During the fourth quarter, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) had a 9.5% rise in net income due to the foreign exchange rates, fervent consumer-products sales and a year-earlier charge. The company’s revenue for medical-devices rose 11.3% due mainly in part to currency impacts. However, sales from the Cypher, which is the company’s drug-coated stents has declined. The stents are tiny mesh devices used to prop open heart arteries. Medicine coated stents are used to help tackle re-narrowing. Reports have shown that these devices may carry a higher risk of blood-clotting than those uncoated in medications. These drug coated stents have been declining in sales since 2006, therefore, reducing stock trading and stock investing performance.
TD Ameritrade Profit Rises by 65%
TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD) said its quarterly net income jumped 65% as volatile markets contributed to higher client trading, while the online broker also lifted its profit outlook. The company said its fiscal first-quarter earnings rose to $240.8 million, or 40 cents a share, from $145.6 million, or 24 cents a share, a year earlier, boosted in part by higher average client trades per day and higher fee-based balances. The Omaha-based online brokerage company said net revenue for the quarter ended Dec. 31 increased to $641.6 million from $535.2 million. TD Ameritrade also increased the midpoint of its fiscal 2008 forecast to $1.32 a share and adjusted its outlook to $1.23 to $1.41 a share.
Motorola (MOT) – Reporting Losses in Mobile Phones Division
Motorola (MOT) lost a significant amount of stock investing value over the past year. Globally, it fell to third place. This is due to a lack of new handsets. Analysts predict it could take the entire year of 2008 to show any signs of progress due to the fact that it can take several years to create a new phone and the cost of phones are still too high. Investors stock investing in these stocks will most likely not see high returns on investment, unfortunately. In fourth-quarter 2007, Motorola (MOT) reported a net income of $100 million, equaling to 4 cents a share. This is down from $623 million at 25 cents a share, just last year. This significant loss is attributed to sales dropping 18.2% to $9.65 billion from $11.79 billion.
Apple’s (AAPL) – iPod’s Sales Decline While Mac Sales Increase
Investors, stock investing in Apple Inc. (AAPL) were disappointed because the iPod and Macintosh PC maker’s stock went down as much as 18%. Apple’s (AAPL) stock investing shares fell almost $28 to $127.90 in the company’s earnings report for December quarter. Apple (AAPL) delivered a 58% growth in net income for the period. But it issued a forecast for the current quarter that was below Wall Street’s predictions. This drop put Apple (AAPL) stock investing shares at its lowest point since August.
U.S. Stocks – Profits Down for 6 Sessions
U.S. Stocks had a six-session losing streak, especially in the stock investing and stock trading areas. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) bounced back from 325-point deficit to end nearly 300 points ahead. Many investors chose to bet on another rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
General Electric (GE) Posts 4% Rise in Net Income
General Electric Co. (GE) fourth-quarter net income rose 4%, amid continuing strength in its infrastructure and commercial finance divisions. The Fairfield conglomerate reported net income of $6.7 billion, or 66 cents a share, versus $6.44 billion, or 62 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding discontinued operations, earnings from continuing operations rose to 68 cents a share from 58 cents. The company had predicted earnings from continuing operations of 67 cents to 69 cents a share. Revenue grew 18% to $48.59 billion, with more than half coming from outside the U.S.
BlackRock (BLK) 4th Quarter Net Jumps 90%
BlackRock Inc.’s (BLK) fourth-quarter earnings jumped 90% as the investment-management firm benefited from strong demand for its advisory and alternative-investment services. Net income at the New York company rose to $322.4 million, or $2.43 a share, from $169.4 million, or $1.28 a share, a year earlier. The latest quarter’s results include a 1-cent integration charge associated with the company’s September 2006 acquisition of the operations of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, while such charges a year earlier totaled 25 cents.
Jumping on Board the Gold Train – Gold Stock Covered Calls
A new investment strategy is sweeping developing countries, such as China and the Middle East. This investment strategy is the investment of gold. A new class of investors is adding a twist to the market. The rush to invest gold has helped in the increasing prices. This week, gold crossed $900 an ounce. It even went up to $1,000 at some point.
IBM Encounters Strong Growth Overseas
IBM (IBM) reported a better-than-expected 24 percent rise in preliminary quarterly earnings on Monday on strong sales in overseas markets. In the third quarter, IBM posted higher earnings as continued strength in the consulting and services unit offset a slide in hardware sales.
Volkswagen Widens Passenger Car Sales Lead Over GM in China
Volkswagen (VLKAY) widened its lead in China over General Motors Corp. (GM) with a 28% growth in sales as the German automaker maintained its position last year as China’s largest passenger carmaker. Volkswagen outsold U.S. rival GM by 431,064 passenger cars in 2007, compared with 298,507 in 2006. Volkswagen’s China sales last year rose to 910,491 units, exceeding its sales target of 900,000. GM, through its passenger car joint venture, Shanghai General Motors Corp., sold 479,427 vehicles in China in 2007, up 16.9%.