The PBR1000: The January 2015 Breaking News Recap!

February 2, 2015 by
ID-100179127 Colorful Question Marks-Danilo Rizzuti

January 2015 Was Difficult. What’s Next?

 

By Larry C. Paxton

The recent dramatic changes in world oil policies, resulting significant drop in oil prices, continued uncertainty about foreign economies and politics(i.e., the election of the leftest anti-austerity party in Greece, the unlinking of the Swiss Franc from the Euro), and corporate quarterly and annual reports that are starting to come in with mixed results, are just some of the causes for the markets to fluctuate wildly throughout January 2015.  A common word heard towards the end of the month by many professionals is that the markets are currently directionless.

But January 2015 is now behind us. February starts with Super Bowl XLIX, and hopefully a new year reset.

Following are the January 2015 Breaking News items, from the latest date to the first:

Friday, January 30:
DJIA closes week at 17,164.95, -2.87% from last Friday, -3.69% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,635.24, -2.58% from last Friday, -2.13% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
SPX closes week at 1,994.99, -2.77% from last Friday, -3.10% MTD, QTD, & YTD.

Chevron(PBR3) announces 2015 $35 billion capital/exploratory budget, 13% less than 2014. Click here for the Chevron press release.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR39) Janssen unit gets FDA approval for adult HIV-1 treatment PREZCOBIX(TM). Click here for the J&J press release.

Safeway(PBR84) $9 billion acquisition by privately held Albertsons has closed, Safeway delisted from NYSE. Click here for the Safeway press release.

CME Group(PBR680) & trading technologies provider GFI Group terminate merger talks following GFI stockholders no vote. Click here for the CME press release.

HCA(PBR76) promotes operations president Sam Hazen to COO. Click here for the HCA press release.

Donaldson Co(PBR780) to promote COO Tod Carpenter to President/CEO on 04/01/15. Click here for the Donaldson press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports in its advance report that the 4th quarter 2014 GDP annual rate was 2.6%, $17,710.7 billion, down from 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.2% for the 12-mo period ending December 2014, was up 2.0% in 2013. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Thursday, January 29:
Bristol-Myers Squibb(PBR165) gets FDA approval for Evotaz for adult HIV-1 infections. Click here for the BMS press release.

VISA(PBR212) in 4th quarter report announces 4:1 stock split effective 03/19/15. Click here for the VISA press release.

Campbell Soup(PBR315) to restructure into 3 product divisions, division presidents named. Click here for the Campbell’s press release.

Hershey Co(PBR347) to acquire $35 million/yr meat jerky manufacturer KRAVE Pure Foods. Click here for the Hershey press release.

Mylan(PBR360) shareholders approve $5.3 billion stock deal for acquisition of Abbott’s(PBR127) non-US developed markets specialty & branded generics business; new public Mylan company to be formed in The Netherlands with current leadership. Click here for the Mylan press release.

Manitowoc(PBR566) to split into two independent companies, Cranes lifting equipment with $2.3 billion sales in 2014, & Foodservices with $1.2 billion sales in 2014, by 1st quarter 2016. Click here for the Manitowoc press release.

Endo Health(PBR741) completes $2.6 billion acquisition of men’s healthcare products developer Auxilium Pharmaceutical. Click here for the EH press release.

SunEdison(PBR888) & former subsidiary TerraForm complete $2.4 billion acquisition of wind projects developer & operator First Wind. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Kate Spade(PBR1040) to close the 19 Kate Spade Saturday stores, reorganize Jake Spade brand. Click here for the KS press release.

Gap Inc(PBR168) promotes Scott Key as SVP, President/GM of Customer Experience, eliminates creative-director role. Click here for the Gap press release.

CenterPoint Energy(PBR321) CFO Gary Whitlock retiring, William Rogers to become CFO 03/03/15. Click here for the CPE press release.

DSW(PBR801) announces EVP promotions for COO, Chief Admin, Chief Innovation, & Chief Supply Officers. Click here for the DSW press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports for 01/29/15 the average 30 year fixed rate mortgage is 3.66% with 0.6 points. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The Nationall Retail Federation estimates Super Bowl XLIX to have 184 million viewers, will spend $14.3 billion for the event. Click here for the NRF press release.

Wednesday, January 28:
HanesBrands(PBR505) sets 4:1 stock split for 03/04/15. Click here for the HanesBrands press release.

Adobe Systems(PBR565) completes $800 million acquisition of private photos & images website Fotolia from KKR(PBR272). Click here for the Adobe press release.

Citrix(PBR685) to restructure, eliminate 900 employee/contractor positions. Click here for the Citrix press release.

McDonald’s(PBR96) President/CEO Don Thompson to retire on 03/01/15, SVP/Chief Brand Officer Steve Easterbrook to become President/CEO. Click here for the McDonald’s press release.

Avon(PBR267) appoints James Scully as EVP/CFO, formerly J. Crew COO, reports to Pres/CEO Sheri McCoy, by 04/01/15. Click here for the Avon press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the union membership rate in private industry was 6.6% in 2014; public sector 35.7%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that In the 2nd quarter of 2014, gross job gains from opening and expanding private sector establishments were 7.4 million. Gross job losses from closing and contracting private sector establishments were 6.5 million. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Federal Open Market Committee in its 01/28/15 report states that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Click here for the FOMC report.

Tuesday, January 27:
Apple(PBR4) reports record results in 1st quarter, sold 74.5 million iPhones. Click here for the Apple press release.

Safeway(PBR84) acquisition by privately held Albertsons gets FTC approval, expected to close within 5 days. Click here for the Safeway press release.

Yahoo!(PBR500) announces plan for tax-free spin-off of remaining stake in Alibaba Group. Click here for the Apple press release.

Alliant Techsystems(PBR494) & Orbital Sciences(PBR1019) stockholders approve merger, to be called Orbital ATK, trade under NYSE: OA starting 02/10/15. Click here for the Orbital press release.

Alaska Air(PBR459) appoints former Starbucks(PBR164) executive Sangita Woerner as VP of Marketing. Click here for the Alaska Air press release.

Cooper-Standard(PBR654) promotes Allen Campbell to EVP/Chief Infrastructure Officer, hires Matthew Hardt to become EVP/CFO. Click here for the C-S press release.

Ferrellgas(PBR791) EVP/CFO Ryan VanWinkle resigns, SVP/Finance & Investor Relations Alan Heitman to be CFO until new search completed. Click here for the Ferrellgas press release.

The US Dept of HUD reports that the annual sales rate of new single family homes in December was 481,000, median price $298,100, average price $377,800. Click here for the HUD press release.

The US Dept of HHS reports that 9.5 million people are signed up for the Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. Click here for the HHS press release.

Monday, January 26:
Medtronic(PBR161) gets approval of Ireland High Court to complete $49.2 billion acquisition of Covidien, expected to close today, Medtronic & Covidien to be wholly owned subsidiaries of Ireland based Medtronic plc. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

Carnival Corp(PBR176) & China Merchants Group to explore 2 joint ventures to expand cruise industry in China. Click here for the Carnival press release.

Actavis(PBR297) pending $66 billion acquisition of Allergan(PBR392) gets SEC approval, special stockholders meetings for both companies to approve are set for 03/10/15. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Actavis(PBR297) to become UK’s #1 provider of generic drugs with acquisition of Auden McKenzie for 306 million GBP. Click here for the Actavis press release.

MeadWestvaco(PBR447) & Rock-Tenn(PBR(PBR268) agree to stock/swap merger to create $16 billion equity valued global consumer & corrugated packaging company. Click here for the MWV press release.

NII Holdings(PBR495) is selling its Nextel Mexico operations to AT&T(PBR12) for $1.875 billion, expected to close mid-2015. Click here for the NIIH press release.

GEO Group(PBR991) buys 8 correctional/detention facilities with 6,500 beds from private LCS Corrections Services for $312 million. Click here for the GEO press release.

CNA Financial(PBR263) appoints Rocco Orlando as SVP/Sales & Distribution. Click here for the CNA press release.

Charter Communications(PBR320) promotes Rich DiGeronimo to EVP/Product & Strategy, reports to COO John Bickham. Click here for the CC press release.

Mattel(PBR383) Chairman/CEO Bryan Stockton resigns, independent board member Christopher Sinclair named Chairman/Interim CEO. Click here for the Mattel press release.

Citrix(PBR685) appoints Robson Grieve as SVP/Marketing, reports to President/CEO Mark Templeton. Click here for the Citrix press release.

The Congressional Budget Office reports that the federal budget deficit to be steady relative to the size of economy through 2018, then projected to increase through 2025. Click here for the CBO press release.

Sunday, January 25:
Greece: The Greece general elections take place, leftest anti-austerity party Syriza gets the most votes. Click here for the Greek Reporter results article.

Friday, January 23:
DJIA closes week at 17,672.60, +0.92% from last Friday, -.84% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,757.88, +2.66% from last Friday, +0.46% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,051.82, +1.60% from last Friday, -0.34% MTD, QTD, & YTD.

Deere & Co(PBR77) laying off indefinitely 910 workers from 5 Iowa & Illinois facilities. Click here for the Deere press release.

Expedia(PBR496) acquires Travelocity from Sabre Corp(NASDAQ: SABR) for $280 million cash. Click here for the Expedia press release.

Flowers Foods(PBR590) promotes Robert Benton, Jr. to SVP/Chief Manufacturing Officer; Michael Beatty, EVP/Supply Chain, retiring in Spring 2015. Click here for the FF press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the number of US union wage/salary workers at the end of 2014 was 14.6 million, 11.1% of the workforce, -0.2% from 2013. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The National Association of Realtors reports that December existing home sales annual rate was at 5.04 million, that 2014 total sales were down 3.1% from 2013. Click here for the NAR press release.

Thursday, January 22:
Family Dollar(PBR252) stockholders vote yes for $9.2 billion merger with Dollar Tree(PBR329). Click here for the FD press release.

Dollar General(PBR153) announces Rick Dreiling to continue as chairman/CEO through 01/16, comments on failed Family Dollar(252) bid. Click here for the DG press release.

KKR(PBR272) acquires leading UK rail tickets online retailer 4.7 million active clients Trainline, terms not disclosed. Click here for the KKR press release.

Harman Intl(PBR448) to acquire private 8,000 employee $370 million/year software services company Symphony Teleca. Click here for the Harman press release.

Harman Intl(PBR448) has acquired Israeli-based over-the-air technologies firm Red Bend Software for $170 million stock/cash. Click here for the Harman press release.

E*Trade(PBR947) receives regulatory approval to operate E*Trade Bank as a 9.0 percent Tier 1 financial unit. Click here for the E*Trade press release.

City National Corp(PBR1045) to be acquired by Royal Bank of Canada for $93.50/share, $5.4 billion cash & stock. Click here for the CNC press release.

Starbucks(PBR164) appoints board member Kevin Johnson to also be president/COO in charge of global operations, effective 03/01/15. Click here for the Starbucks press release.

Ball Corp(PBR304) names Mike Gazarik, PhD, Office of Technology Director, effective 03/02/15. Click here for the Ball press release.

The US Dept of Labor says in advance report that for the week ending 01/17/15 initial job claims was 307,000, -10,000 from the previous week. The 4 week moving average was 306,500. Click here for the USDOL press release.

European Central Bank to start bonds buying program for price stability, 60 billion Euros/mo through at least September 2016. Click here for the ECB press release.

Christian Science Monitor reports Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has died, successor is half-brother Prince Salman. Click here for the CSM press release.

Wednesday, January 21:
Merck(PBR63) completes $102/share tender offer of antibiotics developer & marketer Cubist Pharmaceuticals(NASDAQ: CBST). Click here for the Merck press release.

Kinder Morgan(PBR198) to acquire Hiland Partners & its midstream oil/gas assets in N Dakota/Montana Bakken area for $3 billion. Click here for the KM press release.

AMSURG(PBR1077) Sheridan unit acquiring national 100+ radiology group Radisphere, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AMSURG press release.

Cummins(PBR157) names Tony Satterthwaite to President, Distribution Business. Click here for the Cummins press release.

Kinder Morgan(PBR198) in its dividend announcement mentions that CEO Rich Kinder to become executive chairman, Steve Kean to become CEO on 06/01/15. Click here for the KM press release.

The US Dept of HUD reports that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,032,000. This is 1.9 percent (±1.3%) below the revised November rate of 1,052,000, but is 1.0 percent (±1.1%)* above the December 2013 estimate. Click here for the HUD press release.

Tuesday, January 20:
US President Obama gives his 6th State of the Union Address to Congress. Click here for the White House press release.

AIG(PBR41) to acquire Ireland’s 2nd largest health insurance provider, Laya Healthcare, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AIG press release.

Spectrum Brands(PBR529) acquires private $100 million/yr Salix Animal Health, world’s largest vertically integrated rawhide dog treats company. Click here for the SB press release.

Cabot(PBR600) realigning into 4 business segments. Click here for the Cabot press release.

Clean Harbors(PBR608) to carve out Oil & Gas Field Services segment as a standalone public company; Eric Gerstenburg appointed COO, other leadership promotions mentioned. Click here for the CH press release.

First Solar(PBR628) announces it is the first thin film photovoltaic module manufacturer to achieve 10 gigawatts of installed power. Click here for the FS press release.

CME Group(PBR680) ups offer from $5.60 to $5.85/share for trading technologies provider GFI Group. Click here for the CME press release.

Albemarle(PBR742) announces realignment of global business units, executive leadership. Click here for the Albemarle press release.

Specialty apparel retailer Express(PBR854) acquisition by Sycamore Partners discussions terminated due to unavailability of financing. Click here for the Express press release.

Cummins(PBR157) Distribution Business unit President Pamela Carter retiring on 04/01/15. Click here for the Cummins press release.

Bristol-Myers Squibb(PBR165) CEO Lamberto Andreotti to become executive chairman on 05/05/15, COO Giovanni Caforio, MD, to become CEO. Click here for the BMS press release.

Apache Corp(PBR169) chairman/president/CEO Steven Farris retires effective immediately, EVP/COO No. America John Christman IV named president/CEO. Click here for the Apache press release.

Barnes & Noble(PBR388) Retail Group CEO Mitchell Klipper to retire 05/02/15, then be a special advisor. Click here for the BN press release.

Bon-Ton Stores(PBR704) CFO Keith Plowman to retire in 08/15, national search to start. Click here for the BTS press release.

Hologic(PBR761) announces John Griffin joining as general counsel, Allison Bebo as SVP, human resources. Click here for the Hologic press release.

Outerwall(PBR816) CEO Scott Di Valerio steps down, director Nora Denzel appointed Interim CEO. Click here for the Outerwall press release.

Nortek(PBR822) names Liam Weston as Chief Human Resources Officer. Click here for the Nortek press release.

Equifax(PBR817) reports December auto loan balances were at $975 billion, representing 33.2% of non-mortgage consumer debt. Click here for the Equifax press release.

Monday, January 19:
US Stock Exchanges Closed.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observed.
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

Friday, January 16:
DJIA closes week at 17,511.57, -1.27% from last Friday, -1.75% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,634.38, -1.48% from last Friday, -2.15% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,019.42, -1.24% from last Friday, -1.92% MTD, QTD, & YTD.

AT&T(PBR12) closes on acquisition of Mexico 9.2 million subscriber wireless provider lusacell for $2.5 billion. Click here for the AT&T press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) completes acquisition of Hollywood skincare brand GLAMGLOW. Click here for the EL press release.

CBRE Group(PBR346) acquires Dallas, TX, based 100 employee United Commercial Realty, terms not disclosed. Click here for the CBRE press release.

Regal Entertainment(PBR663) decides sale of the company not in its best interest at this time. Click here for the RE press release.

Ventas(PBR707) completes acquisition of American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust(NASDAQ: HCT) for $2.6 billion cash/stock. Click here for the Ventas press release.

Home Depot(PBR35) chairman Frank Blake retiring 02/02/15, president/CEO Craig Menear to become chairman at that time. Click here for the HD press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the Consumer Price Index(CPI-U) was down 0.4% in Dec, increased 0.8% over the last 12 months. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Treasury reports that the sum total in November of all net foreign acquisitions of long-term securities, short-term U.S. securities, and banking flows was a monthly net Treasury International Capital outflow of $6.3 billion. Click here for the Treasury press release.

The US Dept of Labor preliminary report shows current avg earnings/hour for December was $24.57, down 0.2% from November. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Thursday, January 15:
The Swiss National Bank unexpectedly discontinues its minimum exchange rate with the Euro, lowers interest rate to -0.75%, stock markets worldwide drop. Click here for the SNB press release.

Target(PBR38) announces plans to discontinue Canadian operations, 133 stores, 17,600 employees. Click here for the Target press release.

The Johnson & Johnson(PBR39) Janssen Pharmaceutical unit is divesting its US license rights of its Nucynta products to Depomed for $1.05 billion. Click here for the JNJ press release.

Dollar General(PBR153) provides update on the FTC review of its proposed merger with Family Dollar(PBR252). Click here for the DG press release.

Kellogg(PBR188) completes acquisition of 86% stake in Egyptian public 3,300 employee $70 million/2013 packaged biscuits producer Bisco Misr. Click here for the Kellogg press release.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR301) subsidiary Caesars Entertainment Operating Company commences voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization, to reduce debt by $10 billion. Click here for the Caesars press release.

CME Group(PBR680) & trading technologies provider GFI Group announce revised offer of $5.60/share for GFIG stockholders, $282 million. Click here for the CME press release.

Vornado(PBR714) completes spin-off of subsidiary Urban Edge Properties as an independent public company on NYSE: UE. Click here for the Vornado press release.

AutoNation(PBR151) chairman/CEO Mike Jackson to add president title upon retirement of pres/COO Mike Maroone, SVP/Sales Bill Berman to become EVP/COO. Click here for the AutoNation press release.

Viacom(PBR202) extends employment agreement with president/CEO Philippe Daumann through 2018. Click here for the Viacom press release.

Juniper Networks(PBR501) promotes Jonathon Davidson EVP/GM of Development & Innovation, reports to CEO Rami Rahim. Click here for the Juniper press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that the 30 yr fixed mortgage rate for the past weekk averaged 3.66% with 0.6 point. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the December Producer Price Index for final demand fell 0.3%, seasonally adjusted, increased 1.1% in 2014. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Wednesday, January 14:
General Motors(PBR7) to increase capital expenditures to $9 billion in 2015, sold 3.5 million vehicle in China in 2013. Click here for the GM press release.

