The takeover-rumor driven rally in Netflix shares has continued today, as investors debate the potential for an acquisition of the company by Amazon–or Microsoft.
It’s a nice day for the solar sector, which is getting a boost from a flurry of analyst comments following the recently completed Intersolar trade show in Munich.
“By the end of Intersolar, we sensed growing, albeit cautious optimism,” Cowen’s Robert Stone writes in a research note this morning.
Oracle shares actually have gained ground since the company announced its plans to acquire Sun Microsystems thanks in part to the company’s promises to make the deal rapidly accretive to earnings. But in their enthusiasm for the deal, investors may be ignoring some significant risks.
Activision Blizzard shares are down sharply for the second straight day after CEO Bobby Kotick disclosed the sale of a large block of shares.
Kotick personally sold one million shares at an average price of $10.1834 a share, and another 242,425 shares held by a trust he controls.
Cowen analyst Robert Stone this morning cut estimates for the solar sector across the board, asserting that Street estimates for at least the first half of 2009 are too high, and there could be further downside if project credit conditions do not improve. Project financing seems to be the issue rather than the cost of individual panels.
Numbers aren’t really working out that well for Dell. One of Its rivals scored points today with impressive preliminary results, but–of more significance–there are ominous sounds coming from Intel’s direction regarding the rest of this year and the whole of next year. Cautionary pre-earnings notes took their toll this morning as well, and drove the numbers down.
This week brings the first big wave of September quarter earnings reports. But here’s an interesting thought: Will the Street actually care what they show?
Cowen chip analyst John Barton, who today cut estimates on most of the companies he covers, contends that both Q3 results and Q4 guidance will be “close to meaningless” for the group. “Negative is obviously expected and anything better than expectations will be categorized under the label of ‘they just haven’t seen it yet,’” he writes.
Shutterfly (SFLY) shares are down sharply today after Cowen’s Jim Friedland started coverage of the online photo services company with a Neutral rating. Friedland writes that he sees 17 percent compounded growth over the next five years, but that he expects the company “to continue to experience lower demand and returns in the near-term.”
Solar industry shares are off to a rousing start this morning on news that the Senate plans to add the stalled “tax extender” legislation, which includes an eight-year extension to the solar investment tax credit to the pending bailout bill for the financial sector.
Palm (PALM) shares received a boost this morning from Cowen analyst Matthew Hoffman, who launched coverage of the company with an Outperform rating. Hoffman asserts that the stock can appreciate more than 30 percent over the next 12 months.
Adobe (ADBE) shares are losing ground today after Cowen’s Walter Pritchard cut his rating on the stock to Neutral from Outperform.
Pritchard is concerned about the company’s transition from the current version of its flagship software package–Creative Suite 3–to the coming update, Creative Suite 4. He says that with the May quarter, “the company will reach a peak in financial momentum.”
This is a section of the All Things Digital Web site featuring posts from around the Web, from other Dow Jones properties and also original pieces we solicit. The section is now explicitly labeled that it comes "from other Web sites."
We are fully aware of the controversies around how linking and aggregating is done on the Web and we, in no way, are attempting to "scrape" original content created by others. Instead, regarding third-party posts, we are trying to point readers of this site to other posts from around the Web that we admire and are trying to do so in the quickest manner possible.
The Internet is full of terrific content that is not ours and we want to help our readers find it by making editorial suggestions--Look, Mom, no algorithm!--of posts we think are worth their time.
That is why we have made even more changes to Voices to ensure we do this in the most transparent and timely way. While we don't expect that everyone will agree with our policies, we have made changes that reflect our intent in pointing to content outside our site.
So here is exactly what we do:
Because the site is wholly owned by Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, we aim to adhere to the journalistic standards of the best of the mainstream media. But, because it is run autonomously as a small online startup, we aim to exhibit the fresh thinking and nimbleness of the best of the new media. We want to be first, and sassy, but also well sourced and accurate. We will offer lots of opinion and analysis, but plenty of fact as well.
D is unlike any other executive conference. Since its debut in 2003, D has brought to life the energy and excitement of the digital revolution in an unscripted, upfront and unparalleled way. Read more »
Don't miss a post! Sign up for our Daily Email and get AllThingsD.com delivered each day.
Get columns, blogs and video from D and All Things Digital on your iPhone. Download now »
