Analysis Topic: Companies Analysis
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.Monday, November 05, 2007
Attempt at Manipulation of Ratings Agencies - Rubins Cube / Companies / Market Manipulation
On November 8, 2001 Robert Rubin called senior Treasury Department official Peter Fisher and asked him if he could tell the bond rating agencies to hold off on downgrading Enron. Mr. Rubin, who served as Treasury Secretary from 1995 to 1999, was clearly using his high-up contact(s) in an attempt to influence the supposedly non-biased rating agencies, and he was doing so because he worked for Citigroup, a large Enron creditor.Read full article... Read full article...
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Corporate Earnings Focus on the Real Numbers / Companies / Corporate Earnings
Does it really matter whether or not a company makes Wall Street estimates? What about employment or GDP growth numbers coming in above or below consensus? Is there a magic number for crude oil inventories that will trigger a higher or lower price?At no time in the markets are numbers more widely watched than earnings season. First come the pre-announcements and handicapping, as analysts put every company with a half-decent following under the microscope.
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Saturday, November 03, 2007
Seriously Bearish Stock Market News - Downward Pressure On Exxon's Margins / Companies / US Stock Markets
The following table shows Exxon's Gross Profit Margins over various periods:
PERIOD ENDING | 30-Jun-07 |
31-Mar-07 |
31-Dec-06 |
30-Sep-06 |
Total Revenue | $ 98,350,000 |
$ 87,223,000 |
$ 90,028,000 |
$ 99,593,000 |
Cost of Revenue | $ 55,658,000 |
$ 47,597,000 |
$ 26,554,000 |
$ 64,537,000 |
Gross Profit | $ 42,692,000 |
$ 39,626,000 |
$ 63,474,000 |
$ 35,056,000 |
GP % | 43.4% |
45.4% |
70.5% |
35.2% |
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Money Programme – Britain's Brilliant Ideas Boom - Friday 2 November 7.00-7.30pm BBC TWO / Companies / Learning to Invest
Libby Potter reveals how to
turn a eureka moment into a
fortune
Britain has become a nation of inventors and the number of people submitting ideas for patents has never been higher. The boom is being fuelled by programmes like Dragons' Den, but how easy is it to cash in on your "eureka" moment?
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Sunday, October 28, 2007
Utilities Analysis - Telecoms, Steel and Energy / Companies / US Utilities
Is cable's goose cooked? Is the jig up on what's been torrid growth for the past few years? Are the big phone companies finally going to bury them?
That's certainly the line being trumpeted by the financial media this week. Once investor darlings, cable television stocks have plummeted in recent weeks, with the selling accelerating as third quarter earnings season has gotten underway.
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
United Auto Workers (UAW) Sellout at GM and Chrysler / Companies / US Auto's
The September and October United Auto Workers (UAW) GM and Chrysler agreements are just the latest examples of union leadership surrender and betrayal. It's an ominous sign of labor's plight and clear indication of what's ahead - more for business, less for workers, and no relief in sight with union bosses out for themselves and more allied with business and imperial interests than their own rank and file.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
UK Firms Resiliant To Credit Crunch Market Turmoil / Companies / Credit Crunch
Business Barometer for September shows:• Majority of firms expect activity to increase over the next year
• Industrial sector drives confidence
• Confidence in wider economy drops sharply
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Canada Oil Tar Sands - My next great investment trip! / Companies / Canadian Stock Market
Tony Sagami writes: In a few days, I will again head out in search of the next great hidden investment gem. As is often the case, I will be traveling well off the beaten path, to a place completely unsuitable for Gucci loafers or Armani suits.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Protecting the Average Investor - Having it Both Ways / Companies / Investing
The joke goes something like this: As Christopher Cox, chairman of the S.E.C. navigates his first balloon flight without an instructor, he finds himself in a little bit of trouble. Fog has set in and his compass no longer works. His staff, along for the ride became worried. He decides to descend to get his bearings. The fog clears somewhat as he comes closer to the ground. He spots Ben Bernanke walking his dog with another man.Read full article... Read full article...