Exelon(PBR109) & Pepco(PBR498) reach settlement agreement with the NJ Board of Public Utilities in proposed $6.83 billion merger, now planned for 2nd or 3rd quarter 2015. Click here for the Exelon press release.

Adobe Systems(PBR565) authorizes new $2 billion shares repurchase program through FY2017. Click here for the Adobe press release.

Constellation Brands(PBR483) names Bill Newlands to new position of Chief Growth Officer, reports to president/CEO Rob Sands, starts 01/26/15. Click here for the CB press release.

Hawaiian Airlines(PBR849) promotes Shannon Okinaka to SVP/Interim CFO, fills vacancy left by Scott Topping, reports to president/CEO Mark Dunkerley. Click here for the HA press release.

JPMorgan Chase(PBR20) new report reveals summer jobs for young people decline significantly. Click here for the JPMC press release.

The US Dept of Labor says the December price index for U.S. imports fell 2.5%, follows 1.8% drop in November, decreases due to lower fuel prices. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the US total business November end of month inventories were at $1,763.6 billion, +0.2%(+/- 0.1%) from October. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board releases the latest Beige Book, says modest growth across most districts in recent months, expects faster growth in coming months. Click here for the FRB press release.

Fun info: Vegas by the Numbers: A 2014 Recap; provided by MGM Resorts Intl(PBR270). Click here for the PRNewswire press release.

Tuesday, January 13:

Textron(PBR222) Specialized Vehicles unit acquires 90 employee UK based ground support equipment manufacturer Douglas Equipment from Curtiss-Wright(PBR771), terms not disclosed. Click here for the Textron press release.

Henry Schein(PBR276) acquires dental practice transition and brokerage firm ADS Florida, terms not disclosed. Click here for the HS press release.

Mohawk Industries(PBR342) to acquire Belgium based sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile, & laminate manufacturer IVC Group for $1.2 billion. Click here for the Mohawk press release.

Cabot(PBR600) authorizes 5 million shares repurchase program, cancels previous programs. Click here for the Cabot press release.

Dana Holding(PBR367) President/CEO Roger Wood to retire in 04/16, global executive search firm Spencer Stuart retained. Click here for the DH press release.

TD Ameritrade(PBR651) EVP/CFO Bill Gerber to retire at end of FY, 09/15. Click here for the TDA press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports 5.0 million job openings at the end of November, little changed from 4.8 million in October. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Monday, January 12:
AmerisourceBergen(PBR16) to acquire animal health distribution company MWI Veterinary Supply(PBR673) for $190/share, $2.5 billion, expect to close transaction in 03/15. Click here for the AB press release.

General Cable(PBR385) promotes Sonya Reed to Chief HR Officer, Emerson Moser to SVP General Counsel/Corp Secretary, names Kurt Drake SVP Chief Compliance Officer. Click here for the GC press release.

Carlyle Group(PBR528) promotes 59 professionals to senior positions. Click here for the CG press release.

Perrigo(PBR564) signs exclusive 5 year agreement with Ferrara Candy to manufacture gummy vitamins and dietary supplements for $625 million market. Click here for the Perrigo press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR647) acquires Newport Beach, CA, based national benefits provider firm e3 Financial, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Citrix(PBR685) has acquired workload-oriented storage virtualization technologies developer Sanbolic, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Citrix press release.

Specialty chemicals company Albemarle(PBR742) completes $6.2 billion acquisition of Rockwood Holdings(PBR1015), which will be delisted. Click here for the Albemarle press release.

SunEdison(PBR888) & India based Adani to build the largest solar manufacturing facility in India with a $4 billion investment. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

SunEdison(PBR888) & India based Omnigrid Micropower partner for 250MW power across 5,000 rural projects to bring electricity to 10 million people in rural India. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Alpha Natural Resources(PBR478) president Paul Vining resigning end of 01/15, other executives to take on additional responsibilities. Click here for the ANR press release.

ABM Industries(PBR489) EVP Scott Salmirs to succeed president/CEO Henrik Slipsager as CEO, effective 03/31/15. Click here for the ABM press release.

Citrix(PBR685) appoints Carlos Sartorius SVP, Worldwide Sales & Services, reports to pres/CEO Mark Templeton. Click here for the Citrix press release.

Acxiom(PBR1073) Chief Revenue Officer Nada Stirratt stepping down, effective 03/31/15, CEO Scott Howe to lead sales until replacement found. Click here for the Acxiom press release.

Friday, January 9:
DJIA closes week at 17,737.37, -0.54% from last Friday, -0.48% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,704.07, -0.48% from last Friday, -0.68% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,044.81, -0.65% from last Friday, -0.68% MTD, QTD, & YTD.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) completes acquisition of ultraluxury fragrances company Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, terms not disclosed. Click here for the EL press release.

Dover(PBR295) authorizes 15 million over 3 years shares repurchase program. Click here for the Dover press release.

Advance Auto Parts(PBR382) promotes Tammy Finley to EVP, Human Resources & General Counsel, reports to CEO Darren Jackson. Click here for the AAP press release.

Spectrum Brands(PBR529) president/CEO Dave Lumly to retire by end of 2015, will remain on the board. Click here for the SB press release.

Endo Health(PBR741) announces several senior management changes based on pending acquisition of Auxilium. Click here for the EH press release.

The Dept of Labor reports that nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 252,000 in December, the unemployment rate is at 5.6%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Census Bureau reports that November wholesalers sales were $452.2 billion, -0.3% from October. End of Month inventories were at $547.2 billion, +0.8% from October. here for the Census press release.

Thursday, January 8:
Macy’s(PBR97) restructuring merchandising & marketing, make store & field organization adjustments, maintain 175,000 associates level. Click here for the Macy’s press release.

Global Partners(PBR136) completes acquisition of NE US petroleum products marketer Warren Equities for $387 million. Click here for the GP press release.

General Mills(PBR148) to close baked refrigerated goods plants in New Albany, IN, & Midland, Ontario, will impact 500 employees. Click here for the General Mills press releases.

Dun & Bradstreet(PBR962) acquires B2B professional contact data provider NetProspex for $125 million. Click here for the D&B press release.

Starbucks(PBR164) COO Troy Alstead, after 23 year career, to take an extended unpaid leave of absence after 03/01/15. Click here for the Starbucks press release.

Ball Corp(PBR304) names Manette Snow to new position of VP, Diversity & Inclusion, reports to chairman/president/CEO John Hayes. Click here for the Ball Corp press release.

Carlyle Group(PBR528) appoints Georgette Kiser as Chief Info Officer, reports to co presidents/COOs. Click here for the CG press release.

ADT(PBR620) appoints Andrea Martin to President of Canada operations, effective 01/12/15, reports to President/CEO Naren Gursahaney. Click here for the ADT press release.

Boise Cascade(PBR636) COO Tom Corrick to become CEO upon retirement of Tom Carlile on 03/06/15. Click here for the BC press release.

W.R. Grace(PBR657) appoints Elizabeth Brown as Chief Human Relations Officer. Click here for the WRG press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that the average 30 year fixed mortgage rate is at 3.73% with 0.6 point. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

General Motors(PBR7) CEO Mary Barra expects the auto industry to sell16.5-17.0 million new cars in the US in 2015. Click here for the GM press release.

The US Fed Reserve Board reports that November consumer credit was up at a 5% seasonally adjusted annual rate. Revolving credit down at 1.25%, and nonrevolving credit up at 7.5%. Click here for the FRB press release.

President Obama proposes to make community college free for responsible students for 2 Years. Click here for the Whitehouse press release.

President Obama proposes to reduce FHA mortgage insurance to save new homeowner an avg of $900/yr. Click here for the Whitehouse press release.

The US Olympic Committee selects Boston as applicant city for the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Summer Games. Click here for the USOC press release.

Wednesday, January 7:
T-Mobile US(PBR115) reports 8.3 million total net customer additions in 2014. Click here for the T-Mobile press release.

PVH(PBR318) announces closing of 120 store Izod Retail Division by end of 2015, keep growing wholesale business. Click here for the PVH press release.

Flowserve(PBR477) completes acquisition of Netherland’s based engineered vacuum and fluid pumps provider SIHI Group BV for $372.5 million. Click here for the Flowserve press release.

Keurig Green Mountain(PBR499) to be exclusive producer of Dr Pepper Snapple(PBR409) products for its Keurig Cold at-home beverage system in multi-year agreement. Click here for the Keurig press release.

Carlyle Group(PBR528) acquires engineering/manufacturing drivetrain firm AxleTech International from General Dynamics(PBR91), terms not disclosed. Click here for the CG press release.

Ford(PBR8) John Felice retiring after 30 years, Mark Laneve to succeed him as VP, US Marketing, Sales & Service. Click here for the Ford press release.

Raytheon(PBR118) appoints CFO David Wajsgras as president, IIS, Toby O’Brien to be VP/CFO, effective 03/02/15. Click here for the Raytheon press release.

Alpha Natural Resources(PBR478) CFO Frank Wood to retire on 02/28/15, EVP/Chief Strategy Officer Philip Cavatoni to add CFO duties. Click here for the ANR press release.

Bright Horizons(PBR1047) President/COO Mary Ann Tocio to retire 07/15, leadership changes announced. Click here for the BH press release.

ADP(PBR220) National Employment Report says 241,000 non-farm private sector jobs added in December. Click here for the ADP press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $39.0 billion in November from $42.2 billion in October (revised), as imports decreased more than exports. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The Federal Open Market Committee released its December 16-17 meeting notes, no immediate plans to raise interest rates. Click here for the FOMC press release.

Dun & Bradstreet(PBR962) says the US economy is showing signs of hesitant growth in 2015. Click here for the D&B press release.

An apparent small cell of Al Qaida operatives systematically attack and kill 12 people in the headquarters of Paris, France, based satirical publication Charlie Hebdo.

Tuesday, January 6:
In separate meetings Medtronic(PBR161) & Ireland based medical supplies provider Covidien shareholders approve Medtronic’s $49.2 billion acquisition, expected to close in next 3-5 weeks. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

Gilead Sciences(PBR237) to acquire from private German based biotech Phenex Pharmaceuticals its liver disease treatment protocols for up to $470 million. Click here for the GS press release.

Coach(PBR490) acquiring women’s luxury footwear designer and manufacturer Stuart Weitzman from private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $574 million cash. Click here for the Coach press release.

Brazilian based Cutrale & Safra complete the $14.50/share tender offer of Chiquita Brands(PBR658), now own 84%+ of common shares. Click here for the Chiquita press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that new orders for manufactured goods in November, down 4 consecutive mos, was down $3.5B from October, or -0.7%, to $492.7B. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The 114th US Congress is convened, John Boehner re-elected as House Speaker, Mitch McConnell elected Senate Majority Leader.

Monday, January 5:
Amazon(PBR37) says Amazon Sellers sold record over 2 billion items worldwide in 2014. Click here for the Amazon press release.

AIG(PBR41) completes acquisition of UK based 350,000 consumer base Ageas Protective Life from Belgium based Ageas Group for $305 million. Click here for the AIG press release.

Pfizer(PBR53) has acquired Swiss based herpes vaccine developer Redvax GmbH, no terms disclosed. Click here for the Pfizer press release.

Amgen(PBR144) & Kite Pharma(NASDAQ: KITE) form strategic cancer immunotherapy research collaboration & license agreement. Click here for the Amgen press release.

C.H. Robinson(PBR211) completes acquisition of private freight broker Freightquote.com for $365 million cash. Click here for the CHR press release.

Cameron International(PBR269) completes sale of Centrifugal Compression unit to Ireland based Ingersoll-Rand for $850 million. Click here for the Cameron press release.

Alliance Data(PBR540) announces $600 million shares repurchase program for 2015. Click here for the AD press release.

CME Group(PBR680) reports average trading volume in 2014 at 13.7 million contracts per day, up 9% from 2013. Click here for the CME Group press release.

Belden(PBR873) completes acquisition of global cybersecurity firm Tripwire for $710 million. Click here for the Belden press release.

Endo Health(PBR741) EVP/Chief Legal Officer Caroline Manogue to retire on 07/01/15, executive search firm retained. Click here for the Endo Health press release.

Curtiss-Wright(PBR771) announces CEO David Adams now also chairman. Click here for the C-W press release.

Covanta Holding(PBR970) announces Steve Jones to become president/CEO in 03/15 when Anthony Orlando steps down, but stays on board. Click here for the Covanta press release.

Blackstone(PBR374) Advisory Partners Vice Chairman Byron Wien announces his annual Predictions for 10 Surprises for 2015. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Sunday, January 4:
The PBR1000: The December 2014 Breaking News Recap is posted. Click here for the post.

Friday, January 2:
DJIA closes week at 17,832.99, -1.22% from last Friday, -0.20% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,726.81, -1.67% from last Friday, -0.20% MTD, QTD, & YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,058.20, -1.46% from last Friday, -0.03% MTD, QTD, & YTD.

3M(PBR92) completes sale of its global $45 million/yr Static Control business to Desco Industries, terms not disclosed. Click here for the 3M press release.

Cliffs Natural Resources(PBR422) completes sale of W Virginia Logan County coal assets to Coronado Coal for $175 million cash, confirms E Canada facility Bloom Lake has closed. Click here for the CNR press release.

HCC Insurance(PBR760) completes acquisition of Producers Ag Insurance Group from CUNA Mutual Group for $105 million cash. Click here for the HCC press release.

HealthSouth(PBR827) completes $750 million acquisition of privately held 5,000 employee Encompass Home Health & Hospice. Click here for the HealthSouth press release.

International Game Technology(PBR876) special shareholders meeting set for 02/10/15 to vote on acquisition by consortium led by Italian based game technology company GTECH for $6.4 billion in cash, stock, & debt. Click here for the IGT press release.

Graco(PBR1072) announces acquisition of 4 companies for $185 million, including PA based High Pressure Equipment. Click here for the Graco press release.

The US Dept of Commerce says prelim total annual rate construction spending in November was $975 billion, -0.3% from October. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Thursday, January 1:
The staff of PBRMarketTools wishes you and yours a Happy, Blessed, Healthy, and Prosperous 2015!

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net, Danilo Rizzuti.)

Filed Under: Recaps Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The December 2014 Stocks/Commodities Snapshots

January 12, 2015 by
ID-10074385 Stocktrader on world-watcharakun

Hoping To Build A High Return Stock Portfolio!

 

By Larry C. Paxton

The PBR1000 December 2014 Snapshots include news and stock data through December 31st and annual 10-K reports filed with the SEC from 2013 through October 2014.  The current The PBR1000 includes 1,092 companies.

A sample of The PBR1000 May 2014 Snapshot is available for download at the top of the “Sample Snapshots” page.

The tables below are compiled from The PBR1000 December 2014 Snapshots, with 14 reports. Current The PBR1000 Subscribers should have already received the MS Excel workbook.

The stock exchanges ended on the upswing at near record highs. Commodities were down, especially oil, which is causing some chaos and conjecture. While there are some anxieties there is also cautious optimism about what what will happen in 2015. Most economic indicators are moderately positive, but still fragile, particularly when considering the world situation.

In the following tables the stock price is for the close of trading on December 31st, Month % Chg is compared to November 30th, YTD % Chg is compared to December 31, 2013, and the 24 Mos % Chg is compared to December 31, 2012.

Table 1: The PBR1000 Stock Price Composite

Table 1 Summary: Made up of the sum of the stock prices of the 1,092 companies currently tracked by The PBR1000.

Company Price
12/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 24 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 301,964.92 +1.31 +22.55 +63.48

 

Table 2: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +39.59% to -66.67%. 615 out of 1,092 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 56.32% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of +0.76%

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
12/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 24 Mos
% Chg
The Pantry
 331 PTRY 37.06 +39.59 +120.86 +205.52
Willbros Group
 886 WG 6.27 +37.80 -33.44 +16.98
Rite Aid
 108 RAD 7.52 +37.23 +48.62 +452.94
Ingles Markets
 593 IMKTA 37.09 +36.66 +36.68 +114.89
TravelCenters
 325 TA 12.62 +34.97 +29.57 +168.51

 

Table 3: The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: Range was +221.51% to -99.72%. 709 out of 1,087 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 65.23% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 8.25%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
12/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 24 Mos
% Chg
RF Micro Devices
 1062 RFMD 16.59 +13.55 +221.51 +270.31
Hawaiian Holdings 849 HA 26.05 +28.39 +170.51 +296.50
Southwest Airlines
 150 LUV 42.32 +1.20 +124.63 +313.28
The Pantry
 331 PTRY 37.06 +39.59 +120.86 +205.52
American Airlines
 103 AAL 53.63 +10.51 +112.40 n/a

 

Table 4: The PBR1000 Top 5 24 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 4 Summary: Range was +692.31% to -99.72%. 933 out of 1,071 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 87.11% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 42.32%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
12/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 24 Mos
% Chg
Freddie Mac 33 FMCC 2.06 -13.81 -28.97 +692.31
Fannie Mae 17 FNMA 2.06 +16.12 -31.73 +690.38
Tesla Motors
 887 TSLA 222.41 -9.04 +47.85 +556.66
SunEdison
 888 SUNE 19.51 -9.88 +49.50 +507.79
Rite Aid
 108 RAD 7.52 +37.23 +48.62 +452.94

 

Table 5: The PBR1000 Selected Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
12/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 24 Mos
% Chg
DJIA 17,823.07 -0.03 +7.52 +36.01
NASDAQ 4,736.05 -1.16 +13.40 +58.85
S&P500 2,058.90 -0.42 +11.39 +44.36
Gold 1,183.20 +0.66 -1.59 -29.66
Silver 15.69 +0.84 -19.00 -48.32
Oil 53.27 -19.60 -41.59 -41.53

 

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Indices Monthly Snapshot? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us at 520-282-4100.

(The PBR1000 provides astute investors and business professionals with the data, news, and analysis for taking higher probability of success actions. The PBR1000 covers over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administrative headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to Subscribers of The PBR1000. Subscribers include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo Courtesy of watcharakun/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Filed Under: Snapshots Tagged With: , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The December 2014 Breaking News Recap!

January 5, 2015 by
ID-100302563 Oil Well-Stuart Miles

Oil Prices Continued To Drop At The End of 2014. What Does That Mean Short-Term and Long-Term?

