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10Q Detective

  • GameStop's Gamer Hell

    Number of comments: 0
    In fiscal 2008, GameStop (GME-$21.35) generated approximately 40 percent of its sales and 56 percent of its operating profit during the all-important fourth-quarter holiday selling season. Christmas is also critical to the company’s cash flow. For the first half of fiscal 2009, GameStop bled $261 million. Nonetheless, the nation’s largest [...]
    Posted: December 08, 2009, 9:45pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Valero 'Fills 'Er Up With Ethanol Profits

    Number of comments: 0
    Valero (VLO-$16.36) is looking to improve margins by shifting its crude diet away from heavy sours to lighter “sweet” (lower sulfur content) grades of oil. Prior to the shuttering of doors at the 200,000 barrel-per-day heavy crude facility in Delaware City, Valero had idled about 20 percent of its total [...]
    Posted: December 07, 2009, 5:08pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • More on Novartis' Promising MS Drug Fingolimod

    Number of comments: 0
    Novartis’ (NVS-$55.78) fingolimod, first in a new class of immunomodulatory drugs called S1P-receptor modulators, reduces circulating levels of white blood cells (by bottling them up in lymph nodes). Though effective in relapsing forms of MS, treatment with fingolimod – like all disease-modifying agents – is not without risk Skin cancer [...]
    Posted: December 06, 2009, 8:11am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Second Life for Pfizer's HIV Drug Selzentry

    Number of comments: 0
    Pfizer’s (PFE-$18.85) anti-HIV drug Selzentry is now approved for combination use with other antiretroviral agents for treatment-naïve patients infected with CCR5-tropic HIV-1. Granted accelerated approval by the FDA in August 2007 for treatment-experienced patients infected with the R5 HIV-1 strain, industry pundits forecasted sales of more than $500 million by [...]
    Posted: December 02, 2009, 9:14am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Jacked up Dreams at Incyte

    Number of comments: 0
    In the newly inked commercial deal with Novartis, drug designer Incyte (INCY-$8.39) retained exclusive rights for the development and potential commercialization of INCB18424 in the US. With more than 100,000 patients suffering from MF or related disorders, on the surface this looks like a sound commercial strategy. Think again — [...]
    Posted: December 01, 2009, 9:37pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Patterson-UTI Expands Rigging Activity in Shale Basins

    Number of comments: 0
    The drilling slowdown has eroded Patterson-UTI Energy’s (PTEN-$15.25) U.S. land rig market share, which is down some 50 percent in the last 24 months to about 7.5 percent. Competitor Helmerich & Payne has been able to snag market share and maintain a relatively higher utilization due to stronger drilling demand [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 1:02pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Novartis Breathes Life Into Blood Pressure Franchise

    Number of comments: 0
    Novartis AG (NVS-$55.85) loses patent protection for its $4.4 billion blood pressure medicine Diovan (valsartan) in the major countries of the European Union in 2011 and the following September here in the U.S. Expect generic challengers to strangle Exforge’s (valsartan-amlodipine) lease-on-life, too. Does anyone know CPR? The drugmaker is reaching [...]
    Posted: November 26, 2009, 12:54am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Johnson & Johnson Itches for Successful Stelara Launch

    Number of comments: 0
    Stelara (ustekinumab), the Johnson & Johnson (JNJ-$62.76) drug approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients, could be a blockbuster drug. This first-in-class interleukin (IL) inhibitor offers the appeal of fewer injections than the established biologics for psoriasis, the tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors.Commercial success of Stelara, however, [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:32am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Should Genzyme Hire Beer Girls Instead?

    Number of comments: 0
    Genzyme (GENZ-$49.63) has already spent more than $1 billion in the last two years to build new and bigger bioreactors — notably in the U.S., Ireland, and Belgium. Eventual plans call for total perfusion bioreactor capacity to climb from 20,000 Liters to 32,000 Liters by 2012. The global brewer of [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 6:38am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • ITT Educational Services' Healthy Assets Hide Growing Loan Defaults

    Number of comments: 0
    Do not be mislead by ITT Educational Services (ESI-$93.00) impressive balance sheet or 27 percent gains in new student enrollments for the third quarter, as the trail of money starts and ends back at ITT itself. Federal loan programs are falling short, so the for-profit educator is dipping into its [...]
    Posted: November 19, 2009, 11:24am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Biogen Idec's Social Media Successes

    Number of comments: 0
    In the battle for market share and sales, Biogen Idec (BIIB-$46.75) has successfully conveyed the Tysabri message to providers and potential customers alike through popular social media websites ranging from YouTube to Facebook. Despite the increasing amount of PML cases that have been diagnosed since Tysabri was re-introduced to the [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 2:56pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Generics Pressure Johnson & Johnson -- Motrin Anyone?

