In the fourth quarter of 2009, EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc (EXFO) reported net loss of $1.2 million, or 2 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 6 cents per share. Annual sales decreased 5.9% to $172.9 million in fiscal 2009 from $183.8 million in 2008.  In the fourth quarter of 2009, sales reached $36.5 million compared to $43.6 million in the previous quarter and $50.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. Overall for fiscal 2009, net bookings decreased 2.2% to $180.5 million from $184.6 million in 2008 for an annual book-to-bill ratio of 1.04. In the fourth quarter of 2009, net bookings totaled $40.7 million for a book-to-bill ratio of 1.11 compared to $40.2 million in the third quarter of 2009 and $45.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.  Gross margin was 60.0% compared to 62.3% in the previous ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 15, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the latest Industry Outlook. Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Telecom sector, including Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM), Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), China Mobile Ltd. (CHL), Amdocs Ltd. (DOX) and Tellabs Inc. (TLAB).

Here is the latest on the Telecom sector:

Telecom carriers and equipment providers that offer the most attractive opportunities are focused on 3G wireless technologies, emerging 4G technologies, broadband (DSL) and fiber-to-the-home/premises networking. Last year’s collapse of financial markets has left an indelible mark on many of us. We have seen that sector diversity is a less secure natural hedge in today’s increasingly correlated world markets.

However, the telecommunications industry as a whole offers a number of attributes that are difficult to ignore for most investors.

Telecommunications is a necessary utility: The need ...

Nokia Siemens Networks, the telecom-equipment joint venture of Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Siemens AG (SI) appointed Rajeev Suri as its new CEO, replacing Simon Beresford-Wylie from Oct 1. Beresford-Wylie who decided to step down will support Suri during a transition period through Nov 1. The new CEO will be based at Nokia Siemens Network’s headquarters in Espoo, Finland.   Suri who is leading the Services business of Nokia Siemens Networks brings 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry to the role of CEO. Previous positions have included leading the Asia-Pacific region during a time of significant growth in both product and service sales; overseeing teams for important customers such as Hutchison; and managing products, such as the early cellular transmission portfolio of Nokia. In previous roles, he was based in various locations including India, Finland, the United Kingdom, West Africa and Singapore.   Beresford-Wylie joined Nokia in 1998 and ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 27, 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: Safeway Inc. (SWY), Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), Gap Inc. (GPS), Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) and Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO).

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:

Safeway Expands Board

Safeway Inc. (SWY), the third-largest supermarket chain in North America, recently appointed Arun Sarin and Michael S. Shannon to its Board of Directors, expanding the number of members from 10 to 12. With these appointments, management brings on board some key

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Safeway Inc. (SWY), the third-largest supermarket chain in North America, recently appointed Arun Sarin and Michael S. Shannon to its Board of Directors, expanding the number of members from 10 to 12. With these appointments, management brings on board some key industry experts.

Arun Sarin has served the telecommunications industry for most of his career. He was the CEO of Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), the world’s largest mobile phone company by revenue, for a considerable time period. He was also the board member of companies like Gap Inc. (GPS), Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) and Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO).

Michael S. Shannon was the founder of KSL Capital Partners LLC – a leading private equity firm primarily investing in travel and leisure businesses. He was the founder and CEO of KSL Resorts. During his long career, he served as a director of Conseco Inc. (

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China Voice Holding Corp. is a company with a portfolio of next-generation communications products and services doing business in mainland China as a licensed telecommunications company. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides VoIP telephone services, office automation, wireless broadband, unified messaging, video conferencing, mobility services and other advanced voice and data services.

China Voice Holding is managed by a team of professionals with experience in the communications industry both in the US and in Asia. Here is the company’s management team:

Hin Hiang Khoo, Chairman of the Board – Mr. Khoo is an international business advisor and entrepreneur who has assisted many companies in their public flotation around the globe during the last 40 years. He is also chairman of VolUM Technologies, a communications software company based in Singapore. Mr. Khoo was a partner in Softgen, a telecom software company that was purchased by a US

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China Voice Holding Corporation announced last week that their subsidiary, Beijing CandidSoft Technology Co. Ltd., has signed an agreement with China Unicom Ltd. to private label its patented/copyrighted SKY O/A Office Automation with integrated Digital Voice Application. The revenue sharing agreement provides for installation and support of the company’s current Chinese Government and large enterprise customer contracts in the Guangxi Province. This 9 year agreement will operate simultaneously with CandidSoft’s previously announced agreement with China Netcom.

China Voice Holding Corp. is a publicly-traded holding company in South Florida with a portfolio of next-generation communications products and services doing business in the People’s Republic of China, where the company has obtained full legal status as a licensed telecommunications company. The company provides Voice over Internet Protocol telephone services, office automation, wireless broadband, unified messaging, video conferencing, mobility services and other advanced voice and data services. CHVC’s

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Altera Corp. (ALTR) is expected to report quarterly financial results on July 14. The San Jose, California-based company designs, manufactures and markets a broad range of high-performance, high-density programmable logic devices (PLDs) such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs).

The company earlier updated its guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2009. As demand from OEMs providing equipment for Asian 2G and 3G wireless networks remains strong, management reiterated its prior guidance for quarterly sales that indicates a 2% – 7% sequential growth.

The main drivers for growth in Q2 are new products. Sales of 65-nanometer devices are up sharply, while sales of the company's 40-nanometer devices are on track to double from first-quarter levels, as projected by the management. Altera expects Stratix IV to continue its revenue ramp and management forecasts $3 million in revenue in Q2 and close to $10 million

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While industry statistics indicate that the wireless phone market is declining globally, emerging markets like China and India are helping handset makers to more than compensate the loss. Users in these countries can now have more data-intensive services on their mobile phones, such as video call and film download through the high-speed 3G networks. China will invest approximately $58 billion in 3G networks over the next three years.

The Chinese government completed the first phase of its plan to upgrade the nation's wireless infrastructure to 3G networks in January 2009. Licenses were issued to the country's largest telecom companies, China Mobile Ltd (CHL), China Unicom Ltd (CHU), and China Telecom Corp (CHA), to build and provide the nation's premier high-speed wireless networks.

The three Chinese players plan to spend over $20 billion this year alone rolling out the initial phases of their 3G deployments.

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This weekend, I’ll be speaking at the Mt. Vernon Research/Investor’s Daily Edge “Boom & Doom” conference in South Florida. During my presentations, I’ll offer the attendees my top five stocks that I believe will fare well, no matter whether we’re in a depression or expansion. Now, it wouldn’t be fair to the paying customers if I give you those top five stocks here. But what I can do is provide you with the stockpicking method to my (some say considerable) madness…

A Fat Pipeline… And An Even Fatter Dividend

Several of the stocks are in the healthcare sector - my specialized area of expertise.

Not only do I cover that sector for Mt. Vernon Research, I also believe that owning the right healthcare stocks is crucial for having a well-balanced portfolio.

While President Obama’s goal to make healthcare affordable for every American is noble, it’s difficult to execute

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