Chicago, IL – January 19, 2010 – 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: Verizon Communications (VZ), Vodafone (VOD), AT&T (T), MetroPCS (PCS) and Leap Wireless (LEAP).

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Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

Verizon, AT&T Cut Plan Prices

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications (VZ) and Vodafone (VOD), has reportedly slashed its unlimited wireless price plans by roughly 30%. Its archrival AT&T (T) followed suit by announcing similar price cuts. Existing customers of both operators can switch to the new plans at no additional cost.

Starting January 18, 2010, Verizon’s newly announced nationwide unlimited voice plan for its contract customers will cost $69.99 a month, representing a drastic cut from $99.99 per month. The carrier is offering a new unlimited voice and text plan for $89.99 a month. Verizon’s nationwide unlimited family voice plan and unlimited family voice and text plan will be charged $119.99 (down from $199.99) per month and $149.99 (down from $229.99) per month, respectively.

Moreover, Verizon’s prepaid monthly unlimited voice plan and prepaid unlimited voice and text plan will cost $74.99 a month and $94.99 a month, respectively, which is $5 more than the newly unveiled unlimited postpaid plan prices. However, these prepaid plans are much costlier than prominent unlimited prepaid players such as MetroPCS (PCS) and Leap Wireless (LEAP).

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About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Contact:
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Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com

Chicago, IL – December 21, 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: Palm Inc. (PALM), Verizon (VZ), Apple Inc. (AAPL), Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Motorola (MOT).

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Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Palm Disappoints but Reaffirms

Palm Inc. (PALM) reaffirmed its fiscal 2010 forecast for revenue of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion. The company expects R&D and sales and marketing expenses to be up sequentially in the upcoming quarter. Palm expects to use over $80 million in cash in the coming quarter.

Palm expects to grow its shrinking smartphone market share. Palm could also sign a carrier deal with Verizon (VZ) to sell its smartphone. The company expects to launch a new developer program at the Consumer Electronics show in January. Palm plans to do away with the subscription accounting model and start recognizing revenue up front from the handsets.

Palm will continue to struggle as it competes against much larger competitors in the smartphone market such as Apple Inc. (AAPL), Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Motorola (MOT).

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About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

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Web Content Editor
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Dividends and Value

It's common sense that every smart investor loves a good dividend, a steady stream of income to support a total return. But when the market is volatile, dividend gains can be marginalized by capital losses. So in order to position the Dogs of the Dow against capital depreciation, I decided to apply a key valuation metric to the 10 Dogs to cull the list down to 5 high-value, high-income picks.

The following is a list of the 5 Dog of the Dow that have the lowest P/E multiples, providing a very nice combination of income and value for a more defensive approach to dividend investing.

5 Dogs With Value

Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT) manufactures and sells food and grocery products worldwide. Shares of KFT are currently pumping out a hefty yield of 4.40%, enough to make any seasoned dividend investor sweat. With the current-year estimate up 5 cents in the last 2 months to $1.99, shares trade with a P/E just a pinch over 13X, a discount to the overall market. Kraft has been consistent over the last year, beating in each quarter by an average of 10%. The next-year estimate looks solid too, projecting 9% earnings growth.

Merck & Co Inc. (MRK) is a drug manufacturer that operates primarily in the United States. MRK are currently yielding a very solid 4.20% yield to go along with consistent results, beating by an average of 7.50% over the last 4 quarters. The company's next-year growth projection is a bit anemic at 5%, but the valuation picture is compelling, with shares trading at just 11.5X forward earnings.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) also develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals worldwide. Shares of PFE have posted big gains over the last 9 months, but the valuation picture is still in check with a high-value forward P/E of just 9X. Analysts are projecting next-year earnings growth of 11%, and the company boasts a very respectable 3.60% dividend yield.

AT&T Inc. (T) operates as a communications holding company. AT&T might not be a mover and shaker of the capital side, but you can't argue with its robust 5.90% dividend yield. The company has beat the Zacks Consensus in each of the last 3 quarters by an average of 6% and boasts a respectable 6% next-year growth projection.

Verizon (VZ) operates as a communications provider in the United States and internationally. Verizon clocks in with a very solid 5.70% dividend yield to go along with its value driven P/E of 13X. The next-year estimate is projecting marginal growth, but a large-cap stock like this could come back into favor with investors if the market turns lower.

Conclusion

Dividend stocks are powerful resources for driving long-term gains. But adding a valuation metric to your selection criteria can give your portfolio an extra boost and avoid unwanted volatility.

Michael Vodicka is the Momentum Stock Strategist for Zacks.com. He is also the Editor in charge of the market-beating Zacks Surprise Trader Service. Zacks Investment Research

Chicago, IL – December 3, 2009 – Zacks Equity Research highlights Amazon.com (AMZN) as the Bull of the Day and Luminex Corporation (LMNX) the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Sprint Nextel (S), Clearwire Corporation (CLWR) and Verizon (VZ).

Full analysis of all these stocks is available at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5506

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Amazon.com (AMZN) is one of the largest online retailers in the world. Although North America revenue has been somewhat impacted by the recession, the company is seeing a very strong holiday season.

The higher-margin international business has also been growing, resulting in a more favorable mix of business. Additionally, the company has solid financials, which could be utilized to pursue growth opportunities.

Although competition in online retail is heating up, which has the potential to weaken prices and lower margins, we think the company has the market position and financial muscle to outgrow others in the space. Consequently, we are upgrading AMZN shares to Outperform.

Bear of the Day:

Luminex Corporation (LMNX) reported a third-quarter loss of $0.6 million or a penny per share as opposed to a net income of $3.2 million or 8 cents per share in the comparable period of 2008. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the reported quarter was for a gain of 7 cents.

