Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPS), a leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean, reported strong third-quarter earnings of 59 cents per share, compared to 41 cents in the year-earlier quarter. Excluding the one-time non-recurring items, earnings for the quarter came at 54 cents per share versus 45 cents in the year-ago period.   Bottler case sales volume increased 4% during the quarter year over year with carbonated soft drinks growing 5% and non-carbonated beverage sales up marginally. On a geographic basis, volume sales increased 4% in North America and 9% in Latin America.   Net sales of Beverage Concentrates increased 14% during the quarter due to extensive distribution of Crush-brand. Segment operating profit increased 25% year over year. In the Packaged Beverages segment, net sales decreased 1% with a 1% dip in sales volume. However, segment operating profit increased 42% due to lower ...

NCR Corporation’s (NCR) third quarter EPS of 19 cents fell short of the Consensus Estimate of 24 cents.  Revenue  NCR reported revenue of $1.14 billion in the quarter, a decrease of 18.0% from $1.37 billion in the year-ago quarter. This decrease included approximately 1 percentage point of negative impact from foreign currency translation. Year-over-year revenue was impacted by global economic conditions and the resultant effect on the global financial services, retail and hospitality industries.  The company reports results according to the various geographic segments. Accordingly, the Americas reported revenues of $514.0 million, a decrease of 17.0% from the year-ago quarter. This decrease was primarily due to lower product sales to customers in the financial services and hospitality industries in the US, Caribbean and Latin America.  In the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region, revenues were $390.0 million, a decrease of 22.0% from the year-ago quarter. ...

New Generation Biofuels, Inc. holds an exclusive license for North America, Central America and the Caribbean to commercialize proprietary technology to manufacture alternative biofuels from plant oils and animal fats. The company then markets these products as a new class of biofuels for power generation, commercial and industrial heating, etc.

The company today announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Ace Biofuels of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Under this letter of intent, Ace Biofuels would license product formulations, manufacturing technology and know-how from New Generation with the intent of constructing a biofuel manufacturing facility and marketing the company’s fuel in Puerto Rico. Ace Biofuels will pay New Generation Biofuels a licensing fee per gallon of biofuel produced and sold.

Edgardo Fabregas Rios, president of Ace Biofuels, is pleased with the deal. He said, “The whole of Puerto Rico is in the process of exploring a number of alternative and

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In a time of general business contraction, Data Call Technologies Inc., key provider of real-time content for digital signage, has once again extended its market. The company recently announced that it is now delivery its digital signage products to Kingston, on the island nation of Jamaica. The move is seen as the latest step in Data Call’s ongoing Caribbean and European initiatives, and just the beginning of a major global outreach.

Jim Ammons, Data Call Technologies Chairman, commented, “We’re truly excited that our products are now being provided in Jamaica. We expect strong continued growth in the Caribbean nations as they seek to deliver real-time, dynamic, and relevant information to island visitors.”

The company also announced that it has now installed products in Hilo, Hawaii, another example of how island retailers, who face unique marketing challenges, are being brought into the digital

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Watsco, Inc. (WSO) has increased its market share significantly through acquisitions. Since 1989, the company has acquired around 53 HVAC/R businesses. Despite the economic slowdown, Watsco continues to actively seek acquisition opportunities to allow further penetration into existing markets and expand into new geographic markets.

WSO is the largest distributor of air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration equipment, as well as related parts and supplies (HVAC/R), in the United States.

In our view, the company has plenty of room for growth. With the industry size approximated at $26 billion and annual growth set to grow well above 3%, Watsco represents a very small portion of the overall pie (8%). There are plenty of acquisition opportunities for the company as the HVAC/R distribution industry contains over 1,300 companies.

Apart from growth through acquisitions, Watsco aims to increase sales per location and gain market share by boosting its product offering.

The company recently formed a

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is known for his erratic behavior, but his latest move to extend official recognition to Georgia's separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia during his visit to Moscow is a bit of a head-scratcher.  In theory, it shouldn't come as a surprise, as probably the strongest predictor of Chávez's future behavior is anything perceived to be contrary to U.S. interests.  That includes sometimes illogical policies and relationships, such as red carpet welcomes for Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, cooperation with Iran on missile and nuclear technology, hugs for Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, and tea parties with Coronel Muammar Qaddafi. 

What is strange is that Chávez waited a whole year before joining up with his surrogate state

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Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V., aka ASUR (ASR) announced the total passenger traffic for the month of August 2009. During the month, total passenger traffic decreased 12.8% year over year. Total passenger traffic fell to 1.3 million from 1.5 million in August 2008. Domestic passenger traffic was down 5.6% from August 2008. It fell from 694,360 passengers in August 2008 to 655,242 passengers in August 2009. International passengers reached 664,445 from 818,491 in August 2008. The decline in international passenger traffic resulted mainly from a decline of 20.2% in international traffic at the Cancun airport, a main tourist attraction. ASR’s business is highly dependent on international tourists; the Cancun airport generates 70% of the company’s revenues. Thus, we believe that the company’s principal competition comes from the other tourist destinations of Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos in Mexico, and ...

Data Call Technologies, Inc. announced this morning that it has increased its distribution network by delivering digital signage products and services to Kingston, Jamaica. In the press release, the company told investors that this is only the beginning of the promised global outreach as they continue to execute their strategic European and Caribbean initiatives over the next two years.

“We’re truly excited that our products are now being provided in Jamaica,” stated Jim Ammons, Data Call Technologies Chairman. “We expect strong continued growth in the Caribbean nations as they seek to deliver real-time, dynamic, and relevant information to island visitors.”

Data Call also announced that its products have been installed in Hilo, Hawaii, bringing its distribution network to 37 states. With the cost of platforms, supporting infrastructure and displays falling dramatically, digital signage is becoming more accessible and advantageous to a wider range

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Premier international provider of specialized technology-based disaster relief, Homeland Security Capital Corp. announced today that its environmental remediation subsidiary, Safety and Ecology Corporation (SEC), received a $14 million contract for health physics and on-site laboratory support services. This contract was awarded to SEC for a one year base period through September 30, 2010, and three option years taking the contract end date through September 2013.

SEC is a rapidly growing U.S.-based environmental services company that provides services both domestically and overseas in Europe and the Caribbean. The company specializes in the removal and remediation of hazardous nuclear materials for the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, various other federal agencies, and also for private industry. Since its conception in 1991, SEC has grown approximately 30 percent per year, and has emerged as a technology innovator with annual revenues of more than U.S. $70 million.

CEO and HSCC President, Christopher

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Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (...