ETF

March 14 2013 10:23 AM

Sometimes success is as simple as a sale. BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]) shares surged Wednesday after the smartphone maker said it had received an order for 1 million BlackBerry 10 smartphones, with shipment set to begin immediately. According to Reuter’s, the company did not disclose either the location of the "established partner" who placed the order or the period for the device sales. BlackBerry also did not disclose whether the order is for just Z10 devices or both Z10 and Q10 devices.

March 13 2013 2:34 PM

These days, it seems hard to be a big business in the tech industry without getting taken to court one way or another — or in Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) case, one way and another. Many U.S. states have joined forces to challenge Google’s data collection methods, especially in regards to its mapping service, and force Google’s hand.

March 13 2013 1:27 PM

It’s the same story once more. Rumors of an acquisition of BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) by Lenovo have surfaced once before and were quickly rebuffed, and a recent round of rumors received the same treatment. They surfaced briefly only to be put on the back burner again. In January, Lenovo CFO Wong Wai Ming hinted at the possibility of an acquisition of BlackBerry — then still known as Research In Motion — by referring to the company’s mergers and acquisitions strategy. But, that comment was dismissed by Lenovo as speculation and possible misinterpretation. The company was simply open to the consideration of a deal, not actively pursuing one.

March 13 2013 1:07 PM

The short interest in defense companies was mixed during the weeks leading up to the federal budget sequester. The number of shares sold short in Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]), Boeing (NYSE: BA), L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Raytheon (NYSE: RTN), Textron (NYSE: TXT) and United Technologies (NYSE: UTX) increased somewhat between the February 15 and February 28 settlement dates.

March 13 2013 11:19 AM

Earlier this week BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]) gained a much-needed boost after the company announced the domestic release date for the Z10. The smartphone maker also benefited from renewed speculation of a Lenovo takeover. Lenovo and BlackBerry have been rumored to merge since last year. While the company had wholeheartedly dismissed the rumor that it would acquire Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Lenovo execs seem much more interested in taking control of the BlackBerry empire.

March 12 2013 3:57 PM

Former American International Group (NYSE:AIG) CEO Maurice Greenberg is leading a campaign to sue the federal government for its methods in handling the firm’s bailout in 2008, even though AIG stated back in January that it would not participate in the case. Despite AIG backing out, Greenberg — through his Starr International firm — and shareholders of AIG have achieved class action status against the government.

March 12 2013 2:35 PM

With shares of Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) trading around $39, is TSLA an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let’s analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework. Tesla Motors designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles and electric vehicle powertrain components. With the rise of the green vehicle movement, Tesla participates in an area that is poised to see increasing demand. Not to mention, the vehicles that the company is outputting are aesthetically pleasing. Look for the company to continue to take market share in a new automobile industry.

March 12 2013 12:18 PM

With shares of Yum (NYSE:YUM) trading around $67, is the stock an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let’s analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework: Yum is a quick-service restaurant company that operates KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell restaurants worldwide. As consumers become increasingly more time-sensitive, Yum stands ready to provide fast, easy, and inexpensive food options. Look for Yum Brands to continue its dominance in the fast food industry.

March 12 2013 11:56 AM

There’s something of an inversion when it comes to smartphone ownership and use of smartphones to watch videos, and it could be to the benefit of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Worldwide, Apple had a 19 percent share of the smartphone market for 2012. Meanwhile, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) was far more prevalent, with a 68 percent market share. Despite the Android’s expansive presence, there’s a big divide between its users and iPhone users.