DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Winners and Losers of the Week: Cheap Chic, Cruises, Coffee and Morehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/24/wall-street-winners-losers-starbucks-xbox-target/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/24/wall-street-winners-losers-starbucks-xbox-target/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/24/wall-street-winners-losers-starbucks-xbox-target/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Xbox One
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Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From a theme park operator making a big splash with its first quarterly report as a public company to a cruise ship operator hosing down its navigation skills, here's a rundown of this week's smartest moves and worst performers in the business world.

Microsoft (MSFT) -- Winner

The world's largest software company showed off its new game face this week. Microsoft unveiled Xbox One, the heir to the Xbox 360 when it rolls out next week. Gamers won't know how much they will have to shell out to buy one of these consoles, but it probably won't be cheap given the impressive specs.

Microsoft spent the first half of its media event discussing all of the non-gaming things that the new system will do. From Skype group video calls to voice-based controls of live television, Xbox One really does want to be the cornerstone of every home theater. After three years of sluggish video game sales, the industry could use a hero.

Target (TGT) -- Loser

It was a bad sign when Walmart (WMT) reported disappointing quarterly results last week on a surprising decline in same-store sales, but Target investors probably thought they would be immune from the apathy at the world's largest retailer.

"We're cheap chic," they may have said. "We're Tar-zhay!"

Well, apparently Target wasn't "cheap chic" enough. Shares of the trendy discounter slipped after posting a dip in same-store sales itself. Target is also lowering its earnings outlook for the entire year. Target and Walmart blamed the lingering winter weather and the hiccup in early tax return refunds on the stagnancy, but other retailers have been holding up just fine.

SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) -- Winner

It's always important to look good in your first quarter as a public company, and SeaWorld Entertainment lived up to the billing. The theme park operator behind the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens gated attractions posted a respectable 12 percent increase in revenue during the quarter.

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This is impressive because we're not talking about a 12 percent spike in turnstile clicks. Actual attendance climbed just 2 percent during the quarter. The real growth came from consumers willing to spend more to visit its parks and an increase in guest spending inside the park. That's a lot of "I survived" T-shirts and killer whale stuffed animals.

Carnival (CCL) -- Loser

SeaWorld had no problem getting more people to pay up for its engaging experience, but the same didn't hold true for Carnival. The world's largest cruise line warned that it will fall short of its earlier profit targets for the year.

As you can imagine, Carnival's reputation isn't at its best these days. It's had too many mishaps on its vessels since last year, and that makes it hard to get passengers to pay up for a cabin. Discounting and heavy marketing expenses are eating into profitability. Carnival now expects to earn $1.45 a share to $1.65 a share this year, well off its original outlook that modeled as much as $2.10 a share in profitability.

What can Carnival do to improve its image? How about moving up the midnight buffets by a half hour? Hey. At least that's something.

Starbucks (SBUX) -- Winner

No one would be surprised to hear that Starbucks opened 10 stores this week, but this time it was 10 Seattle's Best Coffee stores. Starbucks introduced 10 Seattle's Best Coffee standalone locations in Dallas this week, and they're different. They don't have any indoor seating or counters. Customers order coffee and a small selection of food items through the drive-thru or walk-up windows.

These coffee houses are also located in parking lots, and eight of them happen to be in Walmart parking lots. Yes, Walmart.

This may not seem like the Euro-style ambience that Starbucks cultivates at its namesake stores, but that's the point. Starbucks is going after the McCafes of the world that are gunning for the value-minded java sipper.

It's a smart move for Starbucks, tossing a brand that has stumbled at the retail level since Borders liquidated its stores two years ago.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft and Starbucks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

Gallery: 6 Money Leaks That Are Draining Your Finances

Overpaying for Your SmartphoneHidden Fees on Monthly BillsStorage Unit FeesBuying Instead of Renting EquipmentNot Bundling Services or Policies

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]]>Rick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 24 May 2013 12:05:00 ESTHousing Boom Leaves Some Stocks in the Dusthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/22/housing-boom-eldues-some-stocks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/22/housing-boom-eldues-some-stocks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/22/housing-boom-eldues-some-stocks/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A sign overlooks the Toll Brothers' Spring Valley Estates in Buckingham, Pennsylvania, February 4, 2008. Photographer: Mike Mergen/Bloomberg News.
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The housing boom continues, but don't make the mistake of assuming that every company related to the sector is a great investment. Some stocks may be rightfully soaring, but other logical winners aren't cashing in on the trend.

Toll Brothers (TOL) hit another 52-week high Wednesday after posting blowout quarterly results, but earnings reports out of the country's two leading home-improvement chains this week haven't been as inspiring.

Let's knock on some doors to spot the disparity.

As the Toll Tolls

The National Association of Realtors reported robust existing home sales Wednesday. The annual rate of existing home sales is closing in on 5 million properties, and that's the highest level since late 2009.

Naturally it's not just existing homes that are selling briskly. The demand for new construction is keeping residential developers busy, and investors saw that when Toll Brothers reported a 38 percent surge in revenue for its latest quarter.

The near future will be even rosier for the luxury homebuilder as new orders during the quarter clocked in at a seven-year high of 1,753 homes. That's a 36 percent increase during the past year, but higher selling prices are pushing the value of these new contracts up a whopping 57 percent.

It's not just Toll Brothers. Most of its peers have been posting similar blowout performances.

As My Orange Apron Gently Weeps

Snapping up new properties often calls for some domicile upgrades. The former owner's man cave may become a nursery. The cramped closet could use some organizers. That shag carpeting has got to go!

This would lead many to assume that Home Depot (HD) and Lowe's (LOW) are cleaning house -- literally and figuratively -- but that's certainly not the case.

Home Depot reported ho-hum results Tuesday. Revenue climbed 7 percent, but that was with the luxury of an extra week. Strip that away and sales would have clocked in only 4 percent higher than they did a year earlier.

Things get even worse for Lowe's, which, Wednesday, reported a 0.5 percent decline in revenue for its latest quarter.

The springtime cleaning that often boosts business at both hardware superstore chains failed to materialize in a manner reflecting the real estate boom.

Home on the Range

Just because Home Depot and Lowe's are struggling doesn't mean that home improvement is on the wane. Several weeks ago, wood-alternative decking leader Trex (TREX) and hardwood flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators (LL) posted strong quarterly results.

Trex and Lumber Liquidators saw their revenue climb 12 percent and 23 percent, respectively, and that makes sense.

Even if homeowners aren't calling out the moving trucks they are starting to spruce up their own digs. As real estate prices improve there are fewer homes with underwater mortgages, and that's the kind of breathing room that may inspire people to extend their outdoor living space with some Trex decking or to classy up their flooring with stylish hardwood.

It's not just the home improvement projects on the rise this week. Best Buy (BBY) and HHGregg (HGG) also reported quarterly results this week. Those reports weren't necessarily pretty. There's been a sharp drop in consumer electronics and televisions. However, both chains experienced big upticks in appliance sales.

That also makes sense. New homes require new appliances, and good luck standing in the way of someone that redoes a kitchen and wants new appliances that match then new design.

All of this does make the flattish sales at Home Depot and Lowe's a bit of a surprise. They sell appliances. They sell flooring. They sell decking and railing materials. But they just can't seem to get invited to the open-house party that nearly everybody else is throwing.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends HHGregg, Home Depot, Lowe's, Lumber Liquidators and Trex. The Motley Fool owns shares of Lumber Liquidators and Trex.

Gallery: These Are The Best Urban Cities To Retire

10. Nashville, Tenn.9. Tucson, Ariz.8. Louisville, Ky.7. San Antonio, Texas6. Oklahoma City, Okla.

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]]>consumer spendinghome buildinghome improvementInvestingretailstocksRick Aristotle MunarrizWed, 22 May 2013 12:46:00 ESTWhat to Watch This Week: Tools, Toons, Togs, Blogs and Stapleshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/20/wall-street-week-outlook/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/20/wall-street-week-outlook/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/20/wall-street-week-outlook/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

From the changing lineup at the world's largest streaming video service to an office supplies superstore chain that's unlikely to showing super earnings results, let's go over some items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.

Home Depot
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1. Home Improvement is Where the Heart Is: It's been a good earnings season for the home improvement specialists. Leading hardwood flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators (LL) and Trex (TREX) -- the top dog in weather-resistant wood-alternative decking -- posted blowout quarterly results a few weeks ago.

Now it's time for Home Depot (HD) to report on Tuesday. Smaller rival Lowe's (LOW) reports a day later.

Having the two home improvement retailers step up with quarterly financials on back-to-back days will provide a great snapshot of an industry that's on the rise. The housing market is heating up, and that's good news for Home Depot and Lowe's as they outfit buyers with the tools for home improvement projects. Firming real estate prices also give existing homeowners the flexibility to invest in their properties.

Analysts see both companies posting healthy improvement in earnings.

