Stock Market News & Stocks to Watch from StraightStocks » electrical energy;

VIASPACE, Inc. (VSPC.OB) – The Fuel Cell Comes Down To Earth

QualityStocks — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:36:53 +0000

There was a time when the term “fuel cell” was linked almost exclusively with America’s space program. The fuel cells in space used hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity for manned spacecraft, with the side benefit of producing drinking water. Few people will forget the near loss of Apollo 13 when a short circuit ignited [...]

Allegheny to Buy Crucible – Analyst Blog

Zacks Market Commentaries — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:00:35 +0000

Recently, the world’s largest specialty metals producer Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) bought the assets of Crucible Compaction Metals and Crucible Research for $40.95 million following a bankruptcy court auction. The transaction is expected to close by Oct. 31. The company did not provide further details.

The acquired units belonged to Syracuse, New York-based Crucible Materials Corp. The company, which runs a research center and a plant in Pittsburgh, had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware in May, after being severely hurt by a weak automotive industry.

Earlier this month, Allegheny had also agreed to supply nickel-based superalloy disc-quality products for commercial jet engine applications to Rolls-Royce Plc as part of a 10-year contract. The agreement covers products sold by Allegheny’s subsidiary ATI Allvac to first tier suppliers (forgers) of Rolls-Royce. Allegheny expects revenue of $750 million to $1 billion from the contract.

Allegheny offers specialty metals solutions to aerospace and defense, chemical process industry/oil and gas, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining markets.

The company’s earnings have remained depressed over the last year due to the global economic downturn that led to delays in completion and ramping of production levels in new aircraft designs. Falling demand and lower pricing have pressured margins.

In the second quarter, Allegheny's sales more than halved to $710 million, compared with $1,461.2 million in the same period last year. Net earnings were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 4 cents or $13.4 million. However, profit was significantly lower than $168.9 million, or $1.66 per share, reported in the second quarter of 2008.

We believe Allegheny's solid balance sheet, limited debt maturity and cost reduction efforts put it in a much better position than in previous downturns. Its growth projects will give it increased leverage in the next upturn. We maintain our Neutral recommendation on the stock.

Read the full analyst report on "ATI"
Zacks Investment Research

Allegheny Bags Contract – Analyst Blog

Zacks Market Commentaries — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:35:38 +0000

On Sep 8, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), one of the largest and the most diversified specialty metals producers in the world, signed a ten-year agreement with Rolls-Royce plc, the British aircraft engine maker for the supply of nickel-based superalloy disc-quality products for commercial jet engine applications. The agreement covers products sold by ATI Allvac, a subsidiary of Allegheny Technologies, to Rolls- Royce first tier suppliers (forgers).

The Downtown Pittsburgh-based company anticipates revenue of $750 million to $1 billion from the contract. The work associated with the new contract will be performed at Allegheny Technologies new Baker, North Carolina , titanium and superalloy forging facility, scheduled to be completed this year. The North Carolina project is in addition to Allegheny Technologies pre-construction permitting for its $1.2 billion hot strip mill and processing facility at its Brackenridge complex. Production at the Brackenridge complex is expected to begin in 2012.

Allegheny Technologies serves the aerospace, defense, chemical process industry/oil and gas, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliance, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining markets. The company’s earnings have remained depressed over the last year due to a downturn in the global economy, delays in completion and ramping of production levels in new aircraft designs. Decreased demand and lower pricing have pressured margins.

In the second quarter of 2009, Allegheny's sales more than halved to $710 million, compared with $1,461.2 million in the same period of the previous year. Net earnings were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 4 cents or $13.4 million, however, significantly lower than $1.66 per share or $168.9 million reported in the second quarter of 2008.

