For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 20, 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: Aetna Inc. (AET), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), WellPoint Inc. (WLP), Assurant Inc. (AIZ) and Cigna Corp. (CI).

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 Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Aetna Axes Jobs

In a bid to become more efficient, the health insurer Aetna Inc. (AET) announced on Wednesday its intention to shed a total of 1,250 jobs or about 3.5% of its total workforce by the first quarter of 2010. Management intends to do so

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In a bid to become more efficient, the health insurer Aetna Inc. (AET) announced on Wednesday its intention to shed a total of 1,250 jobs or about 3.5% of its total workforce by the first quarter of 2010. Management intends to do so in two phases, by slashing 625 jobs now and the remaining early next year.  The company expects to record after-tax restructuring charges of $40 million in fourth quarter 2009. Last December, the company cut 1,000 jobs, which was 3% of its total workforce. The company plans to slash majority of the jobs at its headquarters in Connecticut .  Aetna with a total head count of 35,500 is eliminating jobs to cope with the difficult economic environment and potential impact that the health care reform might cast on its health insurance business. Elimination of excess workforce will help streamline the business by optimizing staffing ...

Doug Casey is an American free-market market economist, financial author and entrepreneur. He has been writing a monthly investment newsletter, the International Speculator since 1979 and I always find his ideas quite refreshing.

I the paragraphs below, he is interviewed by Louis James, editor of the International Speculator.

L: So, Doug, it’s well known that in addition to investing in resource stocks, especially gold juniors, you also have a passion for playing the real estate market. What can you tell us about real estate in today’s world?

Doug: Real estate has been very, very good to me. The reason that’s true is that I buy only things that I like myself. I don’t try to second-guess what other people may want. If you do that, you’re guaranteed to wind up with mediocre stuff that nobody really wants. I have an inclination

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World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) recently reported its third quarter results. The company posted a robust earnings growth of nearly 68% to $8.9 million from $5.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share came in at 12 cents, compared to 7 cents last year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 33%, or 3 cents.   The Stamford, CT-based company’s revenues grew by 2.3% to $111.3 million, compared to $108.8 million last year. In terms of segments, Live and Televised Entertainment, the flagship segment, recorded a 13.4% year-over-year expansion in revenues to $77.9 million. The growth was driven by higher average attendance, increase in international events and higher television rights fees received primarily due to a new WWE Superstars television show.   Consumer Products segment fell 13.5% to $23 million reflecting a reduction in royalties on toys and videogames coupled with lower magazine subscription revenues. Digital Media ...

This post provides links to a number of interesting articles I have read over the past few days that you may also enjoy.

• Mohamed El-Erian and Ramin Toloui (Financial Times): How to fill the gaps left by dollar decline, November 5, 2009. We should expect to see more discussion in the next few years on new types of reserve assets.

• James West (GoldSeek): Gold price is no bubble, November 4, 2009. The price performance of gold recently has all sorts of armchair economists waxing philosophical on the idea that this is the advent of a price “bubble”. While certainly everyone has and is entitled to their opinion, there are other features of humanity that we all possess, and much like many opinions, are best obscured from view. Declaring that gold is in a “bubble” demonstrates complete ignorance of or disregard for

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Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI) reported earnings per diluted share from continuing operations of 55 cents, compared with 67 cents in the prior year. This was higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 54 cents. Earnings reflect the negative impacts of 1 cent per diluted share associated with currency and 1 cent per diluted share from incremental pension costs when compared with the prior year. Revenue for the quarter was $1.36 billion compared with $1.55 billion in the prior year, a decline of 12%. A stronger dollar reduced revenue by 2% year-over-year. The sustained nature of the recessionary environment is also driving some fundamental changes in the way businesses and customers connect, communicate and complete transactions in the global marketplace. Companies in most industries still have limited visibility and uncertain outlooks resulting in rising unemployment and ongoing caution about capital expenditures. These factors have ...

The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that two more large investment companies have fulfilled the necessary requirements and are ready to join the federal government’s toxic assets purchase program.  The federal government initiated buying toxic assets from banks with the intention of helping them resume normal lending, which will fuel economic recovery.  The two investment companies, which together raised more than the $500 million needed to close investment funds, were New York-based Angelo, Gordon & Co. LP and Norwalk, Conn.-based GE Capital Real Estate. These companies will jointly invest in the Public-Private Investment Program (PPIP), under which the Treasury provides financial support for private firms that buy distressed assets, including mortgage-related loans.  These two companies take the total number of firms to have joined the government in buying toxic assets to six. The private sector capital raised by these six firms totaled $3.58 billion. With ...

One company that has been gaining acclaim in their industry, but not on Wall Street, is NanoViricides. An odd series of events is causing confusion in the marketplace.

NanoViricides is a development stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for viral therapy. Based in Connecticut, the young company has gained raved reviews for its HIVCode which could result in a functional cure for HIV/AIDS. Besides the HIVCode, NanoViricides has been making progress in all aspects of their company.

NanoViricides has reported that it is well-financed into the future and its game changing anti-viral and drug programs have continued to develop successfully. Recently, Nano announced that is raised $4.3 million in equity financing which should be sufficient for 18 months or beyond December 2010.

Leading the way at Nano is Dr. Eugene Seymour who serves as their CEO. Dr. Seymour is a renowned name in the industry

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People's United Financial Inc.’s (PBCT) third quarter earnings of 8 cents per share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While quarterly results benefited from growth in core loan portfolios and deposits, the company’s credit quality continued to deteriorate. It has reported significant increase in loan loss provisions in the quarter. People's United reported net income of $26.8 million or 8 cents per share for the quarter, compared to $25.3 million or 8 cents per share in the prior quarter and $46.0 million or 14 cents per share a year earlier. Net interest income was $145.3 million, up 3% sequentially but down 9% year-over-year. Net interest margin was up 7 basis points (bps) sequentially but down 52 bps year-over-year to 3.19%. The sequential increase in the net interest margin was primarily driven by a reduction in the costs of deposits. Non-interest income decreased ...

Dr Stock Pick HOT News & Alerts!

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FREE Daily Stock Alerts From DrStockPick.com

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Friday October 9, 2009

DrStockPick.com Stock Report!

MBRX, PWRM, CBS, CSRH, CVC, CVAT, NOC, AQNM, UTX

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MBRX, Metabasis Therapeutics Inc.

MBRX, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel drugs targeting the liver and liver pathways.

On September 15, 2009, MBRX received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), notifying the Company that based upon the closing bid price of its common stock for the last 30 consecutive business days, the Company did not maintain a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share or more that is required for continued listing

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