Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. (RRGB), the casual dining restaurant operator, recently reported dismal third-quarter 2009 results. The quarterly earnings of 37 cents per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny and fell 17.8% from 45 cents posted in the prior-year quarter.

Total revenue tumbled 10.4% year-over-year to $187 million, as cash-strapped consumers are either trading down to quick-service restaurants or preferring to eat at home, leading to fall in traffic and same-store sales.

Same-store sales fell 14.9% for company-operated restaurants, driven by a 13.8% decline in guest counts and a 1.1% fall in the average guest check. Management expects guest count to decline in fiscal year 2009. Same-store sales for franchised restaurants in the U.S. dropped 14.4% and franchised restaurants in Canada fell 0.2%.

Other operators in the casual dining segment are Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI), Brinker International Inc. (EAT) and Cosi Inc. (COSI).

Red Robin's

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Patterson-UTI Inc. (PTEN) reported a narrower-than-expected third-quarter loss of 12 cents per share, reflecting a recovery in rig demand as customers prepare for ramped up drilling activities in 2010. The Zacks Consensus Estimate was pegged at a loss of 16 cents per share.  In the year-ago period, the company earned 69 cents per share. Revenue was down 71.1% year over year to $176.2 million. The negative comparisons compared to the year-ago period reflect lower drilling activity. The number of rigs operating during the quarter averaged 73 (70 located in the U.S. and 3 in Canada), compared to 276 average rigs operating in the third quarter of 2008. However, it was up from 63 rigs operating in the June quarter.  Contract Drilling  Contract Drilling revenue totaled $112.3 million (64% of total revenue), down approximately 77.5% year-over-year. Average revenue per operating day was $16,800, down 5.5% sequentially, while ...

MoneyGram International Inc. (MGI) announced the expansion of MoneyGram Rewards into Canada, a loyalty program that offers members fee discounts, receive notices, and fast and convenient money transfers.  MoneyGram Rewards were expanded earlier this year into Germany, Spain and France. It was first introduced in the U.S. in 2008 and now has more than 3.5 million customers who enjoy the benefits of membership, which include discounted transactions, a personalized card for expediting money transfers, quarterly statements and the ability to manage one’s account and profile online.  Further in September, MoneyGram added a feature to the program that allows members to be notified via SMS text message when their money transfer transaction has been picked up by the receiver.  The expansion of the program is a part of MoneyGram’s growth plans in Canada. In July, the company announced the roll-out of thousands of additional Canada Post ...

Stocks rise on GE upgrade despite weak employment data

U.S. stocks rose on Friday as investors took heart after the government said monthly payroll losses slowed, even as unemployment rose above 10 percent.

General Electric Co shares jumped more than 5 percent after a brokerage upgrade, and helped lead the industrial sector higher.

The market had opened lower after data showed the unemployment rate topped the psychologically key 10 percent level and reached the highest point since April 1983.

U.S. employers cut 190,000 jobs in October and unemployment hit its highest level since 1983. Despite the disturbing headline unemployment number, payroll losses continued to decline, which some investors saw as a mild positive as the hourly work week remained static.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 17.84 points, or 0.18 percent, at 10,023.80. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 2.30 points, or 0.22 percent, at 1,068.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 7.87

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Leading gold producer, Goldcorp’s (GG) adjusted net profit in the third quarter of 2009 more than doubled to 19 cents from last year’s 9 cents on higher gold prices and lower cash costs per ounce of gold. Reported earnings were also higher than the Zacks Consensus estimate of 15 cents.  However, on a GAAP basis, net earnings dropped 62% to 16 cents from 42 cents in the previous year due to a foreign exchange loss of $28.1 million. Revenues were up 25% to $691.9 million from $552.2 million in the previous year driven by a 12% rise in average realized prices to $968 per ounce from $865 per ounce in the year-ago quarter and a 9% increase in gold sales volumes to 601,500 ounces.  Gold production increased by 11% year over year to 621,100 ounces compared with 557,400 ounces in 2008 following higher production at the Red ...

