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Morning Social Media Outlook for Wednesday Feb 22

Courtesy of Benzinga.

In recent years, traders and investors have increasingly turned to social media to discuss their investments. Now, interested parties can get a scientific look at what is being discussed on a weekly, monthly, and even hourly basis.

Provided by Social Market Analytics, here is the morning social media outlook for Wednesday, February 22.

Most Bullish

Sentiment has been most bullish this morning on two tech companies.

Sourcefire (NASDAQ: FIRE) reported stellar earnings yesterday afternoon, which prompted several analysts to upgrade their price targets on the stock. The company hit a fresh 52-week high earlier this morning, as shares surged over 23%.

Procera Networks (NASDAQ: PKT) has rallied nearly 2% on the session after having its price target raised at Sterne Agee. Earlier this morning, the company announced that it had received a $2 million follow-on order from a leading North American Cable MO. The company was added to the Nasdaq just last December.

Most Bearish

Anthera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ANTH) is trading down over 5% on the session after reporting fourth quarter earnings.

Ford (NYSE: F) announced that it was increasing the compensation of its board members, but has not seen any significant, specific negative news. Ford could be getting hit by deteriorating European macroeconomic conditions.

Most Discussed

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stood atop this list yesterday and repeats again this morning. Shares of the company are currently trading near $513.

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is trading down nearly 5% on the session. Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) announced yesterday that it was unveiling a new streaming video service that would compete with Netflix directly. This comes after Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) announced a similar plan earlier in the year.

Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) reported disappointing results after the bell yesterday. The company’s stock has been trading lower after the company cited a shortage of hard drive components affecting sales of upper-end PCs.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), like Apple, was also a popular stock yesterday. Reports are out that Google is currently working to develop glasses that would stream digital information to the wearer.

Interested in getting more information about stock trends on social media? Signup for the Social Market Analytics newsletter on their website.


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Banks Could Lose Billions in Overdraft Fees

Courtesy of Benzinga.

America’s biggest banks stand to lose billions of dollars in annual revenue if an investigation of overdraft fee policies by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finds that the banks’ business practices are harmful to consumers.

The agency is looking into how banks like JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) and Citigroup (NYSE: C) charge their customers with overdraft fees. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is seeking information from the banks and their customers to find out if the banks are profiting unjustly from their overdraft procedures.

The banks are making billions of dollars each year by charging their customers a fee each time the customers make a transaction that pushes their account balance further below zero dollars. While there is nothing morally wrong with a bank charging a customer for withdrawing more money than is currently in the customer’s account, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is looking into whether banks regularly process transactions in the order they take place or from the biggest withdrawal to smallest.

If the banks have a practice of processing the the biggest transactions first, it could be seen as a blatant attempt to boost profits by artificially increasing the number of overdraft fees that are charged to a customer.

For example, if a customer had a $100 account balance and made four $20 withdrawals, followed by a $101 withdrawal, one would expect the customer’s account to be hit with one overdraft fee for the final withdrawal that caused the overdraft. However, if the bank processed the transactions at the end of the day from the biggest withdrawal to smallest, the customer would be hit with five times as many overdraft charges.

The agency is also looking into how the banks’ policies affect young and low income bank customers and whether or not the banks misled their customers when informing them about changes to overdraft regulations that were put in place by the Federal Reserve in 2010.

Although the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says that it is engaging in a fact finding mission, not an investigation into illegal activities, the banks could end up losing billions of dollars in annual fees if…
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Google Glasses: Coming Soon?

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Google Goggles are taking a whole new meaning, as Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) works to expand its reach in a myriad of directions. Yesterday, we told you about the upcoming tech from the search giant that would allow you to control live TV via your smartphone. Now, the company is looking to make your entire field of vision, not just the screen of your devices, a canvass for its search results and advertisement. Enter the Google glasses!

Taking cues from head-up displays available in several automobiles, a pair of glasses tested by Google’s X Labs will present information on screens superimposed on the inside of your lenses. In its Bits blog, The New York times has learned from anonymous sources associated with the lab that the devices are likely Android-based, with 3G or 4G data connection, camera and sensors to include motion and user location.

The thought is that glasses would detect what the user is looking at, and produce relevant information and advertisement. Say you are walking down the street, look at a restaurant sign, and immediately, their menu, current specials, and likely a Yelp rating pop into your direct fiend of vision. All you had to do was look up; no pulling up your smartphone or, God forbid, look at the menu or even step inside. Examples of such conveniences are too numerous to try here.