We believe Allegheny's solid balance sheet, limited debt maturity and cost reduction efforts, put the company in a much better position than in previous downturns. Its growth projects will give it increased leverage in the next upturn. We maintain our Neutral recommendation on the stock.
Read the full analyst report on "ATI"
Zacks Investment Research

Siemens Buys China Metal Companies – Analyst Blog

Zacks Market Commentaries — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:24 +0000

Siemens Energy, a division of Siemens AG (SI), acquired the majority holding in the Chinese metalworking company Yangtze Delta Manufacturing and the Chinese aluminum foundry GISAP (GIS Steel & Aluminium Products), both headquartered in Hangzhou.

Siemens Energy is expanding its global production capacity for high-voltage circuit-breakers in China and enhancing its value chain proposition from foundry work through machining to final product assembly.

There is a constant robust demand for high-voltage power transmission products in China. The demand for reliable, cost-efficient high-voltage products for the transmission of electrical energy, which minimizes losses, continues to rise.

Siemens has a leading position in China, the world’s largest market for power transmission equipment. The company has involvement as a provider of innovative energy technologies in numerous major infrastructure projects, including projects in the field of high-voltage direct current transmission.

Siemens is a German industrial conglomerate with interests in information services, automation and controls, medical equipment, power generation, transportation systems, automotive electronics, lighting, and many other areas. With a focus on electronics and electrical engineering, the company is a major multinational with over 430,000 employees in more than 190 countries. Its major competitors are ABB Ltd. (ABB) and General Electric Co. (GE).

We currently have a Neutral recommendation on Siemens.

Read the full analyst report on "SI"
Read the full analyst report on "ABB"
Read the full analyst report on "GE"
Zacks Investment Research

PennyOmega.com Stock Report! 8/18/09, KNDR, RVBD, ROSV, IIG, LORL, ABAT

PennyOmega.com — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:35:07 +0000

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Axial Vector Energy Corp. (AXVC.PK) Leading the Way towards Energy Effeciency

QualityStocks — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:51:47 +0000

Axial Vector Energy Corp. has a lock on technologies that feed into two of the most important fields today: increased engine efficiency for power generation and vehicles, and increased purification efficiency for the processing of oil. Both areas are driven by growing demand for environmental protection, and stand to gain from worldwide governmental support. Axial [...]

Axial Vector Energy Corp. (AXVC.PK) Targets Energy Efficiency

QualityStocks — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:41:28 +0000

The Axial Vector Energy Corp. has a lock on technologies that feed into two of the most important fields today: increased engine efficiency for power generation and vehicles, and increased purification efficiency for the processing of oil. Both areas are driven by growing demand for environmental protection, and stand to gain from worldwide governmental support. [...]

Powell Industries Inc. – Momentum – Zacks Rank Buy

Michael Vodicka — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Powell Industries Inc. (POWL) reported strong first-quarter results in February that were ahead of expectations, giving the company's share price a nice boost to a key level of resistance.

Company Description

Powell Industries, Inc. designs and manufactures equipment and systems for the management and control of electrical energy in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1947 and has a market cap of $386 million.

Powell's share price has been steadily advancing since late November on positive earnings and bullish projections. The company's first-quarter results, reported on Feb 9, were ahead of expectations.

First-Quarter Results

Revenue for the quarter was up 16% from last year to $147.1 million. Net income more than doubled, coming in at $7.9 million compared to $3.6 million last year. This produced earnings of 68 cents per share, 8 cents ahead of the consensus estimate.

Consistent Results

Powell has produced consistent results over the last year in a tough market, having beat the consensus in each of the last four quarters by an average of 13 cents, or 28%.

Substantial Backlog

The company noted that it had accumulated a nice backlog of orders, totaling $509 million, with first-quarter new orders increasing to $172 million from $136 million last year.

Estimates Look Strong

The analyst community is bullish on Powell, with the next-year estimate up 13 cents in the last 30 days to $3.17 per share, a 14% earnings growth projection.

The Chart

Shares of Powell have been on a nice rally since bottoming out with the overall market in late November. This stock is currently pressuring a key level of resistance just above the $34 mark, take a look below.

Zacks Investment Research

Powell Industries, Inc. – Aggressive Growth – Zacks Rank Buy

Zacks Market Commentaries — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) recently reported its fourth consecutive surprise on record earnings and revenues. Shares have responded and are trading at good valuations.