2. Netflix Content Cuts Both Ways: Netflix (NFLX) has been busy promoting this weekend's debut of the long-awaited fourth season of "Arrested Development." The cult classic will stream exclusively on Netflix. However, content deals also expire. Something that hasn't been as widely publicized is that Netflix's streaming arrangement with Viacom (VIA) ends on Wednesday.

You may not miss MTV's "Jersey Shore," but good luck convincing young viewers that everything will be fine after many Nickelodeon favorites -- from "SpongeBob SquarePants" to "The Rugrats" -- leave Netflix's digital library.

As SpongeBob would say, "oh tartar sauce!"

3. Thrifty Retailers Have Something to Prove: Discount department store chains have historically been all-weather investments, but that thesis was rattled last week when Walmart (WMT) surprised investors with a decline in same-store sales. Walmart figured that shoppers would be spending their tax refunds and taking advantage of lower gas prices to indulge in more non-fuel purchases. If these things happened, they didn't happen at Walmart.
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Target (TGT) and TJX (TJX) report on Tuesday. Target is the "cheap chic" chain that is a distant second to Walmart in sales volume, but it has done a good job in recent years of attracting fashionable penny pinchers. TJX is the parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. Wall Street sees improving profitability at TJX, but it also sees Target posting a dip in earnings on flat sales growth.

4. Tumblr's No Stumbler: This past weekend proved to be a busy one with Yahoo!'s (YHOO) board agreeing to a $1.1 billion purchase of popular micro-blogging website Tumblr on Sunday. Tumblr has more than 100 million blogs, and users have posted more than 50 billion posts to the site. Online companies love user-generated content, and Tumblr certainly qualifies as one of the bigger players in that niche.

There will be some concerns. Can Tumblr be effectively monetized without alienating the user base? What about all of the risque content that's presently on the site? Which dot-com speedster will be bought out next? It will be an interesting week for watchers of Internet stocks as the major players jockey for position in light of this move.

5. There's No Easy Button Here: Despite encouraging signs on the economic front, Corporate America could be doing better. A great gauge of how things are going on that front will be available on Wednesday when Staples (SPLS) reports.

The country's largest office supply retailer reports its latest quarterly results. It probably won't be pretty. Its European operations have been a mess, and the turnaround has been slow closer to home. Analysts see sales and earnings dipping slightly at Staples. The key here will be if it provides an encouraging outlook. If Corporate America is back, how come companies aren't buying more toner cartridges and task chairs?

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends Home Depot, Lowe's, Lumber Liquidators, Netflix, and Trex. The Motley Fool owns shares of Lumber Liquidators, Netflix, Staples, and Trex.

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]]>Rick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 20 May 2013 12:08:00 EST5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Businesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/17/business-winners-losers/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/17/business-winners-losers/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/17/business-winners-losers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Walmart shoppers
AP
Companies can make brilliant moves, but often, things don't work out quite as planned. From a beverage company refashioning refrigerators to a CEO with some regrettable comments going viral seven years after they were originally said, here's a rundown of this week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world.

Walmart (WMT) -- Loser

The world's largest retailer has often been portrayed as an all-weather performer. When the economy's strong, folks go shopping. When the economy's weak, department store shoppers trade down to Walmart for the bargains. Well, what happens when the shoppers don't show up?

Walmart shares dipped on Thursday after surprising the market with a decline in same-store sales. The chain's guidance for the current quarter also wasn't very inspiring.

SodaStream (SODA) -- Winner

Shares of SodaStream hit a new 52-week this week after it hosted its annual Analyst Day. One of the company's revelations is that it's working on more refrigerators that feature SodaStream technology to serve carbonated water from their front dispensers. Its partnership with Samsung resulted in the first fridge with that functionality hitting the market recently.


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However, SodaStream promises that more models are on the way. It also discussed efforts to get SodaStream syrup incorporated into the refrigerators so users can get flavored soda right from that fridge's water dispenser.

J.C. Penney (JCP) -- Loser

Things aren't getting any better at the department store chain, which saw sales plunge 25 percent last year. J.C. Penney kicked off the new fiscal year with a steep deficit as same-store sales tumbled 16.6 percent. No one was expecting the retailer to turn things the instant it sent former-CEO Ron Johnson packing, but the company did seem to suggest that things were getting better in a recent ad that thanked customers for returning.

"We're happy to say you've come back to us," concludes the television commercial.

Disney (DIS) -- Winner

The family entertainment giant is giving live-streaming of its ABC network a shot. Between now and the end of June, residents of New York City and Philadelphia will be able to stream ABC shows as they air, either on their PCs or through the fittingly rebranded Watch ABC app for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices.

Disney is suggesting that it will likely require verification that those taking advantage of the streams have active pay TV accounts after the trail ends in June. Disney doesn't want to encourage cord cutting here, especially since it has ESPN and the Disney Channel to protect. It's still a smart move for a company that has always been a step ahead of the competition when it comes to embracing digital delivery.

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) -- Loser

Something that Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO said in 2006 -- yes, 2006 -- has come back to haunt him.

"Candidly, we go after the cool kids," CEO Mike Jefferies said in a Salon interview seven years ago. "We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong."

He didn't stop there.

"Are we exclusionary," he asked rhetorically. "Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla."

The comments refer to Abercrombie & Fitch's decision to not stock XL sizes or pants beyond size 10. Jefferies is catching a lot of heat for those comments with activists encouraging boycotts, and this week, an aspiring director even pulled off a well-publicized stunt by buying Abercrombie & Fitch clothing and handing it out to the homeless.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney and SodaStream. The Motley Fool recommends SodaStream and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of SodaStream and Walt Disney.

Gallery: America's Most Popular Stores

10. Target9. Taco Bell8. CVS7. Walgreens6. Wendy's

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]]>Abercrombie FitchdisneyearningsFinanceJ. C. PenneyRon Johnsonsodastreamstreaming videoThe Motley FoolWalmartRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 17 May 2013 13:20:00 EST5 Stocks to Watch this Weekhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/13/5-stocks-watch-this-week/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/13/5-stocks-watch-this-week/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/13/5-stocks-watch-this-week/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nokia phone
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From the new Xbox gaming console to a struggling retailer's first chance to win back defecting shoppers and shareholders, there will be plenty of news waiting to break in the coming days. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.

1. Nokia May Be Finnish, but It's Not Finished: Finland's Nokia (NOK) has seen better days. It was the top dog in mobile handsets before the smartphone era raised the bar on what wireless customers can do with their devices.

Nokia has been firing back on the strength of its partnership with Microsoft (MSFT) to champion Microsoft's mobile operating system through its Lumia phone line.
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Nokia introduced the Lumia 928 -- a high-end Windows Phone device that will be available exclusively through Verizon Wireless -- last week. Nokia's just getting started.

"The Nokia Lumia Story Continues," reads an invitation to a media event in London scheduled for Tuesday. Naturally the handset pioneer will be making announcements about future smartphones in the Lumia family.

Windows continues to trail iOS and Android as the operating systems of choice for wireless customers, but Nokia's naturally aspiring to be the one that raises the bar this week.

2. Cracking Open the New Xbox: Microsoft isn't just peeling back to the curtain on Lumia phones. The software giant is also unveiling the new Xbox next week.

There's a lot riding on the new gaming console. The video game industry has been in a funk for more than three years, but the Xbox 360 has been the top-selling system in this country for more than two years.

In short, if the industry has a shot at a turnaround it will probably come at the hands of Microsoft.
There has been plenty of chatter leading up to the announcement. Will Microsoft embrace Blu-ray? Will the new Xbox really have to be connected to the Internet? A rumor even recently surfaced suggesting that Microsoft will subsidize the high price of the new console for those willing to commit to long-term subscriptions.

We'll see how this all plays out this holiday season, but on Saturday industry watchers and diehard gamers will get their first good glimpse at the box that may turn the video game industry around.

3. A Penney for Your Thoughts: J.C. Penney (JCP) is in trouble. Sales fell 25 percent this past fiscal year as shoppers reacted negatively to Ron Johnson's dramatic makeover of the struggling department store chain.

Clearly things didn't pan out, and Johnson was dismissed last month. Investors are braced for another bad quarterly report when J.C. Penney reports on Thursday. Sales will fall. Losses will widen. The real reason to tune in will be to hear what the new regime plans to do to woo shoppers back.

New television commercials hit the market two weeks ago with J.C. Penney apologizing for its recent mistakes. Shoppers may forgive -- but are they fickle enough to forget?

4. Google This, Developers: Google (GOOG) has its annual developers powwow coming up this week.

Google I/O runs from Wednesday to Friday, and it won't be just coders and programmers tuning in to the event. Google has plenty of moving parts, and it doesn't have a problem peeling back the curtain to let the public know what's coming in the near term. It also doesn't have a choice. Google needs developers to publicly buy into its future.

From Android updates to a rumored cloud-based gaming platform, Google will have the tech world's attention during the latter half of this week.