The loss in the quarter was attributable to higher operating expenses. We remain concerned about the company's dependence on partners for generating revenues, as the strategy has inherent risks. Furthermore, the competitive life sciences industry is characterized by rapid and continuous technological innovation which further challenges Luminex.

The company's strategy to grow by acquisitions is also risky. In view of these concerns, we downgrade the stock to Underperform.

Latest Posts on the Zacks Analyst Blog:

Sprint 4G Reaches Hawaii & Seattle

Sprint Nextel (S) has further expanded its fourth-generation (4G) wireless broadband network. The third largest US carrier has officially launched commercial services in Honolulu and Maui in Hawaii and in Seattle, Washington. Sprint offers its 4G service under the "Sprint 4G" brand and leverages the WiMax (a mobile broadband technology) network operated by Clearwire Corporation (CLWR) in which it holds a 51% stake.

Sprint recently announced its plan to invest an additional US$1.2 billion in Clearwire to facilitate the 4G service roll-out. Subscribers across the newly launched markets can now enjoy lightning fast mobile broadband experience by paying just $10 per month more over their existing 3G wireless data plans. This has been enabled by the nation’s first dual-mode (operates on 3G and 4G networks) mobile broadband modem which was launched by Sprint in December 2008.

The 4G WiMax network offers up to 10 times faster network speeds than the existing 3G deployments. The download speeds enabled by the 4G WiMax network average 3-6 megabits per second (Mbps) with peak speed exceeding 10 Mbps. Sprint became the first US wireless carrier to offer 4G mobile broadband services with the official commercial service launch in Baltimore in Oct 2008.

With the addition of the new markets in Hawaii and Seattle, the company’s 4G services now cover 27 markets in the US. Sprint plans to address more than 120 million people with its 4G network by the end of 2009. Moreover, the company will continue the aggressive network deployments through 2010 with 4G service launches in key US markets such as Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The Sprint−Clearwire WiMax joint venture represents a response to the emerging 4G wireless broadband standard known as Long-Term Evolution (“LTE"). Sprint’s larger peers, such as Verizon (VZ), are preparing to deploy their own 4G networks in the 2010-2011 timeframe based on LTE which has demonstrated higher throughput levels than WiMax in technical trials.

Get the full analysis of all these stocks by going to http://at.zacks.com/?id=5507.

About the Bull and Bear of the Day

Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months.

About the Analyst Blog

Updated throughout every trading day, the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous analyst coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today by visiting http://at.zacks.com/?id=5508.

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5509.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Contact:
Mark Vickery
Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com

Chicago, IL – December 2, 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: Sprint Nextel (S), Qualcomm (QCOM), Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T) and Motorola (MOT).

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 Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

Sprint to Axe QChat

Sprint Nextel (S) is reportedly discontinuing using Qualcomm’s (QCOM) QChat technology that enables push-to-talk walkie-talkie services on Sprint-branded phones. The third-largest US wireless carrier will stop offering any new devices and services based on this technology. Sprint is currently in the process of phasing out QChat-based handsets. However, the company will continue to support existing customers using push-to-talk phones based on QChat.

Sprint introduced QChat devices in 2008 on its CDMA EV-DO Rev A technology based wireless network. The company has been operating this service parallel to the instant push-to-talk walkie-talkie service offered through Nextel’s iDEN wireless network. Sprint acquired the iDEN network through its acquisition of Nextel in August 2005.

However, since the acquisition of the iDEN network, Sprint is struggling with subscriber retention issues. The company has hemorrhaged subscribers (over 4 million subscribers lost in 2008 and 3 million lost in the first nine months of 2009) due to problems associated with integrating its two incompatible CDMA and iDEN wireless networks.

Over the years, Sprint has made considerable capital outlay to unify its own CDMA network with the iDEN platform. However, this phase-out has prompted many of its subscribers to switch to other carriers, primarily to larger peers such as Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T).

Sprint aimed to leverage the QChat technology as a potential replacement for the Nextel’s iDEN technology-based push-to-talk service. The company targeted to gradually migrate the customers using Nextel’s push-to-talk devices and services to the QChat platform (runs on the superior EV-DO technology) to contain subscriber churn. However, QChat failed to meet the initial high expectations, in part due the presence of competitive service offerings and some technical glitches.

Sprint announced in September 2008 that it will keep the iDEN network despite the drag it had made on the carrier's business. The company is currently in the process of rejuvenating the iDEN network. As part of this strategy, Sprint has strengthened its relationship with Motorola (MOT) to provide enhanced network capacity and greater functionality to facilitate the roll-out of advanced iDEN devices and services.

Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Contact:
Mark Vickery
Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com

Chicago, IL – November 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: Sprint Nextel (S), Virgin Mobile USA (VM), Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T) and MetroPCS (PCS).

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:

Sprint Acquires Virgin Mobile USA

Sprint Nextel (S) has officially wrapped up its acquisition of prepaid wireless reseller Virgin Mobile USA (VM). This follows the approval of the transaction by the shareholders of Virgin Mobile USA, which is a joint-venture between UK’s Virgin Group and Sprint.

Virgin Mobile USA offers prepaid mobile services to roughly 5.2 million subscribers in the US. Prior to the acquisition, Sprint held a 13.1% stake in the entity. The Virgin brand, which is primarily targeted at youth culture, is very popular in the US among customers who cannot afford expensive long-term service contracts. Popularity of low-cost prepaid brands has grown as customers are increasingly switching to cheaper alternatives pressured by the recession.

Sprint announced its acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA for $483 million in July 2009. The deal was approved by the Federal Trade Commission, the US antitrust regulator, in August 2009. Per the agreement, the shareholders of Virgin Mobile USA will receive 1.3668 shares of Sprint for each share of Virgin Mobile USA. Sprint also committed to retire all outstanding debt (roughly $228 million) of the entity.

