It’s Merger Monday — Here’s Who’s Involved
Stocks are
solidly higher this midday.
The major indices are starting the week off on a very positive note
thanks to healthy corporate reports, upgrades, and a resurgence in M&A activity.
Both Citigroup
(
C |
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(
BAC |
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better-than-expected results. Citigroup cited strong results from its consumer
lending and credit card businesses while B of A cited smaller credit losses. Dow
components Intel
(
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(
JNJ |
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PowerRating), and Merck
(
MRK |
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were all upgraded today. Merger Monday is back as Yahoo!
(
YHOO |
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acquiring rival Overture Services
(
OVER |
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PowerRating), paper giant Boise Cascade
(
BCC |
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is acquiring OfficeMax
(
OMX |
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PowerRating), and American Home Mortgage is acquiring Apex
Mortgage Capital
(
AXM |
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PowerRating).Â
The major averages are just off
the highs of the session. At one point, the Dow was within 74 points of its June
17 high. Currently, 26 of the 30 Dow stocks are in the green with losers being
Boeing
(
BA |
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(
MCD |
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PowerRating), SBC
(
SBC |
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PowerRating), and Procter and Gamble
(
PG |
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PowerRating).
Bonds are slightly lower today after a three-day counter trend rally. Both gold
and the dollar are higher.
The Dow Jones Industrial
Average
(
$INDU.X |
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PowerRating) is +1.38% at 9,245.85. The S&P 500
(
$SPX.X |
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is +1.33% at 1011.41. The Nasdaq
(
$COMPQ |
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PowerRating) is +1.79% at 1764.90.
The day’s leading sectors are
Internet Commerce
(
$ECM.X |
Quote |
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News |
PowerRating), +3.60%, Broker Dealers
(
$XBD.X |
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Chart |
News |
PowerRating),
+3.64%, Semiconductors
(
$SOX.X |
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Chart |
News |
PowerRating), +3.54%, Disk Drives
(
$DDX.X |
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News |
PowerRating),
+3.37%, and Banks
(
$BKX.X |
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PowerRating), +2.89%.
Weak today are Oil Services
(
$OSX.X |
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PowerRating), -0.61%, Natural Gas
(
$XNG.X |
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PowerRating), -0.50%, and
Energy
(
$DXE.X |
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PowerRating), -0.25%.
No economic news to report but
Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan will give his testimony on the state of the economy
on Tuesday and Wednesday. Â
The 10-year U.S. Note
is -050 at 116 285.
The dollar is +0.12 at
96.25.
Gold is +1.70 at 347.30.
Crude Oil -0.43 at
30.85.
Volume is 710,000,000 on
the NYSE, and at 1,000,000,000 on the Nasdaq.
Market breadth is positive
on the NYSE and on the Nasdaq, with NYSE advancing issues over declining
issues by a ratio of 2.01, and up volume over down volume by a 4.66 ratio.
Nasdaq advancing issues over declining issues is at 2.01, and up volume over
down volume is at 7.00 ratio.
Top Dow stock(s) are:
American Express
(
AXP |
Quote |
Chart |
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PowerRating), +4.20% at
45.81, Johnson & Johnson
(
JNJ |
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Chart |
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PowerRating), +3.91% at 53.91, J.P. Morgan
(
JPM |
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Chart |
News |
PowerRating),
+3.77% at 37.11, Intel
(
INTC |
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PowerRating), +3.31% at 24.11, and Citigroup
(
C |
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PowerRating), +2.75% at 47.42.
Stocks in the news:
American Home Mortgage
(
AMHM |
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News |
PowerRating)
is higher by 10.7% after the company announced that it will buy Apex Mortgage
Capital
(
AXM |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) in a $186 million stock deal. Under the terms, Apex
shareholders will receive 0.32 share of American Home Mortgage for each
outstanding share. American Home also raised guidance for both fiscal 03 and 04.
The company now sees fiscal 2003 resulting between $3.95 to $4.05 vs. estimates
of $3.23. For 2004, the company is forecasting earnings between $3.05 to $3.15
versus estimates of $2.56.Â
Bank of America
(
BAC |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
is higher by 2% after the company reported second-quarter results that surpassed
expectations. The company earned $1.80 vs. estimates of $1.57. Earnings jumped
28%. B of A attributed the results from its strong consumer lending and credit
card business.  Â
Cigna
(
CI |
Quote |
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PowerRating) is lower
by 6.2% on very heavy volume after the company lowered its second quarter and
full year estimates. The company now sees second quarter results between $1 and
$1.15 a share versus analysts estimates of $1.48. For the full year, the company
now sees results between $5 to $5.25 versus analysts estimates of $6.01Â
Citigroup
(
C |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) is
trading higher by 3.3% after the Dow component reported second-quarter results
that topped estimates. The company reported earnings of 83 cents a share or 3
cents better than consensus estimates. Citigroup also upped its dividend to 35
cents a share from 20 cents a share. Â
Gilead Sciences
(
GILD |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
is higher by 10.5% after the company lifted its second-quarter sales. Due to
strong sales of its Viread drug, the company now sees sales between $236 to 239
million compared to estimates of $171 million.
Intel
(
INTC |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) is
higher by 4.5% after Merrill Lynch upgraded the semiconductor giant from ”
neutral” to “buy”. Merrill based its upgrade on its expectations of better
margins due to a shift to notebook computers. Intel will report results
tomorrow.Â
OfficeMax
(
OMX |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating) is
higher by 20% after the company agreed to be acquired by paper giant Boise
Cascade
(
BCC |
Quote |
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News |
PowerRating) in a $1.2 billion cash and stock deal. Under the terms,
OfficeMax shareholders will receive $9 in cash and stock. Boise expects the
acquisition to be accretive to earnings starting 2004.Â
Overture Services
(
OVER |
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Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
is higher by 10.3% after the company agreed to be acquired by Yahoo!
(
YHOO |
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PowerRating)
in a cash and stock deal worth $1.63 billion. Under the terms of the deal,
Overture share holders will receive 0.6108 shares of Yahoo plus $4.75 in cash.Â
 If you have any comments or
questions, please feel free to email me.