5. The Cisco Kid: It may seem hard to believe these days, but there was a brief moment in time when Cisco (CSCO) was the country's most valuable company in terms of market cap. Then the dot-com bubble popped and investors were no longer willing to pay a premium for the leading provider of networking gear.

From routers to switches, Cisco is still a bellwether for the tech and networking industries. The market isn't holding out for much when Cisco reports its latest quarterly results Wednesday. Analysts see revenue growing at a mere 5 percent clip, and they see earnings growing even slower. However, at least Cisco's top and bottom lines are taking baby steps in the right direction.

Cisco may never become the country's most valuable company again, but it can certainly become more valuable than it is now.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Cisco Systems and Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Microsoft.

Gallery: Companies Paying The Most and Least Taxes

Companies Paying the Most in TaxesCompanies Paying the Most in TaxesCompanies Paying the Most in TaxesCompanies Paying the Most in TaxesCompanies Paying the Most in Taxes

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]]>Ciscogooglegoogle ioInvestingJcPenneyMicrosoftnokiaretailron johnsonstockstechnologywall streetxboxRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 13 May 2013 12:05:00 EST5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Businesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/on/winners-losers-tesla-comcast-green-mountain-carnival-disney/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/winners-losers-tesla-comcast-green-mountain-carnival-disney/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/winners-losers-tesla-comcast-green-mountain-carnival-disney/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tesla Motors
AP
Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From an electric car maker exploring self-driving cars to a cable giant finally nixing an unpopular service, here's a rundown of this week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world.

Tesla Motors (TSLA) -- Winner
The one success story in electric cars continues to get better. Tesla Motors posted its first quarterly profit on Wednesday, blowing through Wall Street's revenue expectations along the way. Tesla's receiving orders for new Model S sedans at a faster clip than it can make them, and that's a good problem to have.

Earlier in the week Tesla made headlines when CEO Elon Musk revealed that he has talked to Google (GOOG) about the technology that powers Google Maps self-driving vehicles. Don't get too excited though. We're still several years away from cars that can go on autopilot becoming available at the retail level. However, it's not a surprise to see that the one company that's truly cashing in on the call for emission-free cars is also the one at the forefront of tomorrow's driving experience.

Comcast (CMCSK) -- Loser
The country's largest cable television provider is apparently not the Skype type.

Tech watcher DSLReports.com is reporting that Comcast will stop marketing a premium Skype service that it tried to sell for $10 a month to folks already paying big money for XFINITY triple play bundled services.

Comcast knows that Skype video calls are free to other Skype users, right? High-def webcams are pretty cheap nowadays. At a time when Comcast is shedding video customers, the last thing it needed was to come off as greedy by trying to squeeze another $10 a month out of its customers. It's not a surprise to see Comcast backing away from the service after just a year of availability.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) -- Winner
Skeptics were worried about the company behind the Keurig single-cup brewing system after two key K-Cup patents expired late last year. What would stop many of its partners from bypassing Green Mountain and putting out K-Cups on their own?

Well, Green Mountain got some beefy validation this week when it struck a deal with Starbucks (SBUX) that expands the existing arrangement between the two companies. Starbucks will triple the number of products it makes available for Green Mountain's K-Cup and Vue portion packs through at least the next five years. Cool beans!

Carnival (CCL) -- Loser
After three months of repairs in Alabama, the notorious Carnival Triumph set sail to Bahamas for some additional repairs. This should've been a good week as Carnival cast out the demons of that ill-fated February sailing where passengers were drifting at sea for five days on a disabled cruise ship.

However, now we get another horrific mishap on a Carnival ship. An Australian couple reportedly fell overboard on the Carnival Spirit on Wednesday night as the ship was making its way to Sydney.

Disney (DIS) -- Winner
As big as Disney is these days, the media juggernaut still managed to grow revenue and earnings in the double digits. The family entertainment giant posted strong quarterly results, sending the shares to a new all-time high this week.

Earlier in the week Disney had announced that it would be turning to Electronic Arts (EA) to develop new Star Wars games, a move that was widely expected after Disney scaled back its own interactive operations.

There's nothing goofy about Disney these days.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The Motley Fool recommends Google, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Starbucks, Tesla Motors , and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google, Starbucks, Tesla Motors , and Walt Disney. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

Gallery: 5 Things to Do Now That Warren Buffett Is on Twitter

1. Get blocked by Warren Buffett2. Get followed by Warren Buffett3. Set up a meeting with Warren Buffett IRL4. Get retweeted by Warren Buffett5. Hack Warren Buffett's account

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]]>carnivalCarnival Cruise LinesdisneyGreen Mountain Coffee RoastersstarbucksTeslaRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 ESTInvest Like a Cicada: 5 Stocks to Buy and Hold Until 2030http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/07/stocks-buy-and-hold-cicadas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/07/stocks-buy-and-hold-cicadas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/07/stocks-buy-and-hold-cicadas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Cicadas
Getty Images
The cicadas are coming. Later this month, Brood II -- periodical cicadas that emerge from the ground every 17 years -- will invade the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic. They're largely harmless insects, but their mating chirps and the carcasses they leave behind after reproducing generally make them a nuisance.

These cicadas will be in for a different world than the one that their parents experienced in 1996. "Seinfeld" is over. No one's dong the "Macarena." And things have also changed dramatically on Wall Street.

Flashback to 1996

Investors were starting to fret about the upcoming Y2K threat. The two hottest growth stocks that year -- Viasoft (acquired) and Zitel (imploded) -- were largely seen as beneficiaries of the oncoming calamity. The dot-com bubble was just starting to inflate, though many of the Internet companies that investors flock to these days didn't even exist.

Predicting which stocks would rule the market over the next 17 years at the time would've been a tall order in 1996, but let's give it a shot now.

Here are a few companies that investors shouldn't have a problem buying and keeping underground for the next 17 years until the next wave of Brood II periodical cicadas emerge.

Gallery: Invest Like a Cicada: 5 Stocks to Buy and Hold Until 2030

FordAppleWalmartProcter & GambleDisney

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney and Ford. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Ford, Procter & Gamble, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Ford, and Walt Disney.

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]]>AppleBuy and HoldCarsFinanceFordiPadLucasfilmMarvel ComicsPixarProcter GambleSteve JobsStocks to buyThe Motley FoolwalmartWalt DisneyRick Aristotle MunarrizTue, 07 May 2013 05:00:00 EST5 Stocks to Watch This Weekhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/06/stocks-market-outlook-disney-sodastream-tesla/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/06/stocks-market-outlook-disney-sodastream-tesla/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/06/stocks-market-outlook-disney-sodastream-tesla/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

AP
With the studio behind this weekend's biggest opening reporting quarterly results and an update from the company behind the world's best-selling video game franchise, there will be plenty of news breaking in the coming days. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead on Wall Street.

1. Organic Growth: Whole Foods Market (WFM) is the undisputed champ among grocers specializing in whole and organic foods.

No, a trip to Whole Foods Market isn't exactly cheap, but customers haven't been flinching at the register. The high-end supermarket chain has been posting positive comps for a couple of years now.

Whole Foods Market reports quarterly results on Tuesday, and the market's ready for more growth. Analysts see the retailer earning $0.73 a share, well ahead of the $0.64 a share it rang up a year earlier. The retailer hasn't made any substantial acquisitions lately, so I guess you can call this organic growth in more ways than one.

2. Activision Blizzard Fires Again: The country's largest video game developer has been putting out new "Call of Duty" games every November for years, so it wasn't a surprise when Activision Blizzard (ATVI) announced that its next installment will hit gamers on Nov. 5.

However, the leading publisher isn't going to settle for another "Modern Warfare" or "Black Ops" entry this year. "Call of Duty: Ghosts" will be the name of the new combat simulator. Diehard gamers hungry for a glimpse will get a preview on May 21 when the new Xbox is unveiled.

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Investors hungry for more gaming news will get Activision Blizzard's quarterly report on Wednesday. Analysts see improving profitability and revenue for the quarter, but those same analysts see revenue and earnings declining for all of 2013. Call this quarter a battle that Activision Blizzard is winning -- but it's going to have to do better to win the war.

3. Stark Was the Spark: Everyone knew that "Iron Man 3" would kick off the summer box office season with a punch, and it did.

Disney's (DIS) superhero flick sold an estimated $175.3 million in admissions during the movie's U.S. opening weekend. Only one other movie has had a bigger opening -- "The Avengers," which coincidentally starred Iron Man last summer.

This is naturally good news for Disney, and investors will get a quick read on the family entertainment giant's reaction to the success of "Iron Man 3" when it reports quarterly results on Tuesday. Analysts see healthy growth at Disney.

4. Pop Star: SodaStream (SODA) has been turning fans of carbonated beverages into mixologists.
SodaStream's namesake beverage system that turns ordinary tap water into sparkling soda water has been a big hit all over the world, but the stakes are naturally greater here where soda consumption per capita tops any other country.

Things have been going well for SodaStream, and the Israeli company even invested in a Super Bowl ad this year. We'll see if the marketing push panned out when SodaStream discusses its first quarter on Wednesday. Analysts see revenue growing 29 percent for the period, making SodaStream a true master of pop.