Sprint remains significantly challenged by the dismal economic environment which has contributed to the precipitous decline in subscriber base and revenues. On the other hand, the company’s larger peers Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T) continue to expand their respective customer bases at a brisk rate.

Sprint is losing customers to its bigger rivals due to intense pricing pressure and technical problems associated with integrating its CDMA and iDEN wireless networks. The company’s core postpaid business is gradualy shrinking, as reflected by net loss of approximately 3 million customers in the first nine months of 2009.

In contrast, Sprint continues to register healthy growth in its prepaid subscriber base. The company’s $50 monthly unlimited prepaid plan continues to gain significant traction, facilitating prepaid subscriber retention and ARPU (average revenue per user) growth. To mitigate churn, Sprint has expanded this service plan across all of its existing wireless network platforms. The company’s Boost Mobile prepaid subsidiary currently offers prepaid services to 5.7 million customers in the US .

Moving forward, the prepaid wireless market will continue to serve as a significant growth catalyst for Sprint, helping it to offset the losses in the postpaid business. Acquisition of Virgin Mobile has further strengthened the company’s foothold in the fast-growing prepaid market as it leverages two complementary brands (Boost and Virgin) to target different customer demographics with distinctive service offerings.

The addition of the popular Virgin brand, enables Sprint to better compete with other established players in the prepaid segment such as MetroPCS (PCS).

Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Contact:
Mark Vickery
Web Content Editor
312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com

On Monday, the 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average surged 132.79 points, or 1.29%, to 10,450.95.  The broad Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rose 14.86 points, or 1.36%, at 1,106.24 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index jumped 29.97 points, or 1.40%, to 2,176.01. Trading volume was light, with NYSE volume less than 1 billion shares, as advancing shares outran decliners by a four-to-one margin.  Wall Street’s fear gauge, the CBOE Vix, plummeted 4.6% to 21.16.

Treasuries lost ground as investors’ risk appetite grew.  A number of analyst upgrades also helped shares yesterday and after the close Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) came out with strong numbers and also announced plans to triple its repurchase plan.

Among the DJIA components, all but two gained, led by Verizon (NYSE:VZ), up 3.0%, AT&T (NYSE:T), up 2.9%, General Electric (NYSE:GE), up 2.9%, and Chevron (NYSE:CVX), up 2.6%.  A Barron's article suggested AT&T (NYSE:T) shares undervalued due to concerns its exclusive iPhone contract with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) might not be extended next year; Verizon (NYSE:VZ) shares jumped shot up on hopes the exclusivity agreement might not be extended.  And Chevron (NYSE:CVX) shares gained from the dollar’s retreat.

All ten S&P 500 industry groups advanced, led by consumer services and telecommunications, both up 2.7%, oil and gas, up 1.6%, and industrial and tech shares, both up 1.5%.

Gold prices jumped to fresh highs yesterday, before giving up some ground to settle at $1164.70, up $17.90.  Meanwhile, the greenback dropped 0.7% to 75.13 against a basket of currencies.  This afternoon's FOMC meeting minutes will be scrutinised by investors for any evidence of a timing change for its asset purchase programs.  Such considerations are also key to the trajectory for gold pricing, viewed as an inflation hedge.

Earnings reports are due from Barnes and Noble (NYSE:BKS), Borders (NYSE:BGP), Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR), Heinz (NYSE:HNZ) and Hormel (NYSE:HRL).

Chicago, IL – November 12, 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: Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), Telefonica (TEF), Deutsche Telekom (DT), France Telecom (FTE) and Verizon (VZ).

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:

Vodafone Profit Leaps, Lifts Savings

Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), the largest wireless carrier in the world by revenue, has announced interim results for fiscal year 2010 with adjusted net income of £4.58 billion (US$7.3 billion) increasing 15% year over year from £3.99 billion (US$6.4 billion) reported a year ago, driven by favorable exchange rate movements and reduced tax. Adjusted earnings exclude one-time items such as impairment losses.

The telecom giant reported consolidated revenues of £21.8 billion (US$34.8 billion) for the period, representing a 9.3% year over year growth. Favorable exchange rate (euro-sterling) swings and net impact of merger and acquisition initiatives contributed to this growth. Excluding these impacts (organic basis), revenue declined 3% year over year.

Group service revenue declined 2.6% year over year on an organic basis to £20.5 billion (US$32.7 billion), primarily due to weaker contributions from European markets as recessionary conditions curbed demand for wireless services. Adjusted EBITDA increased 2.9% year over year to £7.5 billion (US$12 billion) driven by cost control.

Revenues for the European segment increased 3% year over year (down 5.1% on organic basis) to £14.9 billion (US$23.8 billion). Service revenue in Europe declined 4.5% organically as growth in Italy and the Netherlands was more than offset by decreases across Spain, Germany and the UK due to a weaker economy, regulatory pressure and intense competition.

Decline in voice revenue continues to offset growth in data. Revenue in Germany and the UK remains under pressure due to mobile termination rate (inter-operator fees) cuts. Vodafone is also losing customers in the UK as subscribers switch to its major rival Telefonica’s (TEF) O2 which is marketing iPhone in the UK.

Moreover, Deutsche Telekom (DT) and France Telecom (FTE) have recently finalized an agreement to combine their UK units, which will create the largest mobile carrier in the UK.

This segment posted revenues of £3.7 billion (US$5.9 billion), up 36% year over year. Organically, service revenue fell 3.2% as consistent growth at Vodacom (South Africa) and increase in subscriber count were partly offset by weak contributions from Romania and Turkey. Service revenue at Vodacom increased 4.2% on an organic basis as a result of healthy subscriber accretion.

