Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis (SNY), yesterday provided an interim analysis of clinical data on the company’s U.S. licensed Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine. The study is being conducted in infants and children 6 months through 9 years of age.   Although the analysis showed that the vaccine is immunogenic and a single dose may protect many children, results indicated that two doses of the vaccine will be required for optimal protection of children under the age of 10 years. This is in-line with the recommendations for seasonal influenza immunization in children belonging to this age group.   No serious adverse events were reported. The company will monitor the occurrence of adverse events for six months after the second dose of the vaccine. Information regarding the optimal dosage, number of doses and schedule should be available once final data from the ongoing trials are released....

Office Depot Inc. (ODP), the global supplier of a range of office products and services, recently teamed up with Acme United to offer ‘Fight the Flu Kit’. With the spread of swine flu (H1N1 virus), more and more businesses are taking measures to prevent their employees from being infected by the deadly virus.   The ‘Fight the Flu Kit’ designed by Acme United's PhysiciansCare includes a facemask, gloves, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, and facial tissues, and is currently available for $7.99 at Office Depot retail locations.   There are companies also offering seasonal flu vaccines. Kroger Co. (KR) had earlier made seasonal flu vaccines available at its 1,900 stores, effective September 2009. Target Corp. (TGT) is also offering flu vaccinations readily available at over 1,500 Target Pharmacy locations nationwide effective October. These vaccines do not safeguard against the deadly H1N1 flu, but are essential to protect ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 25, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: News Corp. (NWS), McGraw-Hill (MHP), NYSE Euronext (NYX), Thomson Reuters (TRIN) and Novartis (NVS).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Dow Jones to Change Hands

Dow Jones & Co., owned by News Corp. (NWS), has started seeking potential buyers for its stock market index business, including the renowned benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Goldman Sachs has been appointed to explore strategic options for the business. News Corp. bought

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Willdan Group, Inc. (”Willdan”) (NASDAQ: WLDN) August 25, 2009 announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Willdan Energy Solutions (WES), was awarded a $67 million contract with Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., (Con Edison), a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE: ED), to implement Con Edison’s new energy efficiency program for small business customers.

Novartis (NYSE: NVS) aAugust 25, 2009 announced that it has received approval from the European Commission (EC) for the use of Xolair (omalizumab) as an add-on therapy for severe persistent allergic asthma in children in the age group of 6 to 11 years.

Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) August 25, 2009 announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Maktoob.com, the leading online community in the Arab world, with more than 16.5 million unique users.

THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY OR SELL ANY SECURITY! Disclaimer: Never invest in any stock featured on our site or

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This morning, Novartis (NVS) announced that it has received approval from the European Commission (EC) for the use of Xolair (omalizumab) as an add-on therapy for severe persistent allergic asthma in children in the age group of 6 to 11 years. The approval is positive news for the company and should expand the patient base for the drug. Asthma is a chronic lung disease which is estimated to affect about 10% of children in Europe. It is also the most common cause of school absenteeism and children often use oral corticosteroids to deal with the disease. However, despite conventional therapy, severe asthma remains uncontrolled in more than 50% of children with this condition. Xolair is a humanized monoclonal antibody aimed at treating the underlying mechanism of allergic asthma. The product works by blocking the action of immunoglobulin E (IgE). This helps in preventing the onset of ...

There has been a robust debate about whether it is a good idea for Sparc to spend over $10 million on websites between 2006 and 2010.

The question should not be is it a good idea, but is it an effective use of public money. I love websites. I would love to spend lots on them. But I know you can achieve a lot with a little online and the best websites are often the ones run on a shoestring.

People in the private sector who spend a lot on their websites quickly lose most of their money because it’s tough to make money online. This forces private website operators to be extra clever and resourceful, as opposed to dumb and wasteful.

So I thought it’s worth asking a few questions about the relative success of the

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That somewhere to go is the road to future growth. The Talbots Inc. hopes their commitment to quality fashion will allow their customers and investors to share the ride with them. The company is an international specialty retailer and cataloger of women’s, children’s, and men’s fashion. They sell apparel, shoes, and accessories in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The Talbots Inc. has their headquarters in Hingham, Massachusetts. They trade on the NYSE as part of the Apparel Stores business sector. They operate 1,421 stores under the Talbots and J. Jill banners. The company’s target market for their J. Jill women’s wear is the 35 and over age group.

Their catalog division sent out 126 million catalogs into circulation last year. This broke down into 48 million under the Talbots brand name and 78 million under the J. Jill brand name. The company also operates online

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