenging. The company said it made "fair value adjustments" for potential losses to date on holdings and finance commitments as it prepares to conclude its current quarter. Shares declined -0.7% on the day.
Next week officially kicks off the earnings parade for investment banks, including Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS - News), Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH - News), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS - News) and Bear Sterns (NYSE: BSC - News). Subscribers can read our thoughts on the upcoming investment bank earnings reports in today's issue. Meanwhile, Merrill downgraded shares of American Express (NYSE: AXP - News) to "neutral" from "buy" citing consumer spending concerns and disruptions in the financial markets.
In the technology arena, Internet giant Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO - News) saw shares rise by 4.3% after a Bernstein analyst said the stock could fetch $45 if the company were to outsource search advertising, cut jobs, and restructure its display advertising business. Yahoo also noted that it purchased news aggregation site BuzzTracker. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Intel (Nasdaq: INTC - News) shares fell -1.7% after a Merrill Lynch analyst downgraded the stock to "neutral" from "buy," citing valuation concerns. Also seeing analyst action was mobile handset maker Palm (Nasdaq: PALM - News) as Morgan Keegan upgraded the stock to "outperform" from "market perform" noting that Palm's strategic focus is improving and that new product launches should offset recent weaknesses in other areas. Shares advanced 4%.

Labels: AXP, BSC, GS, INTC, LEH, MER, MS, PALM, YHOO

Here are 7 options to watch for Today.
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.
Google Sep 540 Calls (NasdaqGS:GOOG - News). GOOG's PowerRating (for Traders) 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.
Research in Motion Sep 80 Puts (NasdaqGS:RIMM - News). RIMM's PowerRating (for Traders) 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.
Lehman Brothers Sep 55 Calls (NYSE:LEH - News). LEH's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
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.
MasterCard Oct 110 Puts (NYSE:MA - News). MA's PowerRating (for Traders) is 8.
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.
Cephalon (NasdaqGS:CEPH - News). CEPH's PowerRating (for Traders) 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.
iMCSI Emerging Markets Index Fund (NYSE:EEM - News). EEM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
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.
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News). PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Published by TradingMarkets.com

Labels: CEPH, EEM, GOOG, Hot Stock Options, LEH, MA, PALM, RIMM

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
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.

Southwest Water (NasdaqGS:SWWC - News) & Gentiva Health Services (NasdaqGS:GTIV - News). SWWC's PowerRating (for Traders) is 7, and GTIV's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
Bearish
Laps Up 5% or More: These are stocks that lap up by 5% or more and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that lap up by more than 5% have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG - News). MTG's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
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.
International Paper (NYSE:IP - News). IP's PowerRating (for Traders) is 3.
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.
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM - News). PALM's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
2-Period RSI Above 98: These are stocks that have a 2-day RSI reading above 98 and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average with a 2-period RSI reading above 98 have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Genentech (NYSE:DNA - News). DNA'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.
Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD - News). AMD's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
PowerRatings (for Traders) are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: AMD, DNA, GTIV, Hot Stocks, IP, MTG, PALM, SWWC

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Friday from TradingMarkets.com:
Apollo Group (NasdaqGS:APOL) beat earnings on Thursday afternoon, announcing $0.75 EPS over an expected $0.68 EPS. APOL's PowerRating is 4.
Palm (NasdaqGS:PALM) beat expectations this afternoon, with $0.17 EPS over a consensus of $0.15 EPS. PALM's PowerRating is 6.
AZZ Incorporated (NYSE:AZZ) reports earnings on Friday before the bell, with analysts looking for $0.42 EPS. AZZ's PowerRating is 4.
When A. Schulman (NasdaqGS:SHLM) reports earnings during trading on Friday, analysts will be watching for $0.25 EPS. SHLM's PowerRating is 4.
Beazer Homes (NYSE:BZH) announcing the firing of the company's Chief Accounting Officer, after the manager attempted to destroy documents surrounding a pending federal investigation of the company's mortgage business. BZH's PowerRating is 6.
General Mills (NYSE:GIS) fell on Thursday after the company announced that Q4 profits rose less than 1%. GIS's PowerRating is 6.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) gained on Thursday after the company announced a sale of its Allison Transmission business for $5.6 billion. GM's PowerRating is 2.
PowerRatings (for Traders) are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: APOL, AZZ, BZH, GIS, GM, Hot Stocks, PALM, SHLM

Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM - News) today reported that total revenue in its fourth quarter of fiscal year 2007, ended June 1, was $401.3 million. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter reached a company record high, totaling 750,000 units, up 43 percent year over year. Smartphone revenue was $344.2 million, up 14 percent from the year-ago period.
Net income for the quarter was $15.4 million, or $0.15 per diluted share. Net income included stock-based compensation expense of $5.4 million and amortization of intangible assets of $1.0 million. This compares to net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2006 of $27.2 million, or $0.25 per diluted share.
Net income in the fourth fiscal quarter, measured on a non-GAAP(1) basis, totaled $17.8 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, excluding stock-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets and the related income tax provision. This compares to non-GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2006 of $30.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, which excluded the effects of amortization of intangible assets and deferred stock-based compensation, legal settlements, restructuring charges, the related income tax provision and the partial reversal of a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets.

Labels: PALM, Palm Inc.