Privacy, security and ethical concerns are likely to arise, according to ExtremeTech. “The phrase “tracking cookie” takes on a whole new meaning when Google also correlates your real-world activities with your online presence,” says the site’s Sebastian Anthony.

On the other end, users have shown tremendous flexibility when it comes to trading privacy for convenience, putting their security and the integrity of their information on the good faith of technology. Will these glasses test the limits of that compromise? Hard to tell, but would not put it past earlier adopters to usher in acceptance and eventual large-scale demand.

Not to mention the clear advantages such a product does present for certain types of professions which deal with currently-handheld data as a vital part of their profession. Doctors, engineers and line manufacturers are but a small percentage…
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UPDATE: TJX Posts Rise In FQ4 Profit, Lifts Dividend

Courtesy of Benzinga.

TJX Companies Inc (NYSE: TJX) posted a rise in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit.

TJX’s quarterly profit surged to $475.3 million, or $0.62 per share, versus $334.4 million, or $0.42 per share, in the year-ago period. Its sales surged 6% to $6.71 billion. Its comparable sales climbed 7%.

TJX expects profit of $0.45 to $0.47 per share for the first quarter and $2.21 to $2.31 per share this fiscal year. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.62 per share in the fourth quarter, $0.46 per share in the first quarter and $2.27 for the new fiscal year.

TJX also announced its plans to repurchase up to $1.3 billion of stock this fiscal year. It is also lifting its quarterly dividend to 11.5 cents per share.

TJX shares closed at $35.22 yesterday.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




UPDATE: Chico’s FAS FQ4 Net Profit Surges 21%, Issues Upbeat Sales Forecast

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Chico’s FAS Inc (NYSE: CHS) posted a 21% rise in its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings.

Chico’s FAS expects fiscal 2012 sales of around $2.5 billion, versus analysts’ estimates of $2.43 billion.

Chico’s FAS posted its quarterly profit at $25.1 million, or $0.15 per share, versus $20.7 million, or $0.12 per share, in the year-ago period. Its sales surged 20% to $569.2 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.11 per share on revenue of $547 million.

Chico’s FAS’ gross margin declined to 52.3% from 53.2%.

Chico’s FAS shares closed at $12.81 yesterday.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




UPDATE: Donaldson FQ2 Profit Surges 21%

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Donaldson Co (NYSE: DCI) posted a 21% rise in its fiscal second-quarter earnings.

Donaldson now expects full-year earnings of $3.25 to $3.45 per share on sales growth of 7% to 12%, versus its earlier forecast for $3.25 to $3.50 per share on sales growth of 7% to 15%.

Donaldson’s quarterly profit surged to $53.8 million, or $0.70 per share, from a year-ago profit of $44.6 million, or $0.56 per share. Its net sales climbed 8.2% to $580.9 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.71 per share on revenue of $604 million.

Donaldson’s gross margin declined to 34.6% from 35.3%.

Donaldson shares closed at $76.93 yesterday.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




UPDATE: Dollar Tree Posts Rise In Q4 Profit

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Dollar Tree Inc (NASDAQ: DLTR) posted a rise in its fourth-quarter profit.

Dollar Tree’s quarterly profit surged to $187.9 million, or $1.60 per share, from $162.5 million, or $1.29 per share, in the year-ago period. Its shares outstanding declined to 117.6 million from 125.8 million. Its sales climbed 13% to $1.95 billion.

Dollar Tree expects profit of $0.91 to $0.97 per share in the first quarter and profit of $4.65 to $4.90 per share for the year. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.58 per share for the fourth quarter, $0.97 per share for the first quarter and $4.79 per share for the year.

Dollar Tree shares dropped 2.23% to $86.05 in pre-market trading.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




Altria Reaffirms 2012 Reported and Adjusted EPS Guidance

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) is participating in the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in Boca Raton, Florida today. The presentation will be webcast live at altria.com in a listen-only mode, beginning at approximately 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time.

Altria reaffirms its 2012 full-year guidance for reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) in the range of $2.14 to $2.20. The forecast includes estimated charges of $0.03 per share related to asset impairment, exit and implementation costs primarily related to the cost reduction program announced in October 2011, and estimated charges related to SABMiller special items.

Altria reaffirms that its 2012 full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance, which excludes special items that are listed below in Table 1, will be in the range of $2.17 to $2.23, representing a growth rate of 6% to 9% from an adjusted base of $2.05 per share in 2011.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




Orckit Receives NASDAQ Notification Regarding Minimum Bid Price

Courtesy of Benzinga.

