Novellus Systems (NVLS) raised its fourth-quarter revenue and earnings outlook, as a result of the ongoing recovery in the semiconductor market.   The company now expects revenues of $225-245 million, compared to previous guidance of $215-245 million, which raises the mid-point from $230 to $235 million.   Management had previously guided to bookings increase of 25-50%, which were not subsequently revised. Therefore, we assume that bookings are expected to remain within this range.   GAAP gross margin expectations were also not revised and remain in the 44-47% range.   EPS expectations were raised to 25-40 cents from previous guidance of 20-40 cents. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth quarter is pegged at 31 cents, close to the middle of the revised range.   The company’s third-quarter earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Order momentum, stronger DRAM and NAND prices, higher volumes, higher utilization rates ...

Semtech Corp’s (SMTC) third quarter earnings beat consensus estimates by 6 cents. This follows better-than-expected results reported by the entire peer group, including Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM), Intersil Corporation (ISIL) and Linear Technology (LLTC).  Revenue  Revenue of $75.1 million was up 13.3% sequentially and down 5.7% year over year. The sequential strength was broad-based across all end-markets except industrial and was derived from sequential increases across all product lines except power discrete. The decline from the year-ago period was recession-related.  Asia remained the largest region, with a 61% revenue share. North America was next, representing 23% of total revenue and Europe third, generating the remaining 16%. All three regions witnessed higher demand, with Asia growing 15.2% sequentially, North America growing 4.2% and Europe 20.9%. Both distribution and OEM sales grew in the last quarter, and distributor inventories declined.  Revenue by End ...

• Bank of America/Merrill (NYSE:BAC) downgraded a number of semiconductor companies, expecting a modest inventory correction, even as economies improve and demand for electronics rises.  Four shares were downgraded to neutral, including Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Texas Instruments (NYSE:TXN), Marvel Technology Group (NASDAQ:MRVL) and LSI Corp (NYSE:LSI).  The form lowered Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ:MXIM), National Semiconductor (NYSE:NSM), Power Integrations (NASDAQ:POWI) and Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) to underperform

• Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD) rose 10.6% yesterday. The firm announced a private debt offering of $500 million of senior notes. This morning's news saw FBR Research raising its price target to $9 from $8, while maintaining a "market perform" opinion

• Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) reiterated its "buy" rating on CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS), saying the shares are cheap at current levels.  The firm said at $30, CVS is selling at just 10.6 times 2010 estimates, below a two year, 14x average, with long-term growth of 13% anticipated

• Reports

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Intel Corp (INTC) raised the quarterly cash dividend by 12.5%, totaling 63 cents a share in 2010. The dividend yield comes to 3.1%. The company has been paying a cash dividend for the last 17 years and has raised the dividend 14 times since it started. Intel has over $8 billion of net cash on its balance sheet, or around $1.58 a share. The $1.25 billion payment to Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will take another 23 cents a share off the cash balance. The remaining cash ($1.35 a share) is sufficient to fund its growth plans, even after paying the higher rate of dividend. We also expect Intel to continue generating strong cash flows, based on its leading market position and product development strategies. Intel’s announcement comes as an indication of the technology turnaround. However, the company is not the first to recognize ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 15, 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: Linear Technology (LLTC), Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM), Intersil Corporation (ISIL), Semtech (SMTC) and Altera Corporation (ALTR).

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 Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Linear Tops, Guidance Conservative

Linear Technology’s (LLTC) first quarter earnings beat the Zacks consensus by 2 cents. Revenue beat the consensus by 9.4%. We currently expect the entire peer group, including Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM), Intersil Corporation (ISIL) and Semtech (SMTC)

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Intersil Corporation (ISIL) reported second quarter results that beat the consensus revenue estimate by 22.3% and EPS estimate by 8 cents. The results were as expected, reflecting reduction in channel inventories (down 7%), as well as stronger end markets. Yesterday Linear Technology (LLTC) reported results that beat the consensus, as expected. We also expect peer companies Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) and Semtech (SMTC) to beat the consensus.  Revenue of $147.3 million was up 24.6% sequentially and down 31.9% year over year. The sequential increase was attributable to recovery in the computing and consumer markets. Computing revenue was up 40.7% sequentially, driven by strength in notebooks, market share gains in netbooks and stability in desktops and servers. There was particular strength in single phase power management products for Intel’s atom processors. Consumer revenue was up 51.9% sequentially, driven by ambient light sensors, proximity sensors and ...

O2Micro International (OIIM) has been awarded a patent for its direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter controller. The company was granted eighteen claims under the United States patent number 7,508,176.

The DC/DC controller architecture integrates linear and switch mode functionalities within a single device, reducing component and pint count, and making significant improvements in terms of complexity and cost. The device is, therefore, capable of handling lines carrying both light and heavy power loads. The output voltage is even, affording enhanced efficiency even when serving a heavy load.

The company is by no means new to the field. It is a specialist in power management ICs and security components, with 11,830 patents to its credit and another 14,000 pending. This technological edge has enabled the company to weather competition from more established rivals such as Linear Technology (LLTC), Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) and Texas Instruments (TXN). O2Micro has thus

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US stocks pared early losses to end the day mixed as a fall in commodities and oil prices worried investors, but a late rally in some blue chips sent conflicting signs about the strength of an economic recovery.  Mood was cautious on the Street Monday as markets looked for fresh direction ahead of the second-quarter earnings which begin this week. 

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 44.13 points, or 0.5%, to 8,324.87, and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 2.30 points, or 0.3%, to 898.72. The technology-laden Nasdaq declined 9.12 points, or 0.5%, to 1,787.40.  Among DJIA components, 19 closed higher while six of the ten S&P 500 industry groups advanced.  On the New York Stock Exchange, declining issues beat advancing ones by a three-to-two margin.

Among DJIA components, American Express (NYSE:AXP), up 5.6% and Merck (NYSE:MRK), up 3.3% led on the upside.  American

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - June 16, 2009 - Zacks Equity Research highlights Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) as the Bull of the Day and Sonic Innovations (SNCI) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Valero (VLO), Tesoro (TSO) and ConocoPhillips (COP).

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:

Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) is an OEM of semiconductor analog and mixed signal ICs. March quarter results were short of consensus estimates, although they were in-line with management's own expectations.

Forward guidance is for a revenue increase of 3-12% in the June quarter. Order rates started picking up in three of the four end markets, and the fourth market is expected to

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If you are looking for the perfect stock, these days you might ignore the PE ratios and the PEG ratios, and look for stocks with large amounts of cash, no debt, and pay a high dividend. These types of stocks are considered to be the best ones to weather a severe recession. According to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, there are 35 stocks that are debt free, with plenty of cash, and dividend yields between 1% and 18.5%. Biovail Corp ( BVF ) is a pharmaceutical company which develops treatments for central nervous system disorders, pain management, and cardiovascular diseases. They currently have 354.1 million in cash, giving them $2.23 in cash per share. The stock has a forward PE of 7.1 and pays a yield of 18.5 %. Terra Nitrogen Co. ( TNH ) produces and markets nitrogen fertilizer products ...