TOP ISSUES THIS WEEK (2) (JAN 22-26, 2007)

Stock Tickers: WDC, STX, AMGN, DELL, EOP, F, NOK, QCOM, GPS, FCBP, SUNW, NOVL, COMS, GTW,

We have compiled a list of our TOP ISSUES for the week.  These aren’t necessarily the top issues in the markets, but it’s the things that we think are important to remember going ahead that are not just one-time issues.  Certain issues have to be kept in permanent memory for investors and traders. These are only the ones we covered as well.  These may be much more voluminous during earnings season, and you can expect them to be light during August and December.  Here are top stories that investors and traders need to commit to memory:

Western Digital (WDC) really gave it up at the end of the week (closed down 8% Friday at $19.11 after earning) after beating earnings but giving some weak guidance.  This is one of our BAIT SHOP takeover candidate stocks, but if you look in the story it shows where we thought taking have your money off the table the week before was prudent and the way to lock in some gains.  This could still be bought down the road, so keep your eyes on it.  The industry leader and blue-chip of the dick drive sector, Seagate (STX) didn’t have the same issues, but we’ll see what a price war does for them (closed down 1.3% with the WDC drop).

Amgen (AMGN) is really looking like a plain jane drug company.  A low P/E ratio isn’t going to do it alone and there are some risks to estimates after 2007.  It’s always scary when biotechs or Internet stocks are being evaluated for "value investors" instead of growth engines.  Amgen has matured as one of the oldest biotechs around, now it’s a drug stock.

Get ready for the American Stock Exchange to join the public company status for US exchanges.  Maybe it will just be acquired, but seat prices on the exchange doubled in the last year.

Are Dell (DELL) shareholders entirely out of the woods yet?

Equity Office (EOP) and the bids for it just keep going higher.  Blackstone may have won though with what would be a $500 million break-up fee if they get snaked.  This one may be the biggest deal ever.

Ford (F-NYSE)…..a tale of two miseries.  Does shrinking your way back to profits make sense, or does it not address the core issues?

Nokia (NOK) isn’t getting the sandbagging that Motorola got, and Qualcomm (QCOM) numbers really aren’t that bad, although the stock and the company has issues.

Cramer has predicted that the Gap Inc. (GPS) will be acquired for $25.00 by private equity firms within 6 months.  Thankfully Paul Pressler is gone! That’s 2 of our 10 CEO’s who need to go that have taken the advice.

First Community Bancorp (FCBP) showed us its post-acquistion financials and its earnings.  This one is staying on the BAIT SHOP as a takeover candidate.  If they don’t get bought out they may just grow into a huge regional player themselves.

Very few Americans are thinking about how the Internet is being dominated by Chinese Web companies.  Will it continue and they become king, or will regulations dampen their opportunities?

KKR did the unimaginable.  They invested $700 Million into Sun Microsystems (SUNW).  Servers and Java aren’t just for coffeehouses it seems.  Could this set up more similar private equity deals into laggard old-world tech companies?  There are several that could benefit.

Jon Ogg & Douglas McIntyre