Pre-Market Stock News (January 23, 2008)

We are full fledged into earnings season now, so most news coverage will point to the current earnings environment and guidance.  There are of course drug developments and other contracts awards.  Below is a snapshot of some of the key data we saw affecting shares in pre-market trading:

• Abbott Laboratories (ABT) $0.93 EPS versus $0.92 estimate; sees Q1 EPS $0.61 to $0.63 versus $0.65 estimates and sees 2008 EPS $3.20 to $3.25 versus $3.22 estimate.
• Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: AEIS) traded down over 10% after after it lowered guidance.
• Air Products (APD) $1.16 EPS vs $1.13 estimates. 
• Apple Inc. (AAPL) trading down 10% after it posted $1.76 EPS on $9.6 Billion revenues; Estimates were $1.62 EPS on revenues of $9.47 Billion; Guidance for next quarter is $0.94 EPS and revenues $6.8 Billion versus estimates of $1.09 EPS on $6.98 Billion in revenues.
• Baidu.com (BIDU) announces the formal launch of its Japanese language search engine run by its Japanese subsidiary.
• CheckPoint Software (CHKP) trading up almost 5% after $0.46 EPS versus $0.45 est.; Revenues $206.7M vs. $202.3M est.;
• CNH Global (CNH) $0.50 EPS versus $0.60 estimate.
• Coach (COH) $0.69 EPS vs $0.68 estimate; noted weak mall traffic and decline in average transaction size.
• EntreMed (ENMD) is starting its Phase II study with its MKC-1 cell cycle inhibitor in ovarian cancer and advanced endometrial cancer.
• Ethan Allen (ETH) posted $0.70 EPS versus $0.68 estimate.
• Foster Wheeler (FWLT) trades ex-split to reflect a 2 for 1 stock split.
• General Dynamics (GD) $1.42 EPS vs. $1.41 estimate; sees 2008 EPS $5.55 to $5.65 versus $5.73 estimate.
• HOKU Scientific Inc. (HOKU) traded down 10% after earnings beat but guidance was deemed light.
• INX (INXI) awarded Department of Defense contract to provide up to $21 million in support  of a Cisco Systems network pact.
• Martek Biosciences (MATK) noted a December publication showed its DHA may help in late-onset Alzheimer’s, although NIH study results will be in 2010.
• Parametric (PMTC) $0.26 EPS vs. $0.23 estimate; sees next quarter $0.24 to $0.28 vs. $0.26 estimate; sees 2008 EPS $1.17 to $1.27 vs. $1.16 estimate (revenue in-line).
• Praxair (PX) $0.98 EPS vs $0.97 estimate.
• Qualcomm (QCOM) expanded relationship with Motorola for chipsets into certain UMTS 3G handsets in 2008 and 2009.
• RLI Corp. (RLI) $1.22 EPS versus $1.05 estimate.
• Rockwell Automation (ROK) $1.04 EPS vs. $1.01 estimates; guides 200 EPS $4.25 to $4.45 versus $4.38 estimate.
• Southwest Airlines (LUV) $0.12 EPS vs. $0.10 estimate ; reigned in 2008 growth plans to 4%-5% capacity.
• Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) has posted earnings of $0.54 EPS and revenues of $3.56 Billion; analysts pegged at $0.52 EPS on $3.58 Billion in revenues; sees Next quarter $0.43 to $0.49 EPS on revenues of $3.27 to $3.55 Billion versus estimates of $0.45 EPS on $3.41 Billion in revenues.
• TJX Companies (TJX) was Jim Cramer’s retail pick on CNBC’s MAD MONEY last night.
• United Tech (UTX) $1.08 EPS vs. $1.06 estimate; sees 2008 $4.65 to $4.85 versus $4.85 estimate.
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) will begin Phase III evaluation of telaprevir for its lead investigational hepatitis C protease inhibitor.
• WellPoint (WLP) $1.51 EPS versus $1.51 estimate.
• Werner Enterprises (WERN) $0.28 EPS vs. $0.28 estimate.

Jon C. Ogg
January 23, 2008