Company Description

Powell Industries, Inc. sells, designs, develops, manufactures, packages and services systems and equipment for the distribution, control and management of electrical energy and other dynamic processes. The principal products are switchgear and related equipment, bus duct and process control systems.

These products and systems are utilized primarily by refineries, petrochemical plants, utilities, paper mills, offshore platforms, commuter railways, vehicular transportation and numerous other industrial, commercial and governmental facilities.

Fourth Consecutive Surprise

Powell reported record revenues and earnings in fiscal 2008 when it made its latest announcement on Dec 10. Quarterly revenue was $167 million, up from $151 million one year ago.

Earnings per share were 72 cents, easily beating the Street's estimate of 57 cents. The 26% surprise was the company's fourth consecutive surprise with an average of 34% each time.

Optomistic Outlook

Powell also released its forecast for full-year 2009 results, which included earnings between $2.60 and $2.85. Full-year earnings for 2008 came in at $2.26.

CEO Patrick McDonald said "We enter 2009 with a backlog that provides the ability to reach even higher levels of performance."

A Good Value

Shares of POWL are trading at a good value, just 11.7 times earnings. The company also has a long-term growth rate of 14%, give it a PEG ratio of just 0.8.

The Chart

After testing resistance at $25 per share several times, POWL finally broke through on the earnings news. Shares are now trading above that level, which is now support. Take a look at the chart below.

"POWL" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
Zacks Investment Research

What do JFK, Ballagio and Otis Elevator have in common?

Small Cap Pulse — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:10:00 +0000

