Here's another one of those stocks that I didn't buy and then found myself sadly watching from the sidelines as it rose higher. A year ago, I proffered a bearish reading on the prospects for telecom entity Qwest Communications (Q). Well, shares of Qwest have done well over the last twelve months. Should I now allocate some investment capital to this idea?

One might argue yes. After all, the company is up at the time of this writing on the Q4 numbers. However, I just don't feel compelled to buy. Especially not after all the declines I see in the release.

Continue reading Qwest's Q4: Many Declines, Yet Stock Sees a Bid

Qwest's Q4: Many Declines, Yet Stock Sees a Bid originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Skype Scores a Deal with Verizon to Provide Cheap Calls

Skype Scores a Deal with Verizon to Provide Cheap Calls originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When Apple (APPL) launched the iPhone three years ago, the big attraction was the sleek design and cool graphics. However, there was something else that was truly innovative: the app store. Basically, Apple allowed third-party developers to create applications for the iPhone, which certainly benefited customers. It has turned into a cash machine, as Apple gets a cut of all the downloads.

Wanting to capitalize on this -- as well as try to slow down Apple -- a group of mobile companies have formed an alliance, called the Wholesale Applications Community. The members include 24 companies, such as AT&T (T), China Mobile (CHL), Verizon (VZ), NTT DoCoMo, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone (VOD).

Continue reading Mobile Biggies Fend Off Apple's App Store

Mobile Biggies Fend Off Apple's App Store originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all companies in these love-struck industries are good buys. Here are 10 stocks to break up with this Valentine's Day.

• 1-800-Flowers (FLWS): A good gift, but a poorly run company that has posted a loss for three of the past four quarters.
• Hershey (HSY): Missing out on the Cadbury merger was not so sweet for Hershey.
• Cardiac Sciences (CSCX): It's hard to have a heart for a company that fails seven out of my eight fundamental screens.

Continue reading Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate

Ten Valentine's Day Stocks to Hate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21

Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks List Shrinks from 26 to 21 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One facet of the Obama administration's sweeping stimulus initiatives of which I have taken particular interest is its protracted effort to increase our national broadband access and capabilities. In pursuit of that end, The Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP), which seeks to build and enhance broadband access in unserved and underserved regions of our country, has been provided with over $4.5 billion in Recovery Act funds.

I am pleased to report that amazingly, BTOP has already dispensed with much of the red tape that might normally bog down an effort of this magnitude. Large chunks of BTOP funds are beginning to be granted. In the short term, the benefit of this program may well be to create jobs. In the long term, these infrastructure improvements could possibly increase the profit bases of companies such as Verizon Communications (VZ), Sprint Nextel Corp. (S), AT&T (ATT) and a host of other digital communication and entertainment providers.

Continue reading Big Stimulus Money Is Hitting the Wires

Big Stimulus Money Is Hitting the Wires originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading T-Mobile Ponders a Mega Public Offering

T-Mobile Ponders a Mega Public Offering originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks Yet -- From 35 to 26

Serious Money: Cheapest Stocks Yet -- From 35 to 26 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Serious Money: Still Cheap Market -- 35 Stocks + Yields & Growth

Serious Money: Still Cheap Market -- 35 Stocks + Yields & Growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:

• Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) better-than-expected Q4 numbers due to strong holiday sales of media products.
• BlackRock Inc. (BLK) reported strong Q4 results and doubled assets under management due to an acquisition.
• Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) shares fell despite better-than-expected Q4 earnings as guidance fell short of the Street view.
• DeVry Inc. (DV) reported better-than-expected Q2 numbers due to increasing enrollments, which lifted shares.
• EMC Corp. (EMC) reported strong Q4 results that beat the Street view and offered full-year guidance.
• General Dynamics Corp. (GD) Q4 results fell short of expectations and its guidance was less than estimates.

Continue reading Earnings Highlights: Amazon, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Netflix, P&G, 3M, Verizon ...

Earnings Highlights: Amazon, Caterpillar, General Dynamics, Netflix, P&G, 3M, Verizon ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Upgrades

• Kaufman Bros. upgraded Amazon.com (AMZN) to buy from hold as it finds the risk/reward on shares attractive following the recent pullback and expects the company to report strong Q4 results. Kaufman maintains a $155 price target on the stock.
• Baird upgraded DeVry (DV) to outperform from neutral and raised its target to $76 from $62. The firm said they have increased confidence in DeVry's ability to navigate through the ERP implementation.
• Benchmark Co. upgraded McGraw-Hill (MHP) to buy from hold on expectations the company's momentum should continue throughout 2010 due to improving debt markets, increased IPO issuance and steady education funding. The firm raised its target price on shares to $42 from $32.
• Best Buy (BBY) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Rochdale.
• AK Steel (AKS) was upgraded to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Cooper Industries (CBE) was raised to buy from neutral at UBS.

