Hershey’s Plans Look Ambitious in Light of Sugar Backlash
June 25, 2012
On Monday, food-giant Hershey established a few long-term growth targets. But are they attainable?
Arena Pharmaceuticals’ Belviq Approval May Not Match The Hype
June 24, 2012
This article was dual-published on Valuentum’s website and Seeking Alpha’s website June 29, 2012 (archive). Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA) had its Belviq obesity drug approved on Wednesday. Shares rallied to close up over 28%, and Belviq is the first weight-loss drug approved by the Food & Drug Administration in 13 years. We do not cover the firm, but we think there are a few major risks investors should be aware of before establishing a position in the biotech firm. For one, Belviq is no wonder drug. With diet and exercise, it was proven to aid in weight-loss of 5% or more of body mass in one year. Perhaps the drug, which helps alleviate hunger, does aid in the process, but we
Could Weakness in Europe Spell Opportunity for American Companies?
June 24, 2012
Costco announced that it is considering adding locations in Spain, Germany and Italy thanks to cheap real estate and interesting business prospects. Could this be a trend going forward?
Carnival’s Results and Outlook Are Better Than Expected
June 22, 2012
Cruise-liner Carnival reported strong second-quarter earnings on Friday and gave a positive outlook for the remainder of the year. However, we maintain our view that shares are overvalued.
Darden Raises Dividend In Spite of Competitive Concerns
June 22, 2012
Restaurant group Darden reported weak sales on Friday morning. However, the company did raise its quarterly dividend and plans to open 100-110 new restaurants in fiscal year 2013.
ConAgra Reports Strong Fourth-Quarter Results; Future Looks Promising
June 22, 2012
Food giant ConAgra issued solid fourth-quarter results. The firm reported strong growth in commercial and consumer foods, and management guided to earnings growth in its 2013 fiscal year.
Dividend Growth Favorite Medtronic Raises Dividend 7%
June 22, 2012
Medical device-maker Medtronic (MDT) announced that it will increase its quarterly dividend 7% to $0.26 per share. This translates to a pay out of $1.04 per year, or an annual yield of 2.8% at current levels.
CarMax’s Weak Results May Actually Be Positive for Automakers
June 22, 2012
Used-car giant CarMax reported weak results Thursday morning. Oddly, we think this bodes well for new car sales at the automakers. Consumers are flocking toward new cars with used-car prices so high.
Red Hat’s Second Quarter Outlook Misses the Mark
June 21, 2012
Open-source enterprise software-maker Red Hat (RHT) reported results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2013. The firm’s performance exceeded expectations, with earnings coming in at $0.30 per share compared to the Street consensus of $0.27 per share. Revenue came in at $314.7 million, up 19% compared to the first quarter of 2012, and slightly ahead of the Street’s expectations. However, Red Hat reported an outlook below both its previously-issued guidance and the Street’s expectations. The firm guided to second-quarter earnings of $0.28-$0.29 per share, which is roughly in-line with the Street consensus of $0.29. Second-quarter revenue is expected to come in the range of $320-$322 million, well below the consensus of $330.8 million. For the full-year, Red Hat lowered its
Bed Bath & Beyond Beats Estimates, But Its Outlook Falls Short
June 21, 2012
Domestic merchandiser Bed Bath & Beyond beat estimates soundly, but the shares are down big on weaker-than-expected guidance.