nbsp;nbsp;January 15, 2009 - More than half of all electrical energy consumed in the United States is used by electric motors. So improving efficiency for electric motors is one of the most basic and fundamental ways that businesses, consumers and the government can save energy, reduce operating costs and improve productivity.There are multiple approaches to doing this: making more efficient motors is an obvious one. But in many cases, motor inefficiency is a consequence of the load which the motors are powering. Cases where motors have to have enough power to drive a load at full capacity but where the load is, in fact, often light. These are some of the most frequent cases of motor inefficiency.One company that that is addressing this market is Power Efficiency (OTCBB: PEFF ), which has developed technologies which result in up to 40% savings to client firms in the industrial markets and has established proof-of-concept installations in several high-profile environments including the Bellagio hotel, Columbus International Airport, JFK International Airport, Smithsonian Institute, Las Vegas Convention Center and the Denver International Airport through leading partners/clients including KONE, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Otis Elevator, Barrick Gold and Berry Plastics.The initial market Power Efficiency focused on to prove out the energy savings it can produce was the escalator market. This is an ideal proof-of-concept, because escalator motors are designed for an optimal load - 2 people on each stair - but they rarely operate in this optimal capacity. Consequently, they waste a lot of energy. Power Efficiency's technology senses the loads and adjusts electricity required accordingly. The result is 20% to 40% in energy savings.The worldwide market for elevator and escalator services is expected to growth at 5.4% annually through 2011, surpassing $57 billion and the market for escalators and moving walkways is expected to grow at 8.3% annually to $2.5 billion in 2011. (Source: Freedonia)Power Efficiency's goal is to become the industry standard for energy efficiency in this market. And it is making progress, having established client relationships with market leaders including Otis Elevator, ThyssenKrupp and KONE.Other markets that Power Efficiency is expanding into include granulators, cement mixers, and other large scale industrial applications. The potential for extending its technology into new industrial applications is pretty broad, so Power Efficiency's strategy is to establish OEM relationships and build a channel strategy so that it can leverage pre-existing sales forces. The appeal for companies to adopt its technology is fundamental: lower energy consumption, cost savings and longer product lifetimes.In the past year, Power Efficiency also developed a product based on its E-Savetrade; technology that can apply to the residential appliances market, targeting energy savings in washing and drying machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. This market is massive, and is a major priority for the Department of Energy to support through its Energy Star program.In December, Power Efficiency announced a partnership with IXYS (Nasdaq:IXYS), a $300 million semiconductor component business with more than 2,000 clients, many of which, are appliances manufacturers. This sets the stage for Power Efficiency to leverage IXYS sales force and customer base to sell through into OEM engagements. The market opportunity here is impressive:There are about 9 million clothes washers shipped each year and 8 million clothes dryers shipped each year alone, in the U.S. At an ASP of $10 for its single phase product, the washer/dryer market alone is about a $170 million market, not to mention other applications for refrigeration and air conditioning.Power Efficiency 's stock trades lightly at about $0.16 to $0.20 per share, representing a current market cap of about $6.4 million. In 2008, the company was focused on transitioning its technology from an analog platform which was prohibitive in terms of cost and performance to scaling into full commercialization to a digital platform which works better, has more functionality and is cheaper to produce which is critical as the business looks to build OEM contracts.This year, we expect to see the business gain accelerate its industrial three-phase business and hit some key milestones for its single-phase residential appliance product. From an investment standpoint, the stock is compelling on multiple levels:middot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Strong insider ownership with the company's operators having invested millions into the business;middot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Validated technology with opportunity to scale business into escalator market with existing clients (KONE, ThyssenKrupp, Otis)middot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Moving into other industrial markets (plastics, cement/rock/mining)middot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Massive Blue-Sky with residential appliance product, which is initially validated through IXYS partnershipmiddot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Secular trends have never been better: regulatory pressure to adopt energy efficiency standards; incentive for businesses in a challenging economy to reduce energy costs and equipment maintenance costs; interest for consumers to reduce energy expensesmiddot; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; E-Save Technology has been validated by several leading utilities for rebates including: Southern California Edison, Excel Energy, SDGamp;E, Sempra Energy, Los Angeles Department of Water amp; Power, Nevada Power, Sierra Pacific and Anaheim Public Utilities.If Power Efficiency 's E-Save Technology were implemented across the relevant sectors in applicable motors throughout the U.S. manufacturing industry, it has the potential to produce savings of $1.7 billion in the U.S. alone. Again, the stock is trading at a current market cap of $6 to $7 million. We think the company is poised to deliver on inflection points across its business which should serve as catalysts for significantly higher valuations.At Aspire, we were happy to begin working with Power Efficiency to make its story and value proposition more well known on Wall Street. We don't see many companies that have the developed technology, customer relationships and perceived market opportunity that are trading at levels which make the situation as timely as this one is, in our opinion. We will continue to report on the company's progress and welcome anyone interested in learning about the story to contact us direct for further discussion at 760-798-4938.Important Disclosure: The SCPEditor is the managing partner of Aspire Clean Tech Communications which is LONG PEFF.OB, and is on a monthly retainer of $6,500 to provide PEFF with corporate communications and strategic advisory services. Aspire has also received 40,000 shares of PEFF's restricted common stock to provide these services . The information and trades provided here and in the comments are for informational purposes only and are not a solicitation to buy or sell any of these securities. Investing involves substantial risk and you should evaluate your own risk levels before you make any investment. Past results are not an indication of future performance.nbsp;nbsp; pa href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~a/smallcappulse/feed?a=hEKigN"img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~a/smallcappulse/feed?i=hEKigN" border="0"/img/a/p

Power Efficiency (OTCBB:PEFF) Poised to Make Significant Contributon to Energy Efficiency Markets

Small Cap Pulse — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:32:01 +0000