    Number of comments: 0
    Johnson & Johnson’s Invega (paliperidone) is no Dorothy Hamill poised to skate away with the gold anytime soon. The heralded successor to the schizophrenic drug Risperdal took a tumble after flubbing the double lutz. Third-quarter U.S. revenue fell 16.4 percent to $61 million, and Invega slowly wobbled away out of [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 1:22am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • MannKind Inhales -- Exhales, Awaits FDA Meeting

    Number of comments: 0
    MannKind (MNKD-$6.58) is seeking FDA approval of Afresa for the treatment of adults with type 1 or type 2-diabetes. Afresa is a drug-device combination product, consisting of an ultra, rapid-acting insulin [an inhalation powder formulation] pre-metered into single unit dose cartridges and an inhaler. In a one-on-one interview, chief financial [...]
    Posted: November 11, 2009, 1:24am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Teva Pharmaceutical Learns Legal Sword Cuts Both Ways

    Number of comments: 0
    Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA-$52.03) became the world’s largest generic manufacturer through an unflinching willingness to knock down the patented walls protecting the branded products owned by Big Pharma. This legal brashness has helped the company to build a portfolio of cheaper versions of such well-known drugs as the colorectal chemotherapeutic agent [...]
    Posted: November 08, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Can BioCryst Pharma's Peramivir Boost Obama's Poll Numbers?

    Number of comments: 0
    Does the totality of scientific evidence on Biocryst Pharma’s (BCRX-$10.00) peramivir support the intravenous administration of the drug in patients with suspected 2009 H1N1 influenza — and outweigh the known and potential risks? FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg opines that the answer is “yes” in her Letter of Authorization granting EUA [...]
    Posted: November 04, 2009, 2:28pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Biogen Idec - Sacrificing Integrity for Profits?

    Number of comments: 0
    On its recent earnings call, Biogen-Idec (BIIB-$42.59) management brushed aside alleged safety advantage [PML-related] to “drug holidays” for long-term Tysabri users. Specifically, when asked to comment on the proportion of patients in Biogen’s database where providers implemented drug holidays, senior researcher Al Sandrock tersely replied: “From the data we have [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:13pm EST
    by David J. Phillips
  • Continental Airlines' "Fly Right" Campaign Excludes Joey

    Number of comments: 0
    Continental Airlines (CAL-$11.50) likes to brag that its Work Hard. Fly Right campaign reflects the philosophy of the world’s fifth largest air carrier. That – and its corporate culture –says the company, is what helped make Continental the most admired airline among FORTUNE Magazine’s 2009 list of "Most Admired Global" [...]
    Posted: October 30, 2009, 11:43pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Netflix Eyes Wii Users Next

    Number of comments: 0
    The distribution deal Netflix (NFLX-$55.32) signed with Sony is important because it not only ends the lock Microsoft had on the U.S. movie-rental service provider in the game console market — the Xbox 360 had previously been the exclusive videogame brand (the expiring agreement was recently extended to spring 2010 [...]
    Posted: October 29, 2009, 5:10pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Not-So Friendly European Skies for American Airlines

    Number of comments: 0
    AMR (AMR-$5.90), the corporate parent of American Airlines, continues to jettison unprofitable routes and shift more traffic capacity to hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami and New York, along with the city of Los Angeles. That said, AMR’s competitive global presence could be severely impaired — think loss of feeder [...]
    Posted: October 28, 2009, 5:04am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Lethal Infection at Biogen Idec

    Number of comments: 0
    Expect European regulators to likely recommend that the use of Biogen Idec’s (BIIB-$44.16) drug for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, Tysabri, include mandatory drug holidays after a determined length of use, as 23 cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have been reported in those on therapy. How would this development [...]
    Posted: October 26, 2009, 4:28pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Is Atheros Communication Too Optimistic on Growth Prospects?

