Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB) announced plans to reduce its salaried workforce by approximately 1,600 positions (or 3%) by the end of 2009, which management believes will yield annualized savings of $150 million.

The organizational changes will require charges of $140 million to $150 million (or between $0.24 and $0.26 per share), mostly in the second quarter of 2009 (about $0.19 per share). Management expects to achieve $0.10 per share in savings during the second half of 2009.

The reduction of the workforce will not only further streamline the company, but also accelerate the implementation of the company's other cost reduction programs, namely the FORCE (Focused on Reducing Costs Everywhere) program and the Strategic Cost Reduction Plan, which target savings from sourcing and supply chain activities.

The workforce reductions will primarily affect salaried and non-production jobs. Management does not plan to close any manufacturing plants as part of the workforce

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - June 22, 2009 - Zacks Equity Research highlights NCR Corporation (NCR) as the Bull of the Day and Rite Aid Corporation (RAD) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Avon Products (AVP), Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG).

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:

Given its robust business model, aggressive cost-cutting measures and new business initiatives, we expect NCR Corporation (NCR) to resume growth across segments later this year. This should be sustainable for the foreseeable future as its customers seek to cut costs through increased automation.

However, NCR experienced a significant drop off in business activity in the retail segment in

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - June 22, 2009 - Zacks Equity Research highlights NCR Corporation (NCR) as the Bull of the Day and Rite Aid Corporation (RAD) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Avon Products (AVP), Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG).

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:

Given its robust business model, aggressive cost-cutting measures and new business initiatives, we expect NCR Corporation (NCR) to resume growth across segments later this year. This should be sustainable for the foreseeable future as its customers seek to cut costs through increased automation.

However, NCR experienced a significant drop off in business activity in the retail segment in

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With all the recent hub-bub about “Wall Street vs. Main Street,” maybe its time investors start taking stock of what Main Street wants. After all, it’s consumer demand which ultimately drives those sales numbers that seem to have been in free fall. Warren Buffett once described his philosophy of looking for businesses with “wide moats” that protect their operations. Buffett was speaking of looking for enduring competitive advantages. Normally, we think of competitive advantages as traditional economic advantages - high switching costs or cost leadership.

But, in a market where consumers are pulling back and thinking long and hard about where to spend their hard earned dollars. The firms most likely to retain and capture market share are the ones which deliver more than economic value to their customers. Companies must deliver compelling value. Value is more than just low prices or high quality. It’s perception and experience. This is why

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Highlighted stocks include Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), Kimberly-Clark (KMB) and General Dynamics (GD). Also mentioned is the S&P 500 (SPX).

The markets continue to experience unusual volatility. This can be seen in the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which set record highs yesterday.

The VIX calculates the expected stock market volatility for the next 30 days. The indicator accomplishes this by using a weighted average of implied volatility from S&P 500 (SPX) index options contracts. Specifically, the VIX looks at options for the 2 months closest to expiration, which is currently November and December. (October contracts expire today and are no longer factored into the indicator.)

Options prices are based on a combination of risk-free interest rates, expected changes in the price of the underlying asset and time to expiration. The more the price of a stock (or index) is expected

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According to Johanna Bennett of Barrons, WITH STOCK VALUES PLUMMETING and bonds delivering measly returns, it’s a good time to start sniffing out shares with juicy dividends that are for keeps.

Track Johanna’s picks at:

http://trackthepros.com/stocks/category/632

To be sure, dividends generated by the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index are growing drastically slower in 2008 than experts forecast earlier this year.

And though they have fared better than the broader stock market so far this year, total returns from dividend-paying stocks tracked by Standard & Poor’s have fallen almost 15%.  BUT, the best opportunities are in companies that have strong dividends and histories increasing the dividend with balance sheets and expected earnings that will allow continued payments (and increases):

Dividends Can Yield

Some companies with the ability to increase dividends

Company Ticker Mkt Cap Yield EPS ...