January 15, 2009 ndash; More than half of all electrical energy consumed in the United States is used by electric motors. So improving efficiency for electric motors is one of the most basic and fundamental ways that businesses, consumers and the government can save energy, reduce operating costs and improve productivity. There are multiple approaches to doing this: making more efficient motors is an obvious one. But in many cases, motor inefficiency is a consequence of the load which the motors are powering. Cases where motors have to have enough power to drive a load at full capacity but where the load is, in fact, often light. These are some of the most frequent cases of motor inefficiency. One company that that is addressing this market is Power Efficiency (OTCBB:PEFF), which has developed technologies which result in up to 40% savings to client firms in the industrial markets and has established proof-of-concept installations in several high-profile environments including the Bellagio hotel, Columbus International Airport, JFK International Airport, Smithsonian Institute, Las Vegas Convention Center and the Denver International Airport through leading partners/clients including KONE, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Otis Elevator, Barrick Gold and Berry Plastics. The initial market Power Efficiency focused on to prove out the energy savings it can produce was the escalator market. This is an ideal proof-of-concept, because escalator motors are designed for an optimal load ndash; 2 people on each stair ndash; but they rarely operate in this optimal capacity. Consequently, they waste a lot of energy. Power Efficiencyrsquo;s technology senses the loads and adjusts electricity required accordingly. The result is 20% to 40% in energy savings. The worldwide market for elevator and escalator services is expected to growth at 5.4% annually through 2011, surpassing $57 billion and the market for escalators and moving walkways is expected to grow at 8.3% annually to $2.5 billion in 2011. (Source: Freedonia)nbsp;Power Efficiencyrsquo;s goal is to become the industry standard for energy efficiency in this market. And it is making progress, having established client relationships with market leaders including Otis Elevator, ThyssenKrupp and KONE. Other markets that Power Efficiency is expanding into include granulators, cement mixers, and other large scale industrial applications. The potential for extending its technology into new industrial applications is pretty broad, so Power Efficiencyrsquo;s strategy is to establish OEM relationships and build a channel strategy so that it can leverage pre-existing sales forces. The appeal for companies to adopt its technology is fundamental: lower energy consumption, cost savings and longer product lifetimes. In the past year, Power Efficiency also developed a product based on its E-Savetrade; technology that can apply to the residential appliances market, targeting energy savings in washing and drying machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. This market is massive, and is a major priority for the Department of Energy to support through its Energy Star program. In December, Power Efficiency announced a partnership with IXYS (Nasdaq:IXYS), a $300 million semiconductor component business with more than 2,000 clients, many of which, are appliances manufacturers. This sets the stage for Power Efficiency to leverage IXYS sales force and customer base to sell through into OEM engagements. The market opportunity here is impressive:nbsp;nbsp; There are about 9 million clothes washers shipped each year and 8 million clothes dryers shipped each year alone, in the U.S. At an ASP of $10 for its single phase product, the washer/dryer market alone is about a $170 million market, not to mention other applications for refrigeration and air conditioning. Power Efficiencyrsquo;s stock trades lightly at about $0.16 to $0.20 per share, representing a current market cap of about $6.4 million. In 2008, the company was focused on transitioning its technology from an analog platform which was prohibitive in terms of cost and performance to scaling into full commercialization to a digital platform which works better, has more functionality and is cheaper to produce which is critical as the business looks to build OEM contracts. This year, we expect to see the business gain accelerate its industrial three-phase business and hit some key milestones for its single-phase residential appliance product. From an investment standpoint, the stock is compelling on multiple levels:nbsp;nbsp; middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Strong insider ownership with the companyrsquo;s operators having invested millions into the business; middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Validated technology with opportunity to scale business into escalator market with existing clients (KONE, ThyssenKrupp, Otis) middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Moving into other industrial markets (plastics, cement/rock/mining) middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Massive Blue-Sky with residential appliance product, which is initially validated through IXYS partnership middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Secular trends have never been better: regulatory pressure to adopt energy efficiency standards; incentive for businesses in a challenging economy to reduce energy costs and equipment maintenance costs; interest for consumers to reduce energy expenses middot;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; E-Save Technology has been validated by several leading utilities for rebates including: Southern California Edison, Excel Energy, SDGamp;E, Sempra Energy, Los Angeles Department of Water amp; Power, Nevada Power, Sierra Pacific and Anaheim Public Utilities.nbsp;nbsp; If Power Efficiencyrsquo;s E-Save Technology were implemented across the relevant sectors in applicable motors throughout the U.S. manufacturing industry, it has the potential to produce savings of $1.7 billion in the U.S. alone. Again, the stock is trading at a current market cap of $6 to $7 million. We think the company is poised to deliver on inflection points across its business which should serve as catalysts for significantly higher valuations.nbsp;nbsp; At Aspire, we were happy to begin working with Power Efficiency to make its story and value proposition more well known on Wall Street. We donrsquo;t see many companies that have the developed technology, customer relationships and perceived market opportunity that are trading at levels which make the situation as timely as this one is, in our opinion. We will continue to report on the companyrsquo;s progress and welcome anyone interested in learning about the story to contact us direct for further discussion at 760-798-4938.nbsp;nbsp; Important Disclosure: The SCPEditor is the managing partner of Aspire Clean Tech Communications which is LONG PEFF.OB, and is on a monthly retainer of $6,500 to provide PEFF with corporate communications and strategic advisory services. Aspire has also received 40,000 shares of PEFFrsquo;s restricted common stock to provide these services . The information and trades provided here and in the comments are for informational purposes only and are not a solicitation to buy or sell any of these securities. Investing involves substantial risk and you should evaluate your own risk levels before you make any investment. Past results are not an indication of future performance. nbsp; pa href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~a/smallcappulse/feed?a=34vP1O"img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~a/smallcappulse/feed?i=34vP1O" border="0"/img/a/p