    Number of comments: 0
    At a glance, the financial performance of Atheros Communications (ATHR-$28.90) suggests the wireless chipset provider is weathering the downturn well, due to increasing acceptance for both newer 802.11 products (a set of standards carrying out WLAN computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6, and 5 GHz frequency bands) and its Ethernet [...]
    Posted: October 23, 2009, 1:18pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Can Marriott Int'l Avoid Triggering Debt Covenant?

    Number of comments: 0
    Marriott International (MAR-$28.04) learned the hard way that moving from a cash-based business like lodging to a financing-based business like timeshares wasn’t without risk – especially when consumers go bust and credit markets dry up. Going forward, the hotelier will no longer invest its own capital into new luxury-residential and [...]
    Posted: October 19, 2009, 10:15pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Future of Serada - Discussion With Depomed CEO Carl Pelzel

    Number of comments: 0
    What does the future hold in store for Depomed’s (DEPO-$3.60) investigational non-hormonal therapeutic option for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes, Serada? In an exclusive interview, chief executive Carl Pelzel shared his thoughts with me on the higher-than-expected efficacy seen with patients given placebo and possible outcomes from a likely [...]
    Posted: October 19, 2009, 4:34am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • SEC Joins List of KB Homes' Watchers

    Number of comments: 0
    KB Homes (KBH-$15.63) said on Monday the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating it for possible accounting and disclosure violations. As if the SEC were not enough of a distraction – if the homebuilder’s tangible net worth falls below the required maintenance covenant of $278.2 million, its bankers could be [...]
    Posted: October 13, 2009, 11:31pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Insulin Shocker at MannKind Corp

    Number of comments: 0
    As late as August 3, MannKind Corp (MNKD-$6.34) predicted a successful outcome to negotiations with Big Pharma to co-market its lead product candidate, the inhaled insulin product AFRESA. Unfortunately, after burning through more than $1.4 billion to develop the inhaler, still no deal. Notwithstanding credibility issues, the question remains whether [...]
    Posted: October 09, 2009, 4:38pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Can Gisele Bundchen's 'Rampage' Save Iconix Brand Group?

    Number of comments: 2
    Long known as the unlucky kid brother of fashion designer Kenneth Cole, critics have long alleged that Neil Cole, chief executive of Iconix Brand Group (ICON-$12.34), has a history of overpaying for acquisitions -- in his eagerness to add breadth to Iconix's portfolio of apparel, footwear, and household related-accessories. As' [...]
    Posted: October 07, 2009, 2:01am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • If Only Raser Tech Could Power Generators With "Hot Air!"

    Number of comments: 1
    Raser Technologies (RZ-$1.40) still maintains that the five production wells drilled to date are viable geothermal resources, with demonstrated flow temperatures in “commercially productive” ranges of approximately 240° Fahrenheit to 300° Fahrenheit, and bottom-hole temperatures in excess of 350° Fahrenheit. Never mind questioning previous statements by management supporting the economics [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Heinz Sticks with Brand Name Pricing Strategies

    Number of comments: 2
    Remarkedly, even with the highest unemployment rate in 27 years, H J Heinz (HNZ-$38.69) continues to maintain its pricing power in the United States. Chief financial officer Art Winkleblack told analysts on the earnings call that 88 percent of total U.S. retail sales were sold off the shelf at full [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 12:06pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Cabot Oil & Gas' Fracking Problems in PA

    Number of comments: 0
    Cabot Oil & Gas (COG-$33.94) estimates that production from developed (producing) reserves will decline sequentially at projected rates of 21 percent, 17 percent, and 12 percent during the years 2009 -2011. Ergo, development of Marcellus Shale leaseholds will grow in importance to Cabot: in addition to known reserves, the region [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 11:17am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Pork Producer Smithfield Foods Needs a Cash Cow

    Number of comments: 0
    Smithfield Foods (SFD-$13.46) will continue to raise hogs and produce fresh pork, but management is intent on changing the cyclical nature of profits. Going forward, packaged-meats sold under the Armour, Butterball, and LunchMakers (among other) brands, will playing a larger role. Uncertainty exists at to whether CEO Larry Pope & [...]
    Posted: September 29, 2009, 6:43am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Rig Count to Rise at Chesapeake Energy

    Number of comments: 0
    To further develop its Big 4 shale leaseholds, Chesapeake Energy (CHK-$28.14) plans to operate an average of approximately 101 rigs in 2010 to drill up to 795 wells. The current operating rig count is 83. The company has had some success in raising cash - and lowering its own drill [...]
    Posted: September 28, 2009, 9:53pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Shipping Rate Increases at FedEx Corp

