# Thursday, November 08, 2007
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) reported a net loss of 19 cents per share for the third quarter compared to a loss of $2.79 per share a year ago. The news could signal the beginning of a successful turnaround for the troubled automaker and came as a surprise to many investors. Margins are growing, incentives are falling and sales are becoming more profitable.

Ford has traditionally been the weaker of the big three automakers as it does not have hedge fund backing, massive sales outside of the USA, or cost cutting already behind it. However, this earnings announcement indicates that they may be able to pull off a turnaround anyway. The company reported improved overseas sales, increased margins in the United States, and is ahead of its $17 billion cash outflow target for 2007-2009 period.

Ford also said it was close to selling its Jaguar and Land Rover units but its CEO said there are no longer any plans to sell the Volvo market. The company likely decided to hold off because of the lowered cost of a turnaround. The company leveraged its assets to borrow $23.4 billion last year, but now doesn't expect restructuring costs to reach even that level.

In the end, Ford is on track to reach profitability in 2009. This is a remarkable achievement given the short timeframe for their turnaround and the increased competition in the auto market. Combined, these factors make F a stock worth watching closely!

Related Companies
General Motors Corporation (GM)
Toyota Motors Corporation (TM)
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (DTG)

Thursday, November 08, 2007 6:00:14 PM UTC  #     |  Trackback
Unisys Corporation (NYSE:UIS) is starting to feel the pressure from shareholders who believe the company is undervalued. One shareholder, MMI Investments, disclosed a 9.9% stake in the company and indicated that they plan on pushing the company towards pursuing strategic alternatives. Shareholders are hoping that the activist investors will be able to help the company turn itself around and come to value.

Unisys Corporation's poor growth record over the short and long term indicate a troubled and uncertain business model. The company's latest earnings announcement caused a 20% drop in the days surrounding the announcement while the company is averaging a -230% earnings surprise over the last six quarters - not exactly what investors want to see! Many shareholders are skeptical as to whether or not the company will be able to turn itself around.

Management has performed well in the past growing the company's earnings per share; however, recent losses and a lack of top line growth suggest that the company is facing serious problems. This becomes a big problem when you consider Unisys' long term debt that accounts for 98% of its total capital. This makes the balance sheet somewhat unsafe given that the company only has $448 million in cash and total debt amount to $1.04 billion.

In the end, there are a few good things about this company. First, the company's price to sales ratio sits at just 0.4x, making it one of the most undervalued in the sector. Meanwhile, the company did report strong cash flows during the last quarter, which is a good sign. However, there are many negative aspects of this company as well. Ideally, an activist shareholder would be able to seek strategic alternatives and turn thing around. This makes UIS a stock worth watching!

Related Companies
Perot Systems Corporation (PER)
SRA International Inc. (SRX)
Aware Inc. (AWRE)

Thursday, November 08, 2007 5:06:51 PM UTC  #     |  Trackback
# Wednesday, November 07, 2007
TheStreet.com (NDAQ:TSCM) announced record traffic of over 6 million unique visitors to its recently-redesigned website each month. The company is benefiting from its acquisition of Corsis and other acquisitions that it has made recently in the financial sector. TheStreet.com reported record revenue of $16.1 million for the quarter - a 24% increase over the same time last year.

"We had a record quarter where our total revenue grew 24% from the same period last year," said Thomas J. Clarke Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of TheStreet.com. "With our recent acquisitions and the many other initiatives we have undertaken, TheStreet.com has dramatically altered and broadened the landscape of opportunities for the Company. I look forward to cohesively and profitably integrating these opportunities as we strive toward becoming the premier online destination for money."

TheStreet.com's acquisition of Corsis, a leading provider of custom solutions for advertisers, enabled it to shift into higher-margin advertising. The acquisition included the internet property Promotions.com, which is known for working with some of the largest brands in the world. The company's subsidiary, StockPickr, also become the first financial social networking website to surpass 100,000 user-generated portfolios.

These acquisitions, combined with a series of new partnerships, has propelled TheStreet.com's earnings and future outlook as it diversifies its revenue base and expands into other markets. All in all, TheStreet.com is definitely a high-growth stock that is worth watching!

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Dow Jones & Company Inc. (DJ)
Morningstar, Inc. (MORN)
Time Warner Inc. (TWX)
Wednesday, November 07, 2007 5:45:57 PM UTC  #     |  Trackback