5. Tesla Gets Charged Up: Electric cars haven't taken off the way that many environmentalists have hoped they would, but there's no denying that Tesla Motors (TSLA) is the star of the plug-in niche. Despite competing against most of the major auto manufacturers, Tesla's Model S sedan is the high-end car that's captured the attention of the market.

Tesla is widely expected to post its first quarterly profit when it reports on Wednesday. Investors will want to know if the black ink is sustainable, or if Tesla's fundamentals will run out of juice again.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney and SodaStream. The Motley Fool recommends Activision Blizzard, SodaStream, Tesla Motors , Walt Disney, and Whole Foods Market. The Motley Fool owns shares of Activision Blizzard, SodaStream, Tesla Motors , Walt Disney, and Whole Foods Market. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

Gallery: Fortune 500: America's Largest Companies

10. Ford Motor9. Valero Energy8. General Electric7. General Motors6. Apple

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]]>Activision Blizzardbox officeCall of DutyDJIAearningsFinanceIron Man 3sodastreamstock market todaystocks to watchTesla MotorsThe Motley FoolWalt Disneywhole foodsRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 06 May 2013 12:30:00 ESTWall Street This Week: SunPower Rose Early, Car Sales on a Rollhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/03/wall-street-sunpower-earnings-car-sales-warren-buffett/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/03/wall-street-sunpower-earnings-car-sales-warren-buffett/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/05/03/wall-street-sunpower-earnings-car-sales-warren-buffett/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Solar panelsCompanies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From a solar power company enlightening some shareholders prematurely to Warren Buffett tweeting ahead of his annual powwow in Omaha, here's a rundown of the week's best and worst performances in the business world.

Automakers -- Winners

Car sales continue to rev up. Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) posted double-digit percentage gains in auto sales for the month of April.

An improving economy and new cars that provide improved fuel efficiency and Bluetooth-enabled enhancements are leading drivers to trade in their old cars.

The auto industry doesn't mind that at all. After years of recessionary slumber, consumers are now comfortable enough to make big-ticket purchases. Ford's 18 percent spike in sales last month and GM's impressive 11 percent pop are leading the way for an industry that may actually approach 16 million cars produced this year.

SunPower (SPWR) -- Loser

Solar energy has started to show signs of life again, but sometimes the sun rises too early.

Materials from SunPower's earnings presentation leaked early on Thursday afternoon, tipping investors off on a blowout quarter with minutes left to go in the trading day.

SunPower was supposed to report after the market close.

Yes, the report was solid. SunPower's adjusted earnings of $0.22 a share on $575 million in revenue were well ahead of the profit of $0.10 a share on $510 million in revenue that Wall Street was targeting. However, the leaked financials gave some investors an unfair advantage.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A) (BRK-B) -- Winner

"Warren is in the house," read the first tweet from @WarrenBuffett on Thursday. Yes, the great Warren Buffett is now on Twitter.

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Arguably the best investor of our time, Buffett picked a great moment to join the popular social media platform. His Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting kicks off this weekend. Word of Buffett's potentially chatty ways is spreading quickly. By Thursday night, Buffett's account had more than 215,000 followers.

Pitney Bowes (PBI) -- Loser

Shares of Pitney Bowes tumbled 16 percent on Tuesday after the company slashed its once generous quarterly dividend.

Metered mail isn't what it used to be, and investors spoiled by 30 years of annual payout hikes had to know that the good times couldn't last forever. Pitney Bowes has seen revenue decline for several years. It's not just the US Postal Service suffering from less mail going around.

In this age of email and overnight deliveries, it was naive to believe that a metered mail company could sustain its distributions.

Trulia (TRLA) -- Winner

Rising home prices and steady mortgage rates are breathing new life into the once-moribund housing market, and Trulia has benefited in a big way. The company behind the popular real estate website saw its quarterly revenue soar 97 percent this week, well ahead of what Wall Street was expecting.

No one should be surprised at Trulia's strength here. Consumers are flocking to well-trafficked websites and apps that provide detailed area information, and real estate professionals are paying up for premium access to reach out to potential home buyers.

The house always wins.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Ford. The Motley Fool recommends Berkshire Hathaway, Ford, and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway and Ford. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

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]]>auto salesBerkshire HathawayDJIAearningsFinanceFord Motorhousing marketPitney Bowes IncPost OfficeSunPowerThe Motley FoolTruliaTwitterWall StreetWarren BuffettRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 03 May 2013 12:45:00 ESTWhat to Watch This Week: Earnings, 'Iron Man 3' and Margaritashttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/29/what-to-watch-this-week-earnings-iron-man-3-and-margaritas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/29/what-to-watch-this-week-earnings-iron-man-3-and-margaritas/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/29/what-to-watch-this-week-earnings-iron-man-3-and-margaritas/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Chipotle Will Drink to That: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) is adding premium margaritas to its menu this week at most of its restaurants. The popular burrito roller will begin serving the alcoholic beverage at more than 900 of its 1,458 locations. The new margarita will include Patron Silver tequila, triple sec, a blend of fresh lime and lemon juices, and organic agave nectar. The drinks will cost between $6.50 and $8 -- that's more than one of the chain's signature burritos or bowls -- and be hand-made as they're ordered.
Business Wire
Nobody can predict all the news that will break and move the markets in a given week, but here are a few things we do know: The latest big superhero flick will be unleashed, a popular fast-food burrito maker will debut an alcoholic beverage line, and more earnings reports will pour in. Let's go over those, and a few more of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.

1. Chipotle Will Drink to That: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) is adding premium margaritas to its menu this week at most of its restaurants.

The popular burrito roller will begin serving the alcoholic beverage at more than 900 of its 1,458 locations.

The new margarita will include Patron Silver tequila, triple sec, a blend of fresh lime and lemon juices, and organic agave nectar. The drinks will cost between $6.50 and $8 -- that's more than one of the chain's signature burritos or bowls -- and be hand-made as they're ordered.

The timing isn't coincidental. Chipotle knows that Cinco de Mayo is Sunday. However, this won't be a temporary menu addition. Chipotle just better hope that the drinks don't slow down the famously quick-moving queues.

2. Sirius XM Turns Up the Volume: It's hard to think of a better climate for Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) than what the satellite radio provider is experiencing these days.

Car sales are booming, and that's the primary source for new Sirius and XM subscribers. The economy's also holding up well, and that should bode well for retention rates for the premium radio giant.

Sirius XM began the year with 23.9 million subscribers after tacking on 2 million net additions for all of 2012. On Tuesday morning we'll get our first snapshot on the state of satellite radio in 2013. Despite the growing popularity of streaming websites and cars that allow smartphone owners to use Bluetooth to stream tunes through their car speakers, Sirius XM has continued to grow its audience.

Tune in on Tuesday to see how the top dog in premium audio entertainment is holding up.

3. Stark Will Spark the Box Office: It may technically still be springtime, but the seasonally potent summer movie season kicks off this week with "Iron Man 3."

Disney (DIS) paid big bucks to acquire Marvel a few years ago, and so far it has been money well spent. The first two installments in the Iron Man franchise have been box office juggernauts.

Disney isn't waiting until Friday to kick off the new Iron Man's theatrical run. Local multiplexes and IMAX screens will begin screening the movie -- likely the final one with Robert Downey Jr. in the role -- on Thursday night.

4. Jamba Pours It Out: Jamba (JMBA) has been leading the charge on fruit smoothies with functional boosts.

Sure, you can now pick up a smoothie at a burger joint or doughnut shop. Even your latte-brewing barista can take your order for a freshly whirred frosty fruit drink. However, Jamba Juice hasn't slowed down despite the competition.
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If anything, the wider availability of smoothies has helped Jamba Juice by educating consumers. Companywide comps have been consistently positive every quarter over the past two years, and analysts finally see parent company Jamba turning its first annual profit this year.

We'll get the first glimpse at Jamba on Tuesday. Wall Street's holding out for a small deficit in the quarterly report, but this is a seasonal business. Jamba's strongest quarters are the two periods coming up when warm weather drums up demand for icy fruit beverages.

5. Hit the Deck: It's a good time to specialize in home improvement. Lumber Liquidators (LL) was one of last week's biggest winners. Shares of the hardwood flooring retailer soared 23 percent after posting better than expected quarterly results.

It's easy to see why Lumber Liquidators is doing so well. Home prices are climbing. Real estate sales are picking up. Homeowners are finally comfortable spending money to spruce up their homes as fewer mortgages are underwater.

The same trends should bode well for Trex (TREX) when it reports on Friday. Trex is the undisputed champ when it comes to wood-alternative wood decking materials. As homeowners turn to extend their living space by building backyard patios, Trex's weather-resistant planks and railings are popular purchases.

Analysts see Trex earning $1.12 a share for the quarter, well ahead of the $0.74 a share it rang up a year earlier.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney and Jamba. The Motley Fool recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Lumber Liquidators, Trex, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Lumber Liquidators, Trex, and Walt Disney.

