Jim Cramer Blog

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Friday from TradingMarkets.com:
Electronic Arts (NasdaqGS:ERTS - News) beat earnings on Thursday with $0.27 EPS over an expected $0.20 EPS. ERTS's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Bebe Stores (NasdaqGS:BEBE - News) missed earnings expectations on Thursday afternoon, with $0.16 EPS versus a consensus of $0.17 EPS. BEBE's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.
Verisign (NasdaqGS:VRSN - News) also missed earnings, with $0.26 EPS versus expectations of $0.27 EPS. VRSN's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
Chevron (NYSE:CVX - News) reports earnings on Friday before the market opens, with analysts looking for $2.05 EPS. CVX's PowerRating (for Traders) is 6.
When Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK - News) reports quarterly earnings tomorrow morning, analysts will be watching for $0.39 EPS. DUK's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
International Paper (NYSE:IP - News) is looking to report $0.57 EPS on Friday morning before the market opens. IP's PowerRating (for Traders) is 4.
Analysts are watching for NYSE Euronext (NYSE:NYX - News) to report $0.72 EPS on Friday before the market opens. NYX's PowerRating (for Traders) is 5.

Labels: BEBE, CVX, DUK, ERTS, Hot Stocks, IP, NYSE Euronext Inc., NYX, VRSN

Lower volume marked the beginning of the summer, as the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closed up. Gold and silver were up, while oil, on news that the Nigerian oil workers' strike was over and a new president sworn in, fell more than -$2. While last week's reports showed that both new and existing home inventories are up, year-over-year prices dropped almost -1.5% from Q1 2006 according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Consumers, meanwhile, continue to remain confident, with the Consumer Confidence Index for May coming in a better-than-expected 108.0.

The news continued to be dominated by discussion of M&A activity. Alcan (NYSE: AL) and Alcoa (NYSE: AA) are at the center of a maelstrom of speculation following the latter's failed attempt to purchase the former. Some analysts are now predicting that Alcan will reverse the tables and try to make a bid for Alcoa. Theories are being tossed around as to whether there are other potential buyers for either company, as demonstrated by the fact that Alcoa options for July have risen.
The FTC opened an investigation today, examining the proposed Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) acquisition of DoubleClick. The deal, which is worth approximately $3.1 billion, was originally criticized by competitors Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT ) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), but both companies have since made moves that mimic Google's purchase. Representatives from Google have stated that they expect the deal to fly through the regulatory phase and be approved by year's end.
Apartment REIT Archstone Smith (NYSE: ASN) has agreed to be acquired by Tishman Speyer and Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) in a deal estimated at $22.2 billion. The buyers have agreed to acquire Archstone for $60.75 per share in cash, a premium of 22.7% on May 24th, before news of the deal broke.
Avaya (NYSE: AV - News) is reportedly beginning the process of putting itself on the market and speaking with potential suitors. So far, the company is speaking both with Silver Lake Partners, a private equity firm, and Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT - News), a technology company. The company seems to be a promising target for a buyout based on its lack of debt and high level of cash flow. The stock finished up 15.3%.
Barclay's (NYSE: BCS ) may have some competition in its purchase of ABN Amro (NYSE: ABN). The Royal Bank of Scotland is reportedly making a move to purchase the smaller investment bank, offering more than Barclay's. While ABN Amro does not seem interested in pursuing the RBS deal, the would-be suitor is threatening to bring the deal straight to the shareholders if it feels that management does not give it enough attention.
VeriSign (Nasdaq: VRSN) announced today that Stratton Sclavos has resigned as CEO of the company, but no reason was given for the move. William Roper, Jr., a former independent director, has been named as CEO and president. VeriSign has also postponed an analyst call that was scheduled for June 6th.

By the BullMarket.com Staff

Labels: AA, ABN, AL, ASN, AV, BCS, GOOG, LEH, MSFT, NT, VRSN, YHOO

Bullish calls:
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News): 'You cannot stop defense stocks! ... and the cheapest and the best, right here, right now, is LMT!'L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL - News)Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC - News)Boeing (NYSE: BA - News): 'First of all, after the close, a 17% dividend boost. Is there anything this company doesn't do? ... I think that BA is going to $100. Big orders ... That is one of my favorite companies in the DOW.'NYSE (NYSE: NYX - News): ' No one is championing this stock except for me! I'm all alone, and that makes me like it even more! Could this stock go to $200? Mark my words, I think it will!'DivX (NASDAQ: DIVX - News): 'I think that DIVX goes higher. I like the stock. I'm not dissuaded by the fact that it's near its 52-week high. I think it goes back to $31 before year end.'Disney (NYSE: DIS - News): ' I recommened that stock at $32. It should not have gone down, after it reported that quarter. It is inching its way up to $38.'Coldwater Creek (NASDAQ: CWTR - News): 'Look, I know that people are saying, 'hold it, Cramer.' He blew that CWTR. All I can say is, sometimes stocks get put on sale, when they go from regional-to-national. And, here's what I'm doing (backing up the truck) CWTR.'Arris Group (NASDAQ: ARRS - News): 'Don't, don't give up ... I just wish they hadn't done that convertible deal - they hurt me.'BEA Systems (NASDAQ: BEAS - News): 'We are going to wake up one day, and BEAS is going to be appreciably higher. It has obviously been hurt by the options ugly stick (backdating)... But BEAS should not be punished ... if they don't get the stock up, will be purchased by Oracle.'VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN - News): 'You wait until it goes back to $22 or $23, and then you buy a little more. It's an up stock that's doing really well, that's got a lot of momentum with good earnings power. I say stick with it.'Phelps Dodge (NYSE: PD - News): 'Steve Cohen - one of the best investment managers - has said that that bid that it's gotten is too low. I'm with Steve. This stock should be bought ...There's another 20 points,'Verizon (NYSE: VZ - News): ' VZ is a good, cheap stock with a good dividend.'Yamana Gold (AMEX: AUY - News): 'It remains my favorite gold stock. Two thumbs up, way up.'
Bearish calls:
Brocade Communications (NASDAQ: BRCD - News): I'm worred about BRCD ... I like the long-term story, but ... Don't buy, don't buy. I am not clear about BRCD and cannot recommend it on this very show.'Panacos Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PANC - News): 'Oh man, now you're talking about dicey ... I cannot bless a company that has no revenues to speak of in the last two quarters and no earnings ... Don't buy, don't buy.'Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD - News): ' I keep thinking that's opportunity knocking, but everytime I do it, I feel like (whipping sound). Here's the problem: they are in a price war - and a price war nobody wins!'Intel (NASDAQ: INTC - News): 'INTC and AMD have thin margins and I don't want to buy them! Don't buy, don't buy.'Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUNW - News): 'I think that this is just one of those stocks that was way too high, went down a lot, and is now just trying to find itself - $5-6, $5-6. In other words, stay away.'Hansen Natural (NASDAQ: HANS - News)New York Community Bancorp (NYSE: NYB - News)Toro (NYSE: TTC - News): 'You missed it. It had a big run. I'd rather ring the register. Nice dividend boost though.'
-Miriam Metzinger

Labels: AMD, ARRS, AUY, BA, BEAS, CWTR, DIS, DIVX, INTC, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LLL, LMT, Mad Money, NOC, NYX, PD, VRSN, VZ