You can be sure that the next few weeks will see plenty of activity on Wall Street, as earnings season gets into full swing. While markets eased higher today partially due to Citigroup's�beat, the main reason the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) edged higher Monday was due to the performance of just a few blue chip mainstays. Although 60% of its components actually fell today, the Dow managed to add about 20 points, or 0.1%, to end at 15,484.
The Dow is a price-weighted index, the top nine stocks with the highest share price (not largest market capitalization) account for about 50% of the benchmark's movements on any given day. Boeing (NYSE: BA ) happens to be the fourth heaviest-weighted blue chip, so its 3.7% jump today helped the average big time. Shareholders breathed a little easier after early investigations indicated that Friday's fire on a Boeing 787 was unrelated to the plane's battery. The company grounded its 787 Dreamliners for a while earlier this year after a January fire proved to originate in the battery.�
5 Best Beverage Stocks For 2015: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)
Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Lately, Johnson & Johnson has presented two different faces to investors. On one hand, the company has faced the challenge of dealing with a weak consumer-products business, as multiple recalls and close regulatory oversight of its production facilities have exacerbated J&J's problems. With its more focused consumer-goods business, Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) has worked harder at taking advantage of international growth opportunities than many of its rivals, and Colgate's strong overseas sales, in comparison to J&J's international weakness, show the effectiveness of that strategy. In particular, Asia has been a focus point for Colgate, with revenue from the region having risen 9% year over year compared with less than 3% growth overall. Moreover, Latin America represents Colgate's biggest region for sales, with more than half again the revenue its U.S. segment produces.
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tyler Crowe]
In some ways this is a feel-good story for American energy production, but what does it actually mean for the energy space? For one thing, it is a sign that oil prices will probably remain high for a while longer, which should be a relief for companies with major exploration and development projects going on. Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) recently said that it saw a drop in production in part due to lower oil prices, so a reduction in OPEC's output could be a good sign for Chevron and its peers as they try to bring their major projects to fruition. Tune into the video below where Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe looks deeper into why OPEC is reconsidering the surge in U.S. production, and highlights some of the companies that could benefit from this move.�
- [By Arjun Sreekumar]
Refining weakness common among oil majors
Shell is not the only oil major suffering from an underperforming downstream segment. In fact, all of its peers, including Total (NYSE: TOT ) , ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) , Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) , and BP (NYSE: BP ) , blamed weak refining margins for disappointing financial performances last year. Exxon's fourth-quarter downstream earnings plunged by $852�million�to $916�million, while Chevron's international downstream earnings plunged by nearly 80% to $125�million. - [By Michael Fitzsimmons]
ConocoPhillips (COP) released Q2 2013 earnings that beat consensus estimates by $0.12/share. While the company has been performing flawlessly on its strategic multi-year transformation plan by disposing of non-core assets, organically growing production, and providing a compelling dividend, the story this quarter was early signs of the 3-5% growth in cash margins the company has promised. As a result, COP's Q2 earnings beat was in stark contrast to slightly disappointing results from Chevron (CVX) and a disastrous earnings report from ExxonMobil (XOM).
- [By Charley Blaine]
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) reports fiscal-fourth-quarter results after Monday's close. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) reports after Wednesday's close. Oil giants Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX) report on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Raymond Boisvert]
IBM (NYSE: IBM ) -- Year-to-date return: 1.2%
IBM has fluctuated considerably over 2013. Expectations for the first quarter proved to be overstated when the company reported a rare earnings miss. Revenue and EPS both fell short of consensus estimates. Among other challenges, IBM cited weakness in the yen and an inability to close certain software deals before the quarter ended. IBM was also plagued by industrywide decline in hardware sales and competition from Oracle and others. - [By Alex Planes]
Thomas J. Watson, Sr. became president of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company on May 1, 1914 -- you know it today as International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM ) , and it's thanks in no small part to Watson's enduring legacy that you know it at all. In 1914, the future IBM was a disjointed, sprawling enterprise that its founders were having difficulty controlling. Watson streamlined the company, giving it a focus, a motto, and a corporate identity that persists to this day.
- [By Investometrica]
First, I compare the stock performance of Salesforce.com with other competitors. Although some competitors are not exactly in the same business, all of them have either a cloud computing or CRM component in their revenue: Citrix Systems (CTXS), Rackspace (RAX), SAP (SAP), Oracle (ORCL), Microsoft (MSFT), IBM (IBM), Amazon (AMZN) and VMware (VMW). Salesforce.com's one year stock performance, 13.51%, is far from the top (that is, SAS, with 31.19%) gainer. On one hand, things could have been worse, as a good number of competitors show negative returns. On the other hand, we should notice that the current stock price level has not changed that much since early 2011 ($39.2 per share). This stagnation is hard to ignore.
- [By Rex Crum]
IBM Corp. (IBM) �shares rose almost 2% to $193.14.
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)
Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Phillip Morris (PM) gained 2.8% to $86.56 after boosting its dividend by 10.6%.
Restoration Hardware (RH) dropped 12% to $68.04 despite what many considered to be a solid earnings�report. Not Barron’s.
