Semiconductors in Charge

Elena
30 Sep, 2005
New York City

Semiconductor stocks posted solid gains in morning trading, sending the sector up 2%. Micron Technology, semiconductor products manufacturer, posted Q4 earnings drop of 7 cents a share vs. 14 cents a year ago, beating expectations of a loss of 8 cents per share. The stock is currently up 7.5%.

U.S. MARKET AVERAGES

U.S. market averages have been trading mixed, deprived of significant corporate or earnings news in play. As energy prices kept retreating from recent highs, providing some support to the sentiment, investors focused their attention on another market driver. The trading session has largely been affected by economic data, which disclosed to a considerable extent Katrina’s and Rita’s impact on economic growth.
The Commerce Dept. released news, which showed larger-than-expected decline in consumer spending in August of 0.5% vs. expectations of a more modest decrease by 0.2%. Another disappointing piece of economic data was the personal income index, which fell by 0.1%, in contrast with the anticipated increase of 0.3%. The results point to an inflation increase after Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast, sending energy prices to record peaks. Another report, posted by the University of Michigan released the final reading of its September consumer sentiment index, with the measure coming in flat with its mid-month level of 76.9. Economists had expected the index, which is down from a final mark of 89.1 in August, to come back a bit from the preliminary September reading.

Averages have been supported by the strong semiconductor sector, surging 2% on several stocks like Micron Technology ((MU)), currently up 7.5%, Sandisk CP ((SNDK)), up 7%, and ADV Micro Devices ((AMD)), up 2%.

Energy stocks suffer some weakness with Exxon Mobil ((XOM)) the worst Dow performer, down 1%.

Caterpillar ((CAT)) is the best performing Dow component, rising 1.4%.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Dow unit Boeing Co. ((BA)) added 1%, after the company's machinists union accepted a new three-year contract yesterday and ended a strike. The company renews its jetliner production after less than a month of pending. About 80% of members who voted approved the contract.

Another Dow unit Wal-Mart Stores ((WMT)) was down 0.4%. The retailer entered Japan in 2002 by investing in supermarket operator Seiyu Ltd. and expects to raise its interest in Japanese company in December from 42.4% to over 50% to turn it into a full subsidiary. To raise its interest, Wal-Mart will buy new ordinary and preferred Seiyu shares.

Deutsche Bank downgraded Kimberly-Clark Corp. ((KMB)) to hold from buy. The broker pointed as a reason that rearranging the health product company to drive asset rationalization and support higher R&D is the right way but the fast growing raw material costs, a still suffering business in Europe and the loss of synthetic fuel tax benefits are too exhausting to calm down until restructuring savings begin.

ECONOMIC NEWS

The Department of Commerce released its closely watched report on personal income and spending in the month of August. The report showed that personal income fell unexpectedly while personal spending fell more than economists had expected.

The report said that personal income fell by 0.1 percent in August after trending higher in recent months. The decrease came as a surprise to economists, who had expected personal income to increase by 0.3 percent, matching the increase seen in July.

The Commerce Dept. noted that the decrease in personal income was partly due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The decrease reflected $100 billion in uninsured losses of residential and business property that resulted from the storm.

The report also showed that personal spending fell by 0.5 percent in August after rising 1.2 percent in July and 1.0 percent in June. Economists had been expecting a more modest decline of about 0.2 percent.

The decrease in consumer spending would have been even more significant if not for the notable increase in gasoline prices that was seen during the month. Excluding inflation, consumer spending fell by 1.0 percent in August after rising 0.9 percent in July.

The Commerce Dept. said that consumer prices rose 0.5 percent in August while core prices, which exclude food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent.

The report also showed that the notable decrease in spending contributed to some improvement in the personal savings rate, which rose to a negative 0.7 percent in August from a negative 1.1 percent in July. A negative reading still indicates that consumers are dipping into their savings.

INTERNATIONAL MARKET NEWS

Asian-Pacific benchmarks closed mixed. The Nikkei topped a new four-year high of 13678.44 points on upbeat reports on domestic economy, but later retreated to 0.3% in the red, dragged down by Honda Motor, Toyota Motor, and Credit Saison. Across the region, South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.8%, despite positive government data, Australia’s All Ordinaries fell 0.5% on mining stocks. Stock markets in Hong Kong were closed.

European markets closed in the positive territory on the back of strong tech sector and merger and acquisition talk. The German DAX 30 rose 0.5%, the French CAC 40 gained 0.5%, while London’s FTSE 100 finished flat.

ENERGY, METALS, CURRENCIES

Oil prices pulled back on recent profit-taking and production recovery news. Light sweet crude for November delivery lost 74 cents to $66.05 a barrel. Heating oil October contract fell 6.5 cents to $2.06 a gallon. Gasoline dropped 13 cents to $2.12 a gallon. London Brent traded 87 cents lower at $62.97.

Gold prices climbed in European trading. In London the precious metal closed at $470.50 per troy ounce, up from $461.55. In Hong Kong gold rose $3.50 to $473.75. Silver ended at $7.49, up from $7.48.

In European trading the U.S. dollar traded higher against the yen, but lower against the euro and pound. The euro was quoted at $1.2076, up from $1.2044. The dollar changed hands at 113.00 yen, up from 112.86. The British pound was trading at $1.7723, up from $1.7636.

EARNINGS NEWS

Interpublic Group ((IPG)) posted first half loss of 33 cents per share, compared with a year-ago loss 44 cents per share. The company reported a full-year 2004 loss of $1.34 per share, up from a 2003 loss of $1.40 per share. First-half operating loss amounted to $39.6 million, compared with a loss of $100.8 million in the same time last year.

Escalon Medical Corp. ((ESMC)), maker of surgical pharmaceutical products, posted Q4 earnings of 32 cents a share, up from a year-earlier profit of 10 cents a share. The company’s shares were off 14.6% to $6.20 on Thursday. The latest results incorporate a gain of $3.4 million related to a stock sale, and costs related to litigation and a retirement benefit for an executive.

Lawson Software Inc. ((LWSN)) , business application software company, posted a Q1 net earnings of 4 cents a share, breakeven a share compared with the same time last year. Revenue advanced to $87.9 million from $82.7 million last year, beating analysts estimate of revenue of $85 million.

VeriSign Inc. ((VRSN)), provider of Internet services, reported Q3 revenue would amount to $410 million, less than its previous forecast of $435 million to $440 million. The company announced that earnings excluding certain items would be 27 cents matching its previous forecasts.

Micron Technology Inc. ((MU)), semiconductor products manufacturer, posted Q4 net earnings of 7 cents a share, down vs. 14 cents a share a year earlier despite revenue growth, beating analyst estimate of a loss of 8 cents a share.

Arrow International Inc. ((ARRO)), catheter maker, posted fiscal Q4 net earnings of 11 cents a share, down from 32 cents a share a year earlier, missing analysts’ forecasts of 30 cents a share . The 65% drop in earnings is due to its evaluation of internal controls over financial reporting, as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Revenue advanced to $114.3 million from $113 million in the year-ago period.

CORPORATE NEWS

Liberty Global announced it has agreed to buy Cablecom for $2.2 billion, a day after the Swiss company announced an initial public offering.