By Larry C. Paxton

December 2014 finished on generally positive notes. The DJIA and S&P 500 finished at near their record highs, with the NASDAQ up significantly as well. The final numbers for holiday spending are not in, but initial indications are positive. 3rd quarter GDP numbers were revised up to a strong 5.0% annual rate. Most of the key indicators are preliminary, but reflect a mostly stable, though still fragile, US economy, and the envy of the rest of the world. Oil prices continued to drop significantly and the overall impact short term and long term are still a guess. Internationally the biggest news was the hacking of Sony along with an unnamed threat if the new movie, “The Interview,” was released. The primary suspect is North Korea.

Now we enter 2015 with some cautious optimism. Let’s get this show on the road!

Following are the December 2014 Breaking News items, from the latest date to the first:

Wednesday, December 31:
DJIA closes 2014 at 17,823.07, -1.28% from last Friday, -0.03% MTD, +4.58% QTD, +7.52% YTD.
NASDAQ closes 2014 at 4,736.05, -1.47% from last Friday, -1.16% MTD, +5.40% QTD, +13.40% YTD.
SPX closes 2014 at 2,058.90, -1.43% from last Friday, -0.42% MTD, +4.39% QTD, +11.39% YTD.

FreddieMac(PBR33) says 30 yr fixed rate mortgages finished last week of 2014 at an average of 3.87% with 0.6 points. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

Eli Lilly(PBR121) completes $5.4 billion acquisition of Novartis Animal Healthcare. Click here for the Eli Lilly press release.

Spectrum Brands(PBR529) completes acquisition of Proctor & Gamble’s(PBR32) European based IAMs & Eukanuba pet food business, terms not disclosed. Click here for the SB press release.

Tuesday, December 30:
Clearwater Paper(PBR913) has sold its specialty products business & mills to Dunn Paper, terms not disclosed. Click here for the CP press release.

The US Dept of Commerce in its preliminary 3rd quarter report says that US international assets are at $24.6 trillion, liabilities at $30.8 trillion, -$6.2 trillion balance. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Monday, December 29:
Walgreen(PBR36) shareholders approve buy of 55% remaining of Alliance Boots, GmBH, reorganization with Walgreen as subsidiary of public Walgreen Alliance Boots(NASDAQ: WBA), to be completed by 12/31/14. Click here for the Walgreen press release.

Liberty Interactive(PBR233) & Liberty Media(PBR571) both extend contract of president/CEO Maffei through 2019. Click here for the Liberty Interactive press release.

Cars.com estimates new car sales at 1.51 million units in December, 16.86 million annual rate, forecasts 17.1 million in 2015. Click here for the Cars.com press release.

Friday, December 26:
DJIA closes week at 18,053.71(R), +1.40% from last Friday, +1.26% MTD, +5.93% QTD, +8.91% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,806.86, +0.87% from last Friday, +0.32% MTD, +6.98% QTD, +15.09% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,088.77(R), +0.88% from last Friday, +1.03% MTD, +5.91% QTD, +13.01% YTD.

Thursday, December 25:
Stock Markets Closed.
Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas!

Wednesday, December 24:
FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that 30 year fixed mortgage rates averaged 3.83% with 0.6 points for the week ending 12/24/14. Click here for FreddieMac report.

The US Dept of Labor in its advance report says that for the week ending Dec 20 initial jobless claims were at 280,000, -9,000 from the previous week. The 4 week moving average was 290,250. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Tuesday, December 23:
Fun Fact: The PBR1000 Stock Index for the end of November was +5.26% over October, +20.97% YTD, +61.37% over YE2012. Click here for The PBR1000 November Stocks/Commodities Snapshot blog post.

Bristol-Myers Squibb(PBR165) receives FDA accelerated approval for melanoma cancer treatment Opdivo. Click here for the BMS press release.

Family Dollar(PBR252), because of lack of votes to adopt the Dollar Tree(PBR329) merger agreement, adjourns today’s special meeting of stockholders to 01/22/15. Click here for the Family Dollar press release.

Dollar General(PBR153) extends tender offer to acquire Family Dollar(PBR252) to 01/30/15. Click here for the Dollar General press release.

Keurig Green Mountain(PBR499) voluntarily recalling 7.2 million MINI Plus Brewers because of possible steam burns. Click here for the Keurig statement.

Vornado Realty Trust(PBR714) to spin-off subsidiary Urban Edge Properties as an independent public company on NYSE: UE in January. Click here for the Vornado statement.

GNC Holdings(PBR739) unveils an exclusive, multi-year ecommerce partnership with health & fitness publisher American Media. Click here for the GNC press release.

Equinix(PBR852) converting to a real estate investment trust(REIT) for tax purposes effective 01/01/15. Click here for the Equinix press release.

The US Dept of Commerce says, in 3rd estimate of the 3rd quarter, that GDP grew at an annual rate of 5.0%. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of HUD estimates that November new home sales were at an annual rate of 438,000, -1.6% from revised October. Median sales price was $280,900. Click here for the HUD press release.

The US Dept of Commerce preliminary report says that November personal income was +0.4% over October, disposable personal income +0.3%. Click here for the USDOC press release.

DJIA closes over 18,000 for the first time at 18,024.17, 36th record of the year; S&P500 closes at 2,082.17, 51st record of the year.

Monday, December 22:
Boeing(PBR31) comments on Air China’s commitment for 60 737s for over $6 billion. Click here for the Boeing press release.

Anthem(PBR40) to acquire Florida based managed care Medicaid & Medicare programs provider Simply Healthcare, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Anthem press release.

Oracle(PBR75) to acquire digital marketing services company Datalogix, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Oracle press release.

DuPont(PBR83) to consolidate corporate headquarters at Chestnut Run Plaza in Wilmington, DE, on 07/01/15. Click here for the DuPont press release.

Abbott Labs(PBR127) completes $250 million acquisition of private electrophysiology technologies medical device company Topera. Click here for the Abbott press release.

Chesapeake Energy(PBR152) completes sale of Southern Marcellus & Utica Shale units to Southwestern Energy(PBR624) for a revised $4.975 billion; $1 billion common share buyback program approved. Click here for the CE press release.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR301) & Caesars Acquisition(NASDAQ: CACQ) to do an all stock merger with combined market capitalization of $3.2 billion; will still be controlled by affiliates of Apollo Global Management(PBR531) & TPG Capital. Click here for the Caesars press release.

Ocwen Financial(PBR881) reaches $150 million settlement with NY Dept of Financial Services, exec chairman/founder William Erbey to step down on 01/16/15. Click here for the Ocwen press release.

Actavis(PBR297) appoints Jonathan Kellerman as EVP, global chief compliance officer, reports to president/CEO Brent Saunders. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Ball Corp(PBR304) appoints Erik Bouts as SVP & COO/global metal beverage packaging, effective 02/01/15, reports to chair/pres/CEO John Hayes. Click here for the Ball press release.

President Obama promised that 2014 would be a year of action. What did he accomplish? Click here for the White House review.

The National Association of Realtors reports that the annual rate of existing home sales in November was down from October to 4.93 million. Click here for the NAR press release.

Friday, December 19:
DJIA closes week at 17,804.80, +3.03% from last Friday, -0.13% MTD, +4.47% QTD, +7.41% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,765.38, +2.40% from last Friday, -0.55% MTD, +6.05% QTD, +14.10% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,070.65, +3.41% from last Friday, +0.15% MTD, +4.99% QTD, +12.03% YTD.

Safeway(PBR84) & Albertsons to sell 168 stores to satisfy FTC requirements for the merger to proceed. Click here for the Safeway press release.

Xerox(PBR128) is selling its information technology outsourcing business to France based Atos for $1.05 billion. Click here for the Xerox press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) to acquire Hollywood skincare brand GLAMGLOW, terms not disclosed, to close in 01/15. Click here for the EL press release.

Ally Financial(PBR290) announces that the US Treasury has sold its remaining 54.9 million shares invested through the TARP program. Click here for the Ally press release.

News Corp(PBR299) has acquired India based startup BigDecisions.com, terms not disclosed. Clickhere for the News Corp press release.

Subsidiary Caesars Entertainment(PBR301) Operating Company reaches agreement with 1st lien holder, debt restructuring program detailed. Click here for the Caesars press release.

Vornado Realty(PBR714) completes sale of 601k sf office building 1740 Broadway in Manhattan for $605 million. Click here for the Vornado press release.

Ferro Corp(PBR967) completes sale of majority of assets in Polymer Additives to HIG Capital for $154 million cash. Click here for the Ferro press release.

Boeing(PBR31) announces personnel & responsibility changes at corporate and International unit. Click here for the Boeing press release.

Thursday, December 18:
MacMillan Publishers CEO John Sargent comments on agreement for books & ebooks with Amazon(PBR37) that will go into effect on 01/05/15. Click here for the MacMillan/TOR press release.

DuPont(PBR83) files Form 10 to spin-off Performance Chemicals unit as publicly traded The Chemours Company. Click here for the DuPont press release.

Dover(PBR295) selling stationary and portable label/receipt printing unit Datamax O’Neil to Honeywell International(PBR73) for $185 million. Click here for the Dover press release.

The Pantry(PBR331) agrees to be acquired by Quebec, Canada based Alimentation Couche-Tard(TSX: ATD.A) for $36.75/share, $1.7 billion cash, includes assumed debt. Click here for the The Pantry press release.

Harman International(PBR448) to acquire German based 100 employee infotainment systems, connectivity, & car audio solutions technology firm S1nn GmbH, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Harman press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR647) acquires national program broker Affinity Marketing Group, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Hyster-Yale Materials(PBR732) acquires fuel cell stacks & hydrogen production/dispensing systems developer Nuvera Fuel Cells, terms not disclosed. Click here for the HYM press release.

Kraft Foods(PBR145) CEO Tony Vernon to retire on 12/27/14, chairman John Cahill elected to add CEO title at that time. Click here for the Kraft press release.

GATX(PBR1032) promotes Jim Conniff to SVP, Human Resources. Click here for the GATX press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) in its weekly report says average 30 yr fixed mortgage rate is at a record low of 3.80% with 0.6 point, was 4.47% 1 year ago. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

Wednesday, December 17:
DISH Network(PBR199) is the 1st major US pay-TV provider to integrate Netflix(PBR534) app on its set-top box. Click here for the DISH press release.

Visteon(PBR338) selling its 70% interest in S. Korea based 15,500 employee Halla Visteon Climate Control to Hahn & Co for $3.6 billion. Click here for the Visteon press release.

Alaska Air(PBR459) 3,400 flight attendants ratify new 5 year contract, among highest paid in the industry. Click here for the AA press release.

Constellation Brands(PBR483) completes $300 million acquisition of Mexico based Nava Glass, form 50/50 partnership with Owens-Illinois, & buy other nearby infrastructure assets. Click here for the CB press release.

BE Aerospace(PBR611) stockholders get 1 share in now public KLX(NASDAQ: KLXI) spin-off for each 2 shares held. Click here for the BEA press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR647) acquires employee benefits, HR, & retirement plans consultation and brokerage Rockville, MD, based Independent Benefit Services. Click here for the AJG press release.

Curtiss-Wright(PBR771) sells its upstream oil & gas Cimarron Energy unit to Turnbridge Capital for $100 million. Click here for the C-W press release.

Coca-Cola Co(PBR59) appoints Julie Hamilton as Chief Customer & Commercial Leadership Officer, reports to chairman/CEO. Click here for the Coca-Cola press release.

Carnival Corp(PBR176) names Christine Duffy as president of Carnival Cruise Lines unit, reports to corporate CEO. Click here for the Carnival press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the November Consumer Price Index was -0.3% over October, mostly due to the decline in oil prices, +1.3% over the last 12 mos. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that real average hourly earnings increased by 0.8 percent, seasonally adjusted, from November 2013 to November 2014. Combined with a 0.3 percent increase in the average workweek, the result is a 1.1 percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board releases its economic projections based on the Federal Open Market Committee meetings of 12/16-17/14. Click here for the FRB press release.

President Obama’s statement/video for charting a new course on Cuba. Click here for the White House press release.

Tuesday, December 16:
CVS Health(PBR13) adds $10 billion for multi-year common shares repurchase program, total $12.7 billion now available. Click here for the CVS press release.

Asbury Automotive(PBR449) has acquired $140 million/yr Texas Motors Ford, rebranding as David McDavid Ford Fort Worth. Click here for the AA press release.

Bloomin’ Brands(PBR555) to start paying quarterly dividends, starts $100 million share repurchase program, plans to open 40-50 new restaurants in 2015. Click here for the BB press release.

Abercrombie & Fitch(PBR559) sign 7 year exclusive deal for development of fragrances with Inter Parfums. Click here for the A&F press release.

Crown Castle International(PBR670) completes its merger with wholly owned subsidiary Crown Castle REIT. Click here for the CCI press release.

Cubic Corp(PBR1008) acquires modular networking/baseband communications equipment firm DTECH for up to $114.5 million. Click here for the CC press release.

FirstEnergy(PBR187) elects president/CEO Tony Alexander as executive chairman, Charles Jones to become new president/CEO, both effective 01/01/15. Click here for the FE press release.

WellCare Health Plans(PBR277) appoints Blair Todt as SVP, chief legal & administrative officer & secretary, effective 01/01/15, to report to CEO, succeeds SVP, general counsel & secretary Lisa Iglesias, who is leaving. Click here for the WellCare press release.

Actavis(PBR297) announces that upon the merger with Allergan(PBR392) Brent Saunders to be president/CEO, other global leadership appointments announced. Click here for the Actavis press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) provides December US Economy/Housing Outlook, reviews 2014 predictions/results. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Census Bureau reports that privately-owned housing starts in November 2014 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,028,000, 1.6 percent (+/- 8.1%)* below the revised October 2014 estimate of 1,045,000. Click here for the Census press release.

President Obama signs into law the $1.1 trillion 2015 spending bill passed by the House on 12/11/14 and the Senate on 12/13/14. Click here for the Voice of America summary.

Monday, December 15:
Express Scripts(PBR21) increases shares buyback program by 65 million shares, now at 205 million shares. Click here for the ES press release.

Archer-Daniels-Midland(ADM)(PBR28) is selling its global cocoa business to Olam International for $1.3 billion, to close in 2nd quarter 2015. Click here for the ADM press release.

Boeing(PBR31) increases share buyback program to $12 billion, increases dividend by 25%. Click here for the Boeing press release.

Pfizer(PBR53) making initial payment of $295 million to OPKO(NYSE: OPK) in global agreement to develop & commercialize long-acting human growth hormone hGH-CTP. Click here for the Pfizer press release.

Emerson Electric(PBR112) selling its power transmission solutions unit to Regal Beloit(PBR653) for $1.4 billion, to close in 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the EE press release.

Apache Corp(PBR169) selling its stake in the Wheatstone & Kitimat LNG projects to Woodside Petroleum(ASX: WPL) for $2.75 billion. Click here for the Apache press release.

AGCO(PBR246) authorizes new $500 million common share buyback program through 2016. Click here for the AGCO press release.

Davita Healthcare(PBR312) merging its 2 clinical research businesses into one unit, with an emphasis on kidney/renal related health issues. Click here for the Davita press release.

Avis Budget(PBR326) to combine 3 regions into 2, the Americas & International, related retirements & promotions announced. Click here for the AB press release.

Yahoo!(PBR500) completes $640 million acquisition of 400 employee video ads platform developer BrightRoll. Click here for the Yahoo! press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR647) has acquired longtime NJ based retail insurance broker O’Gorman & Young, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Ventas(PBR707) $2.6 billion acquisition of American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust(NASDAQ: HCT) expected to be completed in 01/15 after the ARC special stockholders meeting on 01/15/14. Click here for the Ventas press release.

LINN Energy(PBR810) completes sale of its Granite Wash & Cleveland Properties for $2.3 billion. Click here for the LINN press release.

SunCoke Energy(PBR964) to cut 175 jobs, reduce coal production in half, evaluating further coal mining business options. Click here for the SunCoke press release.

Riverbed Technology(PBR1085) to be acquired by private equity firm Thomas Bravo & the Ontario(Canada) Teachers Pension Plan for $21/share, $3.6 billion cash. Click here for the Riverbed press release.

Express Scripts(PBR21) EVP/CFO Cathy Smith leaving, James Havel to become EVP/Interim CFO on 01/02/15. Click here for the ES press release.

Humana(PBR71) appoints Cynthia Zipperle as SVP/Chief Accounting Ofcr/Controller, reports to SVP/CFO Brian Kane. Click here for the Humana press release.

AES Corp(PBR172) appoints acting COO Bernerd Da Santos as COO, effective 01/01/15. Click here for the AES press release.

Core-Mark(PBR271) SVP/Marketing Chris Hobson to also head up Sales, SVP/Corporate Development Scott McPherson to become SVP/Business Operations & Strategic Opportunities, both positions effective 01/01/15. Click here for the C-M press release.

WellCare Health Plans(PBR277) appoints president/COO Ken Burdick as CEO, effective 01/01/15. Click here for the WellCare press release.

Advanced Micro Devices(AMD)(PBR451) appoints James Clifford as SVP/Global Operations, reports to CEO Lisa Su. Click here for the AMD press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board preliminary report shows that November industrial production was +1.3% over October, +5.2% over November, 2013. Click here for the FRB press release.

Sunday, December 14:
PetSmart(PBR359) to be acquired by a consortium led by pan-Euopean buyout investor BC Partners for $83/share, $8.7 billion cash. Click here for the PetSmart press release.

Friday, December 12:
DJIA closes week at 17,280.83, -3.78% from last Friday, -3.07% MTD, +1.40% QTD, +4.25% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,653.60, –2.66% from last Friday, -2.88% MTD, +3.57% QTD, +11.42% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,002.33, -3.52% from last Friday, -3.15% MTD, +1.52% QTD, +8.33% YTD.

Oil closes below $58, stock exchanges take a dive. Click here for the Oil(CLF5) current price.

Berkshire Hathaway(PBR5) is acquiring non-asset based 3rd party petroleum/chemicals logistics provider Charter Brokerage from Arsenal Capital Partners, terms not disclosed. Click here for the BH press release.

Abbott Labs(PBR127) completes acquisition of Russia based pharmaceutical developer Veropharm for $305 million. Click here for the Abbott Labs press release.

Arrow Electronics(PBR129) adds $200 million to its share buyback program, has used $1.2 billion since 2010. Click here for the AE press release.

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX, NYSE: QSR) now owner of Burger King(PBR1063) & Canada based Tim Hortons brands, to start public trading on 12/15/14. Click here for the RBI press release.

AGCO(PBR246) SVP/GM of N. America, Robert Crain, to add S. America to responsibilities on 01/01/15. Click here for the AGCO press release.

