Even during the worldwide recession it seems consumers continue to abandon ‘dumb’ phones when, for just a little bit more money, they can get a pocket-sized computer – a smartphone – instead. According to research firm Gartner, overall handset sales are expected to shrink by 4 percent this year compared to last year. Meanwhile, smartphone sales are forecast to grow by more than 20 percent.

Smartphones account for only 14 percent of the mobile phone market today, but this segment has doubled its share of the global mobile phone business over the past three years. More than 500 million smartphones are expected to be sold in 2012 when they are forecasted to make up half the market. Revenues from smartphones are expected to double to half the industry total by 2014.

With the smartphone market being really the only game in town, the intensity of the battle for the smartphone market is

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• Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) reported fourth quarter earnings of 24 cents a share, up from last year's 10 cents, above Zacks estimates of 21 cents, as revenues dropped 3.7% to $2.42 billion. The firm raised its 2010 guidance to 15-20% earnings growth from prior guidance of 13-18% growth

• Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H) shares gained 12% on their NYSE debut.  The company sold 38 million shares at $25 per share

• JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM) lifted its price target on Ford (NYSE:F)

• The smartphone marketplace will watch today's launch of Verizon's (NYSE:VZ) much-heralded new "Droid" launch, using Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system

• AIG (NYSE:AIG) reported third quarter earnings of $2.85 ex-items

• Bernstein upgraded General Electric (NYSE:GE) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares

• JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM) upgraded Macy's (NYSE:M) shares

• Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) upgraded Blue Nile (NASDAQ:NILE) shares, lifting the price target from $30 to $50

Zacks Investment Research

Beware This Tech-Tonic Shift In The Global Technology Sector

by Tony Daltorio, Investment U Research

If you’re betting on a recovery in technology stocks based on third quarter earnings reports from companies such as IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), you’re not alone.

While economists and commentators debate the issue, many investors have already placed large bets on a V-shaped recovery for the tech sector.

They have some good reason to think so too, since the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite has risen 70% from its March lows. The problem is, they’re expecting “business as usual” in the industry… meaning they think spending will pick up the way it did in the 1990s.

Kris Gopalakrishman, CEO of Indian tech giant, Infosys (Nasdaq: INFY) – a company in the Xcelerated Profits Report portfolio – sees it differently,

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ValueClick Inc. (VCLK) is set to announce its third quarter results on Oct 27. We expect the company to report in-line third quarter results, if not higher than the guidance, due to the continued deterioration in the lead generation business.   Headquartered in Westlake Village, California, ValueClick is a diversified provider of Internet advertising solutions and online marketing services for online advertisers and website publishers.   ValueClick directly competes only with Marchex (MCHX) for placing web advertisements on affiliate networks. However, large Web portals such as Google (GOOG), Yahoo! (YHOO) and MSN continue to increase competition for ValueClick’s display ad business. Over the long-term, we are very positive on online advertising growth; however, current economic conditions are creating significant headwinds for ValueClick and others in the industry. We have a neutral rating on ValueClick.   Revenue Outlook   For the third quarter, the company expects ...

Compuware Corp. (CPWR) yesterday reported revenues of $217.9 million in its fiscal second quarter, down 19.2% year over year but up 1.6% sequentially.

Software license fees grew 18.7% year over year to $50.1 million. Maintenance fees declined 12.0% year over year to $109.7 million. Revenues from professional services came in at $58.1 million compared to $102.9 million in the same quarter last year. Compuware plans to have a smaller but more profitable Professional Services Business going forward.

Operating margin improved to 19% from 10% in the year-ago quarter due to a 27% decrease in operating expenses. The company has divested a few of its peripheral products and services (Quality family of products and DevPartner software) thereby reducing unprofitable revenue streams and increasing margins. The company plans to concentrate on its software business and deliver superior end-to-end application performance, which the company calls Business Service Delivery. 

These divestitures have reduced the top-line by

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The US telecom regulator Federal Communications Commission (“FCC") has reportedly voted unanimously for the implementation of the so-called “Net Neutrality" regulation, which is aimed at preventing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and cable companies from blocking or restricting access to legal web site contents and applications. If enacted, the open Internet rule, which is presently applicable to wireline networks, will be extended to wireless.

All five FCC commissioners (including the FCC chairman Julius Genachowski), represented by three democrats and two republicans voted in favor of the proposed new rule, which will now invite public comments, a process which is expected to continue till Jan 14, 2010. This will be followed by the review of the public feedback by the FCC with a final rule is expected not before March 2010. However, the republicans remain skeptical about the proposed rule.

The net neutrality regulation, which consists of a set of proposals, represents the first

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 22, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV) as the Bull of the Day and MetroPCS (PCS) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO), Google (GOOG) and Boeing Company (BA).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2676

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV) has scheduled its third quarter earnings call for October 29th, one week from today. Gentiva reported a second-quarter net income of 59 cents per share which was much higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 45 cents.

The company boasts of a diversified product portfolio. Its product offerings include home health, hospice, respiratory therapies and home medical equipment. Gentiva serves nearly 500,000 patients annually

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Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) reported third quarter earnings that beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6 cents. Revenue beat the consensus by 40.7%. Google’s (GOOG) results also thrashed estimates last week, signaling a broad-based recovery as reflected in higher advertisement spending. Revenue Gross revenue of $1.57 billion was flat sequentially (up 0.2%) and down 11.8% year over year. The better-than-expected results were driven by a smaller negative impact of the ad quality initiatives announced in the second quarter and a stronger affiliate business than was originally anticipated. The decline from the year-ago quarter indicates that although business seems to be improving, it is still at a significantly lower level than the pre-recession period. Net Revenue Excluding traffic acquisition cost (the portion of revenue shared with Yahoo’s partners), net revenue for the quarter was flattish sequentially (down 0.4%) and down 14.6% year over ...

POINT ROBERTS, WA and DELTA, BC - October 20, 2009 - www.RenewableEnergyStocks.com, a leading global investor and industry portal for the renewable energy sector within www.Investorideas.com features new green investor content and commentary - 'Looking for the green Google'

Well, earnings season has officially kicked off. Google and IBM reported after the close yesterday. Last quarter, these two were really the drivers that kicked the summer rally into high gear. They both reported solid numbers again, but its a little different story today. Google is trading higher, but it wasn't enough to lift stocks today. We also got results from lumbering giants Bank of America and GE, both of which weren't taken as great. br /br /It will be interesting to see if investors continue to buy every dip, which has been the case lately. The next catalyst appears it will be economic data or just more investors gaining faith in this market as we climb the "wall of worry." br /br /I have stocks out there I'd like to buy, but again feel many portions of this market have come too far, ...