Stock Pick – Tiffany And Co

TIFFANY AND CO

On Monday Tiffany & Co posted higher than expected quarterly result. The company has reported increased sales overseas and at the same the newly opened stores has helped to counterbalance the effects of a slowing US economy as that has put a strain on consumer spending.

The company reported that its net sales increased 15% in the fiscal year ended January 31, 2008 and rose 10% in the fourth quarter. Net earnings per diluted share from continuing operations excluding non-recurring items increased 22% to $2.33 in the year and increased 19% to $1.27 in the fourth quarter.

The company’s net sales in the fiscal year increased 15% to $2,938,771,000. On a constant-exchange-rate basis, which excludes the effect of translating foreign-currency-denominated sales into U.S. dollars, net sales increased 13% and worldwide comparable store sales increased 7%.

The company’s sales rose 10% to $1.05 billion. The company is expecting, for the current year, the net earnings per share to rise by 11% to 15% to a range of $2.75 to $2.85.

The Company repurchased and retired 9,299,491 shares of its Common Stock in the fourth quarter at a total cost of $418,374,000, or an average cost of $44.99 per share. In the year, the Company spent $574,608,000 to repurchase 12,374,000 shares of its Common Stock at an average cost of $46.44 per share. In January 2008, the Board of Directors increased by $500 million the amount authorized for future repurchases through January 2011. At January 31, 2008, the Company had $621 million available for future repurchases.

About Tiffany And Co

Tiffany & Co. is a holding company that operates through its subsidiary companies. The Company's principal subsidiary, Tiffany and Company, is a jeweler and specialty retailer, whose merchandise offerings include an extensive selection of jewelry (83% of net sales in fiscal 2006), as well as timepieces, sterling silverware, china, crystal, stationery, fragrances and accessories.

Through Tiffany and Company and other subsidiaries, the Company is engaged in product design, manufacturing and retailing activities.

Company’s performance on stock market

After touching the January’s low, this stock had performed quite well on Wall Street. At current situation, after the quarterly result, it is expected the stock will resume its upward movement.

Technically the stock seems to have resistant at $45. Once the stock takes out $45 resistant successfully with huge volume, the immediate target seems at $50 and from mid to long term, the stock has potential to touch $60.

From long term investor’s point of view, I think systemic small-small accumulation of Tiffany stock will be a very good strategy at current market scenario. Even though the Wall Street has gained quite considerably after the two month’s turmoil, it certainly cannot be granted that Wall Street is now completely out of woods. There is lot of uncertainties out there, and any slight negative news from economy front can drag the market southward.

If the Dow Jones and NASDAQ tends to move southward then this stock will also follow their same direction, but at lower level of $35, this stock will be a very good buy with huge upward potential and very low downside risk.

Mid Term Target: $50
Long Term Target: $60

Disclaimer: The views, investment and stock trading tips expressed on this online stock trading blog are solely from the blog owner. The blog owner advises users to check with certified experts before taking any stock trading or stock investing decision.

One more painful day on Wall Street

The stock market is certainly witnessing lot of pain. Investors are worried and maximum of stock traders are avoiding to take any buy call on painful and helpless stock market. The credit market is crunching, housing market is plummeting and entering of recession in US economy is almost dreading the investor.

The Dow Jones is almost at it strong support level of 12,000. Though the market is witnessing heavy pressure; I strongly feel the Dow will not fall below 12,000 levels, but still if it falls below 12,000 levels, then I don’t see any hope remaining. At such situation, maximum of the investor will try to pull out their money, and then worries will deepen to such extend that no support level will help the market. The market will not follow any technical or fundamental story and turmoil in stock market will continue for no definite period. It will take long time for one to see the market gets stabilize at some level.

Couple of years back where the market was looking as a paradise is now looking as a torment for me.

Economics worries make the Dow Jones to fall 300+

Wall Street saw one more bloodbath day on Friday. The bloodbath day was more with the concern of economic worries. It seems like the Wall Street has granted that the recession is almost entered or at the door of the US economy.

If for time being we grant that the recession has almost entered and it is affecting the US economy then we should also conclude that this market will lack investor. If investors face out from this market then certainly there will be more falls or the market will stick in range with slowing and sliding waiving upward movement and will start moving downward.

If such is the situation then small retail investor should remain away from the stock market. However retail online stock trader those who are mainly doing online stock trading from their home can enter the market near to the strong support level of 12,000 with strict stop loss of same.

