Alcoa (AA) earnings are the traditional kick off of every quarterly earnings season. I don't really follow this name much simply because, while it's a basic material, aluminum is not exactly my favorite. But I'd like to show readers the reality behind the numbers, while the seals on CNBC were clapping and hooting and hollering about the "beat". I'd also like to show you a trend you will be seeing this earnings season, and the ones coming - higher input costs. And squeezed profit margins - we've been warning about this "era" coming since last summer. It's now here.First to the "great news" - Alcoa "beat" estimates - 66 cents versus 65 cents. So the seals cheer "better than expected". It's a joke. 90 days ago Alcoa was expected to do 77 cents, 60 days ago that was lowered ...

Cbeyond Inc. (Nasdaq: CBEY) provides IP-based managed services through integrated packages of communications and IT services. The company’s customer base includes more than 36,000 small businesses throughout the United States. Cbeyond today announced it was ranked seventh on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s list of top 100 public companies in Georgia. The company jumped nine spots from its 16th-place ranking in 2007.

The ranking, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, was based on five components: annual revenue, year-over-year revenue change, a change in profit margin in fiscal 2007, return on equity and total return on investment for calendar 2007.

“Cbeyond experienced great success in 2007 due to our consistent, predictable business model,” Jim Geiger, chairman and CEO of Cbeyond stated in the press release. “The continued growth and profitability of the company highlights the need small businesses have for big business communication tools that are affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use.”

The company’s growth strategy revolves around

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This small-capital company from Malibu, CA deals in toys. It has a penchant for classic brands, and this has taken the company away from pure fun to products such as writing instruments. It is a demonstrative member of the Recreational Products Industry. That is why you do not have to be invested in the stock to derive great pleasure from the endeavors of this corporation.

Recent financial performance has disappointed financial analysts with hearts of steel. Net income during the Most Recent Quarter has crashed from over $3 million a year ago to just $900,000. Litigation and other expenses have made deep inroads into bottom-line business performance.

Children, collectors, and the distribution chain still have many reasons to cheer. The company has launched a new line of dolls. New and exciting video games have reached advanced stages of development. Loyal customers eagerly await a gathering stream of good news on the new

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