Orckit Communications (Nasdaq: ORCT) today announced that, on February 15, 2012, it received a written notification from the Listing Qualifications Department of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC advising the Company that, for the 30 consecutive business days preceding February 15, 2012, the bid price for the Company’s ordinary shares had closed below the minimum $1.00 per share required under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). The notification letter states that the Company will be afforded 180 calendar days to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. In order to regain compliance, the closing bid price for the Company’s ordinary shares must be at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days. The compliance period expires on August 13, 2012.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




AVI BioPharma Regains NASDAQ Compliance

Courtesy of Benzinga.

AVI BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVII) announced today that it received a letter from the listing qualifications department staff of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, stating that the Company has regained compliance with NASDAQ’s minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement.

The letter received noted that for 10 consecutive business days, from February 6, 2012 to February 17, 2012, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock was $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) and the matter is closed.


For more Benzinga, visit Benzinga Professional Service, Value Investor, and Stocks Under $5.




 

Phil's Favorites

Crude Oil vs. Iran: Who Blinks First?

Courtesy of www.econmatters.com.

By EconMatters

Oil futures spiked more than 2% in one day to their highest level in nine months on Tuesday Feb. 21.  WTI front month contract closed at $105.84, while Brent ended at $121.66 on ICE, primarily on investors fear of potential conflict over the escalating tensions between the US, Europe, Israel, and Iran.  A second Greek bailout deal of €130bn (£110bn; $170bn) also helped to inject some optimism into the market (which would seem totally mis-placed as we may need to relive this Greek drama in two years).  Nevertheless, the fact remains crude oil market supply and demand has not changed a bit to warrant a 2%+ price jump in one day.

...

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Zero Hedge

Scandal: Greece To Receive "Negative" Cash From "Second Bailout" As It Funds Insolvent European Banks

Courtesy of ZeroHedge. View original post here.

Submitted by Tyler Durden.

Earlier today, we learned the first stunner of the Greek bailout package, which courtesy of some convoluted transmission mechanisms would result in some, potentially quite many, Greek workers actually paying to retain their jobs: i.e., negative salaries. Now, having looked at the Eurogroup's statement on the Greek bailout, we find another ...



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Insider Scoop

Morning Social Media Outlook for Wednesday Feb 22

Courtesy of Benzinga.

In recent years, traders and investors have increasingly turned to social media to discuss their investments. Now, interested parties can get a scientific look at what is being discussed on a weekly, monthly, and even hourly basis.

Provided by Social Market Analytics, here is the morning social media outlook for Wednesday, February 22.

Most Bullish

Sentiment has been most bullish this morning on two tech companies.

Sourcefire (NASDAQ: FIRE) reported stellar earnings yesterday afternoon, which prompted several analysts to upgrade their price targets on the stock. The company hit a fresh 52-week high earlier this morning, as shares surged over 23%.

Procera Networks (NASDAQ: ...



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Chart School

The Mindset For Successful Trading In Today’s Market

Courtesy of David Grandey.

In today’s market, it’s more important that ever to have a mindset to maintain a sane mental state and stay peaceful calm and centered.
  Keep in mind with the markets as stretched as they are, we are in a high risk zone for pulling back as we have been in an accelerated uptrend with barely any pullback to speak of which as we all know can not continue forever — it never does. That said the music can stop at a moment’s notice and odds favor when it does it will be a gap down. So using that as a backdrop let’s look at SXCI. SXCI — SXC Health   Let’s say that issue breaks above the pink line and triggers a long side trade. That’s all fine and dandy HOWEVER it’s what happens next that we have no control over. At that point it either follows through or it doesn’t. WE NOR YOU HAVE ANY CONTROL ...

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Sabrient

Sabrient Risers - 2/22/2012

Top 5 RisersStockRatingAnalysisAGBUYAn increasingly attractive expected long term growth rate and a significantly higher projected valuation from just a few weeks ago make AGCO a company to watch.PCUBUYThe recent earnings history for Southern Copper shows significant improvement while projected valuation continues to rise.PAGBUYAn increasingly attractive expected long term growth rate and a significantly higher projected valuation from just a few weeks ago make Penske a company to watch.FEICBUYAn increasingly attractive expected long term growth rate and a significantly higher projected va...

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Market Montage

Breadth is Narrowing

Submitted by Mark Hanna

Courtesy of MarketMontage. View original post here.

