Jim Cramer Blog

Pixelworks (NasdaqGM:PXLW - News) shares gained after the company said Samsung Electronics has chosen Pixelworks' new PW9050L chip for two slim cathode ray tube television models. Hans Olsen, president and chief executive of Pixelworks, said the market for slim cathode ray tubes is projected to grow from less than 8 million units in 2006 to more than 35 million units in 2010.
Sealy (NYSE:ZZ - News) shares jumped after the Trinity, N.C., bedding manufacturer reported fourth-quarter earnings of $21.5 million, or 22 cents a share, as sales rose 8.4% to $395.3 million. The company also approved a $100 buyback program.
Taser International (NasdaqGS:TASR - News) shares jumped after the Scottsdale, Ariz., stun gun maker posted fourth-quarter earnings of $2.3 million, or 4 cents a share, up from a year-ago loss of $4.1 million, or 7 cents a share. Revenue soared 53% in the latest three months to $19.3 million from a year ago. The company also said it expects to begin shipping its Taser C2 personal protector in the second quarter.
Texas Roadhouse Inc. (NasdaqGS:TXRH - News) reported fourth-quarter earnings of 10 cents a share, up from 9 cents in the year-earlier period. Revenue at the Louisville, Ky., restaurant operator rose to $152.6 million from $117.6 million.
Theravance (NasdaqGM:THRX - News) said the Food and Drug Administration has accepted its new drug application for telavancin, a treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by Gram-positive organisms. Theravance said the NDA filing triggers a milestone payment of $31 million from its partner, Astellas Pharma.
Tween Brands (NYSE:TWB - News) said its fourth-quarter net income rose to $28.2 million, or 86 cents a share, from $27.1 million, or 80 cents, a year earlier. Excluding items, earnings were 89 cents a share for the quarter. A Thomson Financial survey of analysts, on average, produced a consensus earnings estimate of 84 cents a share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates usually exclude items. Revenue for the quarter ended Feb. 3 rose 16% to $272.3 million from $235.1 million a year earlier. Tween Brand's same-store sales for the quarter rose 2%. By brand, Limited Too same-store sales were flat and Justice same-store sales rose 21%. For the first quarter of fiscal 2007, the company forecast earnings of 34 to 37 cents a share. Analysts project 39 cents for the quarter, on average. The company expects 2007 earnings of $2.15 to $2.25 a share. Analysts forecast earnings of $1.94 a share for the year.
Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN - News) was upgraded to overweight at Prudential Equity Group.
Warner Music Group (NYSE:WMG - News) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Banc of America. The firm said it believes a potential combination with British music group EMI Group is likely to create an extended positive bias towards Warner.

Labels: MTN, PXLW, TASR, THRX, TWB, TXRH, WMG, ZZ

Sirius Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:SIRI - News) has proposed to pay 4.6 of its shares for each share of XM Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:XMSR - News) in a deal valued at $13 billion, including debt. But the transaction will face significant anti-trust scrutiny.
Smart & Final Inc. (NYSE:SMF - News) agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Apollo Management. The deal values shares of the Los Angeles-based warehouse food store operator at $22 each, compared to Friday's close at $19.06. The total enterprise value of the transaction, including debt but net of cash, is estimated at about $812.9 million.
Shares of TB Wood's Corp. (NasdaqGM:TBWC - News) jumped after the company agreed to be acquired by Altra Holdings for $24.80 a share. Chambersburg, Pa.-based TB Wood's is a maker of electronic and mechanical industrial power transmission products. Under the terms of the deal, Altra will make a cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of TB Wood's common stock. The tender offer is expected to close in April. Quincy, Mass.-based Altra expects the deal to add immediately to 2007 earnings and to add roughly 15 to 20 cents a share to earnings in 2008 and 2009.
Shares of Temple-Inland (NYSE:TIN - News) rose after investor Carl Icahn's Icahn Associates named a slate of directors that it will nominate to replace some of the existing board. Icahn, whose funds own about 6.7% of the wood-products company, is seeking a possible break-up of the company or a spin-off.
Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT - News) reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 9.8% on 11% higher revenue. Earnings from continuing operations rose 8.8%. For the quarter ended Jan. 31, the company earned $3.94 billion, or 95 cents a share, compared with $3.59 billion, or 86 cents, in the year-earlier period. Earnings from continuing operations were 95 cents compared with 87 cents. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced a consensus estimate of 90 cents for the quarter. Total revenue was $99.08 billion against $89.25 billion. Sales climbed 11% to $98.09 billion from $88.42 billion. Thomson's revenue estimate was $99.59 billion. U.S. comparable-store sales for the quarter rose 1.6%. For the fiscal 2008 first quarter, Wal-Mart estimate that it would earn 68 to 71 cents a share from continuing operations as U.S. comparable-store sales increase 1% to 3%. For the full fiscal year, Wal-Mart forecasts $3.15 to $3.23 of earnings from continuing operations.
Warner Music Group (NYSE:WMG - News) confirmed it's approached EMI Group plc about a possible acquisition. Warner said it made the overture on Jan. 24 after reaching an agreement with the Independent Music Publishers and Labels Association to support any subsequent combination as long as certain conditions were met, including the provision of specified funding for the Merlin global digital rights licensing platform initiative and the divestiture of certain recorded music assets. Warner added that its approach to EMI "remains in the preliminary stages and there can be no certainty that the discussions will result in any specific transaction."

