For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 18, 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: Cisco System Inc. (CSCO), Logitech International SA (LOGI), Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ), 3Com Corp. (COMS) and Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS).

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Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

M&A in Videoconferencing Market

Merger and acquisition activities are heating up in the unified collaborative solutions market that provides videoconferencing. Prompted by the severe economic downturn, business enterprises on a global basis are restricting travel budgets to control costs. This makes high-definition telepresence solutions a cost-induced

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Merger and acquisition activities are heating up in the unified collaborative solutions market that provides videoconferencing. Prompted by the severe economic downturn, business enterprises on a global basis are restricting travel budgets to control costs. This makes high-definition telepresence solutions a cost-induced alternative in an increasingly interactive world. This market stands to gain in the near future since enterprises, governments, and educational institutions are increasingly recognizing the productivity-enhancing benefits of video conferencing. Yesterday, Cisco System Inc. (CSCO) raised its acquisition price to $3.41 billion for Tandberg ASA, the largest videoconferencing product maker in the world with around 35% market share. Cisco itself is a developer of high-end videoconferencing solutions, which mainly comprises custom-designed digital boardrooms for executives and boards to hold global meetings. The merged entity will definitely be a much bigger player in the industry. On Nov 10, computer accessories maker Logitech International SA (...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 13, 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: Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ), 3Com Corporation (COMS), Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) and GlaxoSmithKline, plc (GSK).

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:

Hewlett-Packard to Acquire 3Com

Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ) is planning to take over networking gear maker 3Com Corporation (COMS). The acquisition, valued at $2.7 billion, enables HP to challenge networking leader Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) on its own turf.

HP’s

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Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ) is planning to take over networking gear maker 3Com Corporation (COMS). The acquisition, valued at $2.7 billion, enables HP to challenge networking leader Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) on its own turf. HP’s current networking products, sold under the ProCurve brand, generate around $1 billion in annual sales (less than 1% of the company’s total revenue). The product line lacks competitive data center switches, which makes it hard to take market share from well-entrenched Cisco. 3Com's expertise is in networking products for data centers, which supports HP's ProCurve networking equipment. Although the company has seen better times, it has been beefing up its portfolio by utilizing its design capabilities in low-cost China. The company is, therefore, in a position to compete aggressively on price. 3Com’s challenges include its poor brand value in American and European markets and its weak position in ...

Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ) is currently focusing on the small and midsize business (SMB) segment. This has prompted the company to enhance the HP Total Care portfolio, which is expected to enhance the productivity of these companies and at the same time reduce the negative impact on the environment. This enhancement plan includes new products like two desktop PC’s and display, a new HP LaserJet printer helping to reduce the carbon footprint as well as the cost to the end customer, new server and storage devices for better protection of data, a networking switch and solutions to improve productivity, thereby reducing cost. Many PC makers are targeting the SMB market, as it offers good opportunity for growth. The latest Lenovo all-new ThinkCentre A70z, is the first all-in-one desktop PC from Lenovo. The company is specially targeting the SMB segment to market this product. SMBs help ...

Advance Micro Devices (AMD) started implementation of its new marketing program this month. Implementation is expected to be carried out in phases over the next four quarters. The new program, dubbed the Fusion Partner Program, is a consolidation of the existing four partner programs into a single interface.  Under the new program, AMD divides the channel into three—Elite, Premier and Select. The best selling partners of all-AMD solutions (CPU, GPU and chipset) will be placed in the Elite category, the second best in the Premier category and the balance in the Select category. Each category is further split according to the business model followed by partners—e-tailer, retailer, commercial solution provider, consumer solution provider or commercial volume reseller.  This categorization of the partners’ businesses would enable AMD to gauge the performance of the partners as well as the nature of demand at end-customers served by them. This, ...

Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) may consider buying Brocade Communications Systems Inc. (BRCD), as the latter has put itself up for sale. Brocade, which sells routers, switches and software to help companies manage networks, is scouting for potential buyers. The process is in the nascent stages and HP is a strong contender in buying the company as both companies share a similar line of business. Hewlett-Packard’s acquisition of Brocade will strengthen its grip on the networking equipment market. The company is one of the leading personal computer (PC) makers in the world. It also manufactures servers, which are used by companies in data center operations across the globe. We believe that the addition of the networking product line will increase HP’s global market share in this segment and strongly position it versus other leading PC manufacturers that are increasingly moving in the same direction. Historically, the ...

As per a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ) is considering merger of its Personal-Computer (PC) and Printer businesses into one single division. The combined unit would be headed by Todd Bradley, the chief of the personal computer division. This indicates that the printing business, once the biggest revenue earner for the company, is going through a bad patch and the company is currently focussing on building other businesses relating to PC, commercial computing hardware and software. The company did not confirm the date or details of this restructuring process, as the final decision will be made by the company CEO, Mark Hurd. Even in the third quarter, the "Imaging and Printing" business did not perform well, as the segment revenue fell 19.6% year over year. Both ink supplies and hardware posted double-digit declines. We believe the segment has come under pressure ...

The European Union (EU) recently exposed the reason behind its $1.6 billion fine on Intel (INTC) in the last quarter. The EU produced internal email excerpts of leading PC makers, such as Dell (DELL), Hewlett Packard Company (HPQ), NEC Corporation of Japan and Lenovo of China, as well as Intel’s own employees. The email excerpts displayed the PC makers’ concern regarding the usage of chips made by competitors such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). They also expressed the favor Intel was likely to bestow on those players that exclusively used Intel products. Specific allegations include special rebates to PC-makers on the condition that they do little or no business with AMD, making special payments to PC-makers to delay or cancel AMD-based products and offering server microprocessors below cost to strategic customers to prevent customer losses. The EU stood by its ...

Why Is Beijing Investing $200 Billion in One Company? The answer is simple. This rail company hauls 25% of the world’s freight – but it only has 6% of the world’s track. Right now, freight supply is 65% shy of demand. Sales for this company have grown on average 47% over the last five year. And now, with a $200 billion infusion, it’s about to jump even higher. Estimates show the potential gains at 356%. Click here for the full report.

By Bob Blandeburgo
Associate Editor
Money Morning

The much-anticipated earnings report from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and new data from the U.S. Department of Commerce yesterday (Thursday) showed that consumers are not only reeling in their discretionary spending, but may also be pulling the reins on the necessities.

Retail sales fell 0.1% in July from the previous month, and 8.3% from a …