200% Volume Spike in Commercial Metals (CMC)

Commercial Metals Company (NYSE: CMC) is one we have been following today for an explosion in trading volume on what is actually a very quiet trading day.  The stock is now up 11.9% at $16.87 on 5.3 million shares.  The 52-week trading range is $8.83 to $21.29 and the average volume is only about 1.8 million shares.  This stock petered out just north of $17.00 in the last 30 minutes or so and we are starting to see at least some profit taking in the name.

The reason is the old “takeover chatter” but we’d also note that this is on the heels of many large funds disclosing gains and subtractions in the stock.  The market cap here is a mere $1.89 billion, so it is not one of those old metals mergers that had been thrown out there with no real chance of being seen.

JON C. OGG

Top Day Trader Alerts (SII, SLB, XNPT, GSK, LOW, BPAX)

These are this Monday’s top day trader and active trader alert stocks seen in the pre-market hours.  It is surprising on the lack of stocks with double-digit gainers or losers.  A brief explanation and volume comparisons are provided where applicable.

Smith (SII) is up again and up far more than what options were indicating on Friday.  Schlumberger Ltd. has formalized a buyout of the oil services player in an all-stock deal of 0.6966 SLB per SII share in a deal coming to$45.84 before any dilution of SLB.  Shares are indicated up almost 7.5% at $40.50 this morning on almost 8 million shares in the pre-market session alone.  The high on Friday after the deal was leaked was $38.16 and shares closed at $37.70.

Xenoport, Inc. (NASDAQ: XNPT) is one of the most active gainers this morning, but this is just the trading reaction after last week’s crush after its RLS treatment was not given FDA approval.  Keep in mind here that after shares dropped from $19.60 to $6.67 that the Friday price went back up to $8.38 on over 27.9 million.  At 8:54 AM EST we have shares up 5.8% at $8.87 on 588,000 shares in the pre-market.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE: GSK) is holding up better than some might expect.  The company is effectively being urged to pull its blockbuster drug Avandia because of heart risks.  Shares of the ADR are down 2.25% at $37.40 on 70,000 shares as of 8:58 AM EST.

Lowe’s Companies Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is trading up after the #2 home improvement store managed to beat earnings estimates. It reported $0.14 EPS vs $0.12 estimates.  The company now sees gains of 1 to 3 percent same store sales guidance for gains in 2010 and suggested that the worst of the economic crisis is behind.  Also announced was up to $5 billion for share buybacks versus a $34 billion market cap.  Shares are up 1.8% at $23.56 at 8:00 AM EST on over 950,000 shares.

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPAX) is trading higher after it reported positive LibiGel® safety data in its ongoing Phase III study program.  Biosante shares are up 6% at $1.94 on 116,000 shares as of 8:58 AM EST.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG

Options Read on Smith International Buyout Talk (SII, SLB)

The reports today put Smith International Inc. (NYSE: SII) as a company in talks to be acquired by Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB).  If this occurs it would be the largest oilfield services giant becoming even larger.  While we have yet to see a formal deal, Smith shares traded over 42 million shares today, almost 8-times normal volume, and closed up 13% at $37.70.  The stock also hit an intraday high of $38.16, marking a new 52-week high that is just a hair under being up 100% from a 52-week low of $18.43.

With any buyout talk, whether confirmed or just rumor, we always look to see what the stock options market is telling us.  The options trading is never very active in Smith, but today’s options trading was nearly as exponential as the stock.

FEB-2010 EXPIRATION
Calls$    Vol.    OpInt
35.00    726    1,149
Puts    Vol.    OpInt
35.00    1,935    110

MARCH-2010 EXPIRATION
Call$    Vol.    OpInt.
34.00    523    3,656
35.00    2,497    991
36.00    3,886    1,775
37.00    4,952    13
Puts$    Vol.    OpInt.
33.00    711    177
34.00    3,059    22
35.00    3,646    80
APRIL-2010 EXPIRATION
Call$    Vol.    OpInt.
37.00    1,547    1,556
40.00    1,667    188

After a review of the options prices at the close, the implied buyout price would be just short of $39.00.

JON C. OGG

Top Day Trader Alerts (APOL, BAC, CSIQ, CPST, DELL, FSLR, HUN, SII, WBMD)

These are this Friday’s top day trader alerts and active trader alerts we have seen on the move based upon events.  We have an explanation and added color on each where applicable:

Apollo Group Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL) is trading down sharply after providing preliminary guidance that is short of estimates for Q2.  The company is boosting a share buyback by $500 million, but no one cares.  At 8:37 AM EST we have seen over 260,000 shares trade hands and the stock is down 12% at $54.04.  Keep in mind here that the 52-week trading range is $52.79 to $84.22 so it is close to a 52-week low.