The US Dept of Labor says the November Producer Price Index for final demand was -0.2%, +1.4% for past 12 months. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Thursday, December 11:
American Express(PBR86) & Delta Airlines(PBR78) agree to multi-year extension of their co-brand credit card program partnership. Click here for the AMEX press release.

Danaher(PBR139) completes acquisition of Swiss based Nobel Biocare. Click here for the Danaher press release.

Eastman Chemical(PBR282) completes the acquisition of $100 million/yr Commonwealth Laminating & Coating. Click here for the EC press release.

Assurant(PBR286) introduces Getaround auto rental service as part of new sharing economy services. Click here for the Assurant press release.

KBR(PBR344) to restructure into 3 business units, Tech/Consulting, Engineering/Construction, Government Services, by year end. Click here for the KBR press release.

Adobe Systems(PBR565) to acquire private photos & images website Fotolia from KKR(PBR272) for $800 million. Click here for the Adobe press release.

CONSOL Energy(PBR631) to pursue IPO for thermal coal business mid 2015, metallurgical business late 2015, authorizes $250 million shares buyback program. Click here for the CONSOL press release.

Armstrong World(PBR717) exiting European flooring business, DLW subsidiary filing for insolvency. Click here for the AW press release.

GrafTech(PBR1056) moving reduced 50 person global headquarters staff to Independence, OH, Innovation & Technology Center to Brooklyn Heights, OH, in 1st quarter, 2015. Click here for the GrafTech press release.

Crude light sweet oil(CLF5) closes at $59.95/barrel, new 5 year low. Click here for the current CLF5 price.

Kroger(PBR25) chairman David Dillon to retire on 12/31/14 after 38 years of company service, CEO Rodney McMullen to add chairman title on 01/01/15. Click here for the Kroger press release.

Caterpillar(PBR49) names new CIO, VP of Finance Services, & VP of Strategic Services. Click here for the current Caterpillar press release.

CBS Corp(PBR178) president/CEO Leslie Moonves gets new contract extending term to 06/30/19. Click here for the CBS press release.

Arch Coal(PBR671) names Matt Giljum VP/Finance & Treasurer upon retirement of Jim Florczak at end of January, 2015. Click here for the AC press release.

SeaWorld(PBR1002) chairman David D’Alessandro to add interim CEO title on 01/15/15, CEO Jim Atchison to become vice chairman. Click here for the SeaWorld press release.

The US Dept of Commerce advance estimate says November Retail & Food Sales were $449.3 billion, +0.7% over October, +5.1% over November, 2013. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that November import prices -1.5%, -1.2% in October, both decreases driven by declining fuel prices. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the October combined value of distributive trade sales & manufacturers’ shipments is estimated at $1,350.9 billion, -0.1% from September, +3.4% from October, 2013. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board says in the Z1 Funds Flow 3rd Quarter Report that the net worth of households & nonprofits dipped slightly to $81.3 trillion from the 2nd quarter. Click here for the FRB press release.

Wednesday, December 10:
Baxter International(PBR179) files initial Form 10 with SEC to spinoff Baxalta biopharmaceuticals unit in mid 2015, will have 20% ownership. Click here for the Baxter press release.

Actavis(PBR297) launches generic version of Pfizer’s(PBR53) Celebrex. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Mylan(PBR360) launches one of first generic versions of Celebrex, $2.5 billion/yr US market, has 286 ANDAs waiting FDA approval. Click here for the Mylan press release.

Alliance Data(PBR540) completes $2.3 billion cash & stock acquisition of digital marketing company Conversant. Click here for the AD press release.

First Solar(PBR628) enters residential market with investment in community solar solutions developer Clean Energy Collective, terms not disclosed. Click here for the First Solar press release.

Walmart(PBR1) US division COO Gisel Ruiz promoted to EVP of the International People division, reports to division pres/CEO David Cheesewright. US division Chief Development Officer Judith McKenna promoted to US division COO, reports to division president/CEO Greg Foran. Click here for the Walmart press release.

Walgreens(PBR38) CEO Greg Wasson to retire after completion of merger with Alliance Boots, successor leadership announced. Click here for the Walgreens press release.

MetLife(PBR42) announces that Esther Lee to join as EVP/Global Marketing Officer on 01/12/15, reports to chairman/president/CEO Steven Kandarian. Click here for the MetLife press release.

The US Dept of the Treasury reports November receipts of $191.4B, outlays of $248.3B, deficit of $56.8B. Click here for the Treasury press release.

The US Dept of Commerce releases 3rd Quarter Services Revenues Estimates for 12 services categories. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of the Treasury in its says Lifetime Costs have been $426.3 billion of $475 billion authorized, has recovered $14 billion more than cost. Click here for the USDOT report.

Tuesday, December 9:
Discovery Communications(PBR433) to let Hulu stream many of its popular shows starting 01/01/15 in wide ranging agreement. Click here for the DC press release.

Advanced Micro Devices(AMD)(PBR451) to move from NYSE to NASDAQ on 01/02/15. Click here for the AMD press release.

Hudson City Bancorp(PBR1014) & M&T Bank Corp(PBR514) agree to extend merger deadline from 12/31/14 to 04/30/15. Click here for the M&T press release.

Belden(PBR868) to acquire global cybersecurity firm Tripwire for $710 million. Click here for the Belden press release.

Expedia(PBR491) & Airlines Reporting Corporation in 2015 Flight Predictions report say fares in US/Europe to drop slightly. Click here for the Expedia press release.

United Technologies(PBR45) welcomes back Akhil Johri as new SVP/CFO, reports to pres/CEO Gregory Hayes. Click here for the UT press release.

Delta Air Lines(PBR78) promotes Ranjan Goswami to VP Sales-West Coast, a new position. Click here for the Delta press release.

Abercrombie & Fitch(PBR557) CEO Michael Jeffries retires effectively immediately, Arthur Martinez appointed executive chairman, Office the Chairman group formed for day-to-day operations, new CEO search starts. Click here for the A&F press release.

Buckle(PBR1061) announces leadership changes in merchandising & finance areas. Click here for the Buckle press release.

Conn’s, in 3rd quarter report, announces VP/Chief Accounting Officer Mark Haley is now interim CFO, effective immediately, upon departure of Brian Taylor. Click here for the Conn’s press release.

OECD reports Foreign Direct Investment flows continued to struggle in the 1st half of 2014. Click here for the OECD press release.

The US Dept of Labor preliminary report shows that end of October Job Openings was at 4.8 million, 5.1 million job hires, & 4.8 million job separations. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports in preliminary Wholesale Monthly Trade report that October sales were $454.6B, +0.2% over Sept. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Monday, December 8:
Merck(PBR63) to acquire antibiotics developer & marketer Cubist Pharmaceuticals(NASDAQ: CBST) for $102/share in cash, $9.5 billion total deal. Click here for the Merck press release.

EOG Resources(PBR193) sells off majority of Canadian assets for $410 million. Click here for the EOG press release.

CBRE Group(PBR347) acquires 200+ employee real estate consulting & advisory service IVI International, terms not disclosed. Click here for the CBRE press release.

Blackstone Group(PBR372) is selling its San Francisco Peninsula & Silicon Valley offices portfolio properties to Hudson Pacific Properties(NYSE: HPP) for $3.5 billion cash & stock. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Asbury Automotive(PBR449) acquires Atlanta, GA, suburb new car dealership Sandy Springs Ford, does $110 million/yr. Click here for the Asbury press release.

Hyatt Hotels(PBR546) sells 644 room Vancouver(Canada) Hyatt Regency to InnVest for $123 million/$190,000 per key, will remain a Hyatt Regency. Click here for the Hyatt press release.

CareFusion(PBR580) sets 01/21/15 for special stockholders meeting to vote on the $12.2 billion merger deal with Becton Dickinson(PBR319). Click here for the BD press release.

Greenbrier Cos(PBR931) receives 14,100 in new railcar orders in its 1st quarter, valued at $1.24 billion. Click here for the Greenbrier press release.

FannieMae(PBR33) & FreddieMac(PBR16) announce new 3% down programs for new homebuyers. Click here for the FannieMae press release. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

C.H. Robinson(PBR210) announces CFO & CIO transitions. Click here for the CHR press release.

JetBlue(PBR441) appoints Alexander Chatkewitz as VP/Controller, reports to Jim Leddy, SVP/Treasurer. Click here for the JetBlue press release.

Brinker International(PBR686) appoints Scarlett May as SVP/General Counsel & Secretary, effective 12/15/14. Click here for the BI press release.

Darling Ingredients(PBR942) announces that Chief Synergy Officer John Muse to reassume his CFO position, effective immediately, upon resignation of Colin Stevenson. Click here for the DI press release.

Friday, December 5:
DJIA closes week at 17,958.79, +0.73% from last Friday & MTD, +5.37% QTD, +8.34% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,780.76, -0.23% from last Friday & MTD, +6.40% QTD, +14.47% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,075.37, +0.38% from last Friday & MTD, +5.23% QTD, +12.28% YTD.

Lockheed Martin(PBR61) Orion spacecraft has successful 1st test in goal of manned journey to Mars. http://lmt.co/1tZlgm4.

Eastman Chemical(PBR280) completes acquisition of specialty chemical company Taminco(NYSE: TAM) for $2.8 billion. Click here for the Eastman Chemical press release.

Dollar Tree(PBR328) provides an update on FTC’s review of acquisition of Family Dollar(PBR254), issues involved with Dollar General(PBR154) bid. Click here for the Dollar Tree press release.

Dollar General(PBR154) responds to the Dollar Tree(PBR328) update regarding DT’s proposed acquisition of Family Dollar(PBR254). Click here for the Dollar General press release.

LabCorp(PBR418) completes the acquisition of DNA testing services Bode Technology Group from SolutionPoint International. Click here for the LabCorp press release.

Apollo Education Group(PBR595) enters Brazil with 75% acquisition for $28 million of education provider FAEL. Click here for the AEG press release.

Sigma-Aldrich(PBR715) stockholders approve acquisition by Germany based Merck KGaA for $140/share, $17 billion cash, expected to close mid 2015. Click here for the S-A press release.

Genesco(PBR736) announces that SVP/CFO James Gulmi is retiring at the end of the FY, will be succeeded by Mimi Vaughn, SVP/Strategy & Shared Services. Click here for the Genesco press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the internationall trade of goods & services deficit was $43.4 billion in October, -$0.2 billion from a revised September. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 321,000 in November, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.8%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Federal Reserve reports that the preliminary annual rate of Consumer Credit for October was at $882.6 billion revolving, $2,396.3 billion non-revolving. Click here for the FRB press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports new orders for manufactured goods in October decreased $3.3 billion, or 0.7%, to $496.6 billion. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Thursday, December 4:
Best Buy(PBR67) selling its China based Five Star business to Jiayuan Group, does not affect private label operations in China. Click here for the Best Buy press release.

The Hershey Co(PBR348) has acquired Ontario, Canada, based confectionary products manufacturer The Allan Candy Company, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Hershey press release.

Barnes & Noble(PBR386) to acquire Microsoft(PBR30) preferred investment in NOOK Media, agree to terminate commercial agreement. Click here for the BN press release.

Keurig Green Mountain(PBR532) to acquire remaining 85% of equity of hot/cold dispenser developer MDS Global(dba Bevyz) for $220 million. Click here for the KGM press release.

Church & Dwight(PBR646) completes acquisition of the assets of manufacturer & seller of livestock feeds company VI-COR. Click here for the C&D press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Brisbane, Australia, insurance broker Blue Holdings, no terms disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Eastman Kodak(PBR798) reorganizing into 5 divisions, names division leaders & corporate functional leaders. Click here for the Kodak press release.

Walgreens(PBR38) names Linda Filler as president of retail products & chief merchandising officer, effective 01/01/15. Click here for the Walgreens press release.

Dupont(PBR82) names Matthias Heinzel as president of Nutrition & Health, effective 01/01/15, succeeds Craig Binetti, who is retiring. Click here for the Dupont press release.

Halliburton(PBR94) announces integration leadership team for the Baker Hughes(PBR124) acquisition. Click here for the Halliburton press release.

Bemis(PBR466) elects Mike Clauer as VP/CFO. Click here for the Bemis press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that the average 30 year fixed mortgage rate was 3.89% with 0.5 points on 12/04/14. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that Unemployment Insurance Claims for the week ending 11/29/14 was 297,000, 4 week moving average was 299,000. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Wednesday, December 3:
Wellpoint(PBR40) corporate name is now Anthem, Inc, now trading with symbol ANTM. Click here for the Anthem press release.

NextEra Energy(PBR178) to acquire Hawaiian Electric(HEI)(PBR639) as a 3rd unit for $4.3 billion. HEI to spinoff American Savings Bank as a separate public company. Click here for the NextEra press release.

Corning(PBR330) announces $1.5 billion shares buyback program by end of 2016, 4th buyback program since 2011, $7 billion total. Click here for the Corning press release.

Cliffs Natural Resources(PBR421) selling its W Virginia Logan County coal assets to Coronado Coal for $175 million cash. Click here for the CNR press release.

General Dynamics(PBR91) elects S Daniel Johnson as EVP IT & Technology, effective 01/01/15, upon retirement of David Heebner. Click here for the GD press release.

Devon Energy(PBR253) president/CEO John Richels to retire on 07/31/15, COO Dave Hager to become CEO on 08/01/15. Click here for the DE press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board releases the Beige Book, an informal economic summary of the 12 districts, sees positive signs overall across all business segments. Click here for the Beige Book content.

The US Dept of Labor revises 3rd quarter nonfarm labor productivity, +2.3% annual rate, output +4.9%, hours worked +2.5%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

ADP(PBR217) reports +208,000 net new jobs in November, 101,000 from small companies, 65,000 from medium sized companies, 42,000 from large companies. 185,000 jobs were from the services providing industries, 17,000 from goods producing industries. Click here for the ADP press release.

Tuesday, December 2:
Auto Industry:
 GM(PBR7) sells 225,818 vehicles in November, +6% from 2013, annual rate at 17.1M vehicles. Click here for the GM press release.
Ford(PBR8) sells 187,000 vehicles in Nov, -2% from 2013. Record sales for Escape, Explorer & Mustang. Click here for the Ford press release.
Chrysler(NR, foreign held) sells 170,839 vehicles in November, +20% over 2013, estimated 17.5 million annual rate. Click here for the Chrysler press release.

Home Depot(PBR35) to purchase assets of fasteners & builders hardware supplier to US retailers HD Supply Hardware Solutions(fka Crown Bolt), terms not disclosed. Click here for the HD press release.

Lockheed Martin(PBR61) statement on completion of acquisition of healthcare IT solutions for the government provider Systems Made Simple. Click here for the Lockheed press release.

MasterCard(PBR307) to start new $3.75 billion shares buyback program upon completion of $275 million remaining from the current $3.50 billion program. Click here for the MasterCard press release.

Corning(PBR330) to acquire Samsung fiber optics & cable business in S Korea, China, & SE Asia, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Corning press release.

Freescale Semiconductor(PBR545) acquires advanced HD content processing ICs developer Zenverge, terms not disclosed. Click here for the FS press release.

Brink’s(PBR575) reorganized from 4 geographic segments to 2 operating segments, makes leadership changes. Click here for the Brink’s press release.

RadioShack(PBR617) responds to lender covenant breaches claims, updates turnaround plan progress. Click here for the RadioShack press release.

Ferro Corp(PBR962) completes acquisition of Italian tile coatings manufacturing firm Vetriceramici for $108 million cash. Click here for the Ferro press release.

The Dept of Commerce reports that preliminary October Total Construction Activity at a $971 billion annual rate, +1.1% over revised September. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Monday, December 1:
Welcome to Cyber Monday!

The PBR1000 November 2014 Breaking News Recap has been released. Click here for the blog post.

Pfizer(PBR53) completes acquisition of vaccines unit of Baxter International(PBR177) for $635 million. Click here for the Pfizer press release.

Medtronic(PBR162) raising $17 billion in 7 private placements of senior notes to help finance Ireland based Covidien acquisition. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

C.H. Robinson(PBR210) to acquire private freight broker Freightquote.com for $365 million cash, to close in 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the CHR press release.

Huntsman Corp(PBR237) restructuring its pigments & additives business, reducing workforce by 900. Click here for the Huntsman press release.

Group 1 Automotive(PBR291) buying 3 UK based BMW/MINI dealerships, making a total of 17 UK dealerships, $1.3 billion in annual sales. Click here for the G1A press release.

Fidelity National Financial(PBR300) to acquire home warranty, home inspections, and commercial inspections provider BPG Holdings, terms not disclosed. Click here for the FNF press release.

Ashland(PBR331) completes the sale of its elastomers business to Lion Copolymer, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Ashland press release.

Mylan(PBR360) to manufacture & distribute Gilead Sciences(PBR236) HIV drug. Click here for the Mylan press release.

Blackstone Group(PBR372) selling its wholly-owned US industrial platform, IndCor Properties, to Singapore based sovereign wealth fund GIC for $8.1 billion. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Apollo Global Management(PBR527) to acquire IT infrastructure provider Presidio Holdings, which has 6,000 clients, terms not disclosed. Click here for the ApolloGM press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Australian insurance broker/risk management services firm Instrat Insurance Brokers. Click here for the AJG press release.

ON Semiconductor(PBR706) authorizes $1 billion shares buyback program over 4 years. Click here for the ON Semiconductor press release.

AOL(PBR805) to acquire digital media cross-screen video management & exchange program provider Vidible. Click here for the AOL press release.

Aetna(PBR57) appoints Karen Rohan as president, reports to CEO, will oversee national, government, & specialty businesses. Click here for the Aetna press release.

HSN(PBR618) appoints Jeffrey Kuster as president of Cornerstone & executive director of HSNi, reports to CEO. Click here for the HSN press release.

Citrix Systems(PBR683) appoints Geir Ramleth as SVP & Chief Strategy Officer, reports to CEO. Click here for the Citrix press release.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net, Stuart Miles.)

Filed Under: Recaps Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The November 2014 Stocks/Commodities Snapshot

December 21, 2014 by

ID-100106700 Christmas Stock Market-imagerymajesticBy Larry C. Paxton

The PBR1000 November 2014 Snapshots include news and stock data through November 30th and annual 10-K reports filed with the SEC from 2013 through September 2014.  Also, the latest The PBR1000 includes a new ranking by revenues of the 1,093 companies tracked.

A sample of The PBR1000 May 2014 Snapshot is available for download at the top of the “Sample Snapshots” page.

