J.C. Penney (JCP) has had many bad weeks, but last week might go down as one of its worst yet.
BloombergGoldman Sachs panned its debt. Its management said the beaten-down retailer didn’t need to raise cash and then sold more than 80 million shares to investors, damaging management’s credibility. No wonder the shares finished the week off 30%.
Well, Maxim Group’s Rick Snyder has had enough. Today, he downgraded J.C. Penney’s shares from Buy to Neutral and removed his price target, largely because the company’s increased leverage makes it almost impossible to predict where its shares are headed He explains:
Our thesis that customers would return to J. C. Penney stores when the chain returned to discounting has been incorrect. Thus we believe it necessary to downgrade the shares to hold, from buy. We are suspending our prior price target of $22 due to the considerable business and financial leverage in the business. These components of leverage have resulted from the precipitous revenue decline since 2011 and the additional debt added earlier this year. The lost sales have deleveraged on the fixed cost of the business while the increased debt has increased interest expense. This additional leverage makes J. C. Penney shares susceptible to very small changes in sales estimates.
Top Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lance Inc.(LNCE)
Snyder?s-Lance, Inc. manufactures, markets, and distributes snack food products primarily in the United States. Its products include pretzels, sandwich crackers, kettle chips, cookies, potato chips, tortilla chips, other salty snacks, sugar wafers, nuts, and restaurant style crackers. The company sells its products principally under the Snyder?s of Hanover, Lance, Cape Cod, Krunchers!, Jays, Tom?s, Archway, Grande, Stella D?oro, O-Ke-Doke, EatSmart, and Padrinos brand names. It also purchases and sells cakes, meat snacks, and candy under its brands, as well as partner brand products for resale. Snyder?s-Lance, Inc. sells its products through direct-store-delivery network, distributors, and direct sales to grocery/mass merchandisers, convenience stores, club stores, discount stores, food service establishments, drug stores, schools, military and government facilities, recreational facilities, offices, and other independent retailers. The company was formerly known as L ance, Inc. and changed its name to Snyder?s-Lance, Inc. in December 2010. Snyder?s-Lance, Inc. was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with additional offices in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
As part of snack food maker�Snyder's-Lance's� (NASDAQ: LNCE ) first-quarter earnings report today,�it�announced the payment�of its regularly quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share.
- [By Alex Planes]
At a quarter the size of Snyder's-Lance (NASDAQ: LNCE ) , Diamond could actually be a buyout candidate in its own right, assuming its larger competitors can come to trust its accounting. It would be an easy acquisition for either Kellogg or General Mills� (NYSE: GIS ) , neither of which has any notable nut or popcorn brands to speak of.
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: JetBlue Airways Corporation(JBLU)
JetBlue Airways Corporation provides passenger air transportation services in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 700 daily flights to 70 destinations in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and Mexico; and 12 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America through a fleet of 120 Airbus A320 aircraft and 49 EMBRAER 190 aircraft. The company, through its subsidiary, LiveTV, LLC, provides in-flight entertainment, voice communication, and data connectivity systems and services for commercial and general aviation aircraft, including live in-seat satellite television, digital satellite radio, wireless aircraft data link service, and cabin surveillance systems. JetBlue Airways Corporation was founded in 1998 and is based in Forest Hills, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sam Mamudi]
The new American will be the world�� biggest airline by passenger traffic, passing United Continental Holdings Inc. It will join JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) as the only major U.S. airlines listed by the Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. market.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
A wicked cold spell in the United States has caused what now is reportedly more than 9,000 flight cancellations. Now we have word that JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) is suspending operations on Monday evening and into Tuesday in New York and Boston. The problem for JetBlue is that this means that almost all end-route and hub activities will grind to a stall. Depending upon how long this lasts and depending upon the company’s weather insurance status, this is one of those issues which could be enough to interfere with quarterly earnings and revenues.
