Tennessee-based Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) is engaged in the manufacture and sale of chemicals, plastics and fibers. The company has a strong fibers business and solid financials. It is likely to benefit from its recent focus on the industrial gasification business.However, Eastman Chemical is witnessing rising raw material prices and a declining demand for its products. The company will generate less distributable cash because capital expenditures will likely exceed depreciation. Capital spending increased to $431 million in the first 9 months of 2008 from $346 in the same period prior year.The lack of free cash flow, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) capacity increases coupled with slowing growth, and PET industry overcapacity force us to rate the stock a Hold with a target of $28. This is 5.8x our 2008 earnings estimate.Read the full analyst report on EMN "EMN" Free ...

Congressional Democrats and the White House yesterday (Wednesday) finalized a short-term package that’ll supply General Motors Corp (GM), and Chrysler LLC with $14 billion in emergency loans.

The bill clearly falls short of the $34 billion the Big Three were asking for, but should be enough to keep the automakers running through January, when the new Congress and Obama administration take the wheel.

As previously reported in Money Morning, there will be limits on executive pay, prohibitions for golden parachutes and requirements that the automakers get rid of their corporate aircraft and not pay dividends while loans are outstanding. The bill also provides a “car czar,” or presidential appointee, to oversee keep tabs on the companies’ restructuring efforts.

Of course, the bill is still awaiting congressional approval and there is cause to believe it may stall in the Senate.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-AL,

...

The fact that after over 30 years of consistent mismanagement and decline, there is still any discussion on whether or not we should allow the now significantly smaller “Big Three” automakers to fail is clear evidence that Washington has lost all common sense. Why, when after more than three decades of continuous restructuring, GM, Ford, and Chrysler have not been able to change their culture, high-cost basis and ill-conceived strategies, does anyone believe yet another break would change anything? Are they going to be better off next year, or the year after that, or even five years from now? Just because their situation has become even more precarious, it doesn’t mean that they will be more successful going forward… more likely the opposite.

“The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said Albert Einstein.

The best thing that could

...

Bear markets separate the so-so investors from the great ones. During bull markets, it's fairly easy to post solid numbers year-after-year in a portfolio. But who is still standing when the stuff hits the fan?

Great investors are made through adversity. Market sentiment is usually so negative that only those with guts to wade in are rewarded.

Timing is also everything in investing.

What would John Templeton's career have been like if it wasn't shaped by the stock market of the Great Depression? In the same vein, Warren Buffett made his fame by going on a buying binge during the Super Bear Market of 1972-1974.

Great investors emerge when the going gets tough because that's when the talent rises to the top.

But both of these men, considered by many to be among the great investors of the last 75 years, also have characteristics that fueled their greatness.

...

Being first to market brings the opportunity for great profits and rewards. It also brings issues that may or may not have been considered when the initial concept was conceived. Solving these issues is the task that ultimately defines the company and its ability to operate efficiently and profitably. New market creation is one of the more risky investments one can make, but if the concept is sound and management is flexible enough to overcome in uncharted territory, large profit potential can await.

Blue Earth Solutions Inc., a development stage polystyrene recycling company, works to collect, recycle and resell polystyrene plastic through the use of a closed cycle process and proprietary technology. The company is currently working to open its first processing center in Florida and is in-process to launch additional facilities in Georgia and Tennessee.

The company is quickly ramping operations to capitalize on a market that is undeveloped. While glass

...

a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_T9VXVyuEITg/SSzhuXNGTuI/AAAAAAAAAl8/tRtxMxNVyqA/s1600-h/Memphis.jpg"img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_T9VXVyuEITg/SSzhuXNGTuI/AAAAAAAAAl8/tRtxMxNVyqA/s320/Memphis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272837450363195106" //abr /If there is half as much future as there is history for Tennessee, then it is a bright future. And according to several independent organizations, Tennessee is one of the best states in the country to do business. The future is looking bright! Here are some interesting facts about the state:br /br /1. The state offers several incentives for new businesses and businesses relocating to Tennessee. They include, tax credits and tax exemptions.br /2. 80% of the state land is used for agricultural and forestry purposes.br /3. Tennessee most important crops are tobacco, soybeans, and cotton.br /4. The agricultural industry produces more than $2.5 billion in cash receipts.br /5. In a report issued by the American Legislative Exchange Council Tennessee is the 5th best economy in the country.br /6. Tennessee mining ...

The Department of Labor reported Initial Claims for the week ending Nov. 15th were 542,000, an increase of 27,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 515,000 (originally reported at 516,000). This is the highest level since July of 1992.  The consensus was 517,000, which brought today's report at a 4.85% surprise.  California had an increase of 15,532 but declined to provide comment.  North Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina all reported a significant increase in filings, a combined 23,443, cited from layoffs in primary metals, furniture, transportation equipment, industrial machinery, construction, service, and manufacturing industries.  The 4-week moving average was 506,500, the highest in 25 years, an increase of 15,750 from the previous week's revised average of 490,750 (which was a 17 year high).  Less than half of unemployed workers do file for unemployment benefits, while there has been much contraction in economic activity recently

...

U.S. Dry Cleaning (UDRY) operates 60 dry cleaning stores throughout its home state of California, Hawaii and Virginia. The company also provides commercial dry cleaning services to hotels across the U.S. In order to bolster market share, U.S. Dry Cleaning is highly acquisitive, averaging a couple of acquisitions per quarter thus far in 2008. The company generally looks for stores or chains of dry cleaning shops that have about $5 million in annual revenue. U.S. Dry Cleaning had nearly $13 million in sales for 2007.

The company is also seeking to enter new markets across the U.S. via acquisitions. U.S. Dry Cleaning recently announced that it made purchases to enter new markets in Indiana and Tennessee. The company said earlier this month that paid almost $800,000 to gain nearly $8 million in sales by buying 25 cleaning centers in the Indianapolis area. It was the company’s fourth acquisition in 2008.

...

U.S. Dry Cleaning (UDRY) operates 60 dry cleaning stores throughout its home state of California, Hawaii and Virginia. The company also provides commercial dry cleaning services to hotels across the U.S. In order to bolster market share, U.S. Dry Cleaning is highly acquisitive, averaging a couple of acquisitions per quarter thus far in 2008. The company generally looks for stores or chains of dry cleaning shops that have about $5 million in annual revenue. U.S. Dry Cleaning had nearly $13 million in sales for 2007.

The company is also seeking to enter new markets across the U.S. via acquisitions. U.S. Dry Cleaning recently announced that it made purchases to enter new markets in Indiana and Tennessee. The company said earlier this month that paid almost $800,000 to gain nearly $8 million in sales by buying 25 cleaning centers in the Indianapolis area. It was the company’s fourth acquisition in 2008.

...

The base metals were all in the red on Monday. Copper was off sharply pre-dawn, rallied at the beginning of the New York day, but then fell again to finish at its intraday low of $2.5478/lb., down nearly 13 cents from Friday. Nickel was down consistently throughout the day, closing at $6.8697/lb., down 51¾ cents.