The tables below are compiled from The PBR1000 November 2014 Snapshots, with 14 reports. Current The PBR1000 Subscribers should have already received the report.

November continued the end of October’s lead with the stock exchanges finishing at record levels. With all the negative campaign ads that went on and on for months, the historical drop in mid-term election years did not happen. Perhaps that is because with President Obama’s approval ratings at a low point, influenced by the continued steady but tepid and fragile recovery, the Republican victories in both congressional houses with a majority now in both, and winning a significant number of governorships, the result was not unexpected. A surprising development is the continued significant drop in oil prices.  What will be the effect on the US and world economies? Time will tell. Now the consumer interest will be on the holidays and finding those perfect gifts for loved ones. It will be an interesting season for retailers. What will be the growth of online shopping? How safe are stores and online purchases with debit and credit cards, who will make the headlines of The Big Hack Daily News?

The staff of PBRMarketTools.com wish you and yours a joyful and blessed Holiday Season, and a happy and prosperous New Year!

In the following tables the stock price is for the close of trading on November 30th, Month % Chg is compared to October 31st, YTD % Chg is compared to December 31, 2013, and the 23 Mos % Chg is compared to December 31, 2012.

Table 1: The PBR1000 Stock Price Composite

Table 1 Summary: Made up of the sum of the stock prices of the 1,093 companies currently tracked by The PBR1000.

Company Price
11/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 23 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 298,106.83 +5.26 +20.97 +61.37

 

Table 2: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +39.13% to -52.61%. 747 out of 1,093 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 68.34% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of +2.38%

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
11/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 23 Mos
% Chg
Caesars Entertainment
 301 CZR 16.96 +39.13 -21.26 +145.09
Walter Energy
 920 WLI 3.18 +31.95 -80.88 -91.14
Michael’s Stores
 513 MIK 24.06 +31.62 n/a n/a
Scientific Games
 1075 SGMS 15.14 +28.63 -10.57 +74.63
Covance
 747 CVD 102.62 +28.44 +16.53 +77.64

 

Table 3: The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: Range was +183.14% to -97.67%. 697 out of 1,088 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 64.06% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 7.62%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
11/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 23 Mos
% Chg
RF Micro Devices
 1062 RFMD 14.61 +12.30 +183.14 +226.12
Southwest Airlines
 150 LUV 41.82 +21.29 +121.97 +308.40
Hawaiian Holdings
 849 HA 20.29 +17.01 +110.70 +208.83
Pilgrim’s Pride
 307 PPC 32.30 +13.69 +98.77 +346.13
Edwards Lifesciences
 879 EW 129.68 +7.24 +97.20 +43.82

 

Table 4: The PBR1000 Top 5 22 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 4 Summary: Range was +842.31% to -99.10%. 941 out of 1,072 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 87.78% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 41.20%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
11/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 23 Mos
% Chg
Fannie Mae 17 FNMA 2.45 +12.90 -18.60 +842.31
Freddie Mac 33 FMCC 2.39 +16.02 -17.59 +819.23
Tesla Motors
 887 TSLA 244.52 +1.17 +62.55 +621.94
SunEdison
 888 SUNE 21.65 +10.97 +65.90 +574.45
Micron Technology
 166 MU 35.95 +8.64 +65.29 +467.03

 

Table 5: The PBR1000 Selected Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
11/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 23 Mos
% Chg
DJIA 17,828.24 +2.52 +7.55 +36.05
NASDAQ 4,791.63 +3.47 +14.73 +58.69
S&P500 2,067.56 +2.45 +11.86 +44.97
Gold 1,175.50 +0.17 -2.23 -30.11
Silver 15.56 -3.77 -19.67 -48.75
Oil 66.15 -18.03 -32.79 -29.40

 

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Indices Monthly Snapshot? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us at 520-282-4100.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

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The PBR1000: The November 2014 Breaking News Recap!

December 1, 2014 by
ID-100190796 Santa Business Meeting-franky242

Santa asks the Board, “Has the year been naughty or nice?”

 

By Larry C. Paxton

November 2014 was a very eventful month, starting with the US elections that saw the Republicans gain a majority in the Senate and increase their majority in the House. President Obama exercised his executive privileges in the areas of net neutrality and immigration.

There were over $125 billion in new deals announced by 10 of The PBR1000 companies, the largest being Actavis(PBR297) winning the bidding war to acquire Allergan(PBR391) for $66 billion. Spinoffs have become popular and shares buyback programs continue to proliferate. While the stock market indexes were at record highs, a major event was the significant drop in oil prices. A lot of global maneuvering is starting to take place with that shift, leaving the big question: how it will affect the economy both short and long term?

While we gave thanks for the many blessings we have on Thanksgiving Day, we also can’t help but be concerned by the obvious lack of growth of the middle class, and the unrest it is causing seen by recent marches demanding livable wages. This has been compounded by the events of the Ferguson, Missouri, decisions and riots after the grand jury results were announced.

November ended with a lot of Black Friday hype, but with lower than expected sales. December starts with Cyber Monday, which is expected to take a big leap. But will data breaches and identity theft put a dent in at store and online purchases? So, the stage has been set for December with a lot of question marks, but I also sense with a feeling of very cautious optimism.

Following are the November Breaking News items, from the latest date to the first:

Friday, November 28:
Welcome to Black Friday!

DJIA closes week at 17,828.24, +0.10% from last Friday, 2.52% MTD, +4.61% QTD, +7.55% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,791.63, +1.67% from last Friday, +3.47% MTD, +6.64% QTD, +14.73% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,067.56, +0.20% from last Friday, +2.45% MTD, +4.83% QTD, +11.86% YTD.

Coca-Cola Co(PBR58), SABMiller, & Coca-Cola SABCO to form Coca-Cola Beverages Africa to serve South & East Africa markets. Click here for the Coca-Cola press release.

Enbridge Energy(PBR353) acquires 80% interest in 2 US wind farms, in Texas & Indiana, from E.ON, who will remain operator, for $650 million. Click here for the Enbridge press release.

BE Aerospace(PBR608) is informed by NASDAQ that the KLX spin-off will start trading on 12/17/14 with the symbol KLXI. Click here for the BEA press release.

Thursday, November 27:
Markets are closed.
Happy Thanksgiving Day,
Give Thanks and Travel Safe!

Wednesday, November 26:
The US Dept of Commerce in a preliminary report says October personal income was +0.2% over September, real disposable income was +0.1%. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of HUD preliminary report shows October new home sales at a 458,000 annual rate, +0.7% over September. Click here for the HUD press release.

Tuesday, November 25:
Aetna(PBR57) completes acquisition of private healthcare shopping exchange technologies company bswift for $400 million. Click here for the Aetna press release.

Harbinger Group(PBR431) chairman/CEO Philip Falcone resigns effective 12/01/14, independent board director Joseph Steinberg to be chairman, CEO search to begin. Click here for the Harbinger press release.

BE Aerospace(PBR608) board approves separation of KLX unit & shares distribution, to take place 12/16/14. Click here for the BE Aerospace press release.

Greenbrier Cos(PBR931) promotes Jack Isselmann to SVP/External Affairs & Programs, reports to chairman/CEO. Click here for the Greenbrier press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the 3rd quarter 2014 2nd Estimate GDP was at a 3.9% annual rate. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Monday, November 24:
HealthSouth(PBR820) to acquire privately held 5,000 employee Encompass Home Health & Hospice for $750 million, to close by end of 2014. Click here for the HealthSouth press release.

United Technologies(PBR45) chair/CEO Louis Chenevert retires, effective immediately, SVP/CFO Greg Hayes appointed president/CEO. Click here for the UTC press release.

American Tower(PBR623) to acquire 4,800+ communications towers in Nigeria from a Netherlands based Bharti Airtel subsidiary. Click here for the AT press release.

Jarden(PBR341) does 3:2 stock split. Click here for the Jarden press release.

SunEdison(PBR882) & Brazil based Renova Energia create a 50/50 joint venture to develop 1 Gigawatt of solar power in Brazil. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

A. Schulman(PBR854) appoints Brent Middleton as VP/GM for US/Canada & Gustavo Perez as VP/GM Latin America. Click here for the AS press release.

Friday, November 21:
DJIA closes week at 17,810.06, +0.99% from last Friday, 2.41% MTD, +4.50% QTD, +7.44% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,712.97, +0.52% from last Friday, +1.78% MTD, +4.89% QTD, +12.84% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,063.50, +1.16% from last Friday, +2.25% MTD, +4.62% QTD, +11.64% YTD.

Cardinal Health(PBR26) physician office-focused commercial organization to be consolidated with the Henry Schein(PBR274) Medical Group per longterm strategic agreement. Click here for the Henry Schein press release.

LabCorp(PBR418) completes acquisition of cardiovascular diagnostic lab tests on NMR provider LipoScience(NASDAQ: LPDX) for $5.25/share, $85.3 million transaction value. Click here for the LabCorp press release.

Abercrombie & Fitch(PBR557), in its first franchise agreement, to open its brand stores in Mexico through Grupo AXO. Click here for the A&F press release.

American Tower(PBR623) to acquire 2 portfolios totaling 6,480 cellular towers in Brazil from TIM Cellular SA for $1.2 billion. Click here for the AT press release.

Scientific Games(PBR1069) completes its acquisition of Bally Technologies for $5.1 billion. Click here for the SG press release.

Aetna(PBR57) authorizes $1 billion shares buyback plus $464 million remaining from previous buyback program. Click here for the Aetna press release.

Dillard’s(PBR367) authorizes $500 million Class A Common shares buyback program. Click here for the Dillard’s press release.

Flowers Foods(PBR588) increases its stock buyback program to 15 million shares. Click here for the FF press release.

Thursday, November 20:
Alcoa(PBR122) completes $2.85 billion cash/stock buy of UK based jet engine parts producer Firth Rixson. Click here for the Alcoa press release.

Apache Corp(PBR168) has added 300,000 leasehold acres in 2014, selling its non-core Louisiana & some Anadarko Basin oil & gas assets for $1.4 billion. Click here for the Apache press release.

Cognizant Technology(PBR292) completes acquisition of privately held healthcare IT software developer TriZetto for $2.7 billion cash. Click here for the CT press release.

Blackstone Group(PBR372) to acquire GE Capital’s Japan residential business of over 10,000 units for $1.6 billion. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Fiserv(PBR484) authorizes 20 million shares repurchase program. Click here for the Fiserv press release.

Activision Blizzard(PBR510) announces its Call of Duty video game is biggest entertainment launch of the year, lifetime sales now exceeds $10 billion. Click here for the AB press release.

W.R. Grace(PBR657) to acquire remaining 50% from Turkey construction products joint venture partner, terms not disclosed. Click here for the WRG press release.

Corinthian Colleges(PBR968) selling 56 Everest & WyoTech campuses to nonprofit ECMC Group, to close in January, 2015. Click here for the CC press release.

Hertz(PBR249) elects travel & transportation industry veteran John Tague as president/CEO, effective 11/21/14. Click here for the Hertz press release.

Clorox(PBR428) has new CEO, former EVP/COO Benno Dorer. Click here for the Clorox biography of BD.

Children’s Place Retail(PBR929) appoints Anurup Pruthi as SVP/CFO, effective 12/01/14, reports to COO. Click here for the CPR press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that October current earnings were up 0.1% to $24.57/hr average, $850.12/week, for 34.6 hour workweek. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the October Consumer Price Index was unchanged over September, 1.7% YTD. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The White House blog on President Obama’s speech regarding his plan to sign executive orders on immigration policy. Click here for the White House post.

Wednesday, November 19:
Family Dollar(PBR254) moves special stockholders meeting from 12/11/14 to 12/23/14 to vote on $9.2 billion merger with Dollar Tree(PBR328). Click here for the Family Dollar press release.

Dollar General(PBR154) affirms commitment to acquire Family Dollar(PBR254), working with FTC on terms. Click here for the Dollar General press release.

Avis Budget(PBR325) completes $210 million plus fleet cost deal for Budget licensee of S. California & Las Vegas. Click here for the Avis Budget press release.

Cliffs Natural Resources(PBR421) pursuing exit options for its Eastern Canadian operations. Click here for the CNR press release.

Yahoo!(PBR495) to be default mobile & desktop search engine in the US for Mozilla Firefox starting in 12/14 per 5 year strategic agreement. Click here for the Yahoo! press release.

Keuring Green Mountain(PBR532) announces that 11 year CFO/Treas Frances Rathke leaving in 2015 when replacement found. Click here for the KGM press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Muscatine, IA, retail insurance broker Miller-Harrison Insurance Services. Click here for the AJG press release.

Crown Castle Intl(PBR668) stockholders vote to merge with wholly owned subsidiary Crown Castle REIT, to close by year end. Click here for the CCO press release.

Health Care REIT(PBR691) completes acquisition of HealthLease Properties REIT, includes portfolio of senior living, acute care, long-term care communities. Click here for the HCREIT press release.

Corinthian Colleges(PBR968) receives NASDAQ notice regarding inability to file latest 10-K & 10-Q reports. Click here for the CC press release.

The Federal Reserve Board announces the appointments of chairs and deputy chairs for the 12 Federal Reserve Banks for 2015. Click here for the FRB press release.

The Federal Reserve Board in its Oct 29 Open Market Committee report says the economy is expanding at moderate pace. Click here for the FRB press release.

The US Dept of HUD preliminary report says that October private housing building permits was at a 1,080,000 annual rate, +4.8% over September. Click here for the HUD press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports a net increase of 397,000 private sector jobs in 1st quarter 2014. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Tuesday, November 18:
Archer-Daniels-Midland(ADM)(PBR27) completes buy of Specialty Commodities for $191 million, announces some senior management changes. Click here for the ADM press release.

Avon(PBR266) announces leadership changes in Latin America, headquarters. Click here for the Avon press release.

Micron Technology(PBR284) announces CFO/VP of Finance Ronald Foster to retire effective 02/28/15. Click here for the MT press release.

Darden Restaurants(PBR392) says CFO Brad Richmond to retire by 03/31/15, Chief HR Officer Daisy Ng resigning, being replaced by SVP Danielle Kirgan, SVP Government & Community Affairs Bob McAdam to leave at end of year; also restructuring Olive Garden & Longhorn field leadership. Click here for the Darden press release.

The US Senate votes 59-41 in favor of the Keystone XL Pipeline, 1 vote short needed for passage. Click here for the Library of Congress notice.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the October Producer Price Index(PPI) was up 0.2%, with services up 0.5%, goods down 0.4%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Monday, November 17:
Actavis(PBR297) to acquire healthcare products provider Allergan(PBR391) for $219/share, $66 billion. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Fidelity Natl Fin(PBR300) FNFV unit completes sale of Comdata to FleetCor for stock valued at $356 million. Click here for the FNF press release.

Canada based Valeant Pharmaceuticals(NYSE: VRX) says it cannot justify $219/share bid for Allergan(PBR391), will not be submitting any further offers. Click here for the Valeant press release.

Halliburton(PBR94) to acquire oilfield products & services provider Baker Hughes(PBR124) for $78.62/share, $34.6 billion in cash & stock. Click here for the Halliburton press release.

Medtronic(PBR162) & Ireland based medical supplies provider Covidien shareholders to meet on 01/06/15 to approve $49.2 billion cash acquisition. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

Actavis(PBR297) completes $23/share, $675 million tender offer of Durata Therapeutics outstanding shares. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Lennar(PBR414) & Macerich(PBR1083) to do 500,000 sf urban outlet joint venture 50/50 project in upscale mixed use San Francisco area Candlestick Point. Click here for the Lennar press release.

SunEdison(PBR882) & indirect subsidiary TerraForm Power to acquire wind projects developer & operator First Wind for $2.4 billion. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Cummins(PBR158) names Tracy Embree as president, Components Group, reports to COO Rich Freeland. Click here for the Cummins press release.

AES Corp(PBR171) EVP/COO Andrew Vesey leaving effective 12/31/14, for CEO position in Australia. CFO Bernerd Da Santos to also be acting COO 12/01/14. Click here for the AES press release.

American Axle & Mfg(PBR643) names Nigel Francis VP Corp Planning, Jon Morrison as Pres, AAM N America. Click here for the AAM press release.

Fairchild Semiconductor(PBR1002) Chairman/CEO Mark Thompson to add President title after departure of Pres/COO Vijay Ullal. Click here for the FS press release.

In Nov US economy/housing outlook FreddieMac(PBR33) forecasts 2015 3.0% economy growth rate, 5% more housing sales. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

Saturday, November 15:
Open enrollment for health care plans starts today through 12/15/14 for coverage starting 01/01/15. Click here for the HealthCare.gov website.

Friday, November 14:
DJIA closes week at 17,634.74, +0.35% from last Friday, 1.40% MTD, +3.47% QTD, +6.38% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,688.54, +1.21% from last Friday, +1.25% MTD, +4.34% QTD, +12.26% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,039.82, +0.39% from last Friday, +1.08% MTD, +3.42% QTD, +10.36% YTD.

Hertz(PBR249) to buy 350,000 2015 vehicles, implement a $100 million cost reduction program, restate 2011-2013 financials. Click here for the Hertz press release.

Flowserve(PBR473) to acquire Netherland’s based engineered vacuum and fluid pumps provider SIHI Group BV for $372.5 million. Click here for the Flowserve press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Richmond, VA, based human resource consulting services firm The Titan Group, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Albemarle(PBR739) & Rockwood Holdings(PBR1006) shareholders approve merger, to close 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the Albemarle press release.

Kroger(PBR24) announces that its Ralphs Grocery Co to hire for 1,200 permanent positions in So. California. Click here for the Kroger press release.

Ashland(PBR331) elects Bill Wulfsohn, former Pres/CEO of Carpenter Technology(PBR836), as Chairman/CEO, effective 01/01/15, succeeds James O’Brien, who is retiring . Click here for the Ashland press release.

Carpenter Technology(PBR836) announces chairman Gregory Pratt to also be CEO again, effective immediately, replaces Bill Wulfsohn who is leaving to become chairman/CEO of Ashland(PBR331). Click here for the CT press release.

Thursday, November 13:
Berkshire Hathaway(PBR4) to acquire Duracell in exchange for Proctor & Gamble(PBR32) shares valued at $4.7 billion. Click here for the P&G press release.

Expedia(PBR491) completes acquisition of Australia based online travel company Wotif Group for $612 million. Click here for the Expedia press release.

Graham Holdings(PBR607) to do tax free spin-off of subsidiary Cable ONE as a separate public company in 2015. Click here for the GH press release.