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: Boyd Gaming Corporation(BYD)
Boyd Gaming Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-jurisdictional gaming company in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 1,042,787 square feet of casino space, containing approximately 25,973 slot machines, 655 table games, and 11,418 hotel rooms. It also owned and operated 16 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and New Jersey. In addition, the company owns and operates a pari-mutuel jai-alai facility located in Dania Beach, Florida, as well as a travel agency in Hawaii. Further, it holds a 50% controlling interest in the limited liability company that operates Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Boyd Gaming Corporation was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are American Eagle Outfitters Inc.(AEO), Boyd Gaming Corp.(BYD) and Dick's Sporting Goods Inc.(DKS)
- [By Dan Caplinger]
The real question is whether Zynga can hold off experienced casino operators if online gambling becomes a reality. Already, alliances are forming, with Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD ) and MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM ) having linked up with bwin.party -- the same company Zynga tapped for its real-money Zynga Poker -- to help Boyd take advantage of newly legal online gambling in New Jersey. Zynga has the obvious edge with its social savvy, but established casino companies will have huge incentives to defend their turf if Zynga starts to make a serious dent in the industry.
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE)
NextEra Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy in the United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2010, NextEra Energy had approximately 43,000 mega watts of generating capacity. The company involves in the generation of renewable energy from wind and solar projects. It also generates electricity through natural gas, nuclear, oil and coal, and hydro power plants. The company serves approximately 8.7 million people through approximately 4.5 million customer accounts in the east and lower west coasts of Florida. In addition, it leases wholesale fiber-optic network capacity and dark fiber to telephone, wireless carriers, Internet, and other telecommunications companies. The company was formerly known as FPL Group, Inc. and changed its name to NextEra Energy, Inc. in May 2010. NextEra Energy, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Divine]
The stock market closed three hours early today ahead of the Fourth of July holiday tomorrow. That didn't stop investors from sending both the Dow and the S&P 500 Index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC ) to all-time highs in a hurry on the heels of a stunningly resurgent jobs market. The U.S. Labor Department's monthly nonfarm payrolls showed that the economy created a seasonally adjusted 288,000 jobs in June, a figure so comically far above the 211,000 consensus expectation, it made the economists responsible for the lowball forecast look downright silly. Looking even sillier were shares of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC ) , NextEra Energy, (NYSE: NEE ) , and Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN ) , which each somehow managed to fare miserably as stock markets hit all-time highs, and Americans literally prepare to jubilantly launch fireworks, grill out, and enjoy life.
- [By Justin Loiseau]
But even though customers grew by 1.4% and profits managed a $400,000 increase from Q1 2012, the regulated utility suffers from out-of-date rates of return. Without a rate approval, the utility estimates its 2014 return on equity at just 6.74%. Compared to NextEra Energy's (NYSE: NEE ) Florida Power & Light's current 11% ROE, TECO is lagging far behind its profit potential.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Abbvie (ABBV)
Ameren Corp. (AEE)
Arthur J. Gallagher (AJG)
E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DD)
ENSCO (ESV)
Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD)
General Mills (GIS)
H&R Block (HRB)
Hancock Holding (HBHC)
Kraft Foods Group (KRFT)
Lorillard (LO)
Magellan Midstream Partners LP (MMP)
MarkWest Energy Partners L P (MWE)
McDonald’s (MCD)
Microchip Technology (MCHP)
NextEra Energy (NEE)
Regency Centers (REG)
TELUS Corp. (TU)
West Corp. (WSTC)
Williams Companies (WMB)
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ)
Global X China Consumer ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive China Consumer Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a free float adjusted, liquidity tested and market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure performance of the investable universe of companies in the Consumer sector of the Chinese economy, as defined by Structured Solutions AG. Global X Management Company, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:- [By pamatlarge]
Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: Natus Medical Incorporated(BABY)