Asia Pacific & Middle East segment continues to perform in line with expectation. Revenue surged 15.9% year over year (11.3% organically) to £3.1 billion (US$4.9 billion), driven by continued strong growth in India , the single biggest contributor to organic revenue growth. Service revenue in India increased 20.5% organically boosted by roughly 55% growth in wireless customer base amid intense price competition.

During the six-month period, Vodafone registered roughly 20.6 million net new mobile connections across its operations, bringing the total subscriber base to 323.3 million (83.5% represented by prepaid). India continues to be a key driver for subscriber growth with a net addition of 14 million customers in the first six months of fiscal 2010.

In Europe, the company registered a net loss of 262,000 subscribers during the half-year period. Verizon’s (VZ) mobile unit, Verizon Wireless, in which Vodafone holds a 45% stake, however, posted a net addition of 1.1 million customers.

Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.

About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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Chicago, IL – November 11, 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: AT&T Inc (T), Centennial Communications Corp (CYCL), Verizon (VZ), JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO) and AutoNation (AN).

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Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

AT&T Completes CYCL Acquisition

AT&T Inc (T) has reportedly completed its much anticipated acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp (CYCL), the eighth largest US wireless carrier by subscribers. This follows the recent approvals of the transaction by the US Department of Justice and US telecom regulator Federal Communications Commission (“FCC"). The transaction, which was originally set to complete in second-quarter 2009, is now officially closed.

As per the agreement terms, shareholders of Centennial will receive $8.50 in cash for every share they own, equating to approximately $944 million. Including net debt, the aggregate value of the deal is $2.7 billion. AT&T will take appropriate steps to redeem all of Centennial’s outstanding debts. AT&T expects minimal dilution to earnings and cash flow in 2009 given the upfront integration costs.

The acquisition has expanded AT&T’s wireless coverage to include the rural areas of the Midwest and Southeast regions of the US as well as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, adding 893,000 new subscribers. The acquisition will also offer operational synergies and improve the service quality of AT&T’s wireless network in specific markets.

As per the demand of the US regulators, AT&T will divest certain Centennial assets in eight markets across Louisiana (central and southern) and southwestern Mississippi as the acquisition may potentially hurt consumer interest in these regions. As part of this requirement, AT&T will sell wireless assets in five of the eight markets to its rival operator Verizon (VZ) for $240 million. Moreover, AT&T has committed to continue Centennial's existing roaming agreements with other carriers for at least four years.

JA Solar Gains Strength in Q3

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO) announced adjusted earnings per American Depositary Share (EPADS) of RMB 0.66 (10 cents) in its fiscal third quarter, which exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7 cents. The performance improvement came from higher shipments along with growing margins.

In the reported quarter, revenues rose 119.6% to RMB 1.3 billion ($193.3 million), as compared to RMB 600.7 million ($88.0 million) reported in the previous quarter. However, revenues fell 37.8% when compared to year-ago quarterly revenue of RMB 2.1 billion ($310.7 million).

JA Solar’s shipments were a company record of 177MW in the quarter. In the prior quarter, shipments were only 77MW, representing a sequential growth of 129.9%. In the year-ago quarter also, shipments were only 99MW, representing shipment growth of 78.8%.

AutoNation Predicts Gloomy 2010

AutoNation (AN) has sketched its industry outlook, revealing a gloomy 2010 preceding an improvement in the years following. The company stated that it anticipates a marginal rise in industry sales to 11 million cars and trucks from the current-year rate of 10 million vehicles. This was in stark contrast to an annual rate of more than 16 million vehicles ticked earlier this decade.

AutoNation blamed tight credit for pulling down sales this year. However, sales will hit bottom in 2009. Many banks have kept their credit standards extremely high for car loans, which is depressing the industry sales despite continuous efforts taken by the government to ease credit standards.

Further, job loss and stability in housing prices are also an issue. Thus, the Richmond, Virginia-based automotive retailer -- the largest in the U.S. -- expects the industry to recoup sales gradually by 2011 and beyond.

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Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

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About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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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: Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX), Deutsche Telekom (DT), AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ).

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Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

No Inflation Problem

How, then, does one explain the recent move in the price of gold to over $1,100 an ounce? Historically, gold has been seen as the ultimate inflation hedge. Its rise over the past year to record nominal levels (it would have to roughly double to match its inflation-adjusted high’s set back in 1979) would seem to indicate that the market is afraid of inflation. How do we square this with data from the TIPS market, which indicates the market sees no real problem with inflation?

One reason might be the rise of India, although that would not explain the day-to-day moves. Historically and culturally, Indian’s have a far higher propensity to store their wealth in the form of gold, specifically in jewelry, not bullion, than the rest of the world does. That said, I don’t think that the 200 metric tons recently bought by the Reserve Bank of India is about to be turned into necklaces and earrings anytime soon.

Still, as millions and millions of Indians become more middle class, the demand for gold has gone up. To a lesser extent, this holds true for China as well. Even more Chinese are becoming wealthy or at least middle class than are Indians, although the cultural propensity to hold gold is not quite as strong.

Part of it might just be that we have not found that many new gold mines recently, and the ore grades in places like South Africa have been going down. That, combined with rising demand, is a classic recipe for rising prices -- even if people are not expecting a return of 1970’s-style inflation.

Total world gold production has been falling over the last five years following steady growth in the over 20 years preceding that. That would mean good things for the gold miners who have large reserves of gold in the ground, especially if they are able to increase production when the rest of the world is seeing production decline. Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) and Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX) are good examples of such companies.

DT Tops Estimates on Cost-Cutting

German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom (DT) announced results for third-quarter 2009 with reported earnings per ADS of 31 cents, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 25 cents. Net income of €959 million (US$1.4 billion) reflects a 7.2% increase from €895 million (US$1.3 billion) reported a year ago.