Published By MarketWatch

Labels: SIRI, SMF, TBWC, TIN, WMG, WMT, XMSR

Pacer International Inc. (NasdaqGS:PACR - News) reported fourth-quarter net income of $21.5 million, or 57 cents a share, up from $20.4 million, or 54 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue for the three months ended Dec. 29 fell to $502 million from $503.8 million a year ago.
PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP - News) said fourth-quarter profit rose 60%, helped by a tax benefit, lower expenses, strength in its international business and robust sales of non-carbonated drinks and salty snacks in the U.S.
Protective Life (NYSE:PL - News) said fourth-quarter net income rose, as the company recorded investment gains of 28 cents per share, to $85.2 million, or $1.19 a share, from $68.6 million, or 96 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year. Before items, quarterly per-share income fell to 91 cents from $1.02 in the prior year. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected per-share earnings of $1. The insurance and investment products company said it sees 2007 operating income per share of $3.60 to $3.80.
Riverbed Technology (NasdaqGM:RVBD - News) said it plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement to offer five million shares in an underwritten secondary public offering. The San Francisco-based company said about 2.65 million of the shares will be offered by certain Riverbed stockholders. The company also said its fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $2.41 million, or 4 cents a share, from $4.73 million, or 43 cents a share, a year earlier, as revenue surged on product demand and customer growth. Excluding stock-based compensation, the company earned 3 cents a share for the most recent period. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected, on average, quarterly earnings of 1 cent a share, before items. The San Francisco wide-area data service company's revenue for the quarter rose to $33.8 million from $10.6 million a year ago.
Silicon Laboratories (NasdaqGS:SLAB - News) agreed to sell its Aero single-chip phone and power amplifier product lines to NXP for $285 million. The cash deal also includes additional earn-out potential of up to $65 million over the next three years. The semiconductor company expects the deal to close by the end of the first quarter.
Spectrum Brands (NYSE:SPC - News) said it swung to a loss of $18.8 million, or 38 cents a share, from a profit of $2.3 million, or 5 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding non-recurring items, such as a loss from discontinued operations and a restructuring charge, the Atlanta consumer products company would have earned 12 cents a share in the quarter ending December. Revenue fell 0.3% to $564.6 million from last year's $566.3 million, as a 6% drop in battery sales offset 7% growth in Remington branded product sales and a 4% increase in Global Pet sales. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had been expecting earnings of 8 cents a share and revenue of $640.3 million, on average.
Syntax-Brillian Corp. (NasdaqGM:BRLC - News) shares gained after the Tempe, Ariz.-based maker of HDTVs and digital entertainment products reported fiscal second-quarter net earnings of $14.8 million, or 25 cents a share. In the same quarter last year, the company posted a net loss of $1.23 million, or 4 cents a share. Revenue rose to $242.5 million from $60.2 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had forecast a per-share profit of 24 cents on revenue of $241.8 million. For the fiscal third-quarter, Syntax-Brillian expects revenue of $160 million to $170 million, and for fiscal 2007, the company expects revenue of $650 million to $700 million.
Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL - News) reported an "uptick" in sluggish housing demand in several markets as the luxury home builder's cancellation rate came down but said it may post quarterly writedowns as high as $160 million or more, which would handily top its previous estimate for all of 2007.
Unilever (NYSE:UL - News) (NYSE:UN - News) reported a fourth-quarter profit surge, although it lacked sales growth due to difficulties rejuvenating its European operation.
Warner Music Group (NYSE:WMG - News) said its profit dropped 74% to $18 million, or 12 cents a share, as revenue declined 11% to $928 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected earnings of 24 cents a share on revenue of $945 million. The company said it faced "unusually difficult" year-ago comparisons, and it said digital revenue represented 11% of total revenue during the quarter. Softer domestic and European sales hurt its recorded music division, while music publishing revenue edged up 2%.
Waste Management Inc. (NYSE:WMI - News) posted a 15% drop in fourth-quarter earnings compared to a year ago when hurricane clean-up profits bolstered the bottom line.

Labels: BRLC, PACR, PEP, PL, RVBD, SLAB, SPC, TOL, UL, UN, WMG, WMI

Here are 7 stocks for traders for Friday from TradingMarkets.com:
Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:CAKE - News) reported after the close Thursday beating with $0.30 EPS vs. an expected $0.28.
McData (NASDAQ:MCDTA - News) missed earnings posting a loss of -$0.03 EPS vs. an expected -$0.02.
H&R Block (NYSE:HRB - News) missed earnings after the bell Thursday, announcing $-0.49 EPS vs. an expected -$0.32 by analysts.
General Growth Properties Inc. (NYSE:GGP - News) target raised to $59 from $52 by A.G. Edwards.
Continue to watch General Motors (NYSE:GM - News) as Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. continues to unload shares.
Kellwood (NYSE:KWD - News) reports earnings early Friday before the bell; look for $0.63 EPS.
Warner Music Group (NYSE:WMG - News) announces quarterly earnings Friday morning, with analysts expecting the co to break even ($0).
PowerRatings are courtesy of PowerRatings.net

Labels: CAKE, GGP, GM, HRB, KWD, MCDTA, WMG