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Filed under: Deals, Oracle Corp (ORCL), Options, Technical Analysis

Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) shares are falling today after the company announced it has concurred to purchase Skywire Software, a software business that helps insurers manage policy sales and processing. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. If you think this stock won’t be rising too far in the coming months, then it could be a good time to look at a bearish hedged play on ORCL.

After hitting a one-year low of $18.18 in February, the stock hit a one-year high of $23.57 earlier this month. This morning, ORCL opened at $22.31. So far this day the stock has hit a low of $21.83 and a high of $22.41. As of 12:45, ORCL is trading at $21.90, down 0.20 (-0.9%). The chart for ORCL looks bullish and steady, while S&P gives the stock its highest 5 Stars (out of 5) Strong Purchase rating.

For a bearish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a September bear-call credit spread above the $25 range. A bear-call credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of call options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn’t do what you think but still leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we will make a 7.5% return in three months as long as ORCL is below $25 at September expiration. Oracle would have to rise by more than 13% before we would begin to lose money. Learn more about this type of trade here.

ORCL hasn’t been above $23 at all in the past year and has shown resistance around $23.50 recently. This trade could be risky if the company’s earnings (due out on 6/25) are a positive surprise, but even if that happens, this position could be protected by resistance ORCL might find around $23 where the stock topped out earlier this month.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer.

DISCLOSURE: Mr. Archer owns and/or controls diversified portfolios of long and short stock and option positions that may include holdings in companies he writes about. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in ORCL.

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Filed under: Forecasts, Deals, Competitive strategy, Apple Inc (AAPL), AT and T (T), ALLTEL Corp (AT), Verizon Communications (VZ), Economic data

During the challenging market conditions over the past year, the telecom sector has felt its fair share of the pain. Standard & Poor’s Todd Rosenbluth recommends that some of these telecommunication stocks could now be good investments for traders as they’ve a safe dividend.

Despite worries tied to the slowing U.S. economy and increased competition, “we think that some of the concerns are overdone and believe selective stocks are attractively valued,” Rosenbluth stated. Rosenbluth also noted that telecom stocks have started showing signs of recovery for the past few weeks, helped by the launch of new handsets and merger and acquisition agreements.

Some of investors’ favorite companies are AT&T Co. (NYSE: T) and Citizens Communications Co. (NYSE: CZN). Rosenbluth believes that the launch of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL)’s new iPhone, 3G iPhone, will stir increased demand for smartphones, helping such companies, while putting pricing pressure on some of their competitors.

Another huge event that could change the course of events in the telecom sector might be Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ)’s acquisition of Alltel. This could lead to lower roaming costs and consolidation of back-office expenses. In addition, there’s always enough room for other unexpected merger deals that could have a major impact on the sector.

On the negative side, telecom service providers have been facing challenges from wireless substitution and cable competition. However, Rosenbluth is confident that companies like AT&T and Verizon will be able to successfully surpass such obstacles by posting significant broadband and video gains.

So, the sector still has its risk, but according to S&P the time could be right to start to include the sector in your stock screens.

What are your thoughts on the overall sector? Have you been seeing some buying opportunities out there, or are you staying away all together? Let us hear your thoughts, we are curious what our readers consider this sector!

Eliza Popescu is a financial writer for the on the internet investment advisory service Investor’s Observer.

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Filed under: Deals, Coca-Cola (KO), Bunge Ltd. (BG)

In the agricultural sector, it’s been nirvana for investors. But are prices too high?

Perhaps not. Take Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG), which is a major fertilizer and oilseed producer. Bunge has concurred to pay $4.4 billion for Corn Products International Inc. (NYSE: CPO), a producer of completed corn products. Some of its customers include biggies like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). This is a stock-for-stock deal. In other words, why not take advantage of the high market caps?

Both companies have rich histories. Corn Products got its start in 1906 and Bunge was founded in 1818. But it’s the future that matters, and Bunge is certainly bullish on the global growth trends in the agricultural markets. To take advantage of this, it makes sense to bulk up. Corn Products will expand Bunge’s offerings as well as provide some diversification.

In fact, Bunge also raised its full-year 2008 earnings forecast from $7.10-$7.40 to $9.35-$9.65. This doesn’t even include the impact of the Corn Products transaction.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar On the internet Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates MergerBook.com.