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Energy Trust Takeover Keeps Canada's Conservatives in Tough Spot / Companies / Canadian Stock Market
Because last year's bombshell that Canada would change the way it treated royalty trusts was fraught with political risks, not only did the country's ruling conservatives pull it off with surprising ease at the time, they've dodged all the bullets since. This latest one, however—the announced takeover of PrimeWest Energy Trust by Abu Dhabi 's national oil company—may be a tougher bullet to dodge. Here's why:Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Oil Refiners Profit Margins Seasonal Weak As Crude Oil Rises and Gasoline Prices Fall / Companies / Oil Companies
During the past two weeks, we've heard negative pre-announcements or weaker-than-expected earnings guidance from a number of energy firms, including Marathon Oil , Valero Energy and Chevron Corp . To some, this appears incongruous: With crude trading near all-time highs, the conventional wisdom is that these firms should be making record profits.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, October 15, 2007
A Skeptical Eye On The Promised Demise of Big Utilities / Companies / US Utilities
I've never been impressed by hype surrounding supposedly “disruptive” new technologies—developments billed to change the balance of power in an industry. And my skepticism meter goes positively off the chart when the claims pertain to communications and other utility-like industries.
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Saturday, October 13, 2007
Deal to End UK Royal Mail Postal Strike / Companies / Corporate News
Union and Royal Mail Management announced a deal on Friday that looks set to bring the highly damaging postal strike to an end that has seen chaos in the UK's postal system for near 2 weeks. However details of the deal have yet to be presented to the Unions Executive on Monday.
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Friday, October 12, 2007
Virgin Group Rescue Bid for Northern Rock Bank / Companies / UK Banking
A consortium led by Richard Branson's Virgin Group has submitted a rescue offer to the Northern Rock Bank's board of directors.Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Citibank £10billion Loan Facility and Potential Take Over of Northern Rock Bank / Companies / Corporate News
Citibank in prelude to a potential take over bid for Northern Rock bank agreed to provide the troubled bank with a £10 billion loan facility.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Using The Emissions Cost Curve To Identify Investment Opportunities / Companies / Corporate Earnings
Investors who beat the market look for opportunities in places before others arrive on the scene A recent edition of The McKinsey Quarterly discussed “A Cost Curve for greenhouse Gas Reduction” The McKinsey Quarterly September 27, 2007 . The study presents their analysis of the costs to abate greenhouse gases, especially CO 2 . Their goal is to provide a framework for policy makers and business people as they debate future regulation.Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Northern Rock Bank to Postpone Payment of £59million Dividend / Companies / UK Banking
Northern Rock's board of directors is meeting to agree to the deferment of the interim dividend totaling £59 million, announced in July 07 just prior to the impact of the credit crunch. The dividend amounts to 14.2p per share and would represent 8% of the current value of the company.Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, September 17, 2007
Northern Rock Savings 100% UK Government Guarantee / Companies / UK Banking
The British Government stepped in today to guarantee ALL Savings in Northern Rock Bank at 100% in an announcement a few minutes ago.
The chancellor of the exchequer, Alistair Darling stated: "I can announce today that following the discussions with the Governor (of the Bank of England) and the Chairman of the FSA, should it be necessary, we, with the Bank of England would put in place arrangements that would guarantee all the existing deposits in Northern Rock during the current instability."
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Saturday, September 15, 2007
Northern Rock Bank Run, Broker Recommendations and House Price Crash / Companies / Financial Crash
Whilst the run on the Northern Rock Bank continues during weekend openings, the same brokers and the mainstream financial press that were recommending buy and hold on the stock throughout the year are still dishing out advice on what savers and investors should now do, again with a bullish tinge. With every other paragraph containing words such as bid target, despite the fact that there's an ongoing run on the bank and liquidity has dried up in the market place so exactly where the financing will come from is anyone's guess. Additionally it will take many years for the public to gain confidence in the brand name 'Northern Rock', after watching endless news reports of savers lining up at high street branches throughout the UK to withdraw their funds in sheer panic.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, September 14, 2007
Northern Rock - Britain 's Bank Run Coming to Main Street Soon? / Companies / Financial Crash
"...The queues outside British bank Northern Bank have nothing to do with subprime US home loans. But they have everything to do with today's US banking model..."
ON WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK the UK mortgage bank Northern Rock ran a banner advertisement across the bottom of The Daily Telegraph 's front page. It promised 6.30% interest on cash deposits, more than 250 basis points above the average rate-of-return offered on time deposits by UK banks in August.
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