Though the fear of recession is eating out the Wall Street, I strongly feel the Dow Jones should hold 12,000 levels. I estimate that for at least next 3-4 months the Dow Jones should remain in zone of 12,000 to 12,700 levels. But still it is too early to estimate because market reacts with situation. Any positive step from Fed and US government can fuel the market upward.

Stock pick - Universal Health Services Inc

Universal Health Services Inc (UHS) posted a descent quarterly result on Thursday 28 Feb, 2008. The USH Inc Posted 17% increase in 4th quarter profit on back of higher revenue from its acute care and behavioral health facilities.

Universal health earned $40 million, or 75% per share, compared with $34.2 million, or 63 cents per share, for the same quarter in 2006.

Revenue for the quarter rose 12% to $1.19 billion as expected with Wall Street estimates of $1.20 billion.

Universal forecast 2008 earnings from continuing operations of $3.37 to $3.42 per share on revenue of $5.13 billion. Wall Street analysts' are estimating earnings of $3.37 per share.

The main revenue source from acute care hospitals rose 7.6 %, while revenue at behavioral health facilities rose 9.5 %.

With ongoing bloodbath on Wall Street, it becomes evident to stay in more profitable and defensive stock which will help you to keep your stock investment safe. According to me USH stock comes in that defensive stock category. This stock has unique presence in healthcare sector. The healthcare sector is said to be more defensive and less impacted with any financial crisis.

Looking at technical chart of this stock, it looks like the stock has strong resistant at $54. According to me the stock should cross $54 irrespective of what is happening in overall stock market. Still I would remain cautions and will avoid doing any stock trading in this stock until the stock crosses $54 with high volume. Once the $54 is taken out successfully with high volume and stock remains above $54 for couple of days then I would like to take long position with price target of $62 and then $67.

Median target: $62
High target: $67

Disclaimer: The views, investment and stock trading tips expressed on this online stock trading blog are solely from the blog owner. The blog owner advises users to check with certified experts before taking any stock trading or stock investing decisions.

Stock Pick - Williams Companies Inc.

Williams Companies Inc. (WMB)

Williams Companies Inc through its subsidiaries engages in the production, gathering, processing, and transportation of natural gas.

The ongoing rise in energy prices has significantly boosted the company’s revenue. The company announced its quarterly result on Thursday. The company reported healthy 53% jump in its fourth-quarter profit.

Many of the research firm has upgraded this stock to outperform. Fundamentally as well as technically, the stock is positioned well. At present situation the overall Wall Street is going through significant volatile session, William Companies is showing strong uptrend. From stock trading perspective the stock is giving buy signal with a stoploss around $33.50. The median target for this stock can be around $42 to $45.

For fourth-quarter 2007, recurring income from continuing operations after mark-to-market adjustments was $358 million, or 59 cents per share, compared with $173 million, or 28 cents per share, for the same period in 2006.

Recurring income from continuing operations after mark-to-market adjustments was $1.05 billion, or $1.73 per share, for 2007, compared with $648 million, or $1.07 per share, for 2006.

For 2007, Williams' businesses reported consolidated segment profit of $2.16 billion, compared with $1.49 billion for 2006. In fourth-quarter 2007, the company reported consolidated segment profit of $539 million, compared with $375 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.

The profit was mainly driven by higher natural-gas liquid margins remaining at historically high levels, strong growth in domestic natural gas production volumes, and the positive effect of new rates on two pipeline systems. Moreover the company is expecting this trend to remain through the year.

Current price: $35.57
Target price: $42 to $45
Stoploss: $33.50

Disclaimer: The views, investment and stock trading tips expressed on this online stock trading blog are from the blog owner. The blog owner advises users to check with certified experts before taking any stock trading or stock investing decisions.

Wall Street Finished Higher After Early Losses

Wall Street saw a dramatic stock trading day on Wednesday, just the opposite that happened Tuesday. Strong recovery was seen in major indices in later session of market after a sharp fall in the stock market opening session.

A good pullback in hard-hit stocks of financial companies helped fuel the session's turnaround, while an upbeat forecast from Hewlett Packard Co. pulled technology issues higher and record prices for oil gave a boost to energy stocks.

