• Kraft (NYSE:KFT) reported third quarter earnings of 55 cents a share on revenues of $9.8 billion, beating Zacks estimates of 48 cents, but slightly below revenue projections of $10.24 billion

• MedcoHealth Solutions (NYSE:MHS) reported third quarter earnings of 75 cents ex-items, 4 cents above Zacks estimates, on revenues of $14.80 billion, up from estimates of $14.71 billion

• Miller Tabek upgraded entertainment stocks such as CBS (NYSE:CBS), Entravision (NYSE:EVC), News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWS), Viacom (NYSE:VIA.B), and Disney (NYSE:DIS) from "neutral" to "buy"

• Disney (NYSE:DIS) said China approved its plans for a $3.5 billion theme park in Shanghai, set to open in 2014 at the earliest

• Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) reported third quarter earnings of 61 cents a share, ahead of Zacks estimates of 52 cents.  Revenue of $7.14 billion was almost inline with Zacks estimates.  The firm said it sees full-year earnings of at least $2.05

• Garmin (NASDAQ:GRMN) reported third quarter earnings

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You ready for a good ol’ 1960s rock n’ roll flashback, courtesy of four lads from Liverpool?

Amid a buzz of publicity, yesterday was the day that many Beatles fans had eagerly waited for, with the release of a new video game in the band’s name – “The Beatles: Rock Band.”

If you’re not familiar with the “Rock Band” concept, it’s a bit like karaoke, except you play music in addition to singing. Gamers follow along with their favorite musicians/songs, using an electronic drum kit and guitar, and sing the songs, too.

The game is enormously popular, having generated over $1 billion in revenue. And gamers can download individual songs, albums, or catalogs of groups like AC/DC, The Who and The Grateful Dead. So far, they’ve paid for and downloaded over 40 million songs…

Both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were part of the creative process and have endorsed the game in the

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A New Wave of “Beatle Mania”… Four Ways to Profit From The Beatles: Rock Band

by Marc Lichtenfeld, Advisory Panelist

You ready for a good ol’ 1960s rock n’ roll flashback, courtesy of four lads from Liverpool?

Amid a buzz of publicity, yesterday was the day that many Beatles fans had eagerly waited for, with the release of a new video game in the band’s name – “The Beatles: Rock Band.”

If you’re not familiar with the “Rock Band” concept, it’s a bit like karaoke, except you play music in addition to singing. Gamers follow along with their favorite musicians/songs, using an electronic drum kit and guitar, and sing the songs, too.

The game is enormously popular, having generated over $1 billion in revenue. And gamers can download individual songs, albums, or catalogs of groups like AC/DC, The Who and The Grateful

...

On Friday, Viacom Inc. (VIA) announced the expiration of its cash tender offer, which began on August 19. The company intended to purchase all or part of its outstanding 5.75% senior notes due 2011.

To fund its cash tender offer, Viacom agreed to sell senior notes worth $850 million, consisting of 4.375% of $600 million notes due 2014 and 5.625% of $250 million notes due 2019.

At close of the offer, Viacom has bought $1,306.6 million of total principal amount of senior notes due 2011, representing 87.1% of the $1,500 million total principal amount.

Holders of the senior notes will receive $1,061.25 per $1,000 principal amount. Viacom will also pay any interest due and outstanding from the date of last interest payment (April 30) to the date prior to the settlement date (August 31).

Viacom is a vertically integrated company with a diversified and highly complementary portfolio of

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Verizon Communications (VZ) announced yesterday that it has entered into a major distribution agreement with Viacom (VIA)-promoted movie channel EPIX to offer multi-channel entertainment services. The deal was announced following Viacom's second-quarter earnings results.

Verizon will carry the TV channels and online services promoted by EPIX on its FiOS network (offering video and Internet services) starting from Oct 1. Verizon will offer EPIX-promoted TV channels via standard and high definition (HD) mode, broadband, video on demand and its V Cast wireless multimedia service. The deal makes Verizon the first distribution partner of the premium multi-platform channel EPIX.

Formed in April 2008, EPIX is an entertainment joint venture between Viacom (through its Paramount Pictures unit), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Lionsgate (LGF). Viacom is the major investor in the joint-venture with 42% stake.