Baker Hughes(PBR124) confirms it is in preliminary merger talks with Halliburton(PBR94). Click here for the BH press release.

AIG(PBR41) appoints Charlie Shamieh CEO Life, Health, and Disability Insurance; Alessa Quane named Corporate Chief Actuary. Click here for the AIG press release.

Diebold(PBR694) names Tom Signorello as SVP N American Sales & Mychal Kempt as VP Global Launch Management. Click here for the Diebold press release.

Rackspace(PBR983) appoints Todd Cione as Chief Revenue Officer. Click here for the Rackspace press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that there were 4.7 million job openings at end of September, 5.0 million hires, & 4.8 million separations. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that for the week ending 11/08/14 initial unemployment claims were 290,000, up 12,000 from the previous week. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Wednesday, November 12:
Cognizant Technology(PBR292) acquires Australia based digital solutions provider Odecee, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Cognizant press release.

BB&T(PBR252) to acquire top 50 bank PA based Susquehanna Bancshares for $2.5 billion cash & stock. Click here for the BB&T press release.

UnitedHealth Group(PBR14) forms Office of the CEO, announces senior leadership changes. Click here for the UHG press release.

An Enterprise Products(PBR56) subsidiary & Oiltanking Properties(NYSE: OILT) to merge, $6 billion total value in distributions. Click here for the EP press release.

Annaly Capital(PBR509) subsidiary acquires a portfolio of 11 properties with grocery-anchored shopping centers, total of 1.48 million sq ft. Click here for the Annaly press release.

Macerich(PBR1083) buys remaining 40% stake in Fashion Outlets of Chicago for $70 million, comes after October $205 million sale of South Towne Center in Sandy, UT. Click here for the Macerich press release.

The White House reports on US & China announcement on new actions to reduce carbon pollution. Click here for the White House press release.

The White House blog regarding President Obama’s plan for net neutrality. Click here for the White House press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports preliminary September Wholesale Trade sales were at $454.3 billion, up 0.2% over August. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Tuesday, November 11:
It’s Veterans Day. A sincere Thank You to all Veterans for your service to our country.

Yahoo!(PBR495) to acquire video ads platform developer BrightRoll for $640 million cash. Click here for the Yahoo! press release.

Mondelez Intl(PBR84) to acquire 80% ownership in Vietnam’s leading confectionary provider Kinh Do Corp for $370 million. Click here for the Mondelez press release.

Fossil Group(PBR637) & fashion Michael Kors Holdings renew global licensing agreement through 2024. Click here for the Fossil press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Arlington Heights, IL, retail insurance agency The Forker Company, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Service Corp Intl(PBR754) increases share repurchase program to $300 million. Click here for the SCI press release.

Juniper Networks(PBR496) names 17 year company veteran Rami Rahim as CEO, effective immediately, takes over for Shaygan Kheradpir. Click here for the JN press release.

DeVry Education Group(PBR899) announces death of board chairman Dr. Connie Curran; Lyle Logan appointed interim board chair. Click here for the DeVry press release.

The White House provides Fact Sheet on APEC Regional Trade agreements reached in conference in China. Click here for the White House press release.

Monday, November 10:
Heartland Payment Systems(PBR853) acquires foodservice enterprise level POS software developer 25,000 user locations, $15 billion in transactions XPIENT Solutions, terms not disclosed. Click here for the HPS press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Woodland Hills, CA, based SGB-NIA Insurance Brokers, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

The Assn of Professional Flight Attendants narrowly defeats a new contract with American Airlines. Agreement to go to arbitration starting 12/03/14. Click here for the APFA press release.

President Obama’s official statement on net neutrality: Click here for the Whitehouse press release.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR301) announces CFO Donald Colvin retiring on 12/31/14, Eric Hession to become CFO on 01/01/15. Click here for the Caesars press release.

Actavis(PBR297) announces that Maria Teresa(Tessa) Hilado to become CFO, effective 12/08/14, is leaving PepsiCo, & will take over for retiring R Todd Joyce. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Friday, November 7:
DJIA closes week at 17,573.93, +1.05% from last Friday & MTD, +3.12% QTD, +6.02% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,632.53, +0.04% from last Friday & MTD, +3.10% QTD, +10.92% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,031.92, +0.69% from last Friday & MTD, +3.02% QTD, +9.93% YTD.

AT&T(PBR12) to acquire Mexico 8.6 million subscriber wireless provider lusacell for $2.5 billion. Click here for the AT&T press release.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR39) completes $1.75 billion cash buy of viral diseases developer Alios BioPharma. Click here for the J&J press release.

Sears Holdings(PBR81) announces possible REIT business plan through sale-leaseback of stores to bolster balance sheet. Click here for the Sears press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) to acquire ultraluxury fragrances company Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, terms not disclosed. Click here for the EL press release.

Calpine Corp(PBR390) completes acquisition of Boston area natural gas-fired 809 Megawatt power plant from Exelon Corp(PBR108) for $530 million. Click here for the Calpine press release.

Bemis(PBR466) completes sale of its global Pressure Sensitive Materials unit(MACtac) to private equity firm Platinum Equity for $170 million. Click here for the Bemis press release.

Ford(PBR8) announces several senior leadership changes. Click here for the Ford press release.

Fastenal(PBR625) announces Willard Oberton is resigning as CEO on 12/31/14, will remain chairman, board elects president Leland Hein to be Pres/CEO on 01/01/15. Click here for the Fastenal press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that October nonfarm employment was up 214,000 and the unemployment rate drops 0.1% to 5.8%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board reports that consumer credit rose to a 6.5% annual rate during the 3rd quarter. Click here for the FRB press release.

Thursday, November 6:
New York Times(PBR976) launches in-school digital subscription program for K-12. Click here for the NYT press release.

Home Depot(PBR35) releases more information on data breaches, including 53 million email addresses. Click here for the HD press release.

Perrigo(PBR563) to buy Belgium based over-the-counter healthcare products company Omega Pharma NV for $4.5 billion cash & equity. Click here for the Perrigo press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires San Diego based Discovery Benefit Solutions, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that 30 year fixed mortgage rates as of 11/06/14 averaged 4.02% with 0.5 points. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Dept of Labor in its preliminary report says that the non-farm labor productivity annual rate was up 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reportsthat initial unemployment claims at 278,000, down 10,000 from previous week. 4 week moving average at 279,000. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Congressional Budget Office projects the US Dept of Defense 2015-2021 plans to cost an average of $47 billion more per year than provided in the Budget Control Act. Click here for the CBO press release.

Wednesday, November 5:
Motorola Solutions(PBR296) buys back $750 million of common stock from ValueAct Capital. Click here for the MS press release.

AES Corp(PBR171) wins 20 year contracts for 1,384MW of new power at existing California power plants. Click here for the AES press release.

Carnival(PBR173) to increase its fleet capacity by 10% with 4 new ships in the next 18 months. Click here for the Carnival press release.

Booz Allen Hamilton(PBR437) says Carlyle Group(PBR525) affiliate sold 10 million Class A shares to JPMorgan(PBR18), Carlyle will now own 37% of BAH Class A shares. Click here for the BAH press release.

Carlyle Group(PBR525) & coinvestors to acquire investment banking industry software & data platforms provider Dealogic for $700 million. Click here for the CG press release.

Babcock & Wilcox(PBR636) approves spin-off of Power Generation business into a separate publicly held company. Click here for the B&W press release.

Orbital Sciences(PBR1010) announces go-forward plan for NASA’s commercial resupply services program, updates last week’s failed launch. Click here for the OS press release.

Archer-Daniels-Midland(PBR27) Pres/COO Juan Luciano to become Pres/CEO on 01/01/15, Patricia Woertz to remain Chairman. Click here for the ADM press release.

Boise Cascade(PBR635) appoints EVP Tom Corrick as COO, effective immediately. SVP/CFO/Treas Wayne Rancort now an EVP. Click here for the BC press release.

Actavis(PBR297) announces CFO R Todd Joyce to retire in early 2015, exec search firm retained. Click here for the Actavis press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that inflation adjusted compensation costs for private industry employees increased 0.6% over the past year. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Tuesday, November 4:
It’s Election Day. VOTE!!!

Plains All-American Pipeline(PBR68) & Enterprise Products(PBR56) in 50/50 Eagle Ford joint venture to expand pipelines, add new terminal. Click here for the PAAP press release.

Allergan(PBR391) responds to CA court decision to allow Valeant to vote its 9.7% ownership in the 12/18/14 special stockholders meeting re $54 billion offer. Click here for the Allergan press release.

Liberty Media(PBR570) completes spin-off of publicly held Liberty Broadband(NASDAQ: LBRDA, LBRDK), to start trading 11/05/14. Click here for the LM press release.

Sigma-Aldrich(PBR715) completes buy of invitro diagnostic antibody reagents & kits company Cell Marque. Click here for the S-A press release.

Applied Industrial Technologies(PBR782) has acquired supplier to W Texas upstream oil & gas facilities Ira Pump & Supply, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AIT press release.

The US Bureau of Census/Dept of Commerce reports that the September US international trade balance decreased to -$43.0 billion from -$40.0 billion in August(revised). Click here for the Census/Commerce press release.

The US Bureau of Census/Dept of Commerce reports that September new orders for manufactured goods was down $2.8 billion, or 0.6%, from August to $499.4 billion. Click here for the Census/Commerce press release.

Monday, November 3:
LabCorp(PBR418) to acquire Covance(PBR745) for $105.21/share, $5.6 billion. Click here for the LabCorp press release.

Aetna(PBR57) to acquire private healthcare shopping exchange technologies company bswift for $400 million. Click here for the Aetna press release.

Alcoa(PBR122) investing $190 million in Davenport Works, IA, facility, to expand aerospace/industrial applications. Click here for the Alcoa press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) completes acquisition of French heritage high end fragrancy & sensory lifestyle company Le Labo. Click here for the EL press release.

Agilent Technologies(PBR365) completes spin-off of electronic measurements business Keysight, now publicly trading under KEYS. Click here for the AT press release.

Blackstone Group(PBR372) & PAI Partners sell UK based United Biscuits to Yildiz Holding, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Dr Pepper Snapple(PBR409) acquires assets of E Pennsylvania based Davis Bottling & Davis Beverage, terms not disclosed. Click here for the DrPS press release.

Frontier Communications(PBR492) expands strategic agreement with Intuit(PBR548) to provide support for online small business services for $100 million over 3 years. Click here for the FC press release.

Vornado Realty(PBR709) to sell 1740 Broadway for $605 million, completes acquisition of St Regis Avenue Retail. Click here for the VR press release.

Sigma-Aldrich(PBR715) announces 12/05/14 as stockholder special meeting date for vote on $17 billion acquisition by Germany based Merck. Click here for the S-A press release.

Chemtura(PBR828) completes $1 billion sale of its AgroSolutions unit to Platform Specialty Products(NR). Click here for the Chemtura press release.

AIG(PBR41) approves new $1.5 billion stock repurchase program. Click here for the AIG press release.

Centrus Energy(PBR1030), fka USEC, receives NYSE notice saying it is now in compliance for being listed. Click here for the CE press release.

Arrow Electronics(PBR129) names Gregory Tarpinian SVP, General Counsel, & Secretary, succeeds Peter Brown who is retiring. Click here for the AE press release.

Church & Dwight(PBR646) adds COO title to CFO Matthew Farrell. Click here for the C&D press release.

Barnes Group(PBR1068) announces the retirement of Chairman Thomas Barnes, scheduled for 12/31/14. Click here for the Barnes Group press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports preliminary September Construction Spending Annual Rate was $950.9 billion, -0.4% from August, +2.9% from September, 2013. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Saturday, November 1:
The PBR1000 October 2014 Breaking News Recap has been released. Click here for the blog post.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net, franky242.)

Filed Under: Recaps Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The October 2014 Stocks/Commodities Snapshot

November 11, 2014 by

ID-10068053 Stock Graph in Hand-watcharakunBy Larry C. Paxton

The PBR1000 October 2014 Snapshots include news and stock data through October 31st and annual 10-K reports filed with the SEC from 2013 through August 2014.

A sample of The PBR1000 May 2014 Snapshot is available for download at the top of the “Sample Snapshots” page.

The tables below are compiled from The PBR1000 October 2014 Snapshots, with 14 reports. Current The PBR1000 Subscribers should have already received the report.

September ended  with significant losses. Then there were a lot of significant ups and downs in October, which finally ended at or near record highs. Perhaps the reason is that Americans were very focused on what was happening in the US. The economy is still weak, but compared to the rest of the world, is showing the most stability. The Federal Reserve Board has stopped the Quantitative Easing program, but keeping interest rates at record lows. The midterm election hype could not be avoided. No one was safe from all the local and statewide election ads, and the conjecturing on whether or not Republicans will become the majority party in the US Senate. Other than the Ebola crisis and the concern that it might come to the US, there just was not time for the normal news coverage in the more volatile parts of the world. Another factor was the dramatic drop in oil prices. Was this real or fabricated? At any rate, it surely helped consumers feel a little better and maybe optimistic. Now that the election has passed the big question for November is if the stock market will show the typical end of the year growth, or will international situations put us through another roller coaster session?

In the following tables the stock price is for the close of trading on October 31st, Month % Chg is compared to September 30th, YTD % Chg is compared to December 31, 2013, and the 22 Mos % Chg is compared to December 31, 2012.

Table 1: The PBR1000 Stock Price Composite

Table 1 Summary: Made up of the sum of the stock prices of the 1,085 companies currently tracked by The PBR1000.

Company Price
10/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 22 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 283,045.34 +2.08 +14.96 +53.31

 

Table 2: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was 135.66% to -45.40%. 765 out of 1,085 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 70.51% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of +3.34%

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
10/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 22 Mos
% Chg
ITT Educational
 1031 ESI +10.11 +135.66 -69.89 -41.59
Corinthian Colleges
 968 COCO +0.19 +67.51 -89.60 -92.44
Skywest
 631 SKYW +11.52 +48.07 -22.32 -7.54
Sears Holdings
 81 SHLD +34.92 +38.41 -28.79 -15.57
Invacare
 1019 IVC +15.71 +33.02 -32.31 -3.62

 

Table 3: The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: Range was 152.13% to -97.67%. 667 out of 1,081 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 61.70% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 4.97%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
10/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 22 Mos
% Chg
RF Micro Devices
 1055 RFMD +13.01 +12.74 +152.13 +190.40
Keurig Green Mountain
 532 GMCR +151.75 +16.61 +100.89 +267.08
Greenbrier Companies
 931 GBX +62.54 -14.77 +90.44 +286.77
Edwards Lifesciences
 873 EW +120.92 +18.37 +83.88 +34.10
Southwest Airlines
 151 LUV +34.48 +2.10 +83.01 +236.72

 

Table 4: The PBR1000 Top 5 22 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 4 Summary: Range was 734.62% to -99.10%. 929 out of 1,067 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 87.07% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 40.14%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
10/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 22 Mos
% Chg
Fannie Mae 16 FNMA 2.17 -19.33 -27.91 +734.62
Freddie Mac 33 FMCC 2.06 -21.97 -28.97 +692.31
Tesla Motors
 881 TSLA 241.70 -0.40 +60.67 +613.61
SunEdison
 882 SUNE 19.51 +3.34 +49.50 +507.79
SunPower Corp 768 SPWR 31.84 -6.02 +6.81 +466.55

 

Table 5: The PBR1000 Selected Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
10/31/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 22 Mos
% Chg
DJIA 17,390.52 +2.04 +4.91 +32.71
NASDAQ 4,630.74 +3.06 +10.87 +53.36
S&P500 2,018.05 +2.32 +9.18 +41.50
Gold 1,173.50 -3.15 -2.40 -30.23
Silver 16.17 -5.22 -16.52 -46.74
Oil 80.70 -11.47 -18.00 -13.87

 

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Indices Monthly Snapshot? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us at 520-282-4100.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo Courtesy of hywards/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Filed Under: Snapshots Tagged With: , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The October 2014 Breaking News Recap!

November 2, 2014 by
ID-10064146 Construction Tools in Cart-Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

What Tools Should Be Used To Keep Making Progress?

By Larry C. Paxton

In October the new US government “inversion” policies apparently had an effect as  some major deals among The PBR1000 fell through and there were few mergers announced with headquarters moving offshore. There were a lot of spin-offs announced and some changes in C-level leadership.

The Federal Reserve announced that it is stopping the Quantitative Easing program.  Other impacts will be reviewed in The PBR1000 Stocks/Commodities Snapshot that will be released in a few days.

Globally the US is the leader in the many years recovery. But it is still a fragile situation. It will be interesting to see what “tools” businesses and governments use to get to the post recovery phase.

Breaking news items of interest for October for The PBR1000 follow, with the most current date first.

Friday, October 31:
DJIA closes week at 17,390.52, +3.48% from last Friday, +2.04% MTD & QTD, +4.91% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,630.74, +3.28% from last Friday, +3.06% MTD & QTD, +10.87% YTD.
SPX closes week at 2,018.05, +2.72% from last Friday, +2.32% MTD & QTD, +9.18% YTD.

IBM(PBR23) & China based Tencent Cloud sign agreement for providing cloud based services to businesses. Click here for the IBM press release.

Dollar General(PBR154) extends deadline for $80/share tender offer for Family Dollar(PBR254) to 12/31/14, 5PM. Click here for the DG press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) acquires luxury skin care brand RODIN olio lusso, terms not disclosed. Click here for the EL press release.

Level 3 Communications(PBR389) completes $7.3 billion acquisition of tw telecom. Click here for the Level 3 press release.

Newell Rubbermaid(PBR420) to pursue selling its Endicia online postage and Calphalon retail outlet stores & kitchen electronics businesses. Click here for the NR press release.

Sonoco Products(PBR481) completes acquisition of Europe based composite containers provider Weidenhammer Packaging Group for $360 million cash. Click here for the Sonoco press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) acquires Western US based insurance broker Insurance Associates, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) in 3rd quarter refinance report estimates that $8.0 billion was cashed out on home equity refinancing, up $2.4 billion from the 2nd quarter. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that September personal income was up 0.2% over August, disposable income up 0.1%. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Thursday, October 30:
Lockheed Martin(PBR61) to acquire private 500+ employee provider of healthcare IT solutions for the government company Systems Made Simple. Click here for the LM press release.

Harman International(PBR448) authorizes $500 million over 3 years stock repurchase program. Click here for the Harman press release.

