NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- AMR Corp. (AAMRQ) has passed its final bankruptcy test and now can look ahead to a Nov. 25 antitrust trial with the Department of Justice.
Judge Sean H. Lane of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 12, conditionally confirmed the plan, centered on an $11 billion merger of AMR and US Airways Group (LCC).
AMR was originally set for an Aug. 15 confirmation hearing before the DOJ filed its suit against the merger on Aug. 13, causing Lane to postpone the hearing to Aug. 29 and then Sept. 12 while determining whether to confirm the plan.
"There can be no dispute that the plan is feasible if the merger is allowed to proceed," Lane said. "The real issue here is whether the pendency of the DOJ lawsuit acts as a separate bar to feasibility, and the court concludes that it does not." The DOJ was joined in its action Aug. 13 by attorneys general from six states and the District of Columbia. The government plaintiffs asserted the merger, which would form the world's largest airline, would substantially lessen competition for commercial air travel in local markets throughout the U.S. and result in passengers paying higher airfares and fees for ancillary services while receiving less service overall. Lane noted the DOJ filed a notice on Aug. 23 that said despite the suit, the agency did not object to confirmation. "The court agrees that the processes can and should proceed concurrently," Lane said. "Is there a benefit to act now? The court concludes that there is." In a Thursday statement, AMR spokesman Mike Trevino said: "The judge's ruling today shows that American is heading in the right direction. This is yet another important milestone in completing one of the most successful turnarounds in commercial aviation. We are focused on the antitrust case and will show that our planned merger with US Airways is good for consumers and competition." Lane, meanwhile, rejected a section of the plan that would have given AMR CEO Tom Horton a $19.88 million severance payment, calling it "impermissible under the Bankruptcy Code."
5 Best Telecom Stocks To Buy Right Now: Star Gas Partners L.P.(SGU)
Star Gas Partners, L.P., through its subsidiaries, operates as a home heating oil distributor and services provider in the United States. It provides its services to residential and commercial customers to heat their homes and buildings. As of March 31, 2011, the company served approximately 408,000 full-service residential and commercial home heating oil, and propane customers. It also sold home heating oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel to approximately 40,000 customers. In addition, Star Gas Partners installed, maintained, and repaired heating and air conditioning equipment, as well as provided ancillary home services, including home security and plumbing to approximately 11,000 customers. Kestrel Heat, LLC operates as the general partner of the company. Star Gas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Home heating oil distributor and services company Star Gas Partners (SGU) raised its quarterly dividend 6% to 8.75 cents per share payable May 9 to shareholders of record May 1.
SGU Dividend Yield: 5.43% - [By Louis Navellier]
Star Gas Parnters (SGU) is in the home heating oil and propane business in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. The company has used smart acquisitions of smaller competitors to become the nation’s largest retail distributor of home heating oil — Star Gas sells heating oil to about 450,000 residential and commercial customers in its region.
- [By Rich Smith]
Stamford, Conn.-based Star Gas Partners (NYSE: SGU ) is about to get a new CEO.
The company (which, despite the name, actually spends more time delivering oil than gas for home heating), announced Tuesday that Chief Executive Officer Dan Donovan intends to retire on Sept. 30. When that happens, Chief Operating Officer Steve Goldman will move up to take the CEO's chair.
Best Consumer Service Stocks For 2014: NewLink Genetics Corp (NLNK)
NewLink Genetics Corporation (NewLink), incorporated on June 4, 1999, is a development-stage company. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing immunotherapeutic products for cancer treatment. Its portfolio includes biologic and small-molecule immunotherapy product candidates focused to treat a range of oncology indications. Its product candidate, HyperAcute Pancreas cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Pancreas), is being studied in a Phase-III clinical trial in surgically-resected pancreatic cancer patients that is being performed under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA), with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has three additional product candidates in clinical development, including its HyperAcute Lung cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Lung), which is being studied in a Phase-I/II clinical trial conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and its HyperAcute Melanoma cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Melanoma), which is being studied in an investigator-initiated Phase-II clinical trial.
The Company�� HyperAcute product candidates are based on its HyperAcute immunotherapy technology, which is designed to stimulate the human immune system. It is also conducting small-molecule based research and development to produce new drugs capable of breaking the immune system's tolerance to cancer through inhibition of the indoleamine-(2,3)-dioxygenase (IDO), pathway. It is engaged in the study of IDO pathway inhibitor product candidate, d-1-methyltryptophan (D-1MT), in collaboration with the NCI, in two Phase 1B/II clinical trials.
HyperAcute Cancer Immunotherapy Product Candidates
In May 2010, the Company initiated Phase-III clinical trial for HyperAcute Pancreas. Its second product candidate, HyperAcute Lung, is in a Phase I/II clinical trial that is enrolled with 54 patients for the treatment of refractory, recurrent or metastatic nonresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Its Hyper! Acute Melanoma product candidate is being studied in an investigator-initiated, fully enrolled 25 patient Phase-II clinical trial for the treatment of advanced melanoma.
