Archive for June 20th, 2008
Posted by: in Business News
Filed under: Business, Internet, Video
 Netflix users are in an uproar, and rightfully so.
If you’re not familiar with what Netflix is, then sorry…please move along.
Kidding…you can rent movies on the web, and you can create a queue of what you want to see, and they’ll mail them to your home as they’re available. It’s like an autopilot feature and it frakkin rocks.
A few months ago the company put out an even cooler feature that let Netflix account holders create multiple queues under one account. So basically your baby daughter, mom, uncle Steve, and your parrot Whiskers could have their own queue of movies that they want to see.
Such a time saver, such a great function that really reminds you why you use and love (and pay for) Netflix.
Don’t go and try to sign up just for that feature though, because Netflix just announced that they’re taking it away.
Continue reading We think we just saw Ashton Kutcher, cuz you just got Netflix’d!
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Posted by: in Business News
Filed under: Business, World wide web, Security
 We’re talking part one, the one with the hot version of Jennifer Love Hewitt. And oh yeah, that’s who you were downloading last week, and we know alllllll about it.
A recent study by Cyber-Ark, who asked 300 IT Professionals about the topic of System Admins checking out what you’re doing on the internet at work, states that 1 in 3 IT professionals snoop on their co-workers surfing habits and stats.
I mean why not, right…all the info is right there! They’re just “protecting the company from harmful usage”.
Sheah, right.
IT Professionals download more pr0n than the entire say of Texas.
Even scarier? 47% of those surveyed said that they accessed info about you that had nothing to do with their job.
No wonder most SysAdmins have the password g0d. Oy!
What might be even worse, is that the other 2 in 3 surveyed lied out of fear that someone was snooping on them while they were taking the survey, thus uncovering the fact that they snoop on us. OMS our heads injured!
SysAdmins, do you snoop? Worker folk, are you snooped upon?
You can hiphopanonymously write a comment here and let us know about it.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: Deals, Anheuser-Busch Cos (BUD)
 It’s no secret that InBev’s $46.3 billion bid for Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) was aimed so that it could get its hands on the Budweiser and Bud Light brands, two of the top four selling beers in the world. Carlos Brito, Chief Executive of Belgium’s InBev, stated so quite clearly. Not only that, he also promised Bud would go on to be made in the same breweries, and that none in the U.S. would be shut down should the merger occurs. He also promised to keep most of management in place.
Well, for me the massive question has always been why? What’s this Belgian-Brazilian company fascination with beer brands that are so American — in recognition and in taste. Well, it turns out that this is only partly true. While it is true that it is mostly Americans who drink light beers, Budweiser has actually captured sizable market share outside the U.S., like 13% in Ireland and 11.5% in Canada in 2006.
So now I understand why the maker of much better Stella Artois would want to own the low-rated Budweiser. What’s in it for Bud then? Lots. Apparently, and amazingly enough, it is in the U.S. of all places that shipments of Budweiser have dropped significantly.
But as companies that have a family or co-founder (read Yahoo’s Yang) in charge do, Anheuser-Busch on a whim it decided it didn’t want to sell to InBev. Instead, it turned to Group Modelo, the Corona maker and another company controlled by family. Anheuser-Busch already owns 50% on Modelo and a deal to buy the rest would thwart InBev’s attempts as it would make BUD too huge. That’s too bad. At least for appearances sake, today Modelo’s CEO resigned from Anheuser-Busch’s board and some might even state it’s a good sign as the board has more independent directors who could force the company to consider InBev’s bid.
Meanwhile, Anheuser keeps on plowing and Friday stated it would acquire the remaining 50% share of Crown Beers India to get distribution there.
I wonder what Buffett — who (through Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)) is the second biggest shareholder of Anheuser-Bush — has to state about all that.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: Deals, Good news, Canada, Options, Technical Analysis
 Mosaic (NYSE: MOS) shares are trading higher today after the company announced it intends to sell its Saskferco Products Inc. unit, which makes nitrogen fertilizer and is based in Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan. If you think that the stock won’t fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on MOS.
After hitting a one-year low of $32.50 in August, the stock hit a one-year high of $163.25 on Wednesday. MOS opened this morning at $151.67. So far this day the stock has hit a low of $147.46 and a high of $155.60. As of 12:20, MOS is trading at $153.25, up $2.00 (1.3%). The chart for MOS looks bullish and steady.
For a bullish hedged play on this stock, I would think about a September bull-put credit spread below the $90 range. A bull-put credit spread is an options position that combines the buy and sale of put options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn’t do what you think but still leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we’ll make a 6.4% return in just three months as long as MOS is above $90 at October expiration. Mosaic would have to fall by more than 41% before we would begin to lose money.
MOS hasn’t been below $90 since January and has shown support around $115 recently. This trade could be risky if the company’s earnings (due out 7/29) disappoint, but even if that happens, this position could be protected by the support the stock might find at its 200 day moving average, which is currently around $95 and rising.
Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in MOS.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: Deals, Competitive strategy, Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), Monster Worldwide (MNST)
Many Wall Street analysts thought that when Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) lost its bid for Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) that it would take the $45 billion it was going to spend and purchase other online companies.
Think again. Microsoft’s management states it isn’t so. According to the FT, “Steve Ballmer, chief executive, scotched speak that Microsoft would turn to a `plan B’ of other acquisitions to boost its online presence.” Ballmer feels that buying more world wide web companies will not improve its share of the search market. He’s not simply after more pageviews.
The news is probably disappointing to several big on the web companies. AOL, Facebook, Monster (NASDAQ: MNST), and Digg might all have been part of a Microsoft plan to improve the size of its presence on the web.
The Microsoft comments send another message. Search is important. Display advertising isn’t. Search is an efficient way to make money. Display advertising’s ideal growth years are behind it.
If Ballmer is right, the on the internet world is about to go through a major upheaval.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: Before the bell, Deals, Yahoo! (YHOO), Market matters, Washington Mutual (WM), UAL Corp (UAUA), Oil
 Stock futures were lower early Friday as investors seemed concerned about oil prices ahead of a weekend summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, financials kept the headlines this morning with Washington Mutual and airlines announcing jobs and cost cuts the main story there. It appears that the last day of this week might see some losses before heading into next week and the Federal Reserve meeting.
On Thrusday, stocks managed to complete the session higher after wobbly trading as oil prices dropped and Citigroup announced further writedowns. The Dow industrials ended 34 points, or 0.28%, higher, the S&P 500 added 5 points, or 0.38%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 32 points, or 1.33%.
As there are no economic reports due this day, investors will eye oil prices after crude-oil futures declined $5 a barrel Thursday following news that China is raising retail fuel prices starting Friday. As countries reduce subsidies for gas, many believe it could slow demand. This morning, oil prices traded a little higher at mid $132 per barrel.
Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) said late Thursday that it’s cutting 1,200 more jobs, mostly in areas that have been hit hard by the mortgage crisis as the savings and loan institution incurs further losses tied to subprime home mortgages. WaMu stock is down over 1% in premarket trading.
Continental (NYSE: CAL) and UAL Corp.’s (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines announced Thursday a marketing alliance Thursday that might help raise revenue to offset rising fuel costs. Both stocks are down over 8% and over 2% respectively in premaket trading.
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) might also be in the spotlight after the Wall Street Journal reported it is planning a major reorganization of its business and could announce it as early as next week.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: After the bell, Major movement, Earnings reports, Deals, XM Satellite Radio (XMSR), Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI)
Stocks were up this day, but less than you might envision after a massive drop of more than $4.00 on oil in late-day prices. So much for Goldman Sachs’ raising oil target again this day, as well as lifting the oil services sector and upping price targets for some of the sector’s stocks .
Here are today’s unofficial closing bell index levels:
Evergreen Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: ESLR) was one of the huge winners this day with shares up over 20% at $12.33 in today’s final minutes. The company announced a huge second round contract that added significantly to its backlog.
Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) imploded after its private equity buyout was officially notified as “being killed” by the buyers, and shares were down 38% at $12.79 at the end of the day. Mark that as an all-time low.
Pier 1 Imports Inc. (NYSE: PIR) was a horrible loser this day after the company missed earnings and gave guidance that requires faith in management’s ability to execute. Shares were down some 19% at $5.01 in the final minutes.
SandRidge Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SD) was down over 5% at $64.66 in late day trading with energy prices going lower. There was highly uncommon options trading in this one that has never been seen before.
Sirius Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: XMSR) were hit horribly to 52-week lows after a key Goldman Sachs price target cut. Shares were down 12% and 17% respectively in today’s final minutes of trading.
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Posted by: in Latest News
Filed under: Deals, Press releases, Products and services, Marketing and advertising, Sony Corp ADR (SNE)
British band Oasis have reportedly signed a new record deal with Sony BMG Music Entertainment via the band’s own record label Big Brother Recordings. Large Brother will release the band’s new material while Sony BMG, a joint venture of Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Germany’s Bertlesmann Media Group, handles distribution of the new album and the band’s back catalog in all markets, and the two companies will share profits. Music newspaper NME additionally reports that all signs indicate the first album as part of the new arrangement will be released this fall.
The band has been associated with Sony BMG in some form or another since its first album was released in 1994. Creation Records, the band’s first label in the United Kingdom, handled distribution and release there, while Sony handled the same duties in other markets, including the United States. When Creation folded in the late 90s and Large Brother was set up, the same arrangement was kept. The band’s last album of new material was released in the U.S. by Sony BMG’s Epic Records, while the band’s final album under the old contract, a “best of” compilation, was released by Columbia Records.
Oasis’ management reported that the band is excited about the deal and the prospects that it gives the band in “building on the band’s already considerable international success.” The band’s management reported that the new deal “allows the band to take advantage of all the opportunities presented by the new business models available today as well as remaining completely in control of their own destiny.” Other band’s at the same level of international success as Oasis, like Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails, have pursued different business methods than more traditional record labels.
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