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) has several issues to watch today.   First is that the discount rate was raised.  Late yesterday Meredith Whitney called it the “Least Worse” of big banks on the NYSE floor in a CNBC interview.  Last night came reports that the government is reportedly going to sell its warrants.  Shares are down 1.15% at $15.70 on 600,000 shares as of 8:30 AM EST.

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is getting clipped.  The company now expects its gross margin to be in the mid-teens versus guidance that was initially put at the high-teens.  Shares are down 10% at $22.22 on almost 100,000 shares as of 8:40 AM EST.  This one is VERY volatile… the 52-week range is $3.00 to $33.68 and average volume is 2.1 million shares.

Capstone Turbine Corp. (NASDAQ: CPST) announced a proposed stock offering last night via Lazard.  This had been telegraphed before in a recent filing to raise capital, but shares are down 11% at $ 1.10 on 55,000 shares as of 8:30 AM EST.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) saw its fiscal fourth quarter earnings fall 5% to $334 million and EPS dropped 6% to 17%. The company reported that sales rose 11% to $14.9 billion.  Shares were down 3% last night and were down 5% at $13.70 on 1.4 million shares as of 8:40 AM EST.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) is getting drummed this morning, but it seems that the weakness is being used as a buying opportunity by some because shares are up $2.00 from last night’s and this morning’s lows.  Shares are down over 7% at $117.00 on over 50,000 shares as f 8:31 AM EST.

Huntsman Corp. (NYSE: HUN) is trading up this morning after the chemicals company managed to post $0.27 EPS rather than an expected loss, and revenues were roughly $2 billion versus $1.9 billion expected (Thomson Reuters estimates).  At 8:34 AM ESt we have shares up 4.5% at $12.93 on 44,000 shares.

Smith International Inc. (NYSE: SII) is soaring on reports that Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) is talks to acquire the company. Shares were indicated up 20% earlier on the news, but the stock is up about 14% at $38.00 on 450,000 shares as of 8:35 AM EST.

WebMD Health Corp. (NASDAQ: WBMD) is soaring after earnings and after it was raised to Buy at Citigroup.  Shares are up almost 7% at $42.00 on 45,000 shares as of 8:50 AM EST.  This appears to be a 52-week high as the prior range is listed as $19.45 to $40.44.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 19, 2010

The Rate Hike Cycle Begins

Just yesterday in the FOMC meeting minutes from January, it was becoming painfully clear that the FOMC was getting closer and closer to hiking rates.  Most notable was that the discussions had been revolving around whether changing the “extended period” and more importantly that the FOMC was considering a hike in the discount rate.

It is unusual to see the FOMC hike or cut the discount rate and not move the Fed Funds rate…. but that is what we are getting.  The Fed has raised the discount rate by 0.25%.

The FOMC raised the discount rate to 0.75% from 0.50%, effective tomorrow.  The FOMC noted that the policy outlook is effectively the same as during the January meeting.  But it also noted that it will assess whether further discount rate hikes are needed.

The discount window borrowings as of last night were $87.77 billion and foreign central bank custody holdings were listed as $2.957 trillion.  More important than that is that the Fed’s Mortgage-backed securities holdings crossed the $1 trillion mark.

The discount rate is the interest rate that depository institutions are charged to borrow short term funds directly from the Federal Reserve.   Today is not a full rate hike.  But this is the beginning of the end of all that free money.

JON C. OGG

SIRIUS Takes Leaderboard (SIRI)

SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) has suddenly become everyone’s buddy again.  After shares cracked through the $1.00 mark they just kept running.  At 2:28 PM EST we have seen a whopping 161 million shares trade hands and the stock is up 8.5% more at $1.14 for a new 52-week high (intraday high $1.18).  If today holds up then we will have seen 5 consecutive up-days for SIRIUS XM.

Yesterday’s volume including after-hours came in at 184.75 million shares.  We saw 153 million shares the day before that.  Before this last run this week, there have been five prior days when we saw 100+ million shares trade hands.  Before that, well you have to go to the end of August to find 100+ million shares in a day…. and shares were down in the $0.66 range then.

SIRIUS shares closed out 2009 at $0.60…. That makes for a 90% move so far in 2010.  Wunderlich Securities raised gave the stock a Buy-rating and $1.00 stock.  I have put in a call and email to the analyst there but not heard anything back yet over the $1.00 breach.

Of the major stocks, SIRIUS XM is the second most active stock in number of shares traded.

JON C. OGG

Top Day Trader Alerts (XNPT, GSK, NVDA, LVS, WYNN, DSCO, NTAP, VLNC)

These are this Thursday’s top pre-market day trader and active trader alert stocks with a brief explanation and color on each:

Xenoport, Inc. (NASDAQ: XNPT) is the worst we have seen in a while…. Shares are down about 64% at $7.05 on almost 4 million shares as of 8:48 AM EST.  Average volume is under 300,000 so we are over 10-X volume and the market isn’t even open.  The old 52-week trading range WAS $13.36 to $27.18.  The FDA has denied approval of its Restless Leg Syndrome drug with GlaxoSmithkline (NYSE: GSK).