HyperAcute Cancer Immunotherapy Technology
The Company�� HyperAcute immunotherapies operate by exploiting a natural barrier present in humans that protects against infection being transmitted from other mammals. This barrier is related to the enzyme, alpha (1,3) galactosyl transferase, which is expressed in the cells of lower mammals. The presence of this enzyme results in the expression of a non-human form of carbohydrate called alpha (1,3) galactosyl carbohydrates (a-Gal), on the surface of affected cells. Its HyperAcute immunotherapy product candidates are composed of irradiated, live, allogeneic human cancer cells modified to express the gene that makes a-Gal epitopes. This exposure to a-Gal stimulates the human immune system to attack and destroy the immunotherapy cells on, which a-Gal is present by activating complement.
IDO Pathway Inhibitor Product Candidate
The Company is developing D-1MT, a small-molecule, orally bioavailable product candidate designed to inhibit the IDO pathway. In preclinical models, IDO pathway inhibitors have shown anti-tumor effects in combination with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Through its collaboration with the NCI, it is studying D-1MT in two Phase 1B/II safety and efficacy clinical trials in various chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations. One clinical trial combines D-1MT with an Ad-p53 autologous dendritic cell vaccine for solid malignancies with p53 mutations, such as lung, breast and colon cancers. The other clinical trial involves the combined use of D-1MT and Taxotere for patients with advanced stage solid tumors, for which Taxotere is the standard-of-care treatment, such as metastatic breast, prostate, ovarian and lung cancers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Egan]
Another big winner on Wednesday is NewLink Genetics (NLNK), which has the exclusive license to an experimental Ebola vaccine developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The FDA recently gave approval for Phase 1 clinical trials on the drug. Shares of NewLink are up 8%.
- [By Jayson Derrick]
NewLink Genetics (NASDAQ: NLNK) announced that it will discontinue the phase 3 IMPRESS clinical trial of algenpantucel-L for patients with pancreatic cancer. The company intends to regroup and ��athering additional, more mature data in support of our mission to provide improved treatment options for patients with pancreatic cancer.��Shares fell 16.20 percent, closing at $31.60.
- [By Ben Rooney]
NewLink Genetics (NLNK) is working with the World Health Organization and other agencies on an Ebola vaccine. Its shares have surged 57% in the past month.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Biotech companies that are most likely to benefit because they are “Ahead in clinical development and/or have established relationships with [the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or] BARDA which may facilitate getting a contract” include GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), NewLink Genetics (NLNK), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Chimerix (CMRX). Kantor includes Tekmira�(TKMR) and Sarepta (SRPT) among “companies with viable programs” that are “moving forward and likely to attract additional funding.”
Best Consumer Service Stocks For 2014: Williams-Sonoma Inc.(WSM)
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of home products. It offers culinary and serving equipment, including cookware, cookbooks, cutlery, informal dinnerware, glassware, table linens, specialty foods, and cooking ingredients; and bridal and gift items under the Williams-Sonoma brand name. The company also provides home furnishing categories, including furniture, textiles, decorative accessories, lighting, and tabletop items under the West Elm brand name; bed and bath products under the Pottery Barn brand name; and children?s furnishings and accessories under the Pottery Barn Kids brand name. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. sells its home products through four retail store concepts, which include Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and West Elm; six direct-mail catalogs that comprise Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Bed and Bath, PBteen, and West Elm; and six e-commerce Websites, which consist of williams-sonoma.com, potte rybarn.com, potterybarnkids.com, pbteen.com, westelm.com, and wshome.com. As of January 30, 2011, it operated 592 stores, including 260 Williams-Sonoma, 193 Pottery Barn, 85 Pottery Barn Kids, 36 West Elm, and 18 outlet stores located in 44 states of the United States; Washington, D.C.; Canada; and Puerto Rico. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Will Ashworth]
So far, I��e given a wait-and-see rating to ZU stock and a thumbs-up to COLM stock. Another omni-channel retailer that could benefit from the brutal winter we��e been having is Williams-Sonoma (WSM). WSM stock generates about half its annual revenue from online sales, and, to a much lesser extent, catalog sales.
- [By Myra P. Saefong]
Williams-Sonoma Inc.�� (WSM) �stock also gained after the retailer reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped market expectations and announced a hike in its dividend. Shares in Magicjack VocalTec Ltd. (CALL) �also saw active trading, rallying as the company�� results for the quarter beat the market�� target.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Williams-Sonoma (WSM) have tumbled today after the home-products retailer offered a disappointing outlook even as it met second-quarter earnings forecasts.