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]]>chipotleIron Man 3jamba juicemoviesSirius XMstocks to watchTrexwall street todayRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 29 Apr 2013 11:56:00 EST5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Businesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/26/business-winners-losers-stock-market-this-week/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/26/business-winners-losers-stock-market-this-week/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/26/business-winners-losers-stock-market-this-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reed Hastings, president and chief executive officer of NetFlix Inc. Ryan Anson, Bloomberg News via Getty Images
Bloomberg / Getty ImagesReed Hastings, president and chief executive officer of NetFlix Inc.
It's been an interesting week in the business world, with the leading video service provider blowing expectations out of the water, and the No. 1 consumer tech company agreeing to take on debt to return more money to its shareholders, among other events. Here's a rundown of this week's smartest moves and biggest blunders.

Netflix (NFLX) -- Winner

Shares of Netflix had already tripled since bottoming out last summer heading into Monday's report, and skeptics felt that the stock was priced for perfection.

Well, what happens when things are better than perfect?

The leading video service saw its stock pop after posting blowout quarterly results. Netflix tacked on more than 3 million net streaming customers during the first three months of the year, and now that Netflix is serving 4 billion hours of content a quarter it's hard to fathom any potential competitor making a dent in a platform with 36.3 million global subscribers.

Apple (AAPL) -- Loser

Apple gave investors everything they wanted. It posted better than expected revenue and earnings. It hiked its dividend. It announced that new products would be coming (though pointing to the fall and then to 2014 may test the patience of scorched investors).

However, Apple then provided guidance for the current quarter that points to a sharp sequential decline in revenue and another quarter of year-over-year dip in profitability.
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Then we learned how Apple plans to pay for a 15 percent dividend hike and a beefed up share buyback plan. Despite having the most cash-rich balance sheet in the planet with roughly $145 billion in greenery, Apple says that it expects to take on debt to return more money to its shareholders.

Yes, a great big chunk of Apple's cash is locked up overseas so the tech giant can avoid paying repatriation taxes to bring that money home. However, isn't it time to take that hit and crack open the piggy bank? The last thing Apple needs is to be leveraged right now.

Microsoft (MSFT) -- Winner

Xbox fans better start saving their money. Microsoft has scheduled a May 21 media event.

"A new generation revealed," teases the invitations that went out on Wednesday, and there's little doubt that Microsoft has a new video game console to show off.

This is pretty big news. The Wii U has been a disappointment since last November's debut. And Sony (SNE) recently unveiled specs for the PlayStation 4 that will hit the market later this year. The big question mark has been whether Microsoft -- whose Xbox has been the top selling system in this country for 27 consecutive months -- would hit the market in time for this year's holiday season or wait until 2014.

Well, it wouldn't be hosting this event for a machine that isn't going to hit the market until next year. It seems as if Microsoft and Sony will battle it out this holiday season, and that's just what this industry needs. The video game sector has posted declining hardware and software sales for three years. If it's not too late, Microsoft is the best candidate to give the niche a shot.

Zynga (ZNGA) -- Loser

It was a bad week for the easily duped. The market had a brief crash when the Twitter account of the Associate Press was hacked and a post indicated that the White House was under attack and President Obama was hurt.

However, another hoax that wasn't as widely reported was a bogus press release indicating that Zynga would be acquired by Chinese leading search engine Baidu (BIDU) for $10 a share.

Zynga's stock temporarily moved higher on the news, even though the press release originated on a website that allows for free submissions. There may be an argument to be made that Baidu should snap up the social gaming leader, but no one would pay three times what Zynga's stock is currently worth to buy it out.

Time Warner (TWX) and Walmart (WMT) -- Winners

We're still nearly two months away from Time Warner's Superman reboot, but the world's largest retailer is swooping in to help make "Man of Steel" a success.

In an intriguing promotion, thousands of theaters will hold advance screenings of the new movie on June 13 -- a day before the actual release -- and those preview tickets can only be bought through Walmart.

It's a win-win. Time Warner will have Walmart's 3,700 stores promoting the release, and young adults who might normally not be caught dead at the discounter will have little choice but to revisit Walmart.

Customers buying the advance screening tickets through Walmart will also receive codes to preorder special versions of the Blu-ray, DVD, or digital download with exclusive additional content.

Superman wins again.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Baidu, and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Baidu, Microsoft, and Netflix. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

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]]>AppleDJIAearningsman of steelMicrosoftNetflixrumorsstock market todaywalmartZyngaRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 26 Apr 2013 08:32:00 EST5 Hidden Surprises in Netflix's Great Quarterly Reporthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/23/netflixs-quarterly-report-hidden-surprises/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/23/netflixs-quarterly-report-hidden-surprises/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/23/netflixs-quarterly-report-hidden-surprises/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Alamy
By now, you've probably seen Netflix's (NFLX) latest quarterly report picked apart a zillion ways.

Shares of the leading video service opened sharply higher on Tuesday after it posted blowout results. Revenue, adjusted earnings, and subscribers all clocked in ahead of Wall Street expectations. Investors like that, of course. However, when we dig deeper into the strong financial report and subsequent conference call, we're going to pull out some gems that may surprise you.

Gallery: 5 Surprises in Netflix's Great Quarter

1. The Average Subscriber is Streaming Roughly an Hour a Day2. 3. Netflix Doesn't Think its New $11.99 a Month Plan Will Be a Game Changer -- But it Will Be4. Netflix is no Longer Providing Subscriber Guidance on DVD Renters5. Profiles will Make Netflix Suggestions Useful Again


Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Netflix. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

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]]>earningsFinancemoviesNetflixReed Hastingsstreaming videoThe Motley FoolRick Aristotle MunarrizTue, 23 Apr 2013 11:40:00 EST5 Stocks to Watch This Week: Apple, Ford, Zynga, Amazon and Nintendohttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/22/stocks-to-watch-apple-ford-zynga-amazon-nintendo/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/22/stocks-to-watch-apple-ford-zynga-amazon-nintendo/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/22/stocks-to-watch-apple-ford-zynga-amazon-nintendo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Ford Trucks
Getty Images
Nobody can predict all the news that will break and move the markets in a given week, but here are a few things we do know: A U.S. automaker is cruising toward what should be another solid quarterly report, a struggling Japanese gaming giant will tell us just how badly it's losing, and the world's biggest e-tailer will probably make the markets smile despite thin margins. Let's go over those, and a few more of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.

1. Taking a bite out of the Apple: There will be plenty to prove as Apple (AAPL) reports financial results for its fiscal second quarter on Tuesday.

Analysts see profitability declining for the first time in a decade, and it's unanimous. All of the more than four dozen Wall Street pros modeling the consumer tech giant's business see earnings taking a dip this time around.

These same analysts see modest top-line improvement. Apple continues to sell smartphones and tablets. The rub these days is that too many of those iPhones and iPads are the older versions that Apple sells at lower markups to appeal to thrifty shoppers.

2. Ford tough: It's finally a good time to be an automaker.

The industry where two of the biggest three domestic players needed a government bailout a few years ago is revving again. Consumers are buying cars at the headiest clip since 2007.

Pent-up demand and the growing appetite for more fuel efficient vehicles have resulted in busy showrooms. Industry tracker Edmunds.com recently raised the number of cars that it sees selling in this country, and Ford (F) is sitting pretty behind the wheel.

The stateside car manufacturer that didn't partake in the government bailout reports on Wednesday, and momentum is positive. Ford was the big winner in March, reporting sales growth of 5.7 percent. It's been a positive first three months of the year for the company that Henry Ford built. On Wednesday investors will know for sure how the car maker's been driving when it reports fresh financials.

3. StockVille is a hard game to play: Shares of Zynga (ZNGA) rallied earlier this month after an overseas partnership resulted in real-money online gambling themed to Zynga's social properties throughout the United Kingdom.

Online gambling with real money isn't legal domestically, but investors are encouraged by the overseas potential.
The news probably won't be as encouraging on Wednesday when Zynga reports quarterly results. Bookings have been slipping as its more popular games begin falling out of favor. Analysts see a small deficit for the period, reversing a healthy loss a year earlier.

4. Amazon goes shopping: Online wagering may be illegal, but there's nothing stopping retailers from getting customers to pay up for merchandise through e-commerce.

Amazon.com (AMZN) is the market darling of Internet retailing. When folks throw the "showrooming" term around, they're basically talking about bricks-and-mortar chains losing out on sales to Amazon as shoppers use physical stores to check items out before buying them for less through Amazon.
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We'll get a clearer picture on how the leading online retailer is faring when it reports on Thursday. Wall Street's holding out for a 23 percent surge in revenue. Earnings will probably go the other way, but the market's cool with that. Analysts understand that Amazon is taking margin hits in the near terms to build out its audience of Kindle and Kindle Fire users. The payoff will come later, and investors don't have a problem with that.

Apple needs to hire whoever Amazon is using to make thinning margins look cool.