It is quite hard for analysis to believe the worst is over for Wall Street, but looking at present scenarios it seems like Wall Street is going through consolidation phase. Consolidation phase is normally a narrow range where market tries to make a base. It happens normally after steep fall or sharp rise in the stock market.

At this point of time I feel the market will remain in narrow range. I don’t see sharp fall or sharp rise in near term. However good buy opportunity is seen in many stocks.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 90.04, or 0.73%, to 12,427.26 after at one point being down nearly 110 points. Broader stock indicators also moved higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 11.25, or 0.83%, to 1,360.03, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 20.90, or 0.91%, to 2,327.10.

Stock Pick-Hewlett-Packard

February 20, 2008

In the midst of trouble economy of US, Hewlett-Packard has reported a strong set of quarterly numbers above Wall Street's expectations. The company announced its quarterly result yesterday. The company reported a strong healthy jump in net revenue of 13% to $28.5 billion, ahead of the $27.6 billion Wall Street expectation for its first quarter, which ended in January. The company reported strong gains in sales and earnings for its fiscal first quarter.

Looking from technical as well as fundamental point of view, Hewlett-Packard gives strong buy signal. The mid term and long term perspective of this stock looks quite great and certainly it is good stock pick for stock investing.

The company also issued revenue and profit guidance for its second quarter and full fiscal year that topped analysts' consensus estimates.

The company earned $2.1 billion, or 80 cents per share, up 38% from a year ago. Excluding certain one-time items, the company reported a profit of 86 cents per share, well ahead of analysts' forecasts of 81 cents per share.

The company also reported it expects second-quarter sales to be in the range of $27.7 billion to $27.9 billion, versus the $27.4 billion. For the full year, the company’s revenue should be between $113.5 billion and $114 billion, surpassing Wall Street's expectation of $111.7 billion.

The company said most of its revenue came from outside the United States. Revenue from emerging markets Brazil, Russia, China and India grew 35% from a year ago.

The company is expecting profit for second quarter, excluding charges, of 83 cents to 84 cents a share, slightly higher than the 82 cents per share that analysts were predicting. The company is also expecting for the full year, profits should come in at a range of $3.50 to $3.54 a share, much higher than analysis’s expectation of $3.36 per share.

Wall Street end Mixed Amid Inflation Fears

February 20, 2008

The major indices on Wall Street opened sharply higher on Tuesday and gave up a big early advance and closed mixed with modest losses due to weakness in financials and tech. Stock investors were concerned after the oil prices closed above $100 for the first time and put fuel on fears that inflation will baffle on already troubled economy. The rising inflation fear might make the Fed think again its preconception in the direction of lowering interest rates to help the troubled economy.

The market mood seems more cautious at this point of time. Investors are positioning themselves ahead of important economic reports that could give the stock market further direction. The most important economic data will be Wednesday's Labor Department report on consumer prices for January.

The hardly hit sector on Tuesday was Financial. As it is know that banks are facing more financial problems this year that dragged the sector sharply lower. There are reports that Lehman Brothers may face its rockiest quarter since the mortgage crisis began, noting it may face $1.3 billion in additional write-downs. Additional to this, the selling pressure came from the news that Credit Suisse had overvalued assets by about $2.85 billion, with the company blaming a small number of traders for the write-down.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 10.99, or 0.09%, to 12,337.22 after being up more than 150 points earlier in the day stock trading session. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 1.21, or 0.09%, to 1,348.78; and the Nasdaq composite fell 15.60, or 0.67% to 2,306.20.

Service Sector Weakness plunges the Wall Street stocks

February 06, 2008

Wall Street saw another stock trading day of disaster as report came unexpected tightening in the service sector as confirmation the US economy is dipping into recession.

Heavy sell off seen at Wall Street plunged the Dow Jones industrials down 370 points. It was the Dow's biggest percentage drop in almost a year. The report from the Institute for Supply Management washed out the emerging hopefulness about the economy that had sent stocks surging higher last week.

The ongoing disaster at stock market is not stopping. Any news coming from the finance or economy side is not giving a sense of relief to investors to makeup their mind to take further positive positions in stock market.

At current situation according to me, the retail investors should stay away from online stock trading until a clear picture arises where the US economy is headed. However reports of weak service sector and decline in U.S. jobs suggest the economy is on a way to recession.