Williams-Sonoma reported a profit of 53 cents a share, in line with estimates, on revenue of $1.04 billion, also meeting expectations. That alone would probably have been enough to send Williams-Sonoma’s shares lower since they were trading near a 52-week high right before the release. Throw in the sour guidance–Williams-Sonoma expected to earn $3.07 to $3.17 a share in 2014, below forecasts for $3.21–and you have the recipe for destruction.
Williams-Sonoma’s shares have dropped 11% to $66.75 at 10:20 a.m. Morgan Stanley’s Simeon Gutman and team explain why they downgraded Williams-Sonoma’s shares to Equal Weight despite the stock getting pounded today:
While Q2 EPS was solid and in-line, we were expecting a carry-over in top-line momentum from previous quarters and comparable brand growth in the high single digits. We did not get this (Q2 comparable brand growth +5.7%), due to competition and tougher compares and now no longer believe the business will generate this level of growth in the near-term. Valuation (19x 2015e earnings) is not as supportive of a business that we now see generating low teens growth over the next 12 months.
Williams-Sonoma’s PEG rate was elevated recently given positive earnings surprises. The PEG rate rose to ~1.6x vs. the one year average at 1.45x and the three year average of 1.3x. With earnings growth accelerating, this seemed appropriate and we believed these valuation levels would continue. But, with the rate of change moderating (albeit still healthy) the PEG may come back in. Even after tonight�� stock move, there could be 2 turns of EPS multiple risk. The stock does not necessarily have much downside, but it could mark time as near-term earnings growth is digested.
Gutman also lowere
- [By Grace L. Williams]
It wouldn’t be much of a shock. In an article earlier today, MarketWatch reporter Andria Cheng notes that industry rivals including Pier 1 Imports (PIR), the Container Store (TCS) and Williams-Sonoma (WSM) lowered their profit or sales outlooks. Cheng also notes that Bed Bach & Beyond had cut its outlook in June to $1.08 a share from $1.16. She continues:
Best Consumer Service Stocks For 2014: Walgreen Co (WAG)
Walgreen Co. (Walgreens), incorporated on February 15, 1909, together with its subsidiaries, operates the drugstore chain in the United States. The Company provides its customers with access to consumer goods and services, pharmacy, and health and wellness services in communities across America. The Company offers its products and services through drugstores, as well as through mails, by telephone and online. The Company sells prescription and non-prescription drugs, as well as general merchandises, including household items, convenience and fresh foods, personal care, beauty care, photofinishing and candy. On August 2, 2012, it acquired 45% interest in Alliance Boots GmbH (Alliance Boots). In September 2012, the Company completed the purchase of a regional drugstore chain in the mid-South region of the United States that included 144 stores operated under the USA Drug, Super D Drug, May��, Med-X and Drug Warehouse names. In September 2012, WP Carey & Co LLC acquired five retail stores leased to Walgreen Co. In December 2012, the Company completed a transaction giving company a ownership stake in Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Pharmacy LLC.
The Company's pharmacy, health and wellness services include retail, specialty, infusion and respiratory services, mail service, convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers. These services help improve health outcomes and manage costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The Company's Take Care Health Systems subsidiary is a manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the United States.
As of August 31, 2012, Walgreens operated 8,385 locations in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. In 2012, the Company opened or acquired 266 locations for a net increase of 175 locations after relocations and closings. As of August 31, 2012, the Com! pany had 7,930 of Drugstores, 366 of Worksite Health and Wellness Centers, 76 of Infusion and Respiratory Services Facilities, 11 of Specialty Pharmacies and two of Mail Service Facilities. The Company's drugstores are engaged in the retail sale of prescription and non-prescription drugs and general merchandise. General merchandise includes, among other things, household items, convenience and fresh foods, personal care, beauty care, photofinishing and candy.
The Company offers specialty pharmacy services that provide customers nationwide access to a variety of medications, services and programs for managing complex and chronic health conditions. In addition, the Company offers its customers infusion therapy services, including the administration of intravenous (IV) medications for cancer treatments, chronic pain, heart failure, and other infections and disorders which must be treated by IV. Walgreens provides these infusion services at home, at the workplace, in a physician's office or at a Walgreens alternate treatment site. The Company also provides clinical services, such as laboratory monitoring, medication profile review, nutritional assessments and patient and caregiver education.
Customers can also access the Company's e-commerce solutions, which extend the convenience to purchase most products available within its drugstores, as well as additional products sold exclusively online through its walgreens.com and drugstore.com Websites, including beauty.com and visiondirect.com. The Company's Websites allow consumers to purchase general merchandise including beauty, personal care, home medical equipment, contact lenses, vitamins and supplements and other health and wellness solutions. The Company's mobile applications also allow customers to refill prescriptions through their mobile device, download weekly promotions and find the nearest Walgreens drugstore. The Company also offers services through Take Care Health Systems, which manages its Take Care Clinics at select Wa! lgreens d! rugstores throughout the country.