Allison Transmission(PBR897) authorizes $500 million stock repurchase program. Click here for the AT press release.

Carnival(PBR173) announces that President/CEO Gerry Cahill will retire on 11/30/14, no replacement named. Click here for the Carnival press release.

Harman International(PBR448) appoints Sandra Rowland as EVP/CFO, effective 01/01/15, succeeds Herbert Parker who has been appointed EVP/Operational Excellence. Click here for the Harman press release.

Curtiss-Wright(PBR767) Executive Chairman Martin Benante to retire 01/01/15, CEO David Adams to then also become Chairman. Click here for the C-W press release.

Yahoo!(PBR495) names Lisa Utzschneider as SVP/Sales, Americas, will report to CEO Marissa Meyer. Ned Brody to become SVP/Advertising Technology & Strategy. Click here for the Yahoo! press release.

The US Dept of Commerce in Advance Estimate says 3rd quarter GDP annual rate was 3.5%. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of Labor in initial report says on 10/25/14 initial unemployment claims were 287,000, up 3,000 from previous week. Click here for the USDOL press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports 30 year fixed mortgage rates on 10/30/14 averaged 3.98% with 0.5 points. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

Wednesday, October 29:
MasterCard(PBR307) & Zilzar.com collaborate to target $2.5 trillion Muslim lifestyle marketplace. Click here for the MasterCard press release.

Abbott Labs(PBR127) to acquire private electrophysiology technologies medical device company Topera for $250 million plus incentives. Click here for the Abbott Labs press release.

Booz Allen Hamilton(PBR437) acquires Boston based epidemiological & analytics company Epidemico, terms not released. Click here for the BAH press release.

RadioShack(PBR617) on track to have its Fix It Here! mobile device repair service in 750 locations by year end. Click here for the RadioShack press release.

IBM(PBR23) to use its analytics tools in partnership with Twitter(NR) and its data for commercial purposes. Click here for the IBM press release.

VISA(PBR227) authorizes new $5 billion stock repurchase program. Click here for the VISA press release.

CenterPoint Energy(PBR317) appoints SVP/Chief Accounting Officer, SVP/Chief Information Officer, & SVP/Chief Customer Officer. Click here for the CE press release.

RadioShack(PBR617) announces Harry Wilson, CEO of MAEVA Group, to be Chief Revitalization Officer, reports to CEO. Click here for the RadioShack press release.

Applied Industrial Technologies(PBR782) elects Peter Wallace, CEO for private Gardner Denver, as independent Chairman. Succeeds John Meier who will continue to serve on the board. Click here for the AIT press release.

Black Hills(PBR1033) announces EVP/CFO Anthony Cleberg retiring 03/31/15, VP/Controller Richard Kinsley to become SVP/CFO 01/01/15. Click here for the BH press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board gives its assessment of the US economy, to conclude its asset purchase program this month. Click here for the FRB press release.

Tuesday, October 28:
Amgen(PBR144) to accelerate dividend payouts, reinitiate $2 billion stock repurchase program, layoff an additional 600-1,000 people. Click here for the Amgen press release.

Chevron(PBR3) announces $6 billion development project with Hess Corp(PBR114) operated Stampede project in deepwater US Gulf of Mexico. Click here for the Chevron press release.

Macy’s(PBR97) to open its first international Macy’s store in 2018 in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Click here for the Macy’s press release.

Level 3 Communications(PBR389) & tw telecom stockholders approve merger, expected to close by 11/05/14. Click here for the Level 3 press release.

SunEdison(PBR882) & Rajasthan Government in India sign Memorandum of Understanding to develop 5 gigawatts of solar power. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Family Dollar(PBR254) mailing out proxy info for special stockholders meeting on 12/11/14 to vote on $9.2 billion merger with Dollar Tree(PBR328). Click here for the Family Dollar press release.

Alliant Techsystems(PBR489) sets 12/09/14 for special stockholders meeting to vote on merger of aerospace unit with Orbital Sciences(PBR1010). Click here for the AT press release.

Orbital Sciences(PBR1010) comments on failed Antares rocket launch with supplies to the international space station. Click here for the OS press release.

IBM(PBR23) adds $5 billion to $1.4 billion remaining for stock repurchase program. Click here for the IBM press release.

AutoNation(PBR152) in 3rd quarter report says it has purchased 8% of outstanding shares, has increased share repurchase program, now has $281 million available. Click here for the AutoNation press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports that the end of the 3rd quarter 2014 homeownership rate was at 64.4%, -0.9% from the 3rd quarter 2013. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Monday, October 27:
Chiquita Brands(PBR658) agrees to be acquired by Brazilian based Cutrale/Safra Groups for $14.50/share, $1.3 billion includes debt, to close late 2014/early 2015. Click here for the Chiquita press release.

Allergan(PBR391) confirms receipt of Valeant merger letter, says no new terms proposed. Click here for the Allergan press release.

Micron Technology(PBR284) authorizes $1 billion stock repurchase program. Click here for the MT press release.

HCA(PBR76) elects CEO Milton Johnson as Chairman, effective 12/31/14, succeeds Richard Bracken who is retiring. Click here for the HCA press release.

Advanced Micro Devices(AMD)(PBR451) hires Forrest Norrod as SVP/GM for Enterprise, Embedded, and Semi-Custom Business, reports to Pres/CEO Lisa Su. Click here for the AMD press release.

Hill-Rom(PBR945) appoints Steven Strobel as SVP, effective 11/03/14, will add CFO title on 12/01/14. Click here for the Hill-Rom press release.

Friday, October 24:
DJIA closes week at 16,805.41, +2.59% from last Friday, -1.39% MTD & QTD, +1.38% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,483.72, +5.29% from last Friday, -0.22% MTD & QTD, +7.35% YTD.
SPX closes week at 1,964.58, +4.12% from last Friday, -0.39% MTD & QTD, +6.29% YTD.

Level 3 Communications(PBR389) receives FTC approval for $7.3 billion acquisition of tw telecom(NASDAQ: TWTC). Click here for the Level 3 press release.

Chiquita Brands(PBR658) shareholders vote to not pursue Ireland based Fyffes merger deal, both sides terminate discussions, Chiquita to enter into more discussions with Brazilian based Cutrale-Safra Groups. Click here for the Chiquita Brands press release.

Frontier Communications(PBR492) completes its $2 billion acquisition of AT&T(PBR12) Connecticut’s wireline, broadband & video operations. Click here for the FC press release.

Proctor & Gamble(PBR32) in 1st quarter results announces plan to spinoff Duracell battery unit into a separate company. Click here for the P&G press release.

Avis Budget(PBR325) to acquire the Budget licensee, the Mirkin family, for S. California & Las Vegas for $210 million plus fleet cost. Click here for the AB press release.

Celanese(PBR377) increases shares repurchase program to $500 million. Click here for the Celanese press release.

SandRidge Energy(PBR884) files registration for MidCon Midstream, LP, for Initial Public Offering on NYSE. Click here for the SandRidge press release.

Blackhawk Network(PBR1058) completes $290 million acquisition of global incentive solutions provider Parago, will be a subsidiary. Click here for the BN press release.

DuPont(PBR82) EVP/Chief Innovation Officer Tom Connelly, Jr, to retire; SVP Jim Collins, Jr, to become EVP, SVP Matt Trerotola to become EVP, both become members of Office of the CEO, effective 12/01/14. Click here for the DuPont press release.

Avery Dennison(PBR402) names SVP/CFO Mitchell Butier President/COO, effective 11/01/14. Click here for the AD press release.

US Census/HUD report that the September annual rate of new home sales was 467,000, August was 466,000; median price was $259,000, average price $313,200. Click here for the Census/HUD press release.

Thursday, October 23:
Pfizer(PBR53) authorizes new $11 billion share buyback program, adds to $1.3 billion current program. Click here for the Pfizer press release.

Jarden(PBR341) to do 3:2 stock split on 11/24/14 for stockholders of record on 11/03/14. Click here for the Jarden press release.

Dr Pepper Snapple(PBR409) to buy back $375-400 million in shares per 3rd quarter results report. Click here for the Dr Pepper Snapple press release.

Chiquita Brands(PBR658) confirms receipt of $14.50/share revised offer from Cutrale & Safra Groups, ahead of Chiquita/Fyffes merger vote. Click here for the Chiquita Brands press release.

Coca-Cola Co(PBR58) Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer Joe Tripodi to retire 02/28/15, company veteran Marcos de Quinto to become CMO. Click here for the Coca-Cola Co press release.

Alcoa(PBR122) selling majority stake in Mt Holly Smelter in Goose Creek, SC, to Century Aluminum for $67.5 million. Click here for the Alcoa press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) reports that 30 year fixed mortgage rates are at 3.92% with 0.5 points. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

Carpenter Technology(PBR836) announces 2 year $500 million stock repurchase plan. Click here for the Carpenter Technnology press release.

Allegheny Technologies(PBR566) announces Elizabeth Powers as new SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer, effective 11/01/14. Click here for the Allegheny Technologies press release.

EMCOR(PBR385) announces $250 million share buyback program. Click here for the EMCOR press release.

Asbury Automotive(PBR449) appoints David Hult as next EVP/Chief Operating Officer, effective 11/03/14. Click here for the Asbury Auto press release.

Wednesday, October 22:
SunEdison(PBR882) gets agreement to build 30 solar systems for 9 public agencies in San Francisco area. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

AT&T(PBR12) in its 3rd quarter earnings report says it has 2 million wireless net additional subscribers year to date. Click here for the AT&T press release.

Brunswick(PBR576) authorizes up to $200 million over 2 years for shares repurchase program. Click here for the Brunswick press release.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR39) makes $200 million commitment to speed Ebola vaccine development & greatly expand production. Click here for the JNJ press release.

Actavis(PBR297) to invest $40 million & get exclusive option after Phase 2b study to buy a Rhythm subsidiary & its gastrointestinal product rights. Click here for the Actavis press release.

A. Schulman(PBR854) realigning its European back office & support functions, reducing headcount. Click here for the A Schulman press release.

Davita Healthcare(PBR309) to acquire 100+ physicians 11 locations Colorado Springs Health Partners, to close in 4th quarter. Click here for the Davita press release.

First Horizon National’s(PBR1027) First Tennessee Bank to expand into N. Carolina with TrustAtlantic acquisition. Click here for the FHN press release.

FreddieMac(PBR33) releases its October US Economic & Housing Market Outlook & forecast. Click here for the FreddieMac press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that September average weekly earnings were $848.74, up from $846.63 in August. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the September Consumer Price Index for all items was +0.1% over August, was -0.2% in August, is +1.7% over past 12 months. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Tuesday, October 21:
Coca-Cola Co(PBR58) refranchising most bottling operations by end of 2017, rest of world by 2020. Click here for the Coca-Cola press release.

Kimberly-Clark(PBR130) in 3rd quarter results report announces layoffs of 1,100-1,300 by end of 2016. Click here for the Kimberly-Clark press release.

Amgen(PBR144) confirms receipt of letter from key shareholder Third Point suggesting company separate into two companies. Click here for the Amgen press release.

FIS(PBR406) to appoint Pres/COO Gary Norcross as Pres/CEO on 01/01/15, Chairman/CEO Frank Martire as Exec Chairman. Click here for the FIS press release.

The National Association of Realtors reports that September existing home sales were at a 5,170,000 annual rate, +2.4% over August, median price was $209,700. Click here for the NAR press release.

Monday, October 20:
AbbVie(PBR142) terminates inversion merger talks with Ireland based Shire. Click here for the AbbVie press release.

AbbVie(PBR142) announces $5 billion shares buyback program, increases dividend. Click here for the AbbVie press release.

Citrix Systems(PBR683) acquires cloud-based signature capture company RightSignature, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Citrix press release.

Celanese(PBR377) has acquired the assets of conductive polymers co Cool Polymers, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Celanese press release.

Friday, October 17:
DJIA closes week at 16,380.41, -0.99% from last Friday, -3.89% MTD & QTD, -1.18% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,258.44, -0.42% from last Friday, –5.23% MTD & QTD, +1.96% YTD.
SPX closes week at 1,886.76, -1.02% from last Friday, -4.34% MTD & QTD, +2.08% YTD.

Cliffs Natural Resources(PBR421) to post a $6 billion non-cash impairment to long-lived assets. Click here for the CNR press release.

AECOM Technology(PBR316) completes $6 billion acquisition of engineering & construction firm URS. Click here for the AECOM press release.

Chiquita Brands(PBR658) board unanimously rejects $14/share offer by Brazil based Cutrale/Safra Groups. Click here for the Chiquita press release.

Asbury Automotive(PBR449) increases stock repurchase program to $200 million. Click here for the Asbury Automotive press release.

The US Census/HUD reports September Housing Starts at an annual rate of 1,017,000, +6.3% over August, +17.8% over September 2013; September Building Permits at annual rate of 1,018,000, +1.5% over August, +2.5% over September 2013. Click here for the Census/HUD press release.

Thursday, October 16:
Chesapeake Energy(PBR153) selling 435 wells to Southwestern Energy(PBR622) for $5.375 billion. Click here for the Chesapeake Energy press release.

Amazon(PBR36) to hire 80,000 holiday workers. Click here for the Amazon press release.

CF Industries(PBR438) and Yaro International ASA terminate discussions on possible merger. Click here for the CF Industries press release.

Cytec Industries(PBR893) announces $200 million stock repurchase program. Click here for the Cytec press release.

Gap Inc(PBR167) announces $500 million stock repurchase program, follows $1 billion repurchase plan. Click here for the Gap press release.

Wednesday, October 15:
Hewlett-PackardP(PBR17) resumes stock repurchase program, returning 50%+ of free cash flow to shareholders. Click here for the HP press release.

QUALCOMM(PBR109) to acquire UK chip maker CSR for $2.5 billion. Click here for the QUALCOMM press release.

Ingredion to acquire specialty ingredients provider Penford Corp for $340 million. Click here for the Ingredion press release.

Estee Lauder(PBR242) to acquire high-end fragrancy company Le Labo, expected to close in November, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Estee Lauder press release.

Alcoa(PBR122) selling its Jamalco bauxite mining & alumina refining joint venture stake to Noble Group for $140 million. Click here for the Alcoa press release.

Beacon Roofing(PBR826) is acquiring Dallas/Ft Worth based Wholesale Roofing Supply, terms not disclosed. Click here for the BR press release.

Frontier Communications(PBR492) receives Connecticut approval to acquire AT&T(PBR12) Connecticut’s wireline service, expected to close on 10/24/14. Click here for the FC press release.

SunEdison(PBR882) Global Services Division exceeds 3 gigawatts of solar voltaic capacity worldwide. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Chiquita Brands(PBR658) confirms receipt of $14/share revised offer from Brazil based Cutrale & Safra Groups. Click here for the Chiquita press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that the September Producer Price Index was down -0.1%, is up 1.6% for past 12 months. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Commerce in the September Advance Monthly Retail/Food Services reports sales -0.3% from August, up 4.3% from Sept 2013. here for the USDOC press release.

Tuesday, October 14:
ANN(PBR772) enters into non-disclosure agreement with major stockholder Golden Gate Capital for more detailed discussions. Click here for the ANN press release.

The new board of Darden Restaurants(PBR392) appoints President/COO Gene Lee as Interim CEO, effective immediately. Click here for the Darden press release.

CME Group(PBR678) to layoff 5% of workforce, 150 positions, mostly from technology. Click here for the CME Group press release.

Gap Inc(PBR167) plans to hire 63,000 holiday season employees. Click here for the Gap press release.

Agilent Technologies(PBR365) to close its nuclear magnetic resonance business, will eliminate 300 jobs over next 12 months. Click here for the Agilent press release.

Alliance Data(PBR537) Canadian Loyalty Business signs multi-year agreement with 450 store pharmaceutical retailer Rexall. Click here for the Alliance Data press release.

Monday, October 13, Columbus Day:
Targa Resources(PBR375) is buying Atlas Pipeline & Atlas Energy(PBR748) for $7.7 billion. Click here for the Targa press release.

STERIS(PBR966) is buying UK based hospital sterilization technologies Synergy Health for $1.9 billion cash & stock. Click here for the STERIS press release.

Danaher(PBR139) to combine its Communications business with NetScout Systems(NASDAQ: NTCT) in $2.6 billion deal, to close in 2015. Click here for the Danaher press release.

General Electric(PBR9) Capital Aviation Services to acquire Ireland based helicopter lessor Milestone Aviation Group for $1.775 billion. Click here for the GE press release.

Archer-Daniels-Midland(PBR27) to acquire healthy ingredients provider Specialty Commodities for $170 million, will become part of WILD Flavors unit. Click here for the ADM press release.

JCPenney(PBR225) names Home Depot(PBR35) executive Marvin Ellison as president effective 11/01/14, to become CEO in August, 2015. Click here for the JCP press release.

AES Corp(PBR171) is selling its Turkey based energy development assets for $125 million, to close in 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the AES press release.

Ford Motor(PBR8) to hire 850 additional workers for its Dearborn Rouge F-150 plant. Click here for the Ford press release.

France’s Iliad confirms it is no longer pursuing a merger with T-Mobile US(PBR115). Click here for the Iliad press release.

Becton Dickinson(PBR319) acquires Irish based sequencing & genotyping company GenCell Biosystems, terms not disclosed. Click here for the BD press release.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR648) is acquiring Decatur, IL retail insurance broker Bennett & Shade Co, terms not disclosed. Click here for the AJG press release.

Friday, October 10:
DJIA closes week at 16544.10, -2.74% from last Friday, -2.93% MTD & QTD, -0.20% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,276.24, -4.45% from last Friday, -4.83% MTD & QTD, +2.39% YTD.
SPX closes week at 1,906.13, -3.14% from last Friday, -3.35% MTD & QTD, +3.13% YTD.

Darden Restaurants(PBR392) preliminary results shows Starboard’s 12 nominees elected to board, new CEO to be appointed. Click here for the Darden press release.

The Blackstone Group(PBR372) financial advisory services units to spin-off, join PJT Partners, become a new public company in 2015. Click here for the Blackstone press release.

Medtronic(PBR162) announces structure & executive leadership team upon anticipated merger with Covidien. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

Caterpillar(PBR49) announces retirement of 2 group presidents, new appointments. Click here for the Caterpillar press release.

CIT Group(PBR606) & Century Tokyo Leasing form partnership for aerospace leasing. Click here for the CIT Group press release.

Amphenol(PBR504) 2:1 stock split takes effect.