This year-over-year growth was fueled by the company’s ongoing cost-cutting initiatives under the "Save for Service" program. Total savings from this program reached approximately €5.4 billion (US$7.7 billion) at the end of the quarter, exceeding the annual savings target of up to €4.7 billion (US$6.7 billion) originally expected to be achieved in 2010.

Revenue at Mobile Communication USA (T-Mobile USA), the fourth-largest US wireless carrier, grew 3% year over year to €3.8 billion (US$5.4 billion). However, in dollar terms, total revenue for the quarter represents a 2.3% annualized decline. Net income (measured in dollars) also decreased 5.7% year over year to US$417 million.

Blended ARPU for T-Mobile USA was US$47, down from US$52 and US$48 reported in the prior-year quarter and previous quarter, respectively, as growth in data services was offset by lower roaming and customer migration to unlimited plans. Blended churn (customers switching to other products) increased sequentially and year over year to 3.4% as a result of an increase in contract churn due to intense competition.

Higher contract churn affected customer retention at T-Mobile USA in the third quarter, as evidenced by a net loss of 77,000 customers. This is compared to a net gain of 325,000 and 670,000 customers in the previous and year-ago quarters, respectively.

T-Mobile USA remains challenged by the cutting-edge wireless handsets offerings from its larger peers such as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), resulting in increased customer defection. The entity served 33.4 million mobile subscribers at the end of the quarter.

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Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

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About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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Contact:
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312-265-9380
Visit: www.zacks.com

Top-line Hit by Lower Roaming Revenue

The Chicago-based carrier reported operating revenue of $1,058 million, down 3% from $1,092 million a year ago. This decline is attributable to lower service revenue, which decreased 3% year over year to $984.9 million due to a 26% year over year reduction in inbound roaming revenues, primarily resulting from Verizon's (VZ) acquisition of Alltel.

Decline in roaming revenue was offset by healthy data revenue, which grew 34% over the prior-year quarter to $174.3 million, accounting for 18% of service revenue. Reported ARPU (average revenue per user) of $47.02 reflects a year over year improvement.

Subscriber Losses Continues

U.S. Cellular was hit by weak economic conditions in its service territories and intense competition, as it lost 24,000 customers during the quarter. That brought the total subscriber base to 6.13 million. U.S. Cellular is being challenged by the increasingly competitive domestic wireless market. Competition has increased after the launch of exclusive premium wireless handsets by the top-tier carriers such Verizon and AT&T (T).

The company registered a net loss of 14,000 retail prepaid customer in the quarter, compared to a net loss of 15,000 customers in the prior-year quarter. However, decline in the prepaid segment was partly offset by a net gain of 8,000 subscribers in the postpaid segment. Postpaid customers accounted for 96% of the total retail customers. Postpaid churn increased year over year to 1.7% and remained stable sequentially.

Financial Condition

U.S. Cellular generated cash flow from operating activities of $637.7 million and spent $357.8 million in capital expenditures during the first nine months of 2009, resulting in a free cash flow of approximately $280 million. U.S. Cellular exited the quarter with $404.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and approximately $1 billion in total debt.

Outlook

The company has confirmed its guidance for 2009. Service revenue is projected in the range of $3.9 billion to $3.95 billion. Operating income is forecasted at $300-$375 million. U.S. Cellular continues to expect depreciation, amortization and accretion to be approximately $600 million. The capital expenditure target remains at $575 million. Based on uncertain economic conditions, U.S. Cellular withdrew its net subscriber addition target for the year.

In order to drive wireless growth, U.S. Cellular is expanding its 3G wireless broadband network (based on EV-DO technology) coverage, as it achieved 75% penetration of the postpaid customer base at the end of the third quarter. The company plans to upgrade more than 60% of its total cell sites with 3G EV-DO by the end of 2009, a significant increase from approximately 23% coverage achieved in 2008.

To further drive data revenue, U.S. Cellular is expanding its smartphone portfolio with premium handset offerings, as it recently launched Research In Motion's (RIMM) latest CDMA smartphone, BlackBerry Tour 9630. This has enabled the company to join the league of Tier-1 carriers in offering top-notch cellular handsets.

However, U.S. Cellular's aggressive 3G roll-out plans through 2009 could strain finances if capital expenditures are required beyond management's expectations. Moreover, a decline in roaming revenues, along with subscriber retention problems, suggests a less optimistic outlook for the remainder of 2009.

The Chicago-based company reported operating revenue of $1,258.7 million, reflecting a 4% year over year drop as a result of declines across its wireless and wireline businesses.

U.S. Cellular (Wireless)

Net income sank 60% year over year to $35.6 million, due to lower revenue and increased operating expenses. Operating revenue declined 3% over the prior-year quarter to $1,058 million as a result of a 3% year over year decline in service revenues that registered $984.9 million in the quarter. The unit continues to experience lower roaming revenue, offset by healthy data revenue growth (up 34% year over year).

US Cellular lost 24,000 customers during the quarter, bringing the total subscriber base to 6.13 million. The entity remains susceptible to aggressive product/pricing strategies by larger rivals such as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), contributing to sustained customer defection.

TDS Telecom (Wireline)

Operating revenue in the wireline segment declined 5% year over year to $196.5 million, as data revenue growth was more than offset by the decline in voice and network access revenues. The segment faces competition from incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and contends with the ongoing wireless substitution trend and Internet phone service offerings by cable operators.

TDS Telecom reported 14% growth in ILEC data revenue that registered $26.2 million. ILEC high-speed data customer base grew 18% year over year, reaching 202,100 at the end of the quarter. ILEC equivalent access lines declined by 1,000 lines from the year-ago quarter to 772,700, while physical access lines declined 5% year over year to 539,400 lines.

