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Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From an ill-conceived entry into the crowded tablet market to the leading online retailer jacking up its minimum order size for free shipping, here's a rundown of the week's best and worst moves in the business world. Zynga (ZNGA) -- Winner Zynga has a long way to go to regain its former status as a market darling, but the casual and social gaming giant is doing its best to claw its way back. Zynga turned heads by posting a narrower loss than analysts were forecasting on Thursday night. Zynga also announced that it was hiring a former marketing manager from Electronic Arts (EA) to help beef up the presence of its mobile games. Bookings have fallen sharply at Zynga, but investors may rediscover the once hot stock with London-based King -- the company behind the wildly popular Candy Crush Saga -- getting ready to go public. Tablet Tuesday -- Loser It was supposed to be a great day for tablets. Tuesday treated gadget buffs to Nokia (NOK) announcing its first tablet, Microsoft (MSFT) starting to sell its Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets, and Apple (AAPL) unveiling its latest line of iPads. The morning kicked off with Nokia introducing a Lumia-branded tablet. The problem is that it runs Windows RT, the operating system that's so unpopular that Microsoft took a $900 million inventory charge earlier this year to write off the weak-selling Surface RT. Then came Microsoft tablets arriving at retailers, including the Surface 2 that happens to run, yes, on Windows RT. Apple's event went far better, but the stock sold off after the presentation. One concern is that the new iPad mini is getting an increase in price. Apple has never boosted the price of next-gen iPads, but now it's doing so with the smaller iPad mini. That may not go over so well in a market where competing tablets have only gotten cheaper over time. IMAX (IMAX) -- Winner They say that the multiplex is dying, but that doesn't hold up when it comes to IMAX. The provider of super-sized theatrical experiences saw its shares soar 5 percent on Thursday after posting better than expected quarterly results. Yes, revenue fell. There were fewer installations this time around, but the backlog has increased to 356 screens. Box office revenue declined as this year's crop of summer releases wasn't as lucrative as last summer, but those IMAX receipts are still positive through the first nine months of the year. And the IMAX network will continue to grow. It signed up contracts for 99 new theaters. Bank of America (BAC) -- Loser We may be years removed from the subprime lending crisis that rocked the global financial markets, but the "too big to fail" banks are finally paying the price. Countrywide Financial -- now a Bank of America subsidiary -- became the first bank to be held liable by a court for misleading the government as part of the crisis that was only made worse when Countrywide reportedly defrauded Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac when it handed over bad home loans. Later in the week, it was reported that Bank of America would be letting thousands go from its mortgage unit. The two events aren't related. The housing market is merely slowing down. However, it just wasn't a good week for Bank of America. Amazon.com (AMZN) -- Winner Things are going well at Amazon, and not just because it posted stronger than expected sales growth on Thursday afternoon. Earlier in the week, the leading online retailer announced that it was increasing the order size that qualifies for its FREE Super Saver Shipping option from $25 to $35 of Amazon-warehoused merchandise. This is a smart move on Amazon's part, especially as it pushes more of its customers to sign up for Amazon Prime, a service that offers unlimited free two-day shipping and other digital perks for just $79 a year. You also have to love Amazon's timing, pushing this through just weeks before the start of the critical 2013 holiday shopping season.
Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Oracle Corporation(ORCL)
Oracle Corporation, an enterprise software company, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and services database and middleware software, applications software, and hardware systems worldwide. It licenses of database and middleware software, including database management software, application server software, service-oriented architecture and business process management software, data integration software, business intelligence software, identity and access management software, content management software, portals and user interaction software, development tools, and Java; and applications software comprising enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, enterprise performance management, supply chain management, business intelligence applications, enterprise portfolio project management, Web commerce, and industry-specific applications software. The company also offers customers with rights to unspecified software product upgrades and maintenance releases; Internet access to technical content; and Internet and telephone access to technical support personnel. In addition, its hardware systems products consist of computer server and hardware-related software, including the Oracle Solaris Operating System; and storage products, such as tape, disk and networking solutions for open systems and mainframe server environments. Its hardware systems support solutions include software updates for the software components. Further, the company offers consulting solutions in business and IT strategy alignment, enterprise architecture planning and design, initial product implementation and integration, and ongoing product enhancements and upgrades; cloud services, including Oracle Cloud Services and Advanced Customer Services; and education solutions comprising instructor-led, media-based, and Internet-based training in the use of its software and hardware products. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Redwood Ci ty, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By M. Joy, Hayes]
Last year, Oracle (NYSE: ORCL ) CEO Larry Ellison was awarded 7 million stock options, valued at $90.7 million, in the face of significant shareholder disapproval. Oracle's board defended the decision by pointing out that the $90.7 million valuation isn't necessarily an accurate measure of the compensation Ellison will receive.
Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Gold Reserve Inc(GRZ)
Gold Reserve Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mining projects. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Spokane, Washington.
5 Best Low Price Stocks To Own Right Now: Kohl's Corporation(KSS)
Kohl?s Corporation operates department stores in the United States. The company?s stores offer private and exclusive, as well as national branded apparel, footwear, and accessories for women, men, and children; soft home products, such as sheets and pillows; and housewares primarily to middle-income customers. As of January 29, 2011, it operated 1,089 stores in 49 states. The company also offers on-line shopping on its Web site at Kohls.com. Kohl?s Corporation was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP ) stock skyrocketed last week after news leaked that�Soros Fund Management had taken a big stake in the struggling retailer. And yes, with Penney selling today for close to book value, and a price-to-sales ratio less than half what rivals Kohl's (NYSE: KSS ) and Macy's (NYSE: M ) charge, you can see what might have attracted George Soros' attention.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
JC Penney’s weakness is all its own. Macy�� (M) has gained 0.4% to $44.64, Sears�(SHLD) has risen 3.7% to $56.50 and Kohl���(KSS) has ticked down 0.1% to $53.90.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of JC Penney have dropped 8.1% to $7.23 at 12:07 p.m. today, the lowest price since 1982. Macy���(M) is little changed at $42.57, Sears�(SHLD) has gained d0.9% to $55.23, Kohl’s (KSS) has ticked down 0.1% to $51.43.
Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)
Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Orelli]
Quite a few other pharmaceutical companies including Merck (NYSE: MRK ) , Sanofi, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY ) , Bayer,�and Boehringer Ingelheim have animal health divisions. The latter two aren't available on U.S. exchanges.
- [By Louis Navellier]
Epsilon’s expertise is in direct marketing and advertising solutions, specializing in brand building, customer intelligence and predictive modeling. Finally, the company’s Private Label Services and Credit division offers credit card processing, billing and payment processing as well as collection services for private label retailers. Through these three units, the company serves clients in financial services, specialty retail, petroleum retail, automotive, hospitality, pharmaceuticals and a wide range of other markets. Its top clients include Merck (MRK), Ford (F), L Brands (LTD), FedEx (FDX) and Shell Oil (RDS.A, RDS.B).
Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2014: USG Corporation(USG)
USG Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and distribution of building materials worldwide. The company offers gypsum and related products, including gypsum wallboard, joint compounds used for finishing wallboard joints, cement boards, glass mat sheathing, gypsum fiber panels, poured gypsum underlayments, ultra light panels, and various construction plaster products. Its gypsum products are used in various building applications to finish the interior walls, ceilings, and floors in residential, commercial, and institutional constructions, and repair and remodel constructions. The company also produces gypsum-based products for agricultural and industrial customers to use in various applications, including soil conditioning, road repair, fireproofing, and ceramics. In addition, it manufactures ceiling grid and acoustical ceiling tile for electrical and mechanical systems, and air distribution and maintenance applications. USG Corporation distribut es its gypsum products through specialty wallboard distributors, building materials dealers, home improvement centers and other retailers, contractors, and a network of distributors. Further, it distributes other manufacturers? gypsum wallboard, joint compound and other gypsum products, as well as drywall metal, insulation, and roofing products and accessories. The company sells its products under SHEETROCK, DUROCK, FIBEROCK, SECUROCK, LEVELROCK, RED TOP, IMPERIAL, DIAMOND, SUPREMO, AURATONE, ACOUSTONE, DONN, DX, FINELINE, CENTRICITEE, CURVATURA, and COMPASSO brands. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
USG (NYSE: USG ) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), USG missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Eric Volkman]
She also serves as chairman of the United States Steel and Carnegie Pension Fund, and on that organization's investment committee. Outside of U.S. Steel, she sits on the board of directors of USG (NYSE: USG ) and the Pennsylvania Business Council, among other entities.
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