Stock Idea - Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc

Stock trading as well as stock investing point of view I think Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc looks quite promising. The fundamental story of this stock looks quite good. At current situation when heavy carnage is going on Wall Street, this stock seems more a like of defensive stock and holding this stock is quite profitable. It looks like there is very low downward risk and upward move looks quite bright. From long term stock investing perspective this stock can give high returns. At current situation this stock seems to be in trading zone of $46 to $54 but any descent rally on Wall Street can easily break its 52-weeks high level.

Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.'s Corporate Governance Quotient as of 1-Feb-08 is better than 54.3% of S&P 500 companies and 86.3% of Food Beverage & Tobacco companies.

The company reported fourth quarter 2007 net sales increased 7.9 percent and diluted earnings per share increased 16 percent. For the full year 2007, net sales increased 6.2 percent and diluted earnings per share (excluding normalization items in both years) improved 10.3 percent.

Business Summary of Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc

Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the production and distribution of beer. The company operates in four segments: Domestic Beer, International Beer, Packaging, and Entertainment. The Domestic Beer segment offers beer under the Budweiser, Michelob, Busch, and Natural brand names.

The segment also offers specialty beers, non-alcohol brews, malt liquors, specialty malt beverages, energy drinks, ale, and malt-based products, such as caffeine, gingseng, and guarana. The International Beer segment markets and sells Budweiser and various brands outside the United States; and operates breweries in the United Kingdom and China. This segment also negotiates and administers license and contract brewing agreements with various foreign brewers; and negotiates and manages equity investments in foreign brewing partners. In addition, this segment owns and sells beer under the Harbin and various brand names.

The Packaging segment manufactures beverage cans and beverage can lids; pressure sensitive, metalized, plastic, and paper labels; crown and closure liner materials; and glass bottles. This segment also engages in buying, recycling, and selling aluminum and plastic beverage containers.

The Entertainment segment owns and operates theme parks in Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Williamsburg, Virginia; San Antonio, Texas; Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and San Diego, California. In addition, the company, through its subsidiaries, engages in real estate development; and owns and operates The Kingsmill Resort and Conference Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. The company also owns and operates transportation service businesses. Anheuser-Busch Companies was founded in 1852 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Wall Street Crash by Worse Credit Fears

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Friday was again a worse day for stock trading session on Wall Street, in the midst of fears that the financial sector's trouble with worse credit won't soon end. It is having said that some consumers are collapsing under the influence of a slowdown in economy.

Stock investors are worried about how banks and brokerages will turn out in this quarter after suffering losses in the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. Stock Investors are also anxious after American Express Corp. warned that slowdown in spending and more negligence on credit card payments will impede profit throughout 2008.

Stock traders seemed to grow more distrustful in advance of quarterly result reports due next week from the nation's biggest financial institutions. Merrill Lynch & Co., Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are slated to weigh in next week.

With the beginning of New Year, the stocks have slipped lower. Dow Jones repeatedly falling by whopping triple digits in many single sessions.

The major indexes each lost more than 1 %, including the Dow Jones industrials, which finished down nearly 250 points. The Dow is down 4.96 % for the year. The S&P is down 4.59 %, and the Nasdaq has lost 8.01 %.

Wall Street Showed Resilience

January 1, 2008

Wall Street ended in mixed and showed resilience in a year of economic turmoil.

After a year of high up and down swings, the Wall Street managed to finish 2007 with a modest gain regardless of crises in credit and housing market and concerns about an economy possibly headed for recession. Probably it was a mixed year of bull and bear and many analyses predict that the same will continue in year 2008 also.

The US stock market started 2007 with a short-lived rally and plunged in late February, with the Dow cracking almost 416 points in one day as concerns about subprime mortgages swept through the market, but within weeks, the stock investor were optimism about a strong global economy and solid domestic employment began pushing the stock price higher and on May 30, the S&P 500 hit an all-time high, surpassing its record reached at the end of the tech bubble seven years earlier, but all that distorted almost overnight in mid-summer with the subprime concern morphing into a credit freeze..

Financial stocks took a hard hit as their earnings outlook fogged up as well as shares of automakers, consumer goods that produce household goods, textiles, etc were also beaten down as stock market investors doubted the aptitude of consumers, who fuel two-thirds of the economy, to keep spending.

Even though the stock market gain was skimpy at best. Most of the analysts and stock traders noted that initial public offering activity was high, share buybacks were at record highs and investors in certain sectors were handsomely rewarded.