Thursday, October 9:
Endo Health(PBR738) to acquire Auxilium Pharmaceuticals for $33.25/share, $2.6 billion cash & stock. Click here for the Endo Health press release.

Symantec(PBR368) to split into 2 public companies by end of 2015, a security company and an information technology company. Click here for the Symantec press release.

Kindred Healthcare(PBR476) to acquire Gentiva Health(PBR940) for $19.50/share, $1.8 billion, includes debt, to close in 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the Kindred press release.

Time Warner Cable(PBR125) shareholders approve $45.2 billion merger with Comcast(PBR44). Click here for the TWC press release.

Alaska Air(PBR459) & Association of Flight Attendants reach tentative agreement on a new 5 year contract with carrier’s 3,300 flight attendants. Click here for the Alaska Air press release.

Ashland(PBR331) selling non-core elastomers business to Lion Copolymer Holdings, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Ashland press release.

Hill-Rom(PBR945) appoints former Baxter International(PBR176) executive Carlyn Solomon as new COO. Click here for the Hill-Rom press release.

The US Census Bureau reports that August sales of merchant wholesalers was $453.9 billion, down 0.7% from July, up 5.8% from August 2013. Inventories were at $538.0 billion, up 0.1% from July, up 7.9% from August 2013. Click here for the USCB press release.

Wednesday, October 8:
Graco(PBR1066) selling its Liquid Finishing business assets to Carlisle Companies(PBR676) for $590 million cash, to close 1st quarter 2015. Click here for the Graco press release.

EMC Corp(PBR119) sent letter by shareholder Elliott Management recommending spin-off of VMWare(PBR454). Click here for the Business Wire article, which includes letter.

Yahoo!(PBR495) is laying off a third, around 500, of its India staff according to several news sources.

Gap Inc(PBR167) CEO Glenn Murphy to retire on 02/01/15, GAP digital leader Art Peck will then become next CEO. Click here for the Gap press release.

Advanced Micro Devices(AMD)(PBR451) appoints Dr. Lisa Su as president/CEO, effective immediately as Rory Read steps down. Click here for the AMD press release.

The Congressional Budget Office reports FY2014 Fed Govt receipts were $3.013 trillion, outlays were $3.499 trillion, deficit is $486 billion, down from $680 billion in FY2013. Cllick here for the CBO press release.

The Federal Reserve Board releases the minutes of its Federal Open Market Committee meeting held 09/16-17/14. Click here for the FRB FOMC minutes.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014:
DISH Network(PBR199) extends its multi-year agreement with Frontier Communications(PBR492) to bundle DISH services with its internet technologies. Click here for the DISH press release.

Cognizant Technology(PBR292) acquires digital marketing agency Cadient Group, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Cognizant press release.

Kimberly-Clark(PBR130) announces details for completion of publicly held health care spin-off Halyard Health by end of October. Click here for the Kimberly-Clark press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that at the end of August there were 4.8 million job openings, up 0.2 million from July, that the hire rate was 3.3%, and the separations rate was 3.2%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Federal Reserve Board reports that the August consumer credit annual rate was up 5%, revolving credit -0.25%, non-revolving credit +7%. Click here for the FRB press release.

Monday, October 6:
Chevron(PBR3) selling 30% interest in the Canada’s Duvernay shale assets to Kuwait based KUFPEC for $1.5 billion, now a joint partnership. Click here for the Chevron press release.

Hewlett-Packard(PBR17) to split into 2 public companies, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise & HP, Inc. by the end of 2015. Click here for the HP press release.

Actavis(PBR297) to buy developer of medicines for infectious diseases & acute illnesses Durata Therapeutics(NASDAQ: DRTX) for $23/share, $675 million. Click here for the Actavis press release.

Hilton Worldwide(PBR271) is selling the Waldorf Astoria New York to China based Anbang Insurance for $1.95 billion. Click here for the Hilton press release.

Liberty Interactive Corp(PBR232) splitting into 2 publicly held groups, QVC Group(NASDAQ: QVCA & QVCB) & eCommerce oriented Liberty Ventures Group(NASDAQ: LVNTA & LVNTB). Click here for the LIC press release.

BE Aerospace(PBR608) appoints Joseph Lower as VP/Finance, will become CFO up separation of KLX unit. Click here for the BEA press release.

Sunday, October 5:
Becton Dickinson(BD)(PBR319) to buy medical devices & instruments developer CareFusion(PBR580) for $12.2 billion. Click here for the BD press release.

Friday, October 3:
DJIA closes week at 17,009.69, -0.60% from last Friday, -0.19% MTD & QTD, +2.61% YTD.
NASDAQ closes week at 4,475.62, -0.81% from last Friday, -0.40% MTD & QTD, +7.16% YTD.
SPX closes week at 1,967.90, -0.75% from last Friday, -0.22% MTD & QTD, +6.47% YTD.

Medtronic(PBR162) announces plan for $16 billion in external debt to help finance the $49.2 billion Covidien deal. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

KKR(PBR270) Natural Resources & Fleur de Lis Energy to acquire Permian Basin properties from Linn Energy for $350 million. Click here for the Medtronic press release.

Sigma-Aldrich(PBR715) to acquire immunohistochemistry 90 person firm Cell Marque, terms not disclosed. Click here for the S-A press release.

JPMorgan Chase(PBR18) completes its $3.5 billion sale of its physical commodities business to Mercuria Energy Group & others. Click here for the JPMC press release.

Chiquita(PBR658) & Ireland based Fyffes receive European Commission approval for merger, special shareholders meeting set of 10/24/14. Click here for the Chiquita press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports 248,000 more people were working in Sept, the unemployment rate drops from 6.1% to 5.9%. Click here for the USDOL press release.

The US Dept of Commerce reports total August exports of $198.5 billion, imports of $238.6 billion, for a deficit of $40.1 billion, down from $40.3 billion in July. Click here for the USDOC press release.

Thursday, October 2:
Constellation Brands(PBR479) to acquire Mexico based AB InBev glass plant for $300 million, expand beer production, & additional plans. Click here for the CB press release.

Dow Chemical(PBR48) updates progress on $4.5-$6 billion in planned non-strategic divestitures by end of 2015. Click here for the DC press release.

Berkshire Hathaway(PBR4) to acquire largest US privately owned auto dealership Van Tuyl Group, terms not disclosed. Click here for the BH press release.

Sears Holdings(PBR81) to generate $380 million from sale of Sears Canada, close expected early November. Click here for the Sears press release.

FIS(PBR406) completes $600 million acquisition of Brussels based payments solution provider Clear2Pay. Click here for the FIS press release.

Dover(PBR295) has acquired oil & gas artificial lift & fluid handling solutions provider Accelerated Companies for $430 million. Click here for the Dover press release.

Walt Disney(PBR62) extends Chairman/CEO Robert Igor’s contract through 06/30/18. Click here for the Walt Disney press release.

The US Dept of Commerce says August new orders for manufactured goods was -$56.1 billion from July, -10.1%, to $502.0 billion. Click here for the USDOC press release.

The US Dept of Labor reports that initial jobless claims for week ending 09/27/14 was 287,000, down 8,000 from the previous week. Click here for the USDOL press release.

Wednesday, October 1:
The PBR1000 September 2014 Breaking News Recap has been released. Click here for the The PBR1000 September Breaking News Recap blog.

ADP(PBR217) completes spin-off of its Dealer Services unit CDK Global(NASDAQ: CDK). Click here for the ADP press release.

Enterprise Products(PBR56) acquires the general partner & LP interests in Oiltanking Services(NYSE: OILT) for $4.41 billion, proposes merger for $6 billion. Click here for the EP press release.

Archer-Daniels-Midland(PBR27) completes $3.13 billion acquisition of Swiss company WILD Flavors. Click here for the ADM press release.

Bank of America(PBR21) board adds Chairman title to CEO Brian Moynihan, effective immediately. Click here for the BofA press release.

General Motors(PBR7) outlines its strategic plan to achieve 9-10% margins. Click here for the GM press release.

Dollar General(PBR154) extends its $80/share offer to acquire Family Dollar(PBR254) from 10/08/14 to 10/31/14. Click here for the Dollar General press release.

Owens & Minor(PBR285) completes acquisition of procedure based kits & trays provider Medical Action Industries for $207 million. Click here for the O&M press release.

Fastenal(PBR625) has acquired aerospace product distributor Av-Tech Industries, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Fastenal press release.

Carlisle(PBR676) acquires medical devices interconnect components provider LHi Technology for $195 million. Click here for the Carlisle press release.

Beacon Roofing Supply(PBR826) has acquired Portland, ME, based residential roofing, siding, & windows distributor Applicators Sales & Service, terms not disclosed. Click here for the Beacon press release.

Babcock & Wilcox(PBR636) evaluating possible split into 2 public companies, Power Generation & Government/Nuclear Operations. Click here for the B&W press release.

SunEdison(PBR882) new proprietary polysilicon technology to slash cost of solar power to $0.40/watt by 2016. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

Lehigh Gas Partners(PBR894) general partner purchased by CST Brands, name changed to CrossAmerica Partners, LP, will start trading on NYSE: CAPL.

Centrus Energy(PBR1030), fka USEC Corporation, names Mikel Williams as chairman, Chief Restructuring Officer John Castellano to become Interim President/CEO on 10/17/14 while search for CEO starts. Click here for the SunEdison press release.

The US Census Bureau reports that the construction spending annual rate for August was $961.0B, down from $968.8B in July. Click here for the Census press release.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net, Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee.)

Filed Under: Recaps Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The September 2014 Stocks/Commodities Snapshot

October 14, 2014 by
ID-10015634 Question Mark jscreationzs

What Is Really Happening with the Stock Market?

By Larry C. Paxton

The PBR1000 September 2014 Snapshots include news and stock data through September 30 and annual 10-K reports filed with the SEC from 2013 through July 2014. For this monthly report one company was deleted(Susser Holdings(PBR399), acquired and de-listed) for a total of 1,086.

A sample of The PBR1000 May 2014 Snapshot is available for download at the top of the “Sample Snapshots” page.

The tables below are compiled from The PBR1000 September 2014 Snapshots, with 14 reports. Current The PBR1000 Subscribers should have already received the report.

While August saw the stock exchanges reach record highs, September ended  with significant losses. Is this the adjustment the Bears keep talking about? Or is it based on a lot of uncertainties not only in the US, but around the world? Continued issues include the Ukraine/Russia conflict, with a fragile ceasefire in place, but no resolution really in sight. More unsettling has been the attacks on ISIS in Iraq and Syria. As with Ukraine, what is the world’s responsibility, how should it proceed, what results do all parties want? Here in the US voters are being bombarded with all kinds of confusing, mostly negative messages, for the upcoming midterm elections. It looks like the Republicans will retain control of the House, but the Senate is still questionable, and regardless of what happens, it still looks like gridlock for the next congressional session. The European economic recovery is rather anemic, China is not experiencing as high a growth rate. New developments include the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, How will China deal with this very visible and widely reported event? Another event and a growing concern is the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. How can these nations and the world contain this very nasty virus? How widespread will it become, how will it affect the economies of the world? In the US the economic recovery is still weak, unemployment, while gradually dropping, is still too high, income inequality is becoming a bigger issue. The Federal Reserve Board continues to be very cautious, and that seems to have worked well so far. With all the big question marks, how will  the world stock and commodities markets respond?

In the following tables the stock price is for the close of trading on September 30th, Month % Chg is compared to August 29, YTD % Chg is compared to December 31, 2013, and the 21 Mos % Chg is compared to December 31, 2012.

Table 1: The PBR1000 Stock Price Composite

Table 1 Summary: Made up of the sum of the stock prices of the 1,087 companies currently tracked by The PBR1000.

Company Price
09/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 21 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 277,379.26 -0.57 12.62 50.18

 

Table 2: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: Range was 30.78% to -83.46%. 235 out of 1,086 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 21.64% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of -4.15%

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
09/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 21 Mos
% Chg
Sigma-Aldrich
 715 SIAL 136.01 30.78 44.68 84.85
Ulta Salon
 725 ULTA 118.17 21.44 22.43 20.26
Vertex Pharmaceutical
 1043 VRTX 112.31 20.03 51.16 168.04
Lands’ End
 978 LE 41.12 19.26 n/a n/a
Dresser-Rand
 663 DRC 82.26 18.70 36.33 46.53

 

Table 3: The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: Range was 123.64% to -97.67%. 599 out of 1,082 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 55.36% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 1.90%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
09/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 21 Mos
% Chg
RF Micro Devices
 1055 RFMD 11.54 -7.46 123.64 157.59
Greenbrier Companies
 931 GBX 73.38 2.60 123.45 353.80
Green Plains Renewable Energy
 661 GPRE 37.39 -16.33 92.93 372.69
Pilgrim’s Pride
 305 PPC 30.56 2.31 88.06 322.10
Southwest Airlines
 151 LUV 33.77 5.50 79.25 229.79

 

Table 4: The PBR1000 Top 5 21 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 4 Summary: Range was 934.62% to -99.10%. 922 out of 1,064 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 86.55% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 35.58%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
09/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 21 Mos
% Chg
Fannie Mae 16 FNMA 2.69 -30.85 -10.63 934.62
Freddie Mac 33 FMCC 2.64 -30.89 -8.97 915.38
Tesla Motors
 881 TSLA 242.68 -10.02 61.33 616.50
SunPower Corp
 768 SPWR 33.88 -11.36 13.65 502.85
SunEdison 882 SUNE 18.88 -14.30 44.67 488.16

 

Table 5: The PBR1000 Selected Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
09/30/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 21 Mos
% Chg
DJIA 17,042.90 -0.32 2.81 30.06
NASDAQ 4,493.39 -1.90 7.59 48.81
S&P500 1,972.29 -1.55 6.70 38.29
Gold 1,211.70 -5.88 0.78 -27.96
Silver 17.06 -12.47 -11.93 -43.81
Oil 91.16 -5.00 -7.38 -2.71

 

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Indices Monthly Snapshot? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us at 520-282-4100.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo Courtesy of hywards/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Filed Under: Snapshots Tagged With: , , , , ,

The PBR1000: The August 2014 Stocks/Commodities Snapshot

September 16, 2014 by
ID-100284117-bull market-hywards

How Long Can The Bull Keep Running?

 

By Larry C. Paxton

The PBR1000 August 2014 Snapshot and the new Quarterly Report reflects the latest annual 10-K reports filed with the SEC from 2013 through June 2014, stock data through August 29, the last trading day of the month. For this monthly report 4 companies were deleted(acquired and de-listed), and 12 companies were added, for a total of 1,087.

The next quarterly rankings update should be with the November Snapshots. The quarterly The PBR1000 By Industry is available, a new The PBR1000 By State will come out during September.

A sample of The PBR1000 May 2014 Snapshot is available for download at the top of the “Sample Snapshots” page.

The tables below are compiled from The PBR1000 August 2014 Snapshot, with 14 reports. Current The PBR1000 Subscribers should have already received these.

The stock exchanges reached record highs again during the month, and closed August strong, extending the long bull market run. But the bear proponents say a correction is due. Ukraine and the Mideast conflicts continue to create daily swings in the markets, Europe is still experiencing a very slow recovery, the Federal Reserve will soon be eliminating the Quantitative Easing program, and  upcoming mid-term elections usually create a dip. The US economy, still regarded as fragile, nevertheless continues to stabilize and have an upward trend. 

In the following tables the stock price is for the close of trading on August 29th, Month % Chg is compared to July 31, YTD % Chg is compared to December 31, 2013, and the 20 Mos % Chg is compared to December 31, 2012.

Table 1: The PBR1000 Stock Price Composite

Table 1 Summary: Made up of the sum of the stock prices of the 1,087 companies currently tracked by The PBR1000.

Company Price
08/29/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 20 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 279,208.19 7.96 13.26 51.05

 

Table 2: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: Range was 158.06% to -79.94%. 917 out of 1,087 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 84.36% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 4.33%

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
08/29/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 20 Mos
% Chg
Radio Shack
 617 RSH 1.60 158.06 -38.46 -24.53
Chiquita Brands
 658 CQB 13.90 44.94 18.80 68.48
Lehigh Gas Partners
 894 LGP 36.19 39.68 26.54 94.78
Monster Beverage
 824 MNST 88.41 38.23 30.46 67.32
American Eagle Outfitters
 628 AEO 14.08 32.08 -2.22 -31.35

 

Table 3: The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: Range was 141.67% to -95.00%. 696 out of 1,083 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 64.27% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 5.49%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
08/29/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 20 Mos
% Chg
RF Micro Devices
 1055 RFMD 12.47 11.74 141.67 178.35
Green Plains Renewable Energy
 661 GPRE 44.69 19.21 130.60 464.98
Greenbier Companies
 931 GBX 71.52 10.97 117.78 342.30
Pilgrim’s Pride
 305 PPC 29.87 6.83 83.82 312.57
Newfield Exploration
 925 NFX 44.82 11.82 81.97 67.36

 

Table 4: The PBR1000 Top 5 20 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 4 Summary: Range was 1,396.15% to -98.07%. 961 out of 1,069 stock prices were up 0.00% or more, or 89.90% of the companies tracked. The median was a gain of 40.82%.

Company PBR
Rank		 Symbol Price
08/29/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 20 Mos
% Chg
Fannie Mae 16 FNMA 3.89 -7.16 29.24 1,396.15
Freddie Mac 33 FMCC 3.82 -8.39 31.72 1,369.23
Tesla Motors
 881 TSLA 269.70 20.78 79.29 696.28
SunEdison
 882 SUNE 22.03 10.15 68.81 586.29
SunPower Corp 768 SPWR 38.22 4.06 28.21 580.07

 

Table 5: The PBR1000 Selected Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
08/29/14		 Mo
% Chg		 YTD
% Chg		 20 Mos
% Chg
DJIA 17,098.45 3.23 3.15 30.48
NASDAQ 4,580.27 4.82 9.67 51.69
S&P500 2,003.37 3.77 8.39 40.47
Gold 1,287.40 0.41 7.08 -23.46
Silver 19.49 -4.51 0.62 -35.80
Oil 95.96 -2.25 -2.50 2.41

 

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Indices Monthly Snapshot? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us at 520-282-4100.

(The PBR1000 is the premiere comparative data and reporting service covering over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administration headquarters in the US. These companies generate over $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to The PBR1000 subscribers. Users include C-level executives, entrepreneurs,  sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your annual subscription, just go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Photo Courtesy of hywards/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Filed Under: Snapshots Tagged With: , , , ,
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