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)
McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Adrian Campos]
Of course,�burger chains�McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) and Burger King Worldwide (NYSE: BKW ) are also very interested in becoming the leading fast-food chain in emerging economies, and all are looking to Asia as a major revenue growth engine.�In this highly competitive scenario,�how does Yum! plan to conquer the Asian markets?�
- [By Jacob Roche]
Meanwhile, cafe competitor McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) is investing $6.5 million to help Guatemalan farmers produce more high-quality beans using sustainable methods. McDonald's U.K., New Zealand, and Australia already source all of their coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified beans, and the Guatemalan investment should give the company access to even more supply for its other stores. That, in turn, may give investors a reason to smile.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Maybe McDonald’s (MCD) investors are loving after all.
APYesterday, McDonald’s dropped 0.3% after reporting same-store sales–and Barron’s panned the stock. Today, however, McDonald’s shares have gained 3.5% to $98.56, leaving Burger King (BKW), which has ticked up 0.3% to $27.63, and Wendy’s (WEN), which has dropped 1.1% to $9.30, in their dust.
Sterne Agee’s Lynne Collier and Wesley Carmichael explain why investors enthusiastic about McDonald’s prospects:
We are incrementally more positive on MCD following today’s comments from CFO Peter Bensen at the Bank of America Consumer Conference. Most importantly, Mr. Bensen spoke about the Company’s investigation into increasing leverage in the capital structure, which we believe could result in increased return of capital to shareholders…
Still, McDonald’s has dipped 0.4% during the past 12 months, even as Wendy’s has surged 70% and Burger King Worldwide has jumped 49%.
The question now: Is this the beginning of a new trend for McDonald’s?
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)
Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Associated Press]
Prom spending is expected to rise this spring to an average $1,139. That's among families who are planning to spend some money to attend the annual affair, according to a survey of 1,025 parents of prom age teens by payment processor Visa (NYSE: V ) and research company Gfk. Not included in the average were 12 percent who said they wouldn't spend anything on the prom. A majority of parents with teenagers surveyed were still unsure how much they'd spend.
- [By Reuters]
Kathy Willens/AP JPMorgan Chase reported a better-than-expected adjusted quarterly profit as the biggest U.S. bank kept a lid on costs and set aside less money to cover bad loans. The bank, which agreed last week to pay $2.6 billion to settle government and private claims over its handling of accounts of fraudster Bernie Madoff, said fourth-quarter net income fell 7.3 percent to $5.28 billion, or $1.30 a share. Adjusted for special items, the company earned $1.40 a share, beating the average analyst estimate of $1.35, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The results took into account gains from the sale of Visa (V) shares and One Chase Manhattan Plaza and legal expenses related to the Madoff settlements. JPMorgan (JPM), which agreed to pay nearly $20 billion in 2013 to settle assorted legal claims, had estimated that settlement of the Madoff claims would subtract $850 million from fourth-quarter earnings. "It was in the best interests of our company and shareholders for us to accept responsibility, resolve these issues and move forward," Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon said in a statement Tuesday. JPMorgan shares, which have been trading this month at their highest levels since 2000, were up 0.5 percent at $58 before the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock rose 33 percent in 2013, in line with the 35 percent rise in the KBW Bank index and slightly ahead of the 29 percent gain in Standard & Poor's 500 stock index. Special items highlighted by the bank subtracted 10 cents a share from fourth-quarter earnings, compared with a two-cent boost in the same quarter of 2012. The special items included a benefit of 21 cents a share from the sale of Visa shares and 8 cents from the sale of One Chase Manhattan Plaza and an expense of 27 cents a share from legal bills, including the Madoff settlements. Three months ago, JPMorgan reported its first quarterly loss under Dimon after recording after-tax expenses of $7.2 billi
Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Watch Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)
Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Bieglmeier]
The internet was littered with stories about the commercial success of Apple's (AAPL) new iPhones 5S and 5C. Reports of long lines as if somebody was giving free stuff away, iPhones out of stock until October, and excitement over colors dominated iPhone news since Friday.
- [By Quick Pen]
While many consider this to be a sad situation for the phone maker, Nokia is able to see through the situation and is moving forward aggressively to the opportunities that are available. Recently the company completed the acquisition of Desti, a personalized travel planner that uses artificial intelligence to provide the user exactly what information he wants. Desti originally comes from SRI International, the same company that had developed Siri, the app that now Apple (AAPL) owns so proudly.
- [By Chris Neiger]
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) will award up to 150 student scholarships to attend its World Wide Developers Conference in June.�The company said on its website, "We want to reward creative, talented, and outstanding student developers with the opportunity to attend this year's conference on a WWDC 2013 Student Scholarship."
- [By Sam Mattera]
Owners of Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) mobile devices spent more money shopping online on Black Friday than did owners of devices powered by Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android, according to analytics data from IBM and Adobe (via Business Insider). Apple's mobile devices accounted for more Internet traffic than those running Google's mobile operating system, while the average Apple user spent more money.
No comments:
Post a Comment