The EPIX deal represents a significant milestone for Verizon, enabling the leading wireless operator to broaden the service coverage

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It was a day of mixed economic and earnings reports Monday but markets held on to gains and edged up slightly as shares seesawed through the session.  Although sentiments got a boost after data showed a surprise rise in new home sales, trading remained subdued as some weaker earnings reports and lowered guidance kept investors on the sidelines. 

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 15.27 points, or 0.2%, to 9,108.51 and the broader Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index edged up 2.92 points, or 0.3%, at 982.18.  The Nasdaq rose 0.1% or 1.93 points, at 1,967.89.  Treasuries declined as the government began a record auction of $115 billion in notes. Yield on the benchmark 10-year jumped to 3.72%.  On the NYSE, 1.04 billion shares exchanged hands and advancing issues outpaced decliners by a two-to-one margin.     

Lowered guidance from Aetna (NYSE:AET) and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) were digested by investors as offsetting those

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The UpTurn Inc. is developing an innovative online real estate matchmaking exchange where residential real estate market participants are matched with each other based on their individual profiles and intended roles in the market. The UpTurn intends to serve all participants in the residential real estate industry.

The company is led by a very strong management team with a broad range of experience. The UpTurn’s management team includes:

Jeffrey M. Eckman, CEO – Mr. Eckman founded Blue Green Ventures in 2008 and has over 15 years of leadership experience in the technology, media, and healthcare industries. His background includes a mix of operational, business development, and consulting practice from his work with various firms.

Mr. Eckman holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Prior to starting Blue Green Ventures, he worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Viacom and Wyeth, as well

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Government mulls mortgage price-control plan… who needs the free market anyway? Dan Denning on the true meaning behind the recent bull market in bonds. Stocks rally on Beige Book release… did the Fed send us the wrong copy? Bill Gross on stock evaluation for the Brave New World of tomorrow. Byron King with anecdotal evidence that oil is well oversold.

The vomit approach continues at the Treasury. This time their throwing up historically low mortgages on the wall… just to see if they stick. The U.S. Treasury is considering a proposal to offer new mortgages at 4.5% through Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE). That’s a point and a half lower than the silly “free market” says it should be.

Should this mortgage plan come

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Monday:Economic Construction (-0.8%), ISM (42.0)Earnings Allegheny Energy (AYE), DryShips (DRYS), Goodyear (GT), Oshkosh (OSK), Anadarko (APC), Auto Data (ADP), Herbalife (HLF), MasterCard (MA), Mohawk (MHK), Open Text (OTEX), Otter Tail (OTTR), Rock Tenn (RKT), Pitney (PBI), Principal Fin (PFG), Viacom (VIA.B)Tuesday:Economic Truck / Auto, Factory Orders (-1.5%)Earnings Archer D (ADM), Emerson (EMR), FirstEnergy (FE), Graftech (GTI), Jacobs (JEC), Marvel (MVL), Rowan (RDC), RTI (RTI), Vornado (VNO), West Pharma (WST), Blue Nile (NILE), Kendle (KNDL), Ultra Petrol (UPL), Weight Watchers (WTW), W Greatbatch (GB)Wednesday:Economic Weekly Crude, ADP (-80K), ISM Services (48.5)Earnings Agrium (AGU), AMBAC (ABK), Arcelor Mittal (MT), Clean Harbors (CLHB), Cognizant (CTSH), Duke (DUK), GM (GM), Molson (TAP), Quanta (PWR), Sara Lee (SLE), Time Warner (TWX), Transocean (RIG), XTO (XTO), Activision (ATVI), Central Euro Dist (CEDC), Charles River (CRL), Excel M (EXM), Leap W (LEAP), Ormat (ORA), Sina (SINA), Vulcan ...

Insider sales have been out of control during the past few days…cant be a good sign for the market.  Even Sumner Redstone is cashing out of CBS and Viacom, which have been creamed lately:

Track these picks at:

http://trackthepros.com/stocks/category/37

SELLERS:

COMPANY NAME INSIDERS NAME TITLE $ VALUE NO. OF SHARES IN TRANS. RANGE OF VALUES TRANSACTIONS DATES CBS S. Redstone H $120,700,000 17,000,000 7.10 Oct. 10, 2008 Viacom S. Redstone CB 114,450,000 7,000,000 16.35 Oct. 10, 2008 Boston Scientific J. Abele D 87,639,462 11,121,906 7.17-9.13 Oct. 9-10, 2008 Copart B. Rosenstein D 35,150,000...