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — (Marketwire) — 11/06/09 — Wind Works Power Corp. (OTCBB: WWPW)(FRANKFURT: R5E1)(WKN: AOKE72) is pleased to announce that they have signed an agreement to increase their equity interest from 50% to 100% in Settlers Landing Wind Park. The agreement calls for the issuance of 300,000 restricted common shares of Wind Works stock, and the payment in cash of $450,000, the latter subject to milestones.

As part of the acquisition of Zero Emission People, announced October 27, 2009, Wind Works acquired a 50% interest in Settlers Landing, a 10 megawatt wind energy project located near Pontypool, in Ontario, Canada.

“Settlers Landing is a key project in our portfolio and we are very excited about the opportunity to increase our equity stake to 100%,” commented Dr. Ingo Stuckmann, CEO and director of Wind Works. “With this project, we have the opportunity to create an investment value of over $30 million.

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Murphy Oil Corporation (MUR) posted earnings from continuing operations of 98 cents per share in the third quarter, almost in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 97 cents. However, results were significantly below earnings of $3.04 reported last year, largely driven by lower commodity prices in the Exploration & Production (E&P) segment accompanied by lower earnings from the Refining & Marketing (R&M) operations.  Earnings from Murphy’s E&P business declined 65% from a year ago, primarily based on lower oil and gas prices, higher production costs and depreciation. Exploration expenses improved 55% to $37.9 million in the quarter versus $83.4 million last year, primarily attributable to lower dry hole costs in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Malaysia, and lower undeveloped lease amortization expense for the Tupper properties. R&M earnings also fell by 57% from last year due to weaker U.S. retail marketing margins and U.K. refining ...

Cisco Systems’ (CSCO) first quarter 2010 earnings beat the Zacks consensus by 13 cents. Revenue beat by 3.1%. Both revenue and EPS were significantly better than the guided range. Revenue Revenue of $9.02 billion was up 5.7% sequentially and down 12.7% year over year. Revenue was at the high-end of management’s guidance range of a year-over-year decline of 15-17%. Products generated 80% of revenue, increasing 7.0% sequentially and declining 16.6% year over year. Order rates also strengthened, particularly in the U.S. , indicating continued revenue growth in the next quarter. Management stated that the company saw bottom in the fiscal fourth quarter, with improvement in the first. Results are likely to trend upward going forward. Around 55% of total revenue was generated in the U.S. & Canada (up 5.1% sequentially), 20% came from Europe (up 9.3%), ...

Juhl Wind Inc., an established leader in community-based wind power development and management, specializing on wind farm projects throughout the United States and Canada, recently announced that the company has secured a 20-year, 19.8 MW power purchase agreement between Adams Wind Generations, LLC and Xcel Energy. Located in Meeker County in West Central Minnesota, the Adams Wind Generations project will utilize 12 large wind turbines at an estimated cost of approximately $46 million.

Juhl Wind Inc. has been assisting local owners with the project development since the spring of 2008 and also spearheaded the team to win a competitive request-for-proposal issued by Xcel Energy. Serving as the project’s developer and contractor, Juhl is forecasting that the Adams Wind Farm will commence initial operations in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Dan Juhl, CEO of Juhl Wind, Inc., stated, “The establishment of the Adams Wind Farm project continues to reinforce our belief

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Kraft Foods (KFT) reported strong second-quarter results with earnings of 55 cents per share, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 48 cents. Quarterly earnings were also up 61.8% year-over-year. However, net revenues for the quarter declined 5.7% year-over-year to $9.8 billion, primarily due to the unfavorable negative 5.6% impact of foreign currency and a negative 0.6% impact from divestitures. Organic revenues increased 0.5%, driven by a 0.7% gain from volume and mix, which was partially offset by negative 0.2% from pricing. In the North American segment (KNAC) sales declined 2.5% year-over-year as gains in U.S. Convenient Meals (5.0%), and U.S. Beverages (1.5%) were fully offset by the declines in U.S. Cheese 10.3%, U.S. Grocery 3.0%, U.S. Snacks 3.3% and Canada & North American Foodservice 4.9%. In the International segment, net revenues in the European Union decreased 11.5% while the top-line in developing markets contracted 8.4%....