Eastman Chemical Co. (EMN) has raised its full year 2009 earnings guidance to $3.50 per share from the initial guidance of $2 to $3 per share, driven by an expected strong growth in its core business. The company is hoping to deliver about 20% or over $6 per share growth in annual earnings by 2012, as the economy recovers completely. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $3.22 for 2009 and at 93 cents for the fourth quarter. Recently, Eastman’s close peers, Dow Chemical Company (DOW) and Dupont (DD) have also predicted strong growth in earnings. Eastman stands to benefit from its business restructuring and cost-cutting measures, which are expected to result in cost savings of more than $200 million for the full year 2009. Eastman’s earnings of $1.38 per share in the third quarter of 2009 had bettered the Zacks Consensus Estimate of ...

In September, the Producer Price Index rose by 0.3%. While this is an acceleration from the 0.6% decline in September, it is well below consensus expectations of a 0.5% increase. All of the price pressures were coming from food and energy. If they are stripped out to get the Core Producer Price Index, prices fell by 0.6% for the month -- a much faster decline than the 0.1% decline last month, and even farther below the consensus expectations of a 0.1% increase for the month. Both food and energy rose by 1.6% at the finished level in September. For energy, though, it was just a partial reversal of the 2.4% decline in September. In September, finished food prices fell only 0.1%. On a year-over-year basis, the total Producer Price Index is down 1.9%. However, last month the year-over-year decline was 4.8%. Thus on a year-over-year basis, the ...

Keith Fitz-gerald (Whiskey & Gunpowder): Everything we know about classic economic theory suggests the U.S. economy should be experiencing Zimbabwe-like hyperinflation right now, thanks to the nearly $2.2 trillion the U.S. Federal Reserve has pumped into the system.

But we’re not…yet.

Classic economic theory says that money supply can be used to stimulate the economy and our central bankers seem to agree. That’s why they’ve pumped more than $1 trillion dollars into the economy, engineered countless bailout bonanzas for zombie institutions, put Detroit on life support, and delivered a bunch of financial Band-Aids to the trauma ward — all in a desperate bid to make Americans feel better about the global financial crisis.

To their way of thinking, the trillions of dollars have been a success. That’s why any meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) nations looks more like a mutual affection society with central bankers anxious to claim

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Celanese Corporation (CE), a leading global chemical company, reported net earnings of 58 cents per share in the third quarter of 2009, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 42 cents. Results, however, were lower than last year’s 78 cents. Weak pricing and lower volumes, especially for Acetyl Intermediates and Industrial Specialties products on weak global demand led to net sales of $1.3 billion in the quarter, down 28% from the same period last year. The Acetyl Intermediates segment primarily serves customers in the chemical, paint and adhesives industries. Consumer Specialties: Net sales slid 8% to $271 million in the quarter, driven by lower sales volumes primarily in North America and Europe and negative currency impacts. However, higher pricing, lower raw material and energy costs and benefits from the company’s fixed cost reduction efforts drove a 24% rise in operating profit to $52 million. Consumer Specialties continued ...

Weak volumes and prices drive losses United States Steel Corporation (X) recorded its third sequential loss -- $3.03 billion or $2.11 per share in the third quarter of 2009 in contrast to a net income of $9.19 billion or $7.79 per share in the third quarter of 2008. However, losses narrowed sequentially and were lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.91. On a year-over-year basis, revenues were down 61% to $2.82 billion, driven by a 35% year-over-year decline in total steel shipments to 4.2 million tons. However, shipments increased 41% quarter on quarter. The company saw lower year-over-year volumes and prices across all major segments on the back of a slump in the economy. Additionally, increasing competition from China and weak demand in major markets, especially Europe, which resulted in lower capacity utilization have impacted results. Two of the company’s ...

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) reported strong third quarter results with earnings of $1.40 per share. Earnings were well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04 and up a record 37.3% year over year. Profits were driven by higher prices and lower commodity and energy costs. However, net sales for the quarter declined 1.7% year-over-year to $4.9 billion, due to the adverse effect of weaker foreign currency exchange rates and flat volumes, which was more than offset by an organic sales growth of about 3%. In addition, the weak economic environment, especially in North America, impacted the top-line. Three of the four operating divisions: Personal Care (-0.7%), Consumer Tissue (-5.0%) and K-C (-4.5%) experienced revenue declines, while the Health Care segment increased 15.8% year-over-year. The Personal Care segment was impacted by negative currency translations and volume declines in Huggies diapers. Sales in the Consumer Tissue segment were down ...

Net losses for Nucor Corporation (NUE), the largest recycler of steel scrap in the US, narrowed to $29.5 million, or 10 cents per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2009. The result was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate for a loss of 14 cents.

In the second quarter, NUE announced a net loss of $133.3 million, or 43 cents per diluted share. However, the performance is dismal compared to a net income of $734.6 million, or $2.31 per share, in the third quarter of 2008.

Losses in the quarter were driven by the negative impact of high-cost pig iron inventories of about $180 million, or 37 cents per share. However, the company claims that the consumption of the high-cost pig iron inventories was completed by the close of the quarter. Additionally, pre-operating and start-up costs of the new facilities increased 58% year over year to $47.1 million in

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PowerSecure International, Inc., a leading provider of energy and smart grid solutions, recently announced that its EfficientLights refrigerated case lighting is being installed by major retailers, and the company expects revenues to reach $20 million for 2009, a growth rate of 650 percent over 2008.

Over 100,000 EfficientLights fixtures have been installed year-to-date by major grocery, drug, and convenience store chains. PowerSecure’s EfficientLights reduce lighting energy costs by approximately 70%, decrease maintenance expenses and eliminate mercury-containing fluorescent lights.

Bryan Beatenbough, president of EfficientLights, commented, “Our lights are built to deliver consistent, high-quality light over the long haul. An important element of our success, recognized by leading retailers adopting our technology, is that our EfficientLights lighting utilizes ‘high-powered’ LED technology to deliver more efficient light output.”

He continued, “This is in sharp contrast to substandard lighting, which misuses ‘low-powered’ LEDs, which are not designed for the demands of continuous, customer-facing lighting applications.

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Although clean energy was once a rather leading edge concept, it is increasingly becoming a commodity item. How much, when and where are now the real issues to consider. In terms of solar power, kilowatt/hr is the issue. If the cost per kilowatt hour can be reduced, the company that can achieve is the one that will profit. Finding the company that can provide that less cost with a solid product is the way to profit in a market that is increasingly becoming more accepted.

GT Solar International Inc., a manufacturer of solar power equipment manufacturing components, works to supply the solar power industry with manufacturing equipment for the manufacture of solar power units. The company involves itself in all aspects of the solar power equipment manufacturing process from equipment manufacture to waste containment. At the company’s basic level, the manufacture of silicon ingots, for use in solar cells, constitutes the

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Headquartered in Shanghai, China Energy is an international leader in designing, fabricating, implementing and servicing energy recovery systems. With state-of-the-art technology which captures industrial waste energy to produce low cost electrical power, the company enables industrial manufacturers to reduce their energy costs, shrink their emissions footprint, and generate sellable emissions credits. With a growing reputation, China Energy caught the attention of investors globally with the announcement that it has completed a major contract for the Hubei Yangfeng Group which has a total value of $1.42 million.

This completed project will not only represent growth in the economy but will also help the environment. For example, while the $1.42 million will help China Energy Recovery embrace a new financial spectrum, the completed systems are designed to generate 120 tons of steam per hour, which translates into nearly 24MW of thermo power generation capacity. These systems will help Yangfeng achieve

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