At the end of the year, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 13,264.82, up 6.4% for the year. The broader Standard & Poor's 500-stock index closed at 1468.36, up 3.5 % for the year.

According to me for stock investing I will look for sectors such as energy and healthcare and specific stock pick from power sector, internet companies and might take some risk in financial related stocks also, however for stock trading there are lot of stocks hanging around which could be good bet on a short term basis.

Worse than expected sales of new homes

December 30

The housing market had been showing signs of slowdown since last 12 months but it has been significantly plunged deeper into last month, with sales of new homes plunging to their lowest level.

The slowdown in housing market has worsened in November even more than most analysts expected, intensifying uncertainties that the US economy may be propel into a recession.

Housing market had been a worse performer in year 2006-2007 following a significant five years rally of record-breaking movement from 2001 through 2005. The boom-to-bust situation has increased dangers to the economy as a whole and has been especially hard on some homeowners. New-home sales tumbled 9% in the month of November from October to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 647,000 as per the Commerce Department reported Friday. That was the worst sales pace since April 1995.

According to many economists the worse performance of housing market will still continue in the coming year of 2008 and probably will keep rising. The crises in housing and mortgage market meltdown have lifted the probability that the country will fall into a recession.

Wall Street ended with an unpredictable week hardly mixed Friday after a government report of a sharp decline in new home sales stimulated fear that weakness in housing will keep on to afflict the economy. The major indexes lost ground for the week. The Dow Jones industrials, following an unpredictable session, managed to grasp out a small gain even as the bleak home sales report fueled to some stock market investors' angst. The Dow closed marginally up 6.26 points at 13,365.87.

Regardless of months of volatile stock trading sessions that has seen stocks surge and then relapse, the major indexes are going into the final trading session of 2007 with decent gains: The Dow is up 902.72, or 7.24%, while the S&P 500 is up 60.19, or 4.24 % and the Nasdaq is up 259.17, or 10.73%.

Worst development of housing and credit market had increase the concern of stock market investor as many believes 2008 will be tough year for stock market.

Wall Street Sink after Fed’s Meeting

December 12, 2007

On Tuesday Wall Street sink more than 300 points after the Fed decide to cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.25%, unsatisfied some stock investors who expect the central bank would take more belligerent actions.

After the flat opening on Dow Jones and remained quite for most of the trading session before the Fed interest rate cut decision, fell 300 points. Most of the stock market investors were anticipating at least there could be 0.50% basis cut in interest but with the 0.25% interest cut by the Fed leads the stock investors for profit booking and this made the Dow Jones to plunge more than 300 points, although Fed as expected also cut the discount rate, the rate it charges to lend directly to banks, by a quarter-point to 4.75 percent.

It is also having said that Fed signaled that further cuts are quite possible if a severe downturn in housing and crisis in mortgage lending worsen. Before the Fed decision the market was in descent mode and made and strong bounce-back after strongly tumbling below to 13K mark on Dow Jones.

The Dow fell 294.26, or 2.14 %, to 13,432.77 after dropping as much as 313.29. Strong fall was also seen on broader indexes. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 38.31, or 2.53%, to 1,477.65, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 66.60, or 2.45%, to 2,652.35.

Rise on Wall Street ahead of Fed’s meeting

December 11, 2007

Strong rally was seen on Dow Jones and NASDAQ on Monday with an expectation of interest rate cut by Federal Reserve in coming meeting.

Investors hang about ahead of the Federal Reserve decision on interest rate cut on Tuesday, but majority of policymakers are still split over whether there will be a 0.25 basis or 0.50 basis cut. The National Association of Realtors bestows stock investors about their forward-looking index of U.S. home sales rose in October for the second month in a line, but still investors expect the housing market to remain weak well into 2008, the association is forecasting sales and prices to start recovering modestly next year.

According to UBS the financial stocks have already discounted the worst case scenario and may be a good stock investing opportunity on a longer term.

As compared to last month which was worse volatile month for Wall Street, this month the Wall Street has showed excellent performance as investors gained more confident in the Fed's directness to loosening its policy again. The Dow Jones has rose more than 740 points over the last two weeks, a rally that has brought the blue-chip index to about 3% below the record close it reached Oct 9.

On Monday The Dow Jones closed at 101.45 points higher, or 0.74% to 13,727.03. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 11.30, or 0.75% to 1,515.96. The Nasdaq composite index rose 12.79, or 0.47%, to 2,718.95.