Natus Medical Incorporated provides neurodiagnostic and newborn care products worldwide. The company offers healthcare products used for the screening, detection, treatment, monitoring, and tracking of common medical ailments in newborn care, hearing impairment, neurological dysfunction, epilepsy, sleep disorders, and balance and mobility disorders. Its product offerings include neurodiagnostic systems for audiology, neurology, polysomnography, and neonatology; newborn care products, such as hearing screening systems, phototherapy devices for the treatment of newborn jaundice, head-cooling products for the treatment of brain injury in newborns, and incubators to control the newborn?s environment; and software systems for managing and tracking disorders and diseases. The company provides newborn hearing screening product lines consisting of the ALGO, ABaer, AuDX, and Echo-Screen newborn hearing screeners; and hearing screening supply products that are used with newborn hea ring screening devices. It also offers diagnostic hearing assessment product lines, which include the Navigator Pro system, the Scout sport portable diagnostic device, and the AuDX PRO; and diagnostic hearing supply products. In addition, the company provides monitoring systems, balance and mobility products, newborn brain injury diagnostic products, thermoregulation products, and jaundice management products. Further, it offers photometers, radiometers, patient warming lamps, neonatal heatshields, pediatric scales, blanket warming cabinets, exam lights, oxygen hoods, restraining boards, and newborn circumstraints; neonatal noise attenuators, phototherapy eye masks, and x-ray shields for reproductive organs; and newborn screening data management products. The company serves hospitals, clinics, laboratories, physicians, nurses, audiologists, and governmental agencies. Natus Medical Incorporated was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in San Carlos, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
We could always blame Europe for the shortfall; I mean everyone else is doing it, right? Just yesterday, niche diagnostic and device maker for infants and newborns Natus Medical (NASDAQ: BABY ) warned that its revenue would be short of the Street's estimates because of tepid European demand for its products. Even having products with little competition in a niche category (infants and newborns) wasn't enough to save Natus Medical; could that be the reason Intuitive is faltering?
- [By Sean Williams]
What: Shares of Natus Medical (NASDAQ: BABY ) , a neurodiagnostic and medical device company specializing in newborn and infant care, sank as much as 15% after the company announced disappointing preliminary revenue figures for the second quarter.
Top 10 Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)
PG&E Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility company that engages in electricity and natural gas distribution primarily in northern and central California. The company also involves in the generation, procurement, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas. It owns and operates electricity generation facilities, transmission and distribution lines, and substations; and an integrated natural gas transportation, storage, and distribution system, as well as has underground natural gas storage fields in California. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, public street and highway lighting, and other electric utility customers. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers. The company also operated 18,650 circuit miles of intercon nected transmission lines and 141,213 circuit miles of distribution lines for electricity; and 42,142 miles of distribution pipelines, 6,438 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and 3 storage facilities for natural gas. PG&E Corporation was founded in 1905 and is based in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
The CELC grew throughout the 19th century, but it was nearly destroyed by the catastrophic earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906. It became part of Pacific Gas and Electric (NYSE: PCG ) shortly after the city rebuilt. Today, PG&E is not only the largest public utility company in the United States, but it's also continued the legacy of the CELC as one of the world's most innovative utilities. It was the first utility in the United States to operate a nuclear power plant, and it currently commands by far the largest solar-energy capacity of any utility in the country.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Utility operator�PG&E (NYSE: PCG ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.455 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2010.
- [By Jason Shubnell]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Technology stocks gained Friday, with Parametric Sound (NASDAQ: PAMT) leading advancers after the company provided post merger update and outlook. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from 21Vianet Group (NASDAQ: VNET), BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY), Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ), and Veeco Instruments (NASDAQ: VECO).
In trading on Friday, utilities shares rose by just 0.06 percent. Among the sector stocks, Exterran Partners LP (NASDAQ: EXLP) was down more than 4.8 percent, while PG&E (NYSE: PCG) tumbled around 3.75 percent.
Top Headline
BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY) posted a narrower-than-expected fourth-quarter loss.
BlackBerry posted a quarterly net loss of $423 million, or $0.80 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $98 million, or $0.19 per share. Its loss from continuing operations came in at $423 million, or $0.80 per share, compared to a year-ago profit of $94 million, or $0.18 per share. BlackBerry�� adjusted loss from continuing operations came in at $0.08 per share.
Its revenue slipped 64% to $976 million. However, analysts were estimating a loss of $0.56 per share on revenue of $1.17 billion. BlackBerry sold around 3.4 million smartphones in the quarter.
Equities Trading UP
Finish Line (NASDAQ: FINL) shares shot up 3.64 percent to $27.44 after the company posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. - [By Jayson Derrick]
Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE: PCG) confirmed that it faces a possible $1.1 billion fine over the San Bruno blast. Shares lost 1.93 percent, closing at $45.70.
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