Positive Developments for the Renewable Energy Industry

QualityStocks — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:33:03 +0000

This year has been a big win for those who have been rooting for a larger renewable energy industry and reduced dependence on carbon based fuels. There have been several initiatives, legislation, and events that are expected to invigorate the growth of solar, wind, and other alternative energy markets. – In October, the 30-percent Federal [...]

Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc. – Value – Zacks Rank Buy

Tracey Ryniec — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Highlighted stocks include Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc. (FDP), Thinkorswim Group Inc. (SWIM), Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL), Titan Machinery, Inc. (TITN) and Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. (RJET).

Fresh Del Monte Produce (FDP), the producer of fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables as well as fruit juices, beverages, snacks and desserts, continued to see growth in the third quarter despite the global slowdown.

On Oct 28, the company reported third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates by 76.92%. Earnings per share were 46 cents compared to 51 cents per share in the year ago. Analysts were expecting 26 cents for the quarter.

Sales rose 10% to $832.9 million from $757.1 million in the third quarter of 2007. The growth was due to strong banana sales, which jumped 20% to $332.7 million. Volume grew 5% mainly in North America, due to the acquisition of Caribana in the second quarter of 2008. Other fresh produce also saw a 4% gain, especially in the gold pineapple, fresh-cut and melon product lines.

The company has pricing power, as prices rose 14% worldwide during the quarter. It also saw favorable currency exchange in Asia.

Consensus estimates for 2008 and 2009 are rising. 2008 estimates are up 2 cents to $2.76 in the last 7 days. For 2009, estimates are 5% higher than 2008 at $2.94.

Still Has Strong Value Fundamentals

FDP was a Zacks #1 Rank (strong buy) stock when we last reviewed it on Mar 4. It is now a Zacks #2 Rank (buy) stock. It is even cheaper than in March when it traded at 10x forward earnings as it now trades at 8.1x forward earnings.

Fresh Del Monte has surprised on earnings 3 out of the last 4 quarters by 31.19%. Read the Mar 4, 2008 analysis.

Update to Previous Value Zacks Rank Buy Stocks

Thinkorswim Group Inc. (SWIM), the online brokerage and investor education company, posted record revenue and earnings per share in the third-quarter as its online brokerage business boomed. SWIM is cheap. It trades at only 7.9x forward earnings. Read the Dec 16 analysis.

Powell Industries Inc. (POWL), a manufacturer of systems and equipment for the distribution of electrical energy, is bucking the slowdown as it recently reported record orders, revenue and earnings per share in fiscal 2008. POWL is trading at only 9x forward earnings. Read the Dec 17 analysis.