5. Wii the people: It was a disappointingly rough holiday season for Nintendo (NTDOY). The Japanese gaming giant introduced its Wii U console in November, hoping that an early jump on its two rivals would pay off.

It didn't. After soft initial sales, Nintendo hosed down its Wii U sales targets for its fiscal year ending in March.
Nintendo posted its first annual loss last year, and things have only been getting worse. It's likely to be an ugly financial report for Nintendo on Wednesday, but the great thing about video games is that the reset button is never too far away.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Ford. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com, Apple, Ford, and Nintendo. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com, Apple, and Ford. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

Gallery: The Best And Worst Vehicles For Under $30,000

The Best And Worst Vehicles For Under $30,000Best -Best -Best -Best -

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]]>Amazon.comAppleautosDJIAearningsEdmunds.comFinanceFordKindle FireNintendoretail salesstocks to watchWall Streetwall street todayWii UZyngaRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 22 Apr 2013 13:41:00 EST5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Businesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/19/winners-losers-week-business/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/19/winners-losers-week-business/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/19/winners-losers-week-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean
Companies always think their latest move is going to a brilliant one, but there plenty of times when things don't work out quite as planned. And the usual share of wonders and blunders took place in the business world this week, from the well-timed announcement of a new bar-raising cruise ship to an airline that had to cancel nearly 1,000 flights after a computer outage. Let's review:

Royal Caribbean (RCL) -- Winner

Royal Caribbean introduced the latest addition to its fleet on Tuesday. Quantum of the Seas features some intriguing entertainment options that have never before been available on a cruise ship. Bumper cars, a wind tunnel skydiving simulator, and an observation capsule that takes passengers over the side of the ship as high as 300 feet are some of the ship's unique features.

The ship's initial home port will be in New Jersey, and sailings will commence starting in November of next year.
It may be merely a lucky coincidence, but Royal Caribbean is going public with plans for its new ship at a time when its larger rival -- Carnival (CCL) -- has suffered some horrific and embarrassing incidents.

Royal Caribbean is being opportunistic, and there's nothing wrong with that.

American Airlines -- Loser

Tuesday was a bad day to fly American as a computer network outage resulted in the carrier cancelling 978 flights.

There's never a good time to let down your customers, but American Airlines' mishap comes just as its parent company AMR is wiggling its way out of bankruptcy reorganization with plans to complete its merger with US Airways Group next quarter.

Passengers can't be feeling too confident about their next American Airlines flight, even though the company's CEO says he's confident that the problem won't be repeated.

Starbucks (SBUX) -- Winner

You don't have to be a coffee lover to visit your friendly neighborhood Starbucks. The beverage chain is testing carbonated sodas at some of its Seattle stores.
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We're not talking about phoning it in with ordinary cola or orange soda. Starbucks is offering spiced root beer, ginger ale, and lemon ale -- and making the fizzy beverages as they're ordered. Starbucks is also offering iced tea and its fruity Refresher energy drink in carbonated form at the test stores.

Some may argue that sugary drinks aren't good for you or that offering handcrafted pop will result in slower service. However, expanding the menu with drinks that broaden the chain's audience sounds like a winning plan.

Electronic Arts (EA) -- Loser

Fans of "The Sims Social" are being evicted. EA announced that it will be shutting down the popular Facebook (FB) game come June. Despite attracting 5 million monthly visitors, apparently it's just not lucrative enough for the game developer to keep supporting.

Developers shutter games that are fading in popularity often, but EA is a brand name outside of Facebook. Its reputation is going to take a hit here as gamers begin to wonder if they should invest their time and in some cases money on EA's other online diversions.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) -- Winner

The burritos are rolling in Chipotle's favor these days.

The "fast casual" restaurant operator posted better than expected results this week. Earnings per share climbed nearly 25 percent to hit $2.45 a share, well ahead of the $2.14 a share that Wall Street was targeting.

Yes, there was a small tax credit in there, but the fast-growing chain of 1,458 restaurants still would've obliterated market expectations.

Chipotle had actually come up short on the bottom line in its two previous quarters, so it was a welcome surprise to see the operator return to its market-thumping ways.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Facebook, and Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Facebook, and Starbucks. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

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]]>AMR CorpchipotleearningsElectronic ArtsFacebookroyal caribbeanSeattlestarbucksus airwaysvideo gamesRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 19 Apr 2013 12:23:00 EST4 Companies Going the Wrong Way This Earnings Seasonhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/16/earnings-report-preview-apple-amazon-staples-caterpillar/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/16/earnings-report-preview-apple-amazon-staples-caterpillar/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/16/earnings-report-preview-apple-amazon-staples-caterpillar/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

iphone
Bloomberg / Getty Images
It's earnings season, and investors aren't likely to see much that impresses them.

The S&P 500 may have hit fresh all-time highs earlier this month, but the fundamentals of some of its components aren't so rosy. Net income for S&P 500 companies is expected to climb only 1.5 percent for the quarter, according to earnings estimate tracker Thomson Reuters.

Let's go over a few of the prolific companies that are widely expected to post lower quarterly earnings than they did a year earlier. Some of the names may surprise you.

Apple (AAPL)

The world's appetite for iPads and iPhones remains strong, but Apple just isn't making as much money on its iGadgetry as it used to. Consumers are going for cheaper iPad mini tablets and opting for older iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S smartphones that retail for as much as $200 less than the latest iPhone 5.

The end result has been a trend-breaking dip: For the first time in 10 years, Apple is projected to post a decline in year-over-year profitability. Wall Street's bracing for earnings per share to slip 18 percent to $10.23, even though they still foresee a modest uptick in revenue.

The onus is now on Apple to create the next "must have" gadget that it can sell at a healthy markup. That won't be easy, but now you know why Apple's stock has taken a 40 percent tumble since it hit its peak last September.


Amazon.com (AMZN)

The leading online retailer makes no bones about its emphasis on long-term customer satisfaction over short-term profitability. "We are internally driven to improve our services, adding benefits and features, before we have to," CEO Jeff Bezos wrote in last week's annual letter to shareholders. "We lower prices and increase value for customers before we have to. We invent before we have to."
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A customer-centric approach is naturally appreciated by shoppers who are getting more bang for their buck at Amazon. But it's a bit surprising that shareholders haven't had a problem sending the stock higher considering Amazon's uninspiring bottom-line results.

In fact, Amazon has come up short on the bottom line relative to Wall Street expectations for three straight quarters. This sort of performance can easily take a heavy toll on a stock, but Amazon has trained the market well. Analysts see Amazon earning just a third as much as it did a year earlier, and Wall Street's cool with that for now.

Caterpillar (CAT)

To all appearances, this should be a booming time for the construction industry. Residential and commercial real estate are on the rise, and emerging markets hungry for resources would seem to be ripe for Caterpillar's construction and mining equipment.

Unfortunately, it's just not playing out that way.

Caterpillar posted declining profitability three months ago, and that's exactly what analysts are predicting for Caterpillar's next three quarters. Caterpillar's next report -- ironically enough coming up on April 22 -- Earth Day -- should shed some more light on the situation. Analysts see sharply lower earnings for the entire year on a slight dip in revenue.

Staples (SPLS)

Corporate America is supposedly showing signs of life. Why isn't the leading office supply chain getting energized as well?

Analysts see Staples posting a 10 percent decline in profitability on a 3 percent slide in sales for the quarter ending this month. The retailer of printer cartridges, task chairs, and all things office has an excuse. Business has been lousy in Europe, where austerity-encumbered economies aren't experiencing the bounce that the United States has been experiencing.

It's still an ugly snapshot for a company that has historically served as the pulse for small and mid-sized businesses.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com, Apple, and Staples. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

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]]>Amazon.comAppleCaterpillarEarnings reportsFinanceIPhoneSP 500Staples Inc.stock marketstocks to watchThe Motley FoolWall StreetRick Aristotle MunarrizTue, 16 Apr 2013 12:50:00 EST5 Things to Watch on Wall Street This Weekhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/on/earnings-google-microsoft-sea-world-IPO/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/earnings-google-microsoft-sea-world-IPO/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/earnings-google-microsoft-sea-world-IPO/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Royal Caribbean's newest and largest cruise ship in the world the Oasis of the Seas at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., on Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. View of the rock climbing wall and Aqua Theater which is located at the aft of the ship. Photographer: Charlotte Southern/Bloomberg
Charlotte Southern/Bloomberg
From the latest program out of the leading video streaming service to an IPO that's more than a little wet, there will be plenty of news breaking in the coming days. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week of April 15 on Wall Street.

1. Royal Caribbean Ships its Plans: These may be hard times for the world's largest cruise line operator, but challenges at Carnival (CCL) may be creating opportunities for its rival Royal Caribbean (RCL).

Royal Caribbean is expected to reveal details about its new Quantum of the Seas on Tuesday. When the new vessel sets sail in fall 2014, the 4,100-passenger ship will give Royal Caribbean one more modern cruise ship to compete against Carnival's massive fleet.