Outlook

The company has reaffirmed its 2009 outlook with respect to the wireless segment. Projected service revenue of the wireless segment remains at $3.9-$3.95 billion with expected operating income of $300-$375 million. Depreciation, amortization and accretion is expected to be approximately $600 million with a capital expenditure target of $575 million, both kept unchanged.

Operating revenue for the wireline segment is expected between $775 million and $800 million for 2009. Operating income forecast for the segment has been lowered to $80-$95 million from $85-$105 million. Guidance for depreciation, amortization and accretion is raised to $170 million (from $165 million) while capital expenditure target remains at $125 million.

Prospects in wireless are expected to be driven by continued coverage expansion of 3G network and premium handset offerings that are expected to strengthen data revenue per user. Moreover, U.S. Cellular is evaluating potential adoption of Long Term Evaluation ("LTE"), a 4G wireless technology.

On the wireline front, TDS Telecom is aggressively rolling out "Triple-Play" offerings that bundles voice, high-speed data and Dish Network TV services, in an effort to fend off cable competition. Moreover, plans are in place to launch 25 megabit/second or faster broadband services in the key markets in 2010.

Although TDS' ongoing business initiatives look promising, we feel high cost associated with expansion of wireless network may drag near-term earnings and constrict free cash flow. U.S. Cellular's high-margin roaming revenue also remains under pressure. Moreover, TDS is expected to remain challenged by subscriber retention problems amid a volatile economy and highly competitive environment.

Chicago, IL – October 30, 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: Sprint Nextel (S), Virgin Mobile USA (VM), iPCS Inc (IPCS), Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T).

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Here are highlights from Thursday’s AnalystBlog:

Sprint Posts Bigger Loss

Sprint Nextel (S) reported third-quarter 2009 results with net loss per share of 17 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 15 cents and the year-ago loss per share of 11 cents.

The third-largest US wireless carrier posted a net loss of $478 million, 47% more than the net loss of $326 million reported a year ago. Sprint remains significantly challenged by the volatile economic backdrop, which has contributed to the sustained decline in the wireless subscriber base and associated revenues.

Sprint is acquiring Virgin Mobile USA (VM) to strengthen its presence in the fast-growing prepaid market. The company recently announced plans to buy its wireless affiliate iPCS Inc (IPCS), which will expand Sprint’s service territories and offer cost synergies.

Sprint is aggressively deploying 4G WiMax mobile broadband service having already launched its service in 17 US cities including 10 markets launched in October. The company targets to launch 4G services in additional US cities during the fourth-quarter 2009. The 4G WiMax service is expected to play a critical role for Sprint’s survival in the domestic wireless market given the continued market share losses to larger rivals.

The company continues to lose market share to its larger peers Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T) as they continue expanding their respective customer bases at a brisk rate. Sprint is struggling to integrate Nextel’s iDEN wireless network, resulting in subscribers losses to other carriers.

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Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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Contact:
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312-265-9380
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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 500,000 homes added in the quarter.

Through a joint venture with Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), Qwest is upgrading its fiber-based network infrastructure to offer top Internet speeds of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps). Recently, the company introduced a new fiber-based Ethernet backhaul wholesale service for wireless operators. We expect these new business opportunities to drive growth moving forward.

However, Qwest remains more challenged than the other regional telephone companies (Baby Bells) in the US such as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) given the lack of its own wireless and satellite TV services. This has prevented Qwest from achieving meaningful penetration in these lucrative markets.

Qwest’s transition from a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to wireless reseller has resulted in lower wireless revenue. Since 2004, the company has been marketing Sprint Nextel’s (S) wireless products and services under its own brand by operating as an MVNO on Sprint’s network. However, Qwest will officially terminate this service on Oct. 31, 2009. Nevertheless, the company will continue reselling Verizon’s products and services (under Verizon brand).

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About Zacks Equity Research

Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.

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Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.

Contact:
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312-265-9380
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All five FCC commissioners (including the FCC chairman Julius Genachowski), represented by three democrats and two republicans voted in favor of the proposed new rule, which will now invite public comments, a process which is expected to continue till Jan 14, 2010. This will be followed by the review of the public feedback by the FCC with a final rule is expected not before March 2010. However, the republicans remain skeptical about the proposed rule.

The net neutrality regulation, which consists of a set of proposals, represents the first major initiative ever by the U.S. telecom regulator to control the way the Internet industry is managed. The rule is also backed by the Congress and the White House who are in favor of more regulation of the Internet. The FCC has set six principles to guide legitimate network management by the incumbent service providers.  

The rationale behind the net neutrality rule is that it will prohibit network operators from restricting any legal online content, devices, applications or services that competitive service providers wishes to run through the respective carrier’s networks. Operators have been accused of blocking or slowing traffic according to the revenues they generate from online contents.

However, the proposed “free and open Internet" rule also offers some flexibility to the network carriers to effectively manage their networks by preventing network congestion and blocking spam, viruses and illegal contents. While operators need to publicly disclose the way they manage their networks, they may be allowed to sell premium Internet services to the customers who pay more for their services.

The release of FCC’s proposal for net neutrality in September 2009 has become a bone of contention between the advocates of the rule and leading U.S. network operators. Large web content and application providers such as Google (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN) and eBay (EBAY) have joined a handful of public interest groups to raise voice against the discrimination by the ISPs and cable companies.

U.S. wireless and cable network operators such as AT&T (T), Comcast (CMCSA), Verizon (VZ) and Qwest (Q) however, have insisted that increased data traffic of bandwidth-intensive services and applications such as video streaming requires them to actively manage their networks.

Moreover, operators have argued that the new regulation will discourage investment associated with expansion and upgrade of their networks and would also throttle innovation and competition. As a result, government intervention through the implementation of net neutrality conjures significant threat to the network service providers. On the contrary, the rule will boost web content providers who will benefit from the increased data traffic over the Internet enabled by the next-generation wireless broadband technologies. 