Titan Machinery Inc. (TITN), the operator of agriculture and construction retail stores in the Upper Midwest, saw a 62% jump in revenue in the third-quarter 2009 as the agriculture sector continues to be robust. TITN raised 2009 guidance. Read the Dec 18 analysis.

Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. (RJET), the regional airlines, has surprised on estimates four quarters in a row by an average of 6.22%. The stock is cheap. It is trading at only 4x forward earnings. Read the Dec 19 analysis.

"FDP" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
Zacks Investment Research

Axial Vector Energy Corp. (AXVC.PK) is Committed to Revolutionizing the Combustion Engine and Generator Market

QualityStocks — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:18:05 +0000

Axial Vector Energy is in the final stages of dynameters test trials performance data gathering in Detroit on its prototypical 8 cylinder, 7.2, 352HP “Work Horse” diesel /multi fuel engine. With very high torque of 3.2 ft-lb per HP, the engine has 75% more torque than an equivalent displacement 7.2 liter 6 cylinder Caterpillar diesel [...]

Powell Industries, Inc. – Value – Zacks Rank Buy

Tracey Ryniec — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Powell Industries Inc. (POWL) is bucking the slowdown as it recently reported record orders, revenue and earnings per share in fiscal 2008. It is also heading into fiscal 2009 with a solid backlog of orders. POWL is trading at only 9x forward earnings.

Company Description

Powell Industries manufactures systems and equipment for the management and distribution of electrical energy. It offers both products and services, including emergency service, spare parts and training on its systems.

Powell's customers operate in a diverse group of industries such as utilities, oil and gas producers, refineries, petrochemical plants, pulp and paper producers, mining operations, and commuter railways.

Powell Posts Record 2008

Despite a slowing economy, on Dec 10, Powell reported record orders, revenues and earnings for fiscal 2008. Net income soared to $8.3 million from $2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Earnings per share jumped 272% to 72 cents from 22 cents in the year ago period. Analysts were expecting 57 cents.

Revenue rose 11% to $167.1 million from $150.5 million in 2007. It was the Electrical Power Products segment which dominated the quarter as revenue gained 10% to $159.8 million compared to $145.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Fiscal 2008 was also stellar. Revenue jumped 13.2% to $638.7 million from $564.3 million in fiscal 2007. Earnings per share also surged, increasing to $2.26 from 88 cents per share.

Strong Backlog

As of Sep 30, 2008, the backlog was $519 million compared to $464 million at the end of fourth-quarter 2007. It is down from the backlog as of the end of the third quarter, Jun 30, 2008, which was $553 million.

While the company saw record orders for 2008, new orders in the fourth quarter fell to $136 million from $200 million in the year ago period. They are also down compared to third-quarter 2008 orders of $188 million.

But the company is optimistic despite the challenging economic conditions.

"We enter 2009 with a backlog that provides the ability to reach even higher levels of performance," said Patrick L. McDonald, President and CEO.

"The long-term outlook for our business is solid; we have the right solutions for our customer base and are well positioned in our key markets. We believe we will play a significant role in both the short and long-term needs of our customers."

2009 Guidance

With a strong backlog, Powell guided to full year 2009 revenue in the range of $700 million to $725 million. Earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $2.60 to $2.85 per share.

Consensus Estimates Rise for 2009

With 2008 results being reported just last week, covering analysts have yet to update their 2009 estimates. But 2009 full-year consensus estimates have moved higher by 31 cents to $3.12 per share in the last 60 days. This is considerably higher than the company's forecast range.

Analysts expect 2009 year-over-year earnings growth of 37.83%.

Value Fundamentals

Powell Industries is a Zacks #1 Rank (strong buy) stock. It has surprised on estimates 4 consecutive quarters by an average of 33.97%.

POWL has attractive value characteristics. It is trading at just 9x forward earnings. The company's price-to-book is 1.55. Powell has a solid 1-year return on equity (ROE) of 13.37%.

