For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 29, 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: Qwest Communications (Q), Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ) and Sprint Nextel (S).

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Here are highlights from Wednesday’s AnalystBlog:

Qwest Meets, Boosts Outlook

Qwest Communications (Q) continues to invest in building necessary infrastructure to boost network capacity and availability. The company is devoting a major portion of the overall CapEx in expanding its fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) network capacity to increase broadband network performance. FTTN deployments reached over 3 million homes with

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Qwest Communications (Q) has announced third-quarter 2009 earnings with reported earnings per share (EPS) of 8 cents matching both the Zacks Consensus Estimate and the year-ago quarter EPS. Net income declined 6.2% year over year to $136 million on lower revenues as erosion in legacy landline business continues. Operating revenue declined 9.6% from the prior-year quarter to $3.05 billion, primarily due to lower voice service revenue as consumers continue to disconnect their landline services. Qwest reported healthy growth in Internet revenue in the quarter, driven by respectable broadband customer growth. However, voice service revenue declined due to access line erosion. Results by Segment Business Markets Revenue from the business market segment declined 1% year over year to $1 billion due to declines across legacy voice and data businesses. The segment contributed 33.8% of the group revenue for the quarter. Driven by growth in ...

Qwest Communications (Q) has released its capital expenditure (CapEx) guidance for 2010. The local and long-distance telephone service provider expects its CapEX to remain at par with the estimated 2009 level of $1.7 billion.      Qwest continues to invest in building necessary infrastructure to boost network capacity and availability. Historically, the company has allocated a major portion of the overall CapEx in deploying additional fiber-to-the-node (“FTTN") capacity to increase the performance of its broadband network. Moving forward, Qwest plans to increase spending on deployment of fiber optic cable to support wireless services.   The company recently introduced a new fiber-based Ethernet backhaul wholesale service for wireless operators. The service (called Qwest Mobile Ethernet Backhaul) leverages Qwest’s FTTN network to extend fiber connections to cellular sites. This will enable wireless operators to upgrade their existing copper-based wireless backhaul networks to faster fiber optic connections, which will expand capacity ...

Qwest Communications (Q) introduced a new fiber-based Ethernet backhaul wholesale service for wireless operators. The service is called Qwest Mobile Ethernet Backhaul, which leverages the company’s fiber-to-the-node (“FTTN") network (currently used for residential broadband service) to extend fiber connections to cellular sites. This will offer the wireless operators a major upgrade from their existing copper-based wireless backhaul networks.   Cellular operators across North America are aggressively investing to replace their copper connections to faster fiber optic connections. Approximately 75% of backhaul connections are on copper in North America, thereby creating a significant bottleneck in supporting increasing data traffic on next-generation wireless networks. Tier-1 carriers such as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) have started to upgrade their cell sites to fiber as they prepare for 4G wireless service deployments.           Mobile Ethernet Backhaul service is tailor made to fit the requirements of the wireless service ...

Qwest Communications (Q) is reportedly accelerating its network throughput to offer top Internet speed of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) for its premium enterprise and government customers. The third-largest US regional carrier has already started to upgrade its fiber-based long-haul network infrastructure, which is expected to continue through 2010. Existing long-haul networks deliver top speeds of approximately 40 Gbps. To implement this network enhancement, Qwest is leveraging the technology of Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), which will provide the 100 Gbps Ethernet service routing capabilities. The company aims to be the first carrier to commercially launch 100 Gbps services in the US. However, Verizon (VZ) is also in the race with its 100 Gbps network deployment planned in 2010. Leading carriers across the globe are increasingly focused on accelerating Internet network speeds given rapidly growing demand for greater bandwidth capacity. Qwest has reported that total bandwidth consumption ...

* Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) reported first quarter earnings of 77 cents a share, inline with estimates, and up from 76 cents a share a year ago.  The firm said it expects second quarter earnings of 83 cents to 88 cents a share, versus Street estimates of 85 cents per share

* Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) reported first quarter results of 45 cents per share, 2 cents better than expected, on inline revenues of $3.64 billion, up 0.4% year-over-year.  The firm's second quarter estimate of 56 cents to 64 cents per share is also inline with consensus estimates. For the full year the company expects earnings of $2.19 to $2.42 per share, versus its prior view of $2.00 to $2.30 a share, missing estimates of $2.53

* Sony (NYSE:SNE) reported a $1.7 billion fourth quarter loss, its first annual loss in fourteen years. The firm said it expects a wider net loss and smaller operating loss

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Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. (HTX) rose more than 10% today on reports that the company was planning to raise about $256 million from spinning off its Hong Kong telephone business in an initial public offering later this year.

Although the company did not provide much detail on the sale, it is being widely speculated that its Hong Kong and Macau businesses could fetch up to $1.54 billion. The spin-off will also help offset some of the losses made by Hutchison's operations in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The company generates most of its revenue from Hong Kong, Macau and Israel.

The Hong Kong-based company's shares were up 35 cents to $3.79 at noon on the New York Stock Exchange.

"HTX" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

A significant piece of legislation that is part of President Obama’s stimulus package could open parts of the U.S. to new high-speed Internet services – giving local economies a boost. If so, we’ve identified one company that investors should consider buying in anticipation of a key piece of legislation that was passed last week.

High-speed Internet can exert a profound impact on how local businesses and consumers improve their own personal productivity and expand their entertainment venues. Our thinking here is very much along the lines of our “Cell Phone Indicator” that we use in emerging markets – improved communications boost the local economy.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved $6 billion in rules for billions in government funds to spur high-speed Internet networks in unserved and underserved areas.

The Internet funding portion of the stimulus bill — a potential huge boon to phone, cable, and wireless companies – helps fulfill President

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