Royal Caribbean has scheduled a press conference on Tuesday morning detailing the Quantum of the Seas' home port, initial itineraries, and actual layout of the boat. Royal Caribbean just better hope that recent mishaps at its larger rival don't get in the way of bookings for all cruise lines.

2. Netflix Goes for Fear Factor: Netflix (NFLX) is riding high these days after the February success of "House of Cards." The leading video service is now hoping to scare up an encore.

"Hemlock Grove," a gothic horror series directed by Eli Roth, begins streaming on Friday. True to Netflix's recent forays into original programming, the entire first season of the creepy series will be made available on the same day.

There has already been one scathing review by the Hollywood Reporter, but this is the same critic that two years ago panned FX's "American Horror Story," which went on to become a sleeper hit.

The good news for Netflix is that relief isn't too far away these days, even if "Hemlock Grove" falls flat. The fourth and long overdue season of "Arrested Development" will stream exclusively on Netflix next month.

3. Titans of Tech Unite: Earnings season kicked off late last week, but this is the week when the sheer volume of reports starts piling up.

It's going to be a busy week for technology. Google (GOOG) and Bing parent Microsoft (MSFT) report on Thursday, giving investors a great snapshot of the search engine market. Microsoft will also shed light on the faltering PC industry, but you won't just have Mr. Softy on that front. Intel (INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will also be reporting this week, and analysts see the two companies that corner the microprocessors market posting softer bottom-line results than they did a year earlier.

4. Killer Whales Make Killer IPOs: Most new issues aren't household names, but that won't be the case when Sea World Entertainment goes public later this week.

Sea World is hoping to sell 20 million shares at a price between $24 and $27 apiece. The operator of the namesake marine life theme parks - as well as a few water parks and the Busch Gardens chain - is going public at a good time. The regional amusement park operators hit fresh highs earlier this month.

The IPO is expected to price on Thursday and begin trading on Friday. A lot can happen between now and then. A volatile market or weak demand can potentially postpone the IPO. For now, let's just say that investors are planning to sit in the Splash Zone.

5. Be My Little eBay: Few dot-coms have launched as many cottage industries as eBay (EBAY). The leading online marketplace has survived Craigslist and the onslaught of countless sites offering free listings. Along the way, eBay managed to acquire PayPal, the Web-based financial transactions processor that has gone on to eclipse eBay in terms of active users.

EBay reports on Wednesday. Analysts see continuing revenue and earnings growth at the auction service, though no one will be surprised if PayPal is the faster growing of the two businesses. That's the way that things have been for years. Investors seem to like the entire package. They've been clicking the "buy it now" button on eBay shares lately, driving the stock to a new eight-year high last week.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends eBay, Google, Intel, and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of eBay, Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Netflix. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days."

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]]>Cruise IndustryearningsIPOsNetflixtechnologytravelRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 15 Apr 2013 12:30:00 ESTMcDonald's to Roll Out New 'Dual-Point' Ordering Systemhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/on/mcdonalds-dual-point-ordering-system/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/mcdonalds-dual-point-ordering-system/http://www.dailyfinance.com/on/mcdonalds-dual-point-ordering-system/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

McDonald's restaurant
Getty Images
McDonald's (MCD) customers aren't as happy as they used to be, but the world's largest restaurant chain has a plan.

Facing a spike in customer complaints on employee friendliness, McDonald's is rolling out a new dual-point ordering system that will hopefully make the dine-in experience less chaotic than it is at the moment.

Diners, franchisees, and investors better hope so.

Grimace is in the House

Shares of McDonald's hit a new all-time high on Friday, but things aren't as rosy as the stock chart suggests. In October 2012 the chain posted a year-over-year decline in monthly sales at the individual store level, the first time since 2003 it reported negative monthly comparable sales.

McDonald's has been expanding its menu aggressively to offset diner boredom. Premium chicken sandwiches, restaurant-worthy salads, and premium coffee beverages give the fast food behemoth more than just burgers to woo diners.

However, all of the exotic additions could also be creating confusion and long waits for customers.

Having a McHeart-to-Heart

McDonald's executives invited franchisees to a webcast last month where it detailed that one in five of the customer complaints that were coming in were about unfriendly employees. According to The Wall Street Journal, executives also pointed out that the number of complaints singling out rude or unprofessional employees is growing.

It could be a training issue, but it could also be the complexity of the menu and the longer wait times for the hungry to get their food.

McDonald's is banking on a new system to get that right.

Your Number is Up

The new system at McDonald's will dish out orders by placing numbers on receipts. A lot of chains do this already, but McDonald's will have an overhead screen that flashes the order numbers that are ready. Instead of having customers hover around the register after they order, the new system frees them to sit or walk around the restaurant until their food is ready.

Perhaps more importantly, there will be a dedicated employee bringing the completed orders to the opposite end of the counter. The move will free the clutter around the registers, and the runner will be able to fulfill any requests for sugar packets or honey-mustard sauce containers instead of tripping up a cashier tending to a new order.

A more pleasant experience will naturally encourage more repeat visits. McDonald's needs that to happen, regardless of what its sky-high share price suggests.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends McDonald's. The Motley Fool owns shares of McDonald's. Try any of our newsletter services free for 30 days.

Gallery: Go Inside The Secret Test Kitchen Where McDonald's Invents New Menu Items

Cooking in Oak Brook, IllinoisSignageInside the BuildingWhere the Magic HappensThe Kitchen

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]]>customer servicedual-point orderingfast food restaurantsmcdonaldsRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 15 Apr 2013 05:00:00 EST5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Businesshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/5-winners-and-losers-of-the-week-in-business/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/5-winners-and-losers-of-the-week-in-business/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/5-winners-and-losers-of-the-week-in-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Windows 8 David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
From sluggish PC sales to Facebook regaining an important advertiser to a department store chain finally dismissing its inept CEO, let's go over the wonders and blunders of business this week.

The PC -- Blunder

Remember when analysts felt that Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows 8 would breathe new life into the moribund desktop and laptop businesses? Well, it seems to be sucking whatever life was still in the box makers.

Industry tracker IDC is reporting that PC shipments plummeted 13.9 percent worldwide during the first quarter.

More and more consumers are finding that they can get by with smartphones and tablets, and that's bad news for PC makers. It's also bad news for Microsoft, which is the leader in PC operating systems, but not a player when it comes to the mobile operating system space.

Facebook (FB) -- Winner

General Motors (GM) dissed Facebook as a premium marketing platform last May, but now it's back with a mobile advertising campaign for a new Chevy car.

Having GM back as an advertiser is a big deal. GM embarrassed Facebook by publicly announcing that it was abandoning the social networking website in the days leading up to the poorly received Facebook IPO. Did GM's departure raise doubts about the viability of advertising on social networking websites?

Well, GM is back. Facebook will naturally enjoy the ad revenue, but what it really gains here is the validation that it was lacking when GM peeled out last year.

J.C. Penney (JCP) -- Blunder

The Ron Johnson era is finally over at J.C. Penney.

Investors were initially pleased with the announcement that the struggling retailer was dismissing its helmsman, but the stock headed lower when it was revealed that former CEO Mike Ullman would be stepping in as interim CEO.

Who were J.C. Penney investors expecting to step up? Did they want someone who rose up the ranks at a "cheap chic" darling before launching the wildly successful Apple Store concept that's the toast of the sale per square foot mall equation?

I hope not. Going dynamic didn't do J.C. Penney any favors last time out.

Better luck next time, J.C. Penney. Just know that fickle retail shoppers don't give chains too many chances.

Netflix (NFLX) -- Winner

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings didn't waste any time in taking advantage of a new SEC ruling that allows companies to disclose important facts through Facebook, Twitter, and other public social outlets.

"Over the last three months, you all watched over 4 billion hours on Netflix," Hastings revealed in a Facebook status update on Thursday.

If Hastings posting about service usage on Facebook rings a bell it's because he did the same thing when Netflix surpassed a billion hours of member streaming in a single month nearly a year ago. Netflix is now averaging more than 1.3 billion hours of served content a month. It's Hastings' way of letting folks know that the platform continues to grow in popularity.

Google (GOOG) -- Winner

Folks living in Austin won't just have next year's installment of the annual South by Southwest festival to look forward to. Google has tapped the trendy Texan city as the next market to get the company's bar-raising Google Fiber service.

Google Fiber initially rolled out in Kansas City, offering customers online access at speeds that are 100 times faster than conventional broadband connectivity. Google Fiber also offers a high-def TV service. The dual service will set Austin residents back $120 a month, but frugal Texans may want to consider a free monthly plan that Google offers at significantly slower speeds for a one-time installation fee of $300.

Google doesn't want to be your next cable provider. It just wants to make sure that cable companies that offer Internet access don't make connectivity too expensive or burdensome. Google will lead by example, and that's smart.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends Facebook, General Motors, Google, and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix.