Customers from small businesses across the US now have access to these premium devices that exclusively use AT&T's 3G wireless technology. The devices include Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook and Dell Vostro 1520 laptop.

AT&T is increasingly focusing on extending its 3G wireless capabilities from smartphones to a wide range of emerging devices in order to expand the market penetration of its 3G data services. In July 2009, the company launched several embedded netbooks and laptops from industry-leading manufacturers, such as Hewlett Packard (HPQ), Acer and Panasonic, targeted exclusively to increase connectivity for small businesses.

Carriers across the globe are aggressively selling netbooks and associated data plans in order to boost data usage and revenue. Industry estimates reveal that worldwide shipment of netbooks reached 11.6 million in 2008 and is expected to grow double-digit over the next few years.

AT&T's move to sell embedded netbooks and laptops also comes in response to Verizon's (VZ) initiative to market subsidized netbooks in collaboration with Hewlett Packard. Another major rival, Sprint Nextel (S) is also selling netbooks using its network.

The newly-unveiled netbooks and laptops will enable small business customers to seamlessly connect anywhere in the US and over 170 countries globally using AT&T's GSM wireless network, including 3G access in 80 countries. Moreover, it also provides access to the company's 125,000 Wi-Fi (wireless broadband) hotspots globally, including 20,000 in the U.S.

Customers can buy Dell Vostro 1520 for as low as $633 and can avail up to $120 discount on the other Dell devices. However, buyers have to sign up for AT&T's two-year $60 per month DataConnect 5GB service plan, which is quite expensive. Thus, it remains to be seen how the market responds to this offer.

Chicago, IL – October 8, 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: Verizon (VZ), Google (GOOG), Apple Inc (AAPL), Deutsche Telecom (DT) and Sprint (S).

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:

VZ & Google Seal Android Pact

Verizon (VZ) reportedly partnered with search engine giant Google (GOOG) to develop and market mobile devices and applications based on the Android wireless software platform. Android-based mobile handsets developed through this collaboration will be available on Verizon’s high-speed wireless network. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by the companies.

Verizon, the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., is expected to launch two android smartphones in the coming weeks. Plans are also in place to roll out other Android devices including PDAs and netbooks in future.

Under the multi-year agreement, the companies will pool substaintial resources to jointly develop a family of Android devices that will incorporate innovative mobile applications and feature Google Voice (Internet voice service). The products and services will be marketed leveraging Verizon’s nationwide distribution network and will be available for sale in the carrier’s retail and on-line stores.

Android-based mobile phones have emerged as the biggest challenger to Apple Inc’s (AAPL) iPhone. Android smartphones are currently marketed in the U.S. by Deutsche Telecom’s (DT) subsidiary T-mobile USA and will also be available on Sprint’s (S) network soon. By leveraging Verizon’s vast nationwide 3G network coverage and addessable customer base of 87.7 million, Android phones are expected to make a big impact in the intensely competitive U.S. smartphone market.

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Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.

Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.

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Before we begin, let's explain the contrarian stance that makes Schaeffer's so unique. When searching for a bullish pick, we like to see heavy skepticism toward an outperforming stock, as this leaves ample room for upgrades or other positive catalysts to fuel the stock higher. When searching for a bearish pick, on the other hand, contrarians are looking for significant bullish sentiment toward an underperforming stock, as we believe an excess of optimism is a sign that everyone has already bought into the stock and sideline money is virtually tapped out.

However, keep in mind that some optimism and pessimism is genuinely warranted and isn't always a contrarian indicator - like an outperforming stock with many "buy" ratings or an underperforming stock with a plethora of "sell" ratings.

In the News

According to the Zacks screener, VZ saw a significant pop in put volume on Thursday. More specifically, the equity saw roughly 12,600 puts cross the tape, more than doubling its average daily volume of about 5,800 bearishly-oriented contracts.

Sparking the preference for puts may have been a double dose of negative headlines. Ahead of the bell Thursday, TiVo Inc. (TIVO) announced that it filed a patent lawsuit against Verizon and AT&T (T) regarding their use of digital video recorders (DVRs) and "time-warping" technology.

Later, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into the "innovation" of the wireless industry". The news prompted widespread concerns regarding potential government restrictions in the future, such as capping rates that wireless companies charge one another to roam, and limiting consumers' carrier choices for smartphones like Palm Inc.'s (PALM) Pre and Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone.

Digging deeper into the put activity; however, it appears that not all of the volume can be attributed to the bears.

Predicting a Price Swing

Most popular was VZ's at-the-money Sep 31 put, which saw more than 3,000 contracts change hands. At 10:05 a.m. Eastern time, two blocks totaling 250 contracts traded at the ask price of $0.63, suggesting they were bought. At the same time, an equal amount of Sep 31 calls traded at the ask price of $0.66, implying they were also purchased. As such, it seems we've detected a long straddle on VZ - indicating that at least one investor is anticipating a monster move on the charts in the near term.

By adding the premium paid for the options, we find that the position was established for a net debit of $1.29 ($0.63 + $0.66), which also represents the most the strategist can possibly lose on the play. In order to avoid a loss, however, the investor needs the shares of VZ to power through one of two levels by expiration: $29.71 (strike - net debit) or $32.29 (strike + net debit).

On the Charts

Technically speaking, shares of VZ have been less than impressive lately, surrendering 8.4% since the start of 2009. In fact, compared to the broad market, the communications concern has underperformed the S&P 500 Index (SPX) by 11% during the past 40 trading sessions.

The equity is now attempting to maintain its newfound foothold atop its 10-month moving average, lingering in the $31 region. However, any rally attempts could be contained by the stock's 20-month moving average, hovering just overhead. Both of these trendlines have acted as staunch long-term resistance, as VZ hasn't closed a month north of this duo since late 2007.