Other than that rally last Thursday that caught a lot of technicians flat footed (i.e. post the Apple reversal) the breadth in this market has been relatively poor the past 5 sessions or so.  The Russell 2000 has been lagging the major indexes dominated by large caps, and my watch lists have contained far more red than green.   Some people have been calling it the NBA market ("Nothing but Apple") but it's been a bit broader than that – i.e. Microsoft has acted well, and some groups are still working.

A bearish take on this is of course what I cited above – breadth is narrowing which usually happens near tops.  Fewer and ...



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All About Trends

Mid-Day Update

Reminder: David is available to chat with Members, comments are found below each post.

Click here for the full report.




To learn more, sign up for David's free newsletter and receive the free report from All About Trends - "How To Outperform 90% Of Wall Street With Just $500 A Week." Tell David PSW sent you. - Ilene...

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Option Review

Bullish Bets Build In Wynn Resorts Weekly Options

 

Today’s tickers: WYNN, CTRP, DTV & WMT

...



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OpTrader

Swing trading portfolio - week of February 20th, 2012

Reminder: OpTrader is available to chat with Members, comments are found below each post.

This post is for all our live virtual trade ideas and daily comments. Please click on "comments" below to follow our live discussion. All of our current  trades are listed in the spreadsheet below, with entry price (1/2 in and All in), and exit prices (1/3 out, 2/3 out, and All out).

We also indicate our stop, which is most of the time the "5 day moving average". All trades, unless indicated, are front-month ATM options. 

Please feel free to participate in the discussion and ask any questions you might have about this virtual portfolio, by clicking on the "comments" link right below.

To learn more about the swing trading virtual portfolio (strategy, performance, FAQ, etc.), please click here

Optrader 

...

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ETF Selector

Global Markets, Euro, Jump On Greece (FXE, SPY, EWG, UUP)

Courtesy of John Nyaradi.

Monday comes and goes with no agreement on Greece until late night settlement on Greece.

European finance ministers met in Brussels Monday and deep into the night and finally, in the wee hours, apparently have struck an agreement for the next round of bailout money for Greece.

In overnight trading, the European indexes were up with the DAX gaining 1.46%, the STOXX 50 adding 1.2% and the FTSE climbing 0.7%

In Asia, major indexes were down slightly as the world waited for an answer on Greece.

The U.S. Dollar (NYSEARCA:UUP) declined after announcement of the agreement while the Euro Dollar (NYSEARCA:FXE) jumped.

The issue remains the same as it always ha...



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Stock World Weekly

Stock World Weekly: Balancing Act

NEW: Elliott and Ilene are available to chat with Members regarding topics presented in SWW, comments are found below each post.

Here's the most recent Stock World Weekly, Balancing Act. Click on this link to sign in or sign up to read.  

...

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IRA Strategy/Income Trader

Weekend Virtual Portfolio Update 1/30/2012

Here is a quick update of past trades and our current position. AA Money No trade this week as we wait for AA to settle. Phil remarked last week that AA seemed overvalued. In the meantime, it looks like we might have to roll our Feb 9 calls. Good thing we sold only 5 of them against our position. Last week P&L - 310.00 We lost ground last week, but we still have 11 months to sell premium! FAS Money Very good week for FAS Money as we benefited from the large amount of premium sold the previous week. We covered most of the shorts in advance of the Fed speech, but sold another set of options on Wednesday after the speech - 2 FAS calls that expired worthless on Friday, 2 FAS put that we are still holding and 2 FAZ put that we bought back for a profit on Friday. A late stick comparable to last week's almost gave us problems at the end of the day though! Last week P&L - $4277.00 IWM Money A decent week in this virtual portfo...

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Pharmboy

Biotech Investing for 2012

Reminder: Pharmboy is available to chat with Members, comments are found below each post.

Finding new and exciting Biotech companies that target novel mechanisms is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  Sure there are many companies working on cutting edge science, but investing in those companies to reap the rewards of their work is a very dangerous game.  More often than not, companies fail because the mechanism does not pan out, the compound(s) do not have pharmacokinetics (get into the body or last very long in the body), or an adverse event happens that knocks years off a development timeline.  In addition, the stock can be manipulated by market makers so investors don't know which way is up.  I approach investing in biotechs as a long term prospect.  I continue to like our current portfolio of biotech companies (join in chat for many of those plays), and we continually add/subtract shares and sell/buy options on ...



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Philip R. Davis is a founder Phil's Stock World, a stock and options trading site that teaches the art of options trading to newcomers and devises advanced strategies for expert traders...

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