    Number of comments: 0
    Lower yields resulting from declining fuel surcharges are expected to hurt 2010 sales at FedEx Corp (FDX-$73.38). The package-delivery giant plans to increase shipping rates in January 2010. Continue Reading at BNET Travel…. [...]
    Posted: September 27, 2009, 9:46pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Chesapeake Energy Drilling for Investment Grade Rating

    Number of comments: 0
    With only about 21 percent of anticipated 2010 gas production hedged, Chesapeake Energy (CHK-$28.11) is gambling that an economic recovery will push demand for natural gas – and prices – higher in coming quarters. The largest domestic producer of natural gas currently carries a Ba2 bond rating by Moody’s. Higher [...]
    Posted: September 21, 2009, 5:03pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • More Worries For Jet-Lagged Cephalon Shareholders

    Number of comments: 0
    The health of Cephalon (CEPH-$58.49) going forward could be influenced by more than just the drugmaker’s initial success in switching sleep-disorder patients from its blockbuster Provigil (modafinil) to long-term Nuvigil (armodafinil) users prior to the patent clock running down on its flagship drug. Adding to an already restless sleep for [...]
    Posted: September 21, 2009, 2:36am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Pyramid Schemes -- "Main Street Bubble?"

    Number of comments: 2
    In the opinion of the 10Q Detective, there is no better source to directly educate consumers on identifying and avoiding the deceptive and predatory income traps of multi-level marketing (MLM), pyramid, and Ponzi schemes than Robert L. Fitzpatrick, President of Pyramid Scheme Alert. Responding to our recent analysis on Medifast, [...]
    Posted: September 17, 2009, 2:12am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • H&R Block Copies Jackson Hewitt Playbook

    Number of comments: 0
    H&R Block (HRB-$17.52) performed miserably in the 2009 tax season, handling 5.8 percent fewer in-store, retail tax returns, as clients sought lower-cost IRS filing alternatives due to difficult economic conditions. Can the largest provider of tax preparation services in the U.S, with almost 13,000 retail outlets, draw more customers to [...]
    Posted: September 15, 2009, 1:57pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Medifast: Ultimate Wight-Loss System or Pyramid Scheme

    Number of comments: 3
    Liquid protein drinks, raw foods, Scarsdale and Atkins — is the Medifast (MED-$19.44) Meal Plan an amazing weight-loss product, or just another in a long list of fad diets? Medifast meals are formulated with low-fat protein and fiber, and are supposedly “clinically proven” to help users lose weight quickly — [...]
    Posted: September 14, 2009, 1:42am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Fossil Fuel Prices Depress Demand for Trinal Solar's Panels

    Number of comments: 0
    With many positives developing for solar companies and the industry, such as subsidies offered by governments and plummeting prices of the key raw material poly-silicon, why are the solar stocks giving up their huge gains of the last three months? Could it be that “grid parity” is more dependent on [...]
    Posted: September 03, 2009, 10:14am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • How Lucrative Eagle Ford Shale Gas Play for Swift Energy?

    Number of comments: 2
    Terry Swift, chief executive of Swift Energy (SFY-$20.00), announced on the second-quarter earnings call that the E&P company is planning to commence drilling in South Texas’ emerging Eagle Ford shale-gas play and expand horizontal drilling operations in the Olmos tight-sand formations of its AWP Field. With North America awash in [...]
    Posted: August 28, 2009, 1:46am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Healthcare Reform's Impact on DaVita's Dialysis Profits

    Number of comments: 3
    Although DaVita (DVA-$52.38), posted solid second-quarter financial results, chief financial officer Rich Whitney admitted to analysts on the earnings call that Medicare composite rate adjustment provided for in 2009 and 2010 would not be sufficient to compensate for anticipated increases in forward operating costs subject to inflation, such as labor [...]
    Posted: August 24, 2009, 2:02am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Wall Street Sycophants Praise Trina Solar's Performance

    Number of comments: 1
    Chairman and CEO Jifan Gao of Trina Solar (TSL-$27.10) optimistically told analysts on its second-quarter earnings call that he believed market confidence was returning to the photovoltaic sector and expected gross margin to stabilize going forward. Overlooked by the Wall Street sycophants in their effusive praise, however, was the admission [...]
    Posted: August 18, 2009, 11:29am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • New Revenue-Sharing Deals With Studios No Win for Blockbuster