Alliance Boots is a pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution business. As of March 31, 2012, its fiscal year end, Alliance Boots had, together with its associates and joint ventures, pharmacy-led health and beauty retail businesses in 11 countries and operated more than 3,330 health and beauty retail stores, of which over 3,200 had a pharmacy. In addition, Alliance Boots had approximately 625 optical practices, approximately 185 of which operated on a franchise basis. Its pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution businesses, including its associates and joint ventures, supplied medicines, other healthcare products and related services to more than 170,000 pharmacies, doctors, health centers and hospitals from over 370 distribution centers in 21 countries.
Alliance Boots�� stores located in the United Kingdom, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Thailand and Lithuania and through its associates and joint ventures in Switzerland, China, Italy, Russia and Croatia. In addition, as of March 31, 2012, there were 58 Boots stores operated in the Middle East on a franchised basis. In its Health & Beauty Division, Alliance Boots has product brands such as No7, Soltan and Botanics, together with other brands, such as Boots Pharmaceuticals and Boots Laboratories. Through its Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division and several of its associates, Alliance Boots sells Almus, its line of generic medicines, in five countries and Alvita, its line of patient care products, in six countries.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Reuters]
Julio Cortez/AP NEW YORK -- Many U.S. retailers had to ramp up promotions last month as shoppers continued to watch their spending during the holiday season, hitting profits at several chains. L Brands (LB) cut its earnings forecast for the holiday quarter Thursday after reporting disappointing December sales at its Victoria Secret and La Senza chains. The company said it had to offer more deals than expected, the second month in a row it has had to do so. Family Dollar Stores (FDO) and teen retailer Zumiez (ZUMZ), which both reported sales declines for December, also slashed their profit forecasts. Even retailers that saw big sales gains, such as Kay Jewelers parent Signet Jewelers (SIG), weren't spared. "Additional discounting was necessary in a highly promotional retail environment," Signet Chief Executive Officer Mike Barnes said in a statement. A group of nine U.S. retailers in the Thomson Reuters same-store sales index are expected Thursday to report a sales rise of 1.9 percent in December at stores open at least a year, well below the 7.2 percent increase of a year earlier. Including drugstore chains Walgreen (WAG) and Rite Aid (RAD), analysts estimate the rise at 2.7 percent. Gap (GPS) will report after the markets close Thursday. Faced with reticent shoppers worried about their job prospects and modest economic growth, retailers offered more discounts during the holiday season than a year earlier. Between Nov. 3 and Jan. 4, eight retailers, including Walmart Stores (WMT), Target (T) and Macy's (M) , increased the number of circulars published by 6 percent and sent 57 percent more promotional emails, according to data prepared for Reuters by MarketTrack. Retailers also had to deal with shoppers who were less willing to go into stores: Data firm ShopperTrak this week said foot traffic had dropped 14.6 percent this holiday season. Walgreen, whose comparable sales of general merchandise rose 2.5 percent in December, said fewer shoppers had com
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Walgreen (WAG) has plunged 13% to $60.20 after it said it didn’t plan to leave the United States even after purchasing Swiss pharmacy chain Alliance Boots.
- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Monday�� big decliners were Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. (KORS) �, Micron Technology Inc. (MU) � and Walgreen Co. (WAG) �
Best Consumer Service Stocks For 2014: Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM)
Grana y Montero SAA is a Peru-based holding company primarily engaged in the four business areas: Construction and Engineering Industry, Real Estate, Oil Services, and Operation of Public Concessions and Business Support Services. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides such services as the development and management of real estate properties and leisure facilities; the exploration, production and sale of oil, natural gas and its derivates; the storage and distribution of combustibles; information technology services; engineering consultancy; the operation and maintenance of rails and roads concessions; as well as the execution and management of projects related to the generation of electric power; among others. The Company owns such subsidiaries as GMD SA, Concar SA, Survial SA, Norvial SA and Promotores Asociados de Inmobiliarios SA, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By alicet236]
Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM) Reached the Five-Year Low of $20.90
The prices of Grana y Montero SAA (GRAM) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $20.90, which is 17.3% off the five-year high of $22.14. Grana y Montero SAA is owned by four Gurus we are tracking. Among them, four have added to their positions during the past quarter. Zero reduced their positions. Grana y Montero SAA was established in Peru on August 12, 1996 as a result of the equity spin-off of Inversiones GyM S. Grana Y Montero Saa has a market cap of $2.75 billion; its shares were traded at around $20.90 with a P/E ratio of 24.60 and P/S ratio of 1.24.
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