Month: November 2014

On Nov 28, 2014, Zacks Investment Research downgraded STAAR Surgical Company ( STAA ) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Why the Downgrade? STAAR Surgical reported disappointing third-quarter 2014 results […]

Enbridge Inc. ( ENB ) announced that it will acquire 80% interest in a portfolio of two wind farms in the U.S. from European power and gas company, E.ON […]

Argentine telecom operator Claro Argentina – a subsidiary of Mexican telecom behemoth America Movil S.A.B. de C.V. ( AMX ) – has stolen the show in Argentina’s airwaves auction which was conducted last month […]

Leading passenger and cargo carrier, Union Pacific Corporation ( UNP ), performed well in the third quarter of 2014, reporting higher-than-expected revenues and earnings. The impressive performance was driven by higher shipments and pricing gains. The company is progressing well on its operating and productivity improvement efforts to provide safe, efficient and high quality service […]

We expect Spanish telecom giant Telefonica S.A. ( TEF ) to deliver strong revenues and profits, going ahead, on the back of increased commercial activity, faster adoption of smartphones, expansion of mobile broadband services and cost-cutting initiatives. In 2014, the company is focusing on increasing network capacity to support data traffic growth and build network differentiation by developing high-speed infrastructure. […]

To drive holiday season sales, e-Commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. ( AMZN ) slashed the prices of the unlocked version of its Fire Phone by $250. As part of its holiday promotion initiative, Amazon will offer a 32GB smartphone model for only $199, down from $449 […]

Retailers need to be ‘hawk-eyed’ this holiday season to make the most of it. They need to grab every opportunity as and when they come, and try all means to drive in cautious, budget-constrained consumers to the shop as the season may be a tough one. Retailers are gradually gearing up for the upcoming holiday season to better serve their patrons. […]

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. ( HOT ), in an attempt to tap the economic prospects and supply shortages in the emerging markets, recently announced the debut of a Sheraton branded hotel in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province in Central China. The Sheraton Wuhan Hankou Hotel, located in the northeast of Wuhan within the historical Hankou district, will be owned by local real estate management firm, China Oceanwide Construction Group Co Ltd […]

Per Techcrunch reports, software developer Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) accidentally revealed its plans to purchase Acompli, a mobile email startup. However, Microsoft declined to comment. Acompli is a mobile email app featuring an integrated calendar, native Outlook support and file sharing capabilities and is primarily aimed at business and power users. […]

Norway-based major international integrated oil and gas company, Statoil ASA ( STO ) has awarded a lumpsum contract to French oil services provider Technip SA ( TKPPY ) for the Gullfaks Rimfaksdalen or GRD Marine OperationsPipelay and Subsea Installation project. This project is part of the Snohvit CO2 Solution project that was originally awarded to Statoil in 2013. Work on the contract by Technip would be conducted approximately 190 kilometers Northwest of Bergen, Norway […]

IMAX Corp. ( IMAX ) has recently announced three major movie releases in China, namely, Jackie Chan’s action-adventure 3D flick Dragon Blade, and John Woo's 3D film The Crossing in two parts. Dragon Blade is slated to release in Feb 19, 2015 […]

Independent Bank Corp. ( INDB ) received the green signal from Peoples Federal Bancshares, Inc.’s ( PEOP ) shareholders to proceed with its previously proposed acquisition deal, as announced by the latter after its special meeting yesterday. The closing date of the deal was not disclosed by the banks as all relevant regulatory approvals have not been received yet. […]

Shares of Equifax Inc. ( EFX ) hit a new 52-week high of $80.00 on Nov 26, the last trading day before Thanksgiving Day. The stock eventually closed at $79.35, representing a one-year return of 19.1% and a year-to-date return of 17.5%. […]

On Nov 26, 2014, we issued an updated research report on Southwest Airlines Co. ( LUV ). Low fuel prices coupled with increased demand for air travel will continue to boost profits for the company. […]

Shares of Spirit Airlines ( SAVE ) gained 1.27% to close the Nov 26 trading session at $78.20 after being awarded the top rank for fuel efficiency among U.S.-based carriers in 2013, according to a report released by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) – an independent non-profit organization. Two other carriers shared the top spot with Spirit Airlines. The fuel efficiency score awarded to this low-cost carrier is 11% higher than the industry average […]

Marking the first occurrence since 2010, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped below $70 per barrel after the international cartel of oil producers – Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – decided against an oil production cut. In the meeting at the Austrian capital of Vienna on Thanksgiving Day, OPEC members concluded that they will peg their output level at 30 million barrels per day as decided on Dec 2011. How OPEC’s Decision Hit Crude Price […]

On Nov 28, 2014, we issued an updated research report on Harley-Davidson, Inc. ( HOG ). This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock reported positive earnings surprises in each of the last four quarters with an average beat of 10.3% […]

Steel giant, ArcelorMittal ( MT ) announced that it will invest €15 million in order to expand the production capacity of its plant at Bourg-en-Bresse. The investment will also facilitate the development of the company’s customer Technip, a global leader in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry. ArcelorMittal signed a five-year agreement with Technip in 2013 to supply high-performance, high-strength steels used in the manufacture of flexible pipes for the development of deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil and gas fields, primarily at depths in excess of 1500 meters. […]

Global crude steel production flattened in October as declines across China, Japan and the U.S. offset higher output in the European Union and a healthy growth in India – according to a recent World Steel Association (“WSA”) report. […]