This morning Trans Union, the big credit bureau, released its quarterly report on mortgage delinquencies, and it was not pretty. Nationwide, 6.25% of all residential mortgages were at least 60 days past due in the third quarter, up from 5.81% in the second quarter and 3.96% a year ago. This was the 11th straight quarter that delinquencies increased. Mortgage delinquencies are the first step in a house eventually going into foreclosure, so look for those to start heading up again. Foreclosures have been held down by trial modifications under the HEMP program, but very few of those have gotten to the stage of being final modifications. And even when mortgages are modified, there is a strong tendency for those people to again find themselves in financial trouble. Clearly people not paying on their mortgages is not good news for the big banks like Bank of America (BAC) ...

Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions Inc. (MDRX) recently benefited from the $1 million federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Vermont Information Technology Leaders Inc. that will provide incentives to physicians and independent pharmacies of Vermont to adopt health information technology. Allscripts benefited from this move as it has recently entered into a strategic alliance with Vermont Information Technology Leaders Inc.  Vermont Information Technology is a non-profit organization facilitating the expanded use of health care IT in Vermont. Vermont is the most improved state in the U.S. for electronic prescribing and Allscripts has a strong presence there. Per the recently entered agreement with Allscripts, the health care providers of Vermont will use Allscripts products and services through Vermont Information Technology Leaders at preferred pricing.  Allscripts offers physicians three different electronic health record (EHR) systems, all of which have a world-class functionality. It has been seen that ...

People's United Financial Inc.’s (PBCT) third quarter earnings of 8 cents per share were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While quarterly results benefited from growth in core loan portfolios and deposits, the company’s credit quality continued to deteriorate. It has reported significant increase in loan loss provisions in the quarter. People's United reported net income of $26.8 million or 8 cents per share for the quarter, compared to $25.3 million or 8 cents per share in the prior quarter and $46.0 million or 14 cents per share a year earlier. Net interest income was $145.3 million, up 3% sequentially but down 9% year-over-year. Net interest margin was up 7 basis points (bps) sequentially but down 52 bps year-over-year to 3.19%. The sequential increase in the net interest margin was primarily driven by a reduction in the costs of deposits. Non-interest income decreased ...

Entergy Corporation (ETR) earlier today announced that it expects GAAP earnings and operational earnings to be approximately $2.31 per share and $2.39 per share, respectively, in the third quarter of 2009. This is low compared to the year-ago GAAP numbers of $2.41 per share and operational results of $2.50 per share.   The anticipated decrease in the quarter’s operational earnings is due primarily to lower results at the Utility, Parent and Other segment, partially offset by increased earnings at Non-nuclear Wholesale Assets segment. Utility, Parent & Other is expected to clock lower year-over-year operational earnings in third quarter 2009, primarily due to the absence of the 2008 adjustment reducing income tax expense and higher operation and maintenance expense. Entergy's Non-nuclear Wholesale Assets quarterly operational results are expected to improve due to the absence of the 2008 adjustment increasing income tax expense on account of the redemption of an ...

Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (MDRX) entered a strategic alliance with Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc., the non-profit organization facilitating the expanded use of healthcare IT in Vermont. Per the agreement, the health care providers of Vermont will use Allscripts products and services through Vermont Information Technology Leaders at preferred pricing. The strategic alliance is a win-win for both companies. It will enable both the organizations to leverage their expertise in Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. Allscripts will benefit from its strong presence in Vermont and competitive product portfolio. The company offers physicians three different EHR systems, all of which have a world-class functionality. The U.S. government is putting increasing emphasis on the use of EHR systems these days. This is evident from the recent Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) passed by the government. The Act, for the first time ever, ...

Entergy Corp.’s (ETR) proposed spin-off of its Non-utility Nuclear power business has been relegated to fiscal 2010. Recently, the New York Public Service Commission’s two administrative law judges in a ruling stated their apprehension regarding the new company having the financial viability to operate three units located in the state of New York. Of this, two units are located in the Indian Point Energy Center in Westchester County and a reactor at the James A. Fitzpatrick station in Oswego County. The New York Public Service Commission expressed its apprehension that the $3.5 billion worth of long-term unsecured bonds that Entergy plans to issue for the spin-off will drag down the bond rating of the new company, affecting its financial capacity. The Commission has also relegated its next hearing to December 2009 followed by a final decision on the spin-off in January 2010. Entergy has been ...

Entergy Corporation’s (ETR) utility subsidiary Entergy Arkansas has requested from the Arkansas Public Service Commission a $223 million hike in the base rate late last week. Entergy Arkansas supplies electricity to 684,000 customers spread across 63 counties in the state of Arkansas. The requested hike was to cover the cost of purchase of the Ouachita plant and restoration costs associated with the January 2009 ice storm in northern Arkansas. As per company estimations, this would raise the bill of an average residential customer with a monthly consumption of 1,000 kilowatt-hours by $7.86. Entergy Arkansas officials, however, feel that the actual burden would be much less. The improvement is expected to stem from lower fuel costs, which would improve on account of a decrease in natural gas prices. New Orleans-based Entergy is primarily engaged in electric power production and retail distribution of power. With 30,000MW of ...

Most people associate solar power with photovoltaic cells used to generate electricity, or perhaps solar water heaters, or even large solar power plants, where the heat of the sun is used to produce steam which runs turbines to produce electricity. It’s easy to forget that most other energy sources also trace back to the sun.

The simplest of fuels, wood, is produced when trees capture the sun’s energy to build the hydrocarbons necessary for growth. Fossil fuels come from buried organic matter produced ages ago from ancient plants that also depended upon the sun. Wind energy comes from the sun heating up the atmosphere creating convection currents. Hydropower comes from the sun’s energy evaporation of sea water, carrying it into the sky where it later falls as rain, generating power as it falls back to the sea. In fact, with the exception of nuclear power and geothermic power, all our

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General Dynamics (GD) recently said that its unit, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, has received a $100 million contract from the US Army TACOM-Rock Island Ill division. The contract for supplying M2 flex machine guns is of indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity (IDIQ) nature and is scheduled to be completed by April 2012.

The M2 flex machine gun is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled, right-hand/left-hand feed compatible, crew-served arm and is suited for both offensive and defensive operations. The guns will be manufactured at the company’s Saco, Maine facility and its technology center in Burlington, Vermont will administer program management.

General Dynamics is likely to continue meeting investor expectations backed by strong revenue growth, margin expansion and cash flow generation. The recent acquisitions of Jet Aviation and Axle Tech, increased Navy spending and resumption of the Pander program for the Czech Republic will provide near-term upside potential despite apprehensions about

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Atlantic Tele-Network is an international telecommunications company that is headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts. Providing voice and data communications into and out of Guyana through fiber optic cables, they are the largest cellular provider in that country.

Through Commnet Wireless, LLC, they are able to provide voice and data roaming services in rural areas of the United States. Reaching into Bermuda they have achieved great success through Bermuda Digital Communications, Ltd., and are able to provide state of the art mobile voice services through their network, including mobile broadband services.

Throughout New England and Vermont, they have provided their customers with facility based integrated voice and broadband data communication services. These services are made possible through their subsidiary Sovernet Communications, Inc.

The Virgin Islands have also brought great success to the company. Through its subsidiary Choice Communications, LLC, they provide wireless digital cable television services, wireless broadband services,

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