For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 20, 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: Apple Inc. (AAPL), KT Corp. (KTC), SK Telecom (SKM), China Unicom (CHU) and American Express Company (AXP).

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Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

South Korea Welcomes iPhone

Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) iPhone is finally reaching the hands of South Korean mobile users. The country’s telecom regulator Korea Communications Commission (“KCC") has granted Apple the license to sell the iconic handset in the domestic cell phone market. KCC has also lifted

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Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) iPhone is finally reaching the hands of South Korean mobile users. The country’s telecom regulator Korea Communications Commission (“KCC") has granted Apple the license to sell the iconic handset in the domestic cell phone market. KCC has also lifted the restrictions that prohibited location-based services on smartphone devices such as the Google Maps application on iPhone.    South Korea’s second-largest wireless carrier KT Corp. (KTC) will start booking Internet order for iPhone (3G & 3GS) soon and begin selling it from Nov 28, 2009. The company targets to initially sell 150,000 units priced between KRW250,000 and KRW300,000 (US$216 and US$260). KT’s peer SK Telecom (SKM), the largest mobile operator in the country, is still negotiating with Apple for securing distribution rights.     South Korean wireless market is technologically advanced and relatively mature with roughly 47 million total subscribers, representing 96% penetration of

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VIASPACE Inc. is a clean energy company focused on products and technology that reduce or eliminate dependence on fossil fuels and other high-pollutant energy sources. The company is developing revenue streams in targeted segments of the renewable and alternative energy markets through two of its subsidiaries – in the renewable space, VIASPACE Green Energy and in the alternative energy space – Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation.

For the renewable energy markets, the company’s subsidiary – VIASPACE Green Energy – is cultivating Giant King Grass, a proprietary, fast-growing perennial grass. This grass will be used for the production of non-food, low carbon liquid biofuels for transportation and as a renewable, low-carbon substitute for coal now being burned as the heat source in stationary electric generating power plants.

In order to generate recurring revenues, the company is pursuing long-term contracts in this area to supply

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ANADIGICS Inc. (ANAD) recently reported revenues of $36.7 in the third quarter of 2009, down 36.8% year over year but up 16.7% sequentially. The reported revenue surpassed management guidance of revenue growth at 5%–10%.  The revenue growth was driven by a boost in the company’s 3G wireless products as well as an earlier than expected recovery in both cable TV and WLAN revenues. Cable set-top box products increased and wireless LAN products jumped 65% sequentially.  Gross margin improved significantly to 24.4% from 10.7% in the previous quarter primarily due to the increased revenue, higher factory utilization and improved yields. Operating expenses increased by $600,000 to $15 million from last quarter on higher R&D cost attributable to new products. Net loss per share came in at 10 cents better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 15 cents.  The company recently announced a foundry ...

TriQuint Semiconductor Inc (TQNT) recently reported revenues of $173.0 million in the third quarter of 2009, down 7% year over year but up 2% sequentially. The sequential revenue growth was broad-based and came from all end markets. In particular, network markets grew 13% sequentially, driven by the resurgence in demand after clearance of excess inventory in the WLAN market. Gross margin improved to 35.0% from 33.2% in the previous quarter driven by improved factory utilization and efficient cost management. Net income grew 37% sequentially to $15.7 million. Earnings per share came in at 7 cents, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. As of September, the company had cash and equivalents of $134.6 million, an increase of $35.2 million from the previous quarter. TriQuint had no debt at the end of the quarter. Going forward, management expects revenues between $175 ...

Broadcom Corp. (BRCM) yesterday reported revenues of $1.254 billion in the third quarter, down 3.4% year over year but up 20.6% sequentially and surpassed its previously provided guidance of sequential revenue growth in the range of 7% – 14%.

Product revenues came in at $1.19 billion, down 4.7% year over year but up 24% sequentially. License revenue came in at $59.5 million, up 33.9% year over year. The sequential growth in revenues was broad- based driven by a return to normal order patterns from customers and a number of new product ramps. In terms of end markets, growth in broadband communications was driven by growth in the broadband modems and digital set-top box end-markets. In the digital TV market, revenues were adversely impacted by one large customer losing market share in North America and some share loss with other customers.

In mobile and wireless targeted end markets, the company experienced revenue

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SanDisk’s (SNDK) third quarter 2009 earnings exceeded the Zacks Consensus EPS by 61 cents and revenue by 19.4%.  Revenue  Total revenue for the quarter was $935.0 million, up 14.0% on a year-over-year basis and up 28.0% on a sequential basis. Revenue exceeded the company’s expectation of $725.0 million to $775.0 million, due to a sequential increase in both Product revenue and License & Royalty revenue. This apart, the company’s results were positively impacted by order strength at its OEM customers, which is expected to continue in the fourth quarter.  Total revenue for the quarter included $814.0 million in Product revenue (an increase of 18.0% year over year and 33.0% sequentially) and $121.3 million in License & Royalty revenue (down 8.0% year over year and up 1.0% sequentially). The increase in Product revenue can be attributed to the increase in gigabytes sold. Gigabytes increased 107.0% year-over-year and ...

The U.S. smart-phone market is growing at a rapid pace despite the ongoing global economic slowdown. A recent analysis by CTIA Wireless has revealed that the country’s wireless service providers have generated a massive $19.4 billion of data revenues from smart-phone users during the first half of 2009. This is an improvement of 31% year over year. This is primarily due to a shift in consumer preference towards feature-enhanced high-end PDA devices from ordinary mobile handsets used primarily for voice telephony. The PDA market size is likely to approach $200 billion by 2012, according to various industry sources.   This grand opportunity provides massive scope for telecom service providers, equipment manufacturers, chipset developers, and wireless tower operators to retain new users and grow revenues moving forward. According to the CTIA Wireless report, at present, the U.S. has more than 246 million data capable devices with 40 million smart-phones or ...

Dell Inc. (DELL) is planning to enter the smartphone business. The renowned personal computer (PC) manufacturer is planning to launch a smartphone, which will run on Google’s (GOOG) Android mobile software and will be connected through telecom giant AT&T’s (T) network. We believe that Dell is following the footprint of another computer maker, Apple Inc. (AAPL), whose flagship smartphone iPhone generated substantial business for the company. Currently the smartphone market is dominated by players like Apple, Research In Motion (RIMM) and Nokia Corp. (NOK). Both handset and PC-makers have understood the business potential of the smartphone and Dell is also in the process of grabbing its share. Rumor has it that Dell could launch the phone as soon as early 2010. As per the projections of the technology research firm iSuppli, global shipments of smartphones are expected to rise 235.6 million ...

ANADIGICS, Inc. (ANAD) recently announced a strategic agreement with WIN Semiconductors Corp., for the design and manufacture of Gallium Arsenide microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMIC). Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) ICs are used in wireless handsets and data devices that allow people to connect and communicate everywhere. ANADIGICS is headquartered in Warren, NJ. The company designs and manufactures semiconductor solutions for the broadband wireless and wireline communications markets.  WIN Semiconductors Corp. is one of the world's largest pure-play GaAs foundries. WIN has agreed to provide ANADIGICS with GaAs foundry processing services to meet customer demand for its high-performance, radio frequency integrated circuits (ICs). This foundry relationship is a key component of ANADIGICS' new hybrid manufacturing strategy. Together with its in-house manufacturing facility, the company can continue to deliver best-in-class RF devices to the wireless and broadband marketplaces. In 2008, ANADIGICS lost significant market share (primarily at Samsung) ...