digg_url = 'http://zignalsblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/stocks-for-2009.html'; Like the Christmas Sales, the Stocks for 2009 are making an early appearance. So let's see who has gone for what: Jubak at MSN: Exxon Mobil (XOM); target of $91 JP Morgan (JPM); Preferred share target of $42 Energy Transder Partners (ETP); target of $42 ONEOK Partners (OKS); target of $52 by December 2009 and $58 by June 2009. Petroleo Brasileriro (PBR); target of $41 Transocean ltd (RIG); target of $117.60 Gorman-Rupp (GRC); target of $35 Middleby Corp (MIDD); target of $75 Chesapeake Energy (CHK); target of $39 US Bancorp (USB); target of $44 Kinross Gold Corp (KGC); target of $19.75 by June 2009 Enbridge Inc (ENB); target of $48 by February 2009 Fortescue Metals Group (FSUMF); target of $5 Plum Creek Timber Co. (PCL); target of $53 Rayonier Inc (RYN); target of $55 Ultra Pertoleum (UPL); target of $107 Thompson Creek Metals (TC); target of $9.90 Yara International (YARIY); target of ...

Long-time department store retailer Sears Holdings (SHLD) beat earnings estimates for its fiscal second quarter, ended July.  The company reported 50 cents per share, which although far from the $1.15 posted in the year-ago quarter, nevertheless represented an earnings surprise of 14 cents over the Zacks consensus estimate of 36 cents per share.

This, however, was a quarter in which a one-time item worth $62 million (related to an overturned jury verdict) helped escalate the retailer from what would have otherwise been an earnings miss.  This would not have looked good for a company that posted an atrocious 394% negative earnings surprise in its April quarter.

Most big-store retailers like Sears have been struggling of late.  With a slagging economy through 2008 so far and a questionable holiday season on the horizon, Sears Holdings currently registers a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

"SHLD" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks ...

How's that for a headline, both statements valid.  Besides the huge short interest in Sears Holdings (NYSE:SHLD) shares, there's an exclusive LL Cool J “collection of casualwear for juniors, young men’s, girls and boys” coming right in time for back to school.  Going back to Cali?  Going back to School?  I don't think so. The collection retails from $22 for a graphic tee to $50 for a pair of jeans, expect embroidered tattoo on the back of a jacket to ...

If you are like me and have 20 or more years before you plan on touching your investments, times like this make you giddy.

The DOW is back down to 12,500 and now at levels seen since April and another day or two of this will give us levels back to November 2006. Why then is this great?

In mid May I wrote a post about selling my Citigroup shares to Sears Holdings (SHLD) Chairman and ESL leader Eddie Lampert.

In it I lamented the fact that I was thinking along the same lines as Lampert but did not stick to my guns and bailed on Citi (C) shares at the same time Lampert was buying them. I vowed not to make the same mistake again and re-entered my Citi position.

Sears Holdings (SHLD)chairman Eddie Lampert was a busy buyer last month Sears said it spent $800 million in the last month buying back stock and said its board approved an additional $1.5 billion repurchase plan. The company bought back $1.5 billion in stock during the second quarter at an average price of $153.

What could be worse than trying to turn around Kmart and Sears? The only thing I can think of is trying to do that when the low end consumer is being squeezed from all angles and the housing market is weak.