"POWL" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
Zacks Investment Research

Top Performing Stocks for the Week Ended Dec 12 – Zacks #1 Rank Top Performers

James Giaquinto — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The five best performing stocks on the Zacks #1 Rank List last week were: Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL), Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation (IPCC), Zhongpin Inc. (HOGS), ViroPharma Inc. (VPHM) and Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (SNDA).

Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) announced fiscal fourth quarter results last week that included new records for earnings, revenues and orders. The performance made POWL one of the top-performing Zacks #1 Rank companies for the week ended Dec 12, as shares gained 38.4%. The company is a manufacturer of equipment and systems for the management and control of electrical energy and other dynamic processes.

POWL earned 72 cents per share in the quarter, which easily exceeded the consensus of 57 cents by more than 26% while also trouncing the year-ago result of 22 cents. Revenues advanced 11% to $167.1 million from $150.5 million. Earnings estimates for the fiscal year ending September 2009 are on the rise, gaining 11% over the past 2 months and 1.6% in 7 days. POWL said it enters 2009 with a backlog that provides the ability to reach even higher levels of performance.

Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation (IPCC) made the Zacks #1 Rank Top Performers List for last week with shares that advanced 14.3%. Over the past 2 months, earnings estimates for this year and next are up approximately 25% and 9.4%, respectively. IPCC is a national provider of personal automobile insurance.

The company has a solid record of beating Wall Street's quarterly earnings expectations. The past 4 quarters amassed an average surprise of more than 62%. In late October, IPCC announced operating earnings per share of $1.03 for its third quarter, which easily topped the consensus while also inching past the year-ago result of $1. The rise in operating EPS was attributed to stronger-than-expected underwriting results and prudent capital management. As for its fourth quarter, earnings estimates have moved higher over the past month.

Zhongpin Inc. (HOGS) shares moved higher 9.1% for the week ended Dec 12, which was enough to make this Chinese meat and food processing company a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank. On Dec 1, the company announced an agreement to lease a pork production facility in Shenzhou city, beginning from early December 2008.

Earnings estimates for this year are up 5.3% over the past 2 months, while expectations for next year have advanced 3.5%. Analysts currently expect next year's profit to improve about 25% over this year, which is a good sign for the future. For its third quarter, HOGS announced earnings per share of 34 cents, which beat the consensus by 13.3%. Revenues surged 116% to $153.8 million. The quarter's results were attributed to strong demand for its products and the additional capacity added by the Luoyang plant.

ViroPharma Inc.'s (VPHM) earnings estimates for this year and next are higher than levels from 2 months ago by approximately 10% and 25%, respectively. The biopharmaceutical company was a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank company last week with shares that increased 9%. VPHM was also featured as a Value Stock of the Day at Zacks.com earlier this month.

In late October, VPHM announced strong third-quarter sales due to record sales for Vancocin, a gastrointestinal infection treatment. Sales advanced more than 29% to $65.9 million. In addition, earnings per share of 33 cents topped the consensus by more than 43% and beat the year-earlier result of 26 cents. The company has now beaten Wall Street's quarterly earnings expectations in 3 out of the last 4 quarters. For 2008, VPHM expects net Vancocin sales between $235 million and $245 million.

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd. (SNDA) recently reported strong third-quarter results, which helped shares gain 7.4%. That was enough to make this Chinese interactive entertainment media company a Zacks #1 Rank Top Performer for the week ended Dec 12. Earnings estimates for this year and next are up 4% and 3.8%, respectively, over the past 2 months, which includes gains of 2.7% and 2.3% in the past 30 days.

Diluted earnings per ADS reached US68 cents in the third quarter, which topped the consensus by more than 23%. The result also improved upon the year-earlier performance. Consolidated net revenues reached US$137.3 million, marking a year-over-year jump of 42.7%. Analysts expect profit growth of 18.3% for next year over this year.

"HOGS" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"IPCC" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"SNDA" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"VPHM" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
"POWL" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?
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