    Number of comments: 0
    Speaking to analysts during a second-quarter financial call on August 13, Blockbuster (BBI-$0.72) chief executive Jim Keyes said the video rental chain had drafted new revenue-sharing agreements with studios— “win-win” initiatives designed to increase the number of rentals at Blockbuster and improve profits for the studios on the backend. To [...]
    Posted: August 17, 2009, 4:28am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Generic Vancocin Threatens Optimer Pharmaceuticals' Fidaxomicin Success

    Number of comments: 0
    The relative efficacy of Optimer Pharma's (OPTR-$13.49) investigational antibiotic, fidaxomicin, compared to standard-of-care vancomycin (marketed as Vancocin by drugmaker ViroPharma), for the treatment of the hospital-acquired gastrointestinal infection Clostridium difficile remains unclear, as published results show similar recurrence rates in a subset of patients infected with a [...]
    Posted: August 12, 2009, 11:00pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • 10Q Detective in Distribution Deal with BusinessWeek

    Number of comments: 5
    10Q Detective is pleased to announce a definitive distribution arrangement with BusinessWeek, where original 10Q Detective content can now be found on a bi-weekly column at BusinessWeek’s Investor Channel.This deal affords us a unique platform from which to nationally distribute 10Q Detective analysis to a wider audience. Loyal readers still [...]
    Posted: August 07, 2009, 11:54am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Contract Termination Fees Inflate Nabors Industries' Earnings

    Number of comments: 0
    The operating performance of the land drilling contractor Nabors Industries (NBR-$17.03) continues to be hurt by low natural gas prices in the U.S. Lower 48 states and the resultant decrease in drilling activities as producers shut in unprofitable wells. Although weak demand for rigging and well-servicing will likely continue to [...]
    Posted: August 02, 2009, 10:58pm EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • "It'll Be Great, Just Wait!" Says CEO Rick Lepley of A.C. Moore

    Number of comments: 5
    As a result of A.C. Moore’s (ACMR-$3.41) weak overall performance in fiscal 2008, competitive pressures, and the current economic recession, the specialty retailer of arts, crafts, and home floral merchandise has determined for fiscal 2009 to not increase base salaries or offer incentive bonuses for its executive officers, according to [...]
    Posted: July 27, 2009, 2:33am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • ‘Chic’ Accounting Tricks Boost Sales at Swank Inc.

    Number of comments: 0
    As retailing continues to face the weakest consumer-spending environment in decades, Swank Inc (SNKI-$2.49), a men’s accessories supplier of leather goods and jewelry collections, reaches deeper into its fashion bag of accounting tricks to boost annual sales.Distributing its namesake Swank, and well-known brands (like Claiborne, Kenneth Cole, Guess?, and Tommy [...]
    Posted: July 22, 2009, 3:51am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Has Noven Pharma's CEO Brandt Earned A $6.0 Million Payday?

    Number of comments: 0
    Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical is acquiring U.S. drug delivery innovator Noven Pharmaceuticals (NOVN-$16.50), in an all-cash tender offer worth approximately $430 million, or $16.50 per share. Commenting on the merger agreement, Noven chief executive Peter Brandt said it was a great day for Noven, its shareholders, and employees—as the definitive deal “provides [...]
    Posted: July 20, 2009, 2:45am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Gloomy Christmas 2009 for Peabody Energy Stockholders?

    Number of comments: 4
    Peabody Energy Corp. (BTU-$28.92), the world's largest private-sector coal company, appears reasonably positioned to ride out the economic downturn, having locked in thermal coal contracts last year for 2009 delivery and beyond at close to 50 –to- 60 percent premiums to current Powder River Basin (PRB) spot prices of $9.00' [...]
    Posted: July 13, 2009, 8:45am EDT
    by David J. Phillips
  • Raser Tech Performs Its Best -- At Raising More Money!

    Number of comments: 4
    Raser Technologies (RZ-$2.30), focused on the construction of geothermal power plants, demonstrated once again that it is better at raising money than actually delivering megawatts of geothermal power. CEO Brent Cook said the company received net proceeds of $23.8 million from its most recent offering of common stock and warrants. [...]
    Posted: July 09, 2009, 3:56am EDT
    by David J. Phillips

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