In conclusion, VZ's technical barriers don't bode well for the aforementioned long straddler, as the goal of the strategy is for the shares to make a mammoth move in the near term. The prospects for a move lower appear much greater, though, considering any treks into the black could be capped by the stock's 20-month trendline. While a pullback would still make money for the long straddle strategist, a significant rally would be even better, as potential profit is theoretically unlimited if the stock shoots higher.

Zacks Investment Research

Last month, Sprint announced the acquisition for $483 million and committed to retire all outstanding debt of Virgin on a successful closure of the transaction. Sprint currently owns 13.1% stake in Virgin Mobile USA (a joint venture between UK’s Virgin Group and Sprint), which uses the company’s network to offer prepaid wireless services to roughly 5.2 million subscribers in the U.S.

Sprint remains significantly challenged by the dismal economic environment which has contributed to the precipitous decline in subscriber base and associated revenue. In contrast, its larger peers Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T) have succeeded in expanding their customer bases. Sprint’s core post-paid business continues to shrink after a net loss of about 2.2 million customers in the first half of 2009. However, this is being partially offset by healthy growth in the prepaid subscriber base.

The company currently offers prepaid services to approximately 5 million customers through its Boost Mobile prepaid subsidiary. Sprint’s $50 monthly unlimited prepaid plan is gaining significant traction, facilitating subscriber retention and superior average revenue per user in the prepaid segment. In order to improve subscriber retention, the company has recently expanded this service plan across its existing wireless network platforms.

Moving forward, we feel that the prepaid mobile market will continue to serve as a significant catalyst for Sprint. The Virgin deal will strengthen the company’s foothold in this rapidly growing market as it leverages two complementary brands (Boost and Virgin) to target various customer demographics with distinctive service offerings. This will also help Sprint to compete with other prominent unlimited prepaid players such as MetroPCS (PCS) and Leap Wireless (LEAP).

The provider of optical networking equipment, software and services diversified beyond emerging carriers, and now counts the world's largest telecom service providers as its customers, including Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), BT Group (BT) and Qwest Communications (Q).

Ciena's cost cutting efforts will trim operating expenses, helping it achieve breakeven results in the coming quarters.

Moreover, the company has a healthy balance sheet with improving cash metrics. The company exited the current quarter with $922.6 million in cash and short-term investments, compared to $917.0 million in the previous quarter. Long-term debt (convertible notes payable) at the end of the quarter remained at $798.0 million.

However, the company's sales cycle is lengthening, as Tier 1 carriers proceed with caution, given the economic uncertainty. Moreover, the telecommunications market is full of competitors, such as Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), Cisco (CSCO), Ericsson (ERIC), Nokia Corp. (NOK), Nortel Networks (NT) and Tellabs (TLAB), which are premier companies in the telecommunication space posing a threat to Ciena.

Shares of Ciena, surged 2.5% to $13.53 in after-hours trading yesterday and closed at $13.20, a rise of 3.04%. In our view, the sharp increase in price is due to a recovery in the telecommunications sector.

Among key industry indexes, the Dow Jones U.S. Fixed Line Telecommunications Total Stock Market Index increased 0.8% to 904 points, while the Dow Jones U.S. Telecommunications Equipment Total Stock Market Index increased 1.1% to 5,169 points yesterday.

The Dow Jones industrial average retreated 32 points, or 0.3%. The S&P 500 index fell 3 points, or 0.3%. The Nasdaq dipped 8 points, or 0.4%. On the New York Stock Exchange, 1.09 billion shares exchanged hands and losers were ahead of winners by a narrow margin.

The two-day Fed meet that begins today is expected to keep interest rates near close to zero.  However, Bernanke and Co’s assessment of how the economy is faring could be decisive and therefore its moves would be closely watched. 

Seven of the ten S&P500 industry groups ended in the red, led by declines in basic material shares (-1.7%), industrials (-0.9%), financials (-0.8%), and technology stocks (-0.6%).  Health care (+0.7%) and utilities (+0.3%) showed strength as investors snapped up defensive plays.  Material stocks declined as the US dollar gained against a basket of currencies.  Basic material shares fell due to a decline in commodities.  Alcoa (NYSE:AA) shares retreated 2.4% and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE:FCX) dropped 1.6%.  Retailers also headed lower in the face of upcoming earnings reports by the majors, including Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF), JC Penney (NYSE:JCP), Macy's (NYSE:M), and Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN). However, yesterday McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) reported a stronger-than-expected 4.3% rise in July same-store sales, reflecting its appeal to the value-conscious consumer.

Analysts’ adjustments also reflected on some stocks yesterday.  Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) dropped 3% after Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) downgraded the stock to "sell" from "neutral" and added the company to its Conviction Sell list, citing its risk at having the industry's largest "patent cliff." Merck (NYSE:MRK), however, rose 1.7% after being reinstated with a "buy" rating at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS).   Merck was also added to Goldman Sachs’ (NYSE:GS) American Conviction buy list on its current valuation and product pipeline.  Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) fell 5.3% after Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) downgraded the stock to "neutral." Research in Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) shares plunged 4.9% as the possibility of an iPhone launch at Verizon (NYSE:VZ) led analysts at UBS (NYSE:UBS) to downgrade the shares from "buy" to "neutral."  UBS (NYSE:UBS) lowered its rating on Yum Brands (NYSE:YUM) to "neutral" from “buy" on concerns about "sluggish" sales.

Tuesday will also see the first of the $75 billion in Treasury auctions scheduled for the week. $37 billion in 3-years is slated for today, with $23 billion scheduled tomorrow and $15 billion on Thursday. The sales are not expected to find a lack of buyers.