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]]>ceocomputersgeneral motorsgmgoogleipadJcPenneymanagementMicrosoftNetflixpcreed hastingsron johnsonwinners and losersRick Aristotle MunarrizFri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 ESTLululemon, Take Heart: 3 Companies That Bounced Backhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/lululemon-chipotle-netflix-starbucks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/lululemon-chipotle-netflix-starbucks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/lululemon-chipotle-netflix-starbucks/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Christine Day, CEO, lululemon athletica, speaks to reporters following a lunch at the Toronto Region Board of Trade in Toronto, Ontario, Friday, February 15, 2013. Photographer: Aaron Harris
Aaron Harris, Getty ImagesChristine Day, CEO, lululemon athletica, speaks to reporters on Feb. 15, 2013.
Lululemon athletica (LULU) was on top of the world.

The retailer of upscale yoga and fitness apparel saw sales soar 37 percent in its latest fiscal year, fueled by an impressive 16 percent spike in comparable store sales. Lulu's bottom line was even hotter, as diluted earnings skyrocketed 46 percent for the fiscal year ending on Feb. 3.

Then came the sheer yoga pants.

An imported shipment of the company's iconic black Luon pants proved to be embarrassingly see-through. The chagrined retailer didn't catch the mistake in time and after complaints started pouring in, it was forced into a recall.

There's always a scapegoat, and after originally pinning the blame on its Taiwanese supplier, Lulu offered up a sacrificial lamb of its own by showing its chief product officer the door.

The yoga retailer had it all, but then it had one controversy too many. But it's not the only company that has suffered from potentially corporate-destructing mistakes.

There's no such thing as 'too big to falter'

It often takes just a simple mistake to unravel a killer brand. Have you seen the saga playing out at J.C. Penney (JCP) these days? CEO Ron Johnson is now ex-CEO Ron Johnson after making the fatal blunder of assuming that it could wean customers off of sales and coupons.

There is no company that is too big to falter the moment that consumers turn. If you don't believe that, pull up the stock chart for tech giant Apple (AAPL) just after its Apple Maps fiasco during the iPhone 5 launch. Ouch!

Let's look at a few other big brands that consumers turned on before winning back the public. That may be doing well now, Lululemon, take heart.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)
Few burrito rollers have the same kind of fanatical following as Chipotle. The "food with integrity" mantra strikes a chord with young diners, but the model featuring quality eats pieced together quickly on a fast-moving assembly line is what keeps customers from bolting when they see the long lines.

Despite the lunchtime queues that snake their way to the counter, Chipotle has courted controversy before. In 2011 it came under fire for hiring and then firing undocumented workers. In 2012 Chipotle was taken to task for its practice of rounding off bills to the nearest nickel at some of its high-volume eateries to keep the queue at the register moving quickly.

Hiring illegal immigrants at a time when the country's unemployment rate was high? Angering the other side of the argument after unceremoniously letting them go? Deliberately overcharging some customers, even if it was just by a penny or two?

Carnitas-craving customers have forgiven Chipotle.

Netflix (NFLX)
Shares of Netflix have more than tripled since bottoming out last summer, but today's market darling is the same one that almost didn't make it past the Qwikster debacle of 2011.

As well as Netflix is rolling these days -- and it is, with 33.2 million streaming subscribers worldwide -- it certainly didn't seem as if Netflix would ever bounce back after telling its DVD-loving customers that it didn't want them anymore. The Qwikster plan involved keeping Netflix only for its streaming business. Disc-based renters would be sent to an entirely different website to man separate queues.

Irate consumers fired back. Netflix nixed Qwikster a few weeks later, but the damage seemed to be permanent. Netflix suffered a sequential dip in subscribers. But the slide lasted for only a quarter. In time, video-hungry fans learned to accept Netflix's apology.

Starbucks (SBUX)
Barista, there's a crushed beetle in my strawberry Frappuccino!

Starbucks survived a doozy last year. It was caught using cochineal extract -- a crushed Latin American beetle -- for the red dye found in a few of its menu options. There were many chains using the creepy food coloring at the time, but Starbucks moved to eliminate its use by last summer.

The transition is complete. Now no one seems to care that Starbucks was serving dead bugs in some of its menu items. Starbucks stores are posting healthy sales growth.

Questionable hiring and charging practices didn't kill Chipotle. Making its best-paying customers feel unwelcome didn't unplug Netflix. Serving up crushed bugs didn't leave consumers pouring out their Starbucks mugs.

Today's fallen darlings will have a chance to rise again.

Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Lululemon Athletica, Netflix and Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Netflix and Starbucks.

Gallery: America's Nine Most Damaged Brands

9. J.P. Morgan8. BlackBerry7. Groupon6. Best Buy5. J.C. Penney

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]]>chipotlecorporate responsibilityCorporate scandallululemonLululemon AthleticaNetflixsee-through yoga pantsstarbucksstock pricesRick Aristotle MunarrizThu, 11 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST5 Things to Watch on Wall Street This Weekhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/08/stocks-to-watch-this-week-facebook-homebuilders/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/08/stocks-to-watch-this-week-facebook-homebuilders/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/08/stocks-to-watch-this-week-facebook-homebuilders/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Home for sale
Alamy
From an established homebuilder going public to the leading used car retailer slamming on the brakes long enough to announce quarterly results, there will be plenty of news waiting to break in the coming days. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.

1. Home IPO, Sweet Home IPO: Unless you've been sleeping under a rock, you're probably aware that residential real estate has bounced back in a major way. Prices are inching higher, and available inventory is thinning out.

If you are sleeping under said rock, by the way, at least make sure it has central air, indoor plumbing, and room for a pool.

As homebuilders see their financials and share prices improve, privately held developers now want in on the action. TRI Point Homes (TPH) went public earlier this year, and this week it will be Taylor Morrison Home hanging the "Open House" sign on its IPO.

Taylor Morrison Home is hoping to raise roughly $500 million as it offers 23.8 million shares priced at $20 to $22 apiece. The stock should price on Tuesday for this developer that happens to be one of country's 10 largest homebuilders. Taylor Morrison Home should then begin trading on Wednesday.

2. Facebook Calls an Audible: Facebook (FB) unveiled a new platform for Android devices last week, and Facebook Home makes its debut on Friday.

The new program will run on some of the latest Android wireless devices, aiming to make the smartphone experience more about people than apps.
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Phones with Facebook Home installed will boost up to a screen where Facebook notifications are front and center with the latest photos uploaded by friends serving as a background. It's more impressive than it sounds, and more importantly it's reversible -- it's just a matter of uninstalling the program.

A bolder move by Facebook -- HTC First -- will also hit the market Friday. This is what many in the media are now calling the Facebook Phone since it's optimized for the new application. Even if the phone itself doesn't sell well, the future of Facebook Home can still be bright.

3. Good Buy, Ruby Tuesday?: The climate for casual dining is challenging. The end of the payroll tax stimulus is giving diners less money to eat out. It's certainly not helping that hungry customers are choosing "fast casual" places that provide quality food quickly at lower price points and without the tipping rite.

Ruby Tuesday (RT) has been a laggard, and a new CEO was brought in late last year to attempt a turnaround. The new helmsman has shed some of the smaller concepts, and he's also hoping that moving customers away from expecting coupons will help the bottom line.

We'll get a heaping plate of reality when Ruby Tuesday reports this week -- not on Tuesday, but Wednesday afternoon.

4. Sprucing Up Your Home: Now that the wintry weather is starting to pass through most of the country we can finally begin the annual rite of spring cleaning.

One byproduct of sprucing up our homes and heaving out the unwanted is that retailers specializing in home furnishings get a seasonal boost as homeowners and apartment dwellers update their digs.

Pier 1 Imports (PIR) and Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) report this week, giving investors a great snapshot on two of the more popular chains for soft goods and home decor. Analysts see both store operators posting improving profitability.

5. There Are No Lemons on This Lot: Auto sales are growing nicely. Industry tracker Edmunds boosted it outlook last week after automakers offered up strong sales for the month of March.

Edmunds now sees 15.5 million new cars sold this year, up from its earlier forecast of 15 million new cars.

We can't all afford new cars, and the cars being traded in need to go somewhere. CarMax (KMX) is there to address both matters. The leading used car retailer buys back trade-ins and offers the resale of secondhand cars without the high pressure hassle that many associate with used car dealers.

CarMax pulls up for its quarterly report on Wednesday. Wall Street's banking on a profit of 46 cents a share, just ahead of the 41 cents a share it posted a year earlier.

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Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Bed Bath & Beyond and Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of Facebook.

Gallery: Test Your Financial Fluency

Pop Quiz:You've saved $25,000 for a down payment on a house. You plan to buy within a year. Which of the following is the safest place toD. Bank savings account is correct.What's the fastest and easiest way to boost your paycheck?C. Adjust your tax withholding is correct.

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]]>Bed Bath and BeyondCarMaxcorporate earningsearnings seasonfacebookpier 1 importsretailRuby TuesdaystocksTRI Point HomesRick Aristotle MunarrizMon, 08 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST