• Home Depot (NYSE:HD) topped estimates by a nickel as earnings for the third quarter reached 41 cents, on inline revenues of $16.36 billion, down 8%. Comparable sales fell 6.9%. The company issued 2010 guidance of $1.55, slightly ahead of $1.53 projections. According to the firm, "There is still a great deal of pressure in the housing and home improvement markets, though there are some positive signs of stabilization."

• ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) shares were upgraded to "overweight" at Barclays Capital (NYSE:BCS)

• A regulatory filing showed Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) nearly doubled its Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) holdings; added almost 112 million Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) shares; the filing showed a 1.28 million holding of ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) shares; and 3.2 million shares of SunTrust Banks (NYSE:STI)

• UBS (NYSE:UBS) CEO Grubel outlined an ambitious goal of annual pre-tax profits of $14.89 billion over the next 3-5 years

• Dillard's (NYSE:DDS) reported a smaller than expected third quarter loss,

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 17, 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: JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), Zions Bancorp (ZION), SunTrust Banks (STI) and PNC Financial (PNC).

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 Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Bank Failures Rise to 123

The failed banks were -- Century Bank, FSB of Sarasota, Florida with $728 million in assets and $631 million in deposits, Orion Bank of Naples, Florida with about $2.7 billion in assets and $2.1 billion in deposits and Pacific Coast National Bank of

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Regulators shut down 2 banks in Florida and 1 in California; U.S. bank failures reach 123 this year.   U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered two more banks in Florida and one in California. Though there are some early signs of economic recovery, bank failures continue unabated. This takes the total number of bank failures to 123, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  The weak economy continues to weigh heavily on banks with a stream of loan defaults. As the industry has to tolerate bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more bank failures. However, the regulators are trying to avoid panic by seizing banks slowly. Also, the slow seizing could be a strategy as it is hard to get buyers for so many failed banks.  The failed banks were ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 10, 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: JP Morgan Chase (JPM), U.S. Bancorp (USB), Zions Bancorp (ZION), SunTrust Banks (STI) and PNC Financial (PNC).

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 Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Bank Failure Tally Reaches 120

The FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Ameris Bank, Moultrie, Georgia, to assume all of the deposits of United Security Bank; Liberty Bank and Trust Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, to assume all of the deposits of Home Federal Savings Bank;

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Regulators shut down 5 more banks in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California; tally hits 120 so far this year  U.S. regulators on Friday shuttered five more institutions in Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and California , as the recession continues to take its toll on banks. This takes the total number to 120, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007.  As the industry has to tolerate bad loans that were made during the credit explosion, the trouble in the banking system goes even deeper, increasing the possibility of more failures. However, the regulators are trying to avoid panic by seizing banks slowly. Also, the slow pace of seizing could be a strategy as it is hard to get buyers for so many failed banks.  The failed banks were -- Georgia-based United Security Bank of Sparta with total assets of $157 million and total deposits ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 3, 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: U.S. Bancorp (USB), JP Morgan Chase (JPM), Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB), Zions Bancorp (ZION) and SunTrust Banks (STI).

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 Monday’s AnalystBlog:

Bank Failures Zoom to 115

The nine banks had 153 offices, out of which California National Bank had 68 branches. California National Bank was the biggest of FBOP's banks, the nation's 101st largest with assets of $7.1 billion.

Failure of these institutions represents another impact on the Federal

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SLM Corporation (SLM) or commonly know as Sallie Mae, reported third quarter core earnings of $164 million or 26 cents per share. Results were well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 8 cents per share. The company had earned 19 cents in the year-ago period. Results reflected improvements in the credit market and an increase in loan originations. However, loan loss provisions remain high. Quarterly results included a gain of $74 million on the repurchase of debt and a $55 million accounting adjustment to reflect slower loan prepayments. Sallie Mae posted a net income attributable to common stock of $116.5 million, or 25 cents per share, compared with a loss of $186 million, or 40 cents, in the year-ago period. Core earnings return on assets was 0.31%, up 6 basis points (bps) year-over-year. Sallie Mae originated $6.9 billion in federal student loans in ...

U.S. bank failures continue unabated as U.S. regulators on Friday closed down San Joaquin Bank of Bakersfield, CA. This takes the total number of failed federally insured banks to 99 in 2009, compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007. As of September 29, San Joaquin Bank, a subsidiary of San Joaquin Bancorp, had about $775 million in assets, $631 million in deposits and 5 branches. The bank had not been included in a previous list of 89 institutions that were undercapitalized as of March 31. But its first quarter amended filing showed that there were additional loan charge-offs and a higher net loss. As of June 30, San Joaquin Bank’s Tier 1 leverage ratio was 4.12% and the total risk-based capital ratio was 6.70%. Though the Tier 1 leverage ratio was above the minimum level of 4% considered adequately capitalized, its total risk-based capital ratio ...

Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) is planning to acquire banks with the assistance of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The company intends to expand within its operating footprint instead of venturing beyond that. While the company has already evaluated some of the FDIC-assisted purchases, the deposit mix was neither suitable nor large enough. The company intends to acquire such banks with the FDIC’s assistance, which would significantly increase its market share in one or more markets. Fifth Third already has the experience of acquiring such troubled banks. Last year, the company completed the conversion of Bradenton-based Freedom Bank, which bank regulators had declared insolvent on Oct. 31, 2008 and the FDIC was named the receiver. Fifth Third Bank assumed approximately $250 million in failed Freedom Bank’s deposits from the FDIC. The transaction gave Fifth Third approximately $685 million in deposits in the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 17, 2009 – Zacks.com releases the latest Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks featured in this week’s analysis include D.R. Horton (DHI), KB Home (KBH), Pulte Homes (PHM), Allstate (ALL), Hartford Financial Services (HIG), Travelers (TRV), Loews (L), Humana (HUM), Stericycle (SRCL), C.R. Baird (BCR), Celgene (CELG), Gilead Sciences (GILD), Anadarko Petroleum (APC), EOG Resources (EOG), AK Steel (AKS), Nucor (NUE), U.S. Steel (X), Fifth Third (FITB), Regions Financial (RF), Suntrust Banks (STI) and Zions Bancorp (ZION).

Zacks Industry Rank Analysis is written by Charles Rotblut, CFA, Senior Market Analyst for Zacks.com.

This week: Third-Quarter Earnings Forecast

Though the economy has stabilized, third-quarter results for the majority of companies will still be below year prior levels.

Per share profits for the S&P

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