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is down over 4% at $17.00 on more than 300,000 shares as of 8:48 AM EST.  The company beat its earnings numbers but revenue was light.  After the huge run we have seen, the only surprise is that there is not even more profit taking seen.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) is down almost 6% at $16.46 on over 200,000 shares as of 8:52 AM EST.  Yesterday afternoon’s earnings report failed to impress.  The loss narrowed here to $113.9 million.  This was boring enough that after the huge run from last year’s lows it could see more selling.  It is also lackluster enough that we’d look for some related weakness at Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN).

Discovery Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: DSCO) is getting its wings clipped today with shares down 22% at $0.55 on almost 500,000 shares as of 8:52 AM EST.  The 52-week range is $0.33 to $2.40 and average volume is almost 1.5 million shares.  The company priced $16.5 Million in a public offering of Common Stock and warrants versus a prior market cap of $89.5 million at yesterday’s close.

NetApp, inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) is down despite beating earnings expectations last night.  We have seen two downgrades on the stock and the shares are down 1.4% at $31.64 on almost 500,000 shares as of 8:48 AM EST.

Valence Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: VLNC) is a screamer this morning.  Too bad it is just a penny stock.  Shares are up 22% at $1.00 on about 130,000 shares as of 8:50 AM EST.  The 52-week trading range is $0.74 to $2.50 and the average volume is about 1.1 million shares.  Bénéteau Group signed an exclusive multi-year supply agreement worth as much as $45 million if all options are used.  Valence makes high-energy power systems.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 18, 2010

SIRIUS Stock and Options Alert (SIRI)

SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) has done what many would have bet against… It has broken the buck, and to the upside.  We have seen over 100 million shares of the satellite radio monopoly trade hands today and shares are up over 9% at $1.05.  $0.98 was a new high yesterday, following $0.95 earlier.

The last time SIRIUS XM traded without a ‘$0.’ in front of its share price was September 2008….. We are even seeing more action in the options, yes options on a $1 stock, in the FEB-MAR-JUN expirations.

Yesterday’s volume was over 153 million shares.  A recent upgrade gave the stock a $1.00 target, so do not too shocked if there is a downgrade based solely upon valuation targets being reached.

The move yesterday and today is a sentiment change more than on actual news.

JON C. OGG

12:37 PM EST

Top Day Trader Alerts (CSTR, CYCC, DE, NLST, RZ, WFMI)

These are this morning’s top day trader and active trader alert stocks seen in the pre-market hours with a time stamp and brief explanation on each:

Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR) closed at $27.11 and is up over 8% at $29.35 on 19,795 as of 8:54 AM EST after it reached an agreement to hold off key movie rental titles from Warner Bros. for its Redbox movie DVD rentals.

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYCC) closed at $2.40 yesterday and at 8:52 AM EST shares are up 12.5% at $2.70 on 593,652 shares.  Its new study in clinical cancer research demonstrated the potential for itss seliciclib in treating breast cancer which has been resistant to hormonal therapy.

Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) is up 7.3% at $57.70 on 295,000 shares as of 8:54 AM EST.  The ag-equipment giant managed to beat earnings and raise guidance when it reported this morning.  The company did maintain that economic activity remains challenged and sluggish.  Shares would have to go above $60.16 for a new 52-week high to come into play.

Netlist, Inc. (NASDAQ: NLST) is up by 7% at $4.48 on 102,000 shares as of 8:54 AM EST.  The company announced this morning that it is now commencing volume shipments of its non-volatile cache memory product NetVault to market leading OEM clients.

Raser Technologies, inc. (NYSE: RZ) is surging as one of the top gainers this morning on a percentage basis, yet this is technically a penny stock (or was yesterday).  Shares are up over 16% at $1.12 on over 100,000 shares as of 8:56 AM EST.  The company received approval for a $32.99 million U.S. Treasury grant… Razer is in geothermal power development and technology licensing.

Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) closed at $30.52 yesterday before earnings.  Shares are p 6.95% at $32.64 on 229,384 shares as of 8:52 AM EST after the company beat earnings.  This has to go above $34.40 before a new 52-week high is hit.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 17, 2010

Top Day Trader Alerts (NIHD, PHM, RIGL, SQNM, ENMD, APWR)

These are some of the top day trader alert and active trader alert stocks seen early this Tuesday morning in the pre-market hours:

NII Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: NIHD) is trading up over 10% after it sold a 30% stake in Nextel Mexico to Grupo Televisa.  At 8:30 AM EST we have seen 86,000 shares trade hands and the stock is up 11.6% at $40.25.

Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) is down almost 2.5% at $11.46 this morning after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to Sell from an already cautious Neutral as the firm switched some of its ratings around in homebuilders.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIGL) is up 6% at