FeedPosted Feb 7th 2010 10:20AM by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Filed under: Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), New York Times'A' (NYT), News Corp'B' (NWS), Media World, Technology
How are readers finding the news? Well, increasingly, the answer is Facebook. The social networking site, which boasts well over 350 million registered users, is now the fourth largest referral source of traffic to online news destinations. Almost a year ago, only 0.5% of traffic to news and media sites came from Facebook. Today, that level is 3.5%, according to data from Web analytics firm Experian Hitwise.
Only Google (GOOG), Yahoo! (YHOO) and MSN (MSFT) send more traffic to news sites. Google News, a subset of the search engine giant, failed to keep pace with Facebook, despite the fact that it exists specifically to send Internet users to media outlets. Only 1.39% of referrals came from this source.
Continue reading Facebook Grows as a Source for News
Posted Feb 4th 2010 5:40PM by Brian White (RSS feed)
Filed under: Products and Services, Google (GOOG)
You have to love Mark Cuban. The guy basically hasn't stopped chattering about tech and business since selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) for billions at the height of the dotcom boom almost a decade ago. Although opinionated, much of what comes out of Cuban's mouth is prescient or garbage. The NBA aside, Cuban's latest foe is none other than Google Inc. (GOOG). The company that promises to "do no evil" is being called a "vampire" by the billionaire blabbermouth. How touching.
Continue reading Google a Vampire in Cuban's Eyes
Posted Jan 29th 2010 8:30AM by Steven Mallas (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), Apple Inc (AAPL), International Business Machines (IBM), Technology
Microsoft (MSFT), the tech giant behind the Windows operating system, whose colleagues include Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), IBM (IBM), and Yahoo! (YHOO), issued Q2 numbers after the bell on Thursday. Revenues increased 14%, and diluted earnings per share went up well over 50% to 74 cents.
In terms of expectations, Earnings.com says 59 cents was the number to beat. Obviously, the company had no problem doing that. As the news outlets have been reporting, Windows 7 was the big driver of the quarter's success.
Continue reading Microsoft Q2 Earnings Jump, Aided by Windows 7
Posted Jan 27th 2010 12:30PM by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Filed under: Competitive Strategy, Google (GOOG), Technology
The three major social media sites have been pushing new tools out to their user communities aggressively over the past year. Each company has its own set of rumors, from IPOs to being on both sides of an acquisition. While the ultimate 2010 aims of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn may not have been revealed to us yet, it is clear that all three are looking for ways to beef up revenue and demonstrate long-term viability.
Whether or not Facebook goes public this year, it's still pointed toward that ultimate goal. The 350-million member social network is focused on finding new sources of revenue and gaining better penetration into those it already has. Even if it's more than a year away, it's never too soon to start shoring up your financial statements for an IPO. The latest new feature from Facebook, which has been announcing enhancements fairly rapidly over the past few months, is targeted directly at advertisers, underscoring the importance that the company's attaching to revenue growth.
Continue reading Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Release New Features with Revenue Implications
Posted Jan 26th 2010 2:00PM by Tom Taulli (RSS feed)
Filed under: Google (GOOG)

It looks like 2010 will be a strong year for IPOs, especially for tech offerings. Of course, one of the most highly-anticipated deals is Facebook. No doubt, it would give the market a big jolt.
But sadly, it looks like we may have to wait. At a
conference in Munich, Facebook's two largest investors -- Jim Breyer of Accel Partners and Yuri Milner of Digital Sky Technologies (DST) -- said "no" to an IPO in 2010.
Continue reading Facebook Unfriends IPO for 2010
Posted Jan 23rd 2010 3:10PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Google (GOOG), General Electric (GE), McDonald's (MCD), International Business Machines (IBM), Blockbuster Inc 'A' (BBI), American Express (AXP), Coach Inc (COH), Xerox Corp (XRX)
Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage on BloggingStocks:
- American Express Co. (AXP) doubled its bottom line in Q4 while its provisions for losses fell.
- Blockbuster Inc. (BBI) warned of weakness in Q4 and lowered its guidance, sending shares lower.
- Coach Inc. (COH) better-than-expected Q2 earnings were accompanied by sales growth, but shares fell.
- Comerica Inc. (CMA) posted a smaller-than-expected Q4 loss, sending shares to a 52-week high.
- CSX Corp. (CSX) posted Q4 earnings that topped estimates but its revenue fell short of expectations.
Continue reading Earnings Highlights: American Express, Coach, GE, Google, IBM, McDonald's ...
Posted Jan 22nd 2010 8:30AM by Steven Mallas (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Internet, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO), Technology
Google (GOOG) proudly posted its fourth-quarter numbers on Thursday after the bell, probably assuming it would see a bid once the market digested its performance. But it didn't happen. Instead, the market sold the company on what I would call a very good report. Are you getting the feeling that the bullish sentiment on Wall Street is fading away?
The search giant, feared by both Microsoft (MSFT) and Yahoo! (YHOO), among others, said it made $6.79 per share on a non-GAAP basis. Which means management grew the bottom line by a more than respectable 33%. According to our earnings preview, the market was looking for $6.43.
Continue reading Google Delivers in the Fourth Quarter
Posted Jan 22nd 2010 8:06AM by Melly Alazraki (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Google (GOOG), General Electric (GE), Market Matters, McDonald's (MCD), Citigroup Inc. (C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS), Wells Fargo (WFC), Financial Crisis

U.S. stock futures were mixed Friday morning as investors mulled results from General Electric and others, and focused on the effects President Obama's plan to overhaul Wall Street would have on banks.
On Thursday, Wall Street suffered one of the worst day in month after the Obama administration announced a proposal to increase regulation on the financial industry. Despite several strong earnings, concerns over China's efforts to curb lending, a surprise increase in jobless claims and a drop in manufacturing amounted to the Dow industrials sinking 213 points, or 2%. The broader S&P 500 lost 1.9% and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 1.1%.
Continue reading Before the Bell: Stocks Headed for a Mixed Start
Posted Jan 21st 2010 10:00AM by Steven Mallas (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Forecasts, Internet, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Yahoo! (YHOO)
A big player in the tech sector is ready to report today. Google (GOOG) will publish Q4 results later this afternoon. Traders and investors alike get super excited when the search behemoth tells the world how it's doing.
I think the company will show that it's doing quite well. According to Earnings.com, expectations peg the per-share profit at $6.43. If that number is hit, then the growth rate will be a solid 26% (last year at this time, Google made $5.10 per share). Of course, most people aren't interested in hitting the projected stat, they want management to rise above it and demonstrate true earnings power.
Continue reading Google's Q4 Is Here: What Should We Expect?
Posted Jan 21st 2010 8:00AM by Paul Foster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Google (GOOG), Options
Google (GOOG) closed at $580.42. GOOG is expected to report Q4 EPS on January 21. GOOG February option implied volatility is at 33, March is at 30, above its 26-week average of 28, according to Track Data, suggesting larger near term price movement.
Russell 2000 (IWM) overall implied volatility at 24; 26-week average is 29.
Financial Select Sector (XLF) overall volatility at 24; 26-week average is 30.
Options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.
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