Continue reading Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMZN, BBY, DV, POT, TWX, VZ, X ...

Analyst Upgrades, Downgrades and Initiations: AMZN, BBY, DV, POT, TWX, VZ, X ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Another quarter has come and gone for telecommunications expert Verizon (VZ). And with it, another opportunity for management to flaunt its cash-generation abilities. Earnings may be down, but I've said it before and I'll say it again here: When Wall Street thinks Verizon, it thinks attractive dividend yield.

On an adjusted basis, the company made 54 cents per share in the fourth quarter. This was seven cents less than last year's income figure. Unfortunately, it was also a penny below expectations, according to our earnings preview.

Continue reading Verizon's Q4 Profit Declines, but Cash Generation Is Still Okay

Verizon's Q4 Profit Declines, but Cash Generation Is Still Okay originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Before the Bell: Futures Point to a Lower Start

Before the Bell: Futures Point to a Lower Start originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Motricity Dials Up for an IPO

Motricity Dials Up for an IPO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch is on. Intel (INTC) and IBM (IBM) have already reported strong earnings results, and some of this week's biggest anticipated earnings gainers are also tech stocks: Apple (AAPL), AT&T (T) and Microsoft (MSFT).

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are looking for Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) to report that its earnings rose 57.1% from a year ago to $0.49 per share for the three months that ended in December. Revenue is expected to total $3.0 billion, up 19.5% from a year ago, during a fourth quarter in which it raised its guidance and declared a quarterly dividend. But the full-year forecast is for earnings of $1.13 per share (-28.0%) on $10.4 billion in revenue (-16.8%). This Dallas-based semiconductor maker's earnings results have been better than expected in the past four quarters, beating estimates by as much as nine cents per share.

Continue reading The Week in Preview: Eye on Tech Earnings (QCOM, SNDK, TXN, VZ, YHOO)

The Week in Preview: Eye on Tech Earnings (QCOM, SNDK, TXN, VZ, YHOO) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As soon as Verizon Wireless (VZ) cut prices on its wireless calling plans last week, smaller competitor AT&T (T) did the same. Or, should we say, Verizon and AT&T simply rearranged pricing plans to grab psychological mind share more than anything.

As voice becomes something used less every year (while data use skyrockets), charging less for voice calls and more for data features is simply moving things around. Looks better for the customer, but makes little to any difference in revenue for the wireless carrier.

Continue reading Verizon and AT&T in Wireless Plan Pricing War

Verizon and AT&T in Wireless Plan Pricing War originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Consider Verizon, If Dividends, Safety Mean As Much to You As Growth

Consider Verizon, If Dividends, Safety Mean As Much to You As Growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm going defensive this year. The stock market had a great run in 2009 with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 index up more than 60%. It's hard to believe stocks can run too much higher. They can, of course, if earnings explode. But that seems like a drug-induced dream at this point, considering over 10% unemployment.

I also think interest rates will be higher next year, that the economy will improve somewhat, and that unemployment will go down but not by much. So I'm focusing on stock with these attributes:

Continue reading Comfort Zone Investing: Five Stocks for 2010

Comfort Zone Investing: Five Stocks for 2010 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After reading an unbelievable sell recommendation by one of my BloggingStocks colleagues, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In Thirteen Dow stocks that are doomed, we are informed that 13 of the 30 are going down and we should all bail out before it is too late.

I find this silly on many levels. For one, 13 stocks amount to a large-cap index fund and since large-cap stocks have lagged the market the probability that they will outperform going forward is real and has many investors promoting them.

Continue reading Serious Money: These Dow Dogs are not -- AA, T, BAC, BA ...

Serious Money: These Dow Dogs are not -- AA, T, BAC, BA ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Verizon (VZ) is betting the farm on a high-stakes bid to supplant the Apple (AAPL) iPhone with its Droid device. In the long run this may be a good move, but in the short run the ad blitz and high cost of this rollout are really going to eat away at Verizon's bottom line.

While spending on tech devices has been strong, the bottom line is that the initial price point for the Droid may be a bit high and it will take some time for consumers to catch on to this smart phone, considering how loyal Apple users are. Things may change in a few weeks if I hear some favorable news, but for now VZ is a sell.

Next: Dog of the Dow #13: Walmart (WMT)

Dog of the Dow #12: Verizon (VZ) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.