Pre-Market Stock News (January 24, 2008)

We are full blown into earnings season now.  These are not all of the stocks in the news, but this is a good portion of the news in individual stocks for traders to review this morning:

• Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) priced its secondary of 51,000,000 shares of common stock at $19.25 per share.
• AT&T (T) $0.71 EPS vs. $0.71 estimate; new share buyback plan of up to 400 million shares.
• Becton Dickinson (BDX) $1.07 EPS vs $1.04 estimate; raised guidance before charges.
• Cabot Micro (CCMP) $0.51 EPS vs $0.47 estimate.
• Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST) shares rose another 7% to $21.72 after beating earnings and raising guidance.
• Danaher (DHR) $1.12 EPS vs. $1.12 estimate.
• DuPont (DD) noted as strong value without earnings risk according to Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money.
• eBay (EBAY) shares fell over 5% after beating earnings but lowering guidance; Meg Whitman retires as CEO but stays on board.
• F5 Networks (FFIV) shares rose almost 20% after beating earnings.
• Ford (F) -$0.20 EPS vs. -$0.19 estimates; CEO will be on CNBC at 12:15 PM EST.
• IBM (IBM) noted as strong value without earnings risk according to Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money.
• Lennar (LEN) -$0.42 EPS vs, -$1.61 est.; but losses were before -$7.50 per shares in charges; sees 2008 continuing weakness.
• Lockheed Martin (LMT) $1.89 EPS vs. $1.69 estimate; sees 2008 EPS $7.05 to $7.25 vs. prior guidance $6.19 to $7.15 and vs. $7.29 estimate.
• Microsoft (MSFT) reports earnings after the close today with estimates at $0.46 EPS on revenues of $15.94 Billion.
• Napster (NAPS) msic rental service is now available to NTT DoCoMo subscribers.
• Netflix (NFLX) earnings were above plan and guidance was too; shares indicated up slightly.
• Nokia (NOK) announced its market share rose to 40% and posted a 57% gain in earnings overseas.
• Plexus Corp. (PLXS) raised guidance to $0.46 to $0.51 EPS on revenues of $440 million to $460 million, compared to estimates of $0.42 & almost $430 million;shares rose 8.3% to $21.50 in after-hours trading.
• Polycom (PLCM) posted $0.42 EPS on revenues of $263.3 million vs. estimates of $0.39 & $252.5 million; shares rose some 7.7% to $24.00.
• Potash (POT) announced it would repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares.
• Qualcomm (QCOM) posted $0.46 EPS and non-GAAP EPS at $0.52 EPS on $2.44 Billion in revenues.  Estimates were $0.53 EPS on revenues of $2.41 Billion, 6% to $38.90 after-hours.
• Symantec (SYMC) beat earnings; raised guidance; shares rose 8.5% at $16.55.
• THQ (THQI) traded down 8% after disclosing net profit drops on charges from discontinued titles.
• Trimble Navigation (TRMB) shares rose 15% at $27.45 after raising current guidance and reaffirming 2008 revenues.
• Western Digital (WDC)  $1.35 EPS vs. $1.04 estimate; sees next quarter $0.85 to $0.91 EPS  & $2 Billion revenues vs. estimates of $0.80 & $1.9 Billion; shares rose by almost 7%.
• World Acceptance (WRLD) $0.54 EPS vs. $0.46 estimates.
• Xerox (XRX) $0.41 EPS vs $0.41 estimate; sees next quarter $0.25 to $0.28 vs. $0.28 estimate; sees 2008 $1.31 to $1.35 EPS versus $1.31 estimates.

Jon C. Ogg
January 24, 2008

Credit Card Companies Are Doing Something Nuts

Credit card companies are at war. The biggest issuers are handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers.

It’s possible to find cards paying unlimited 1.5%, 2%, and even more today. That’s free money for qualified borrowers, and the type of thing that would be crazy to pass up. Those rewards can add up to thousands of dollars every year in free money, and include other benefits as well.

We’ve assembled some of the best credit cards for users today.  Don’t miss these offers because they won’t be this good forever.

 

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.