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Filed under: Before the bell, Analyst reports, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Deals, Google (GOOG), Apple Inc (AAPL), Motorola (MOT), Halliburton (HAL), Nokia Corp. (NOK), Penney (J.C.) (JCP), Altria Group (MO)

Before the bell: Wall Street set to rebound boosted by deals

BCE Inc. (NYSE: BCE) shares are jumping over 10% in premarket trading after Canada’s Supreme Court overturned a Quebec Court decision, clearing the way for the $52 billion leveraged buyout by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and U.S. private equity firms. The buyers might still negotiate the price down though.

Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) withdrew a $3.6 billion offer for Britain’s Expro International after the U.K. oil services firm stuck by a smaller bid from a private-equity consortium.

Some analyst calls this morning:

• J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank to Buy from Hold and the price target upped to $46 from $45.
• Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) was downgraded by Piper Jaffray to Sell from Neutral on continued weakness in North American market. The target price was cut to $7 from $9.75. Shares are down over 2% in premarket trading.
• First Solar (NYSE: FSLR) price target was upped at Lehman Brothers from $280 to $335. Shares are up over 2.5% in premarket trading.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), which along with more than 30 partners announced in November a plan for new handsets based on the Android mobile software to be out by the second half of this year, now states that the handsets won’t arrive until the fourth quarter. And even this belated schedule is a problem for some of its partners.

Meanwhile, Softbank, the carrier that would distribute Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)’s iPhone in Japan, stated Monday it will sell for 23,040 yen, or $215. But the discount isn’t so obvious as Softbank said people will get a discount in their mobile phone bills that’ll compute to their paying $215 for the iPhone over two years.

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) said on Monday it would purchase social networking start-up Plazes — a smaller rival to services like Twitter and Jaiku — as it tries to expand into World wide web services. The price was not disclosed.

Altria Group Inc (NYSE: MO)’s Philip Morris USA has cancelled its Marlboro Ultra Smooth cigarettes in a move firther highlighting its challenges to grow its tobacco business as U.S. cigarette sales decline, according to The Wall Street Journal.

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Filed under: Before the bell, Deals, Market matters, Citigroup Inc. (C), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Oil, Agriculture, Federal Reserve, Bunge Ltd. (BG)

U.S. stock futures were higher early Monday as a recovery from Friday’s selloff seemed in the cards. Oil, which will continue to be in focus alleviated some pressure as it came off highs, and several deals also gave boost to stocks. The Federal Reserve is due to have a two-day policy meeting starting Tuesday. Most investors anticipate the Fed to keep its key federal funds rate unchanged but change the focus, or give more weight to inflation.

U.S. stocks fell sharply Friday as oil prices climbed once again and financials continued to be in the headlines. The Dow industrials tumbled 220 points, or 1.83%, for a weekly loss of 3.7%. The Dow shut below 12,000 at 11,482.69, a three-moth low. The S&P 500 dropped nearly 25 points, or 1.85%, Friday and 3.1% last week. The Nasdaq Composite, with the same weekly decline, fell almost 56 points, or 2.27%, Friday.

Without any economic readings out today, the market will undoubtedly focus on oil. Despite Saudi Arabia saying Sunday it will produce more crude this year if the market needs it, oil prices rose overnight as the promise was kept vague enough for any concrete relief.

In corporate news, two major deals have captured Wall Street’s attention. Bunge Ltd. (NYSE: BG) will buy Corn Products International Inc. (NYSE: CPO) in a stock deal worth about $4.4 billion, the company stated Monday. The deal puts a 31% premium over Corn Products’ closing share price of $42.90 on Friday.

And Republic Services Inc. (NYSE: RSG) on Monday concurred to pay $6.07 billion in stock for Allied Waste Industries Inc. (NYSE: AW), combining the second- and third-largest players in the waste and environmental services industry. The deal puts almost a 4% premium to Allied’s closing stock price Friday.

The trouble with financials and the job cuts continue. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) is preparing to cut thousands — 10% of its 65,000 investment-banking workforce to be precise, according to The Wall Street Journal. Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is also slicing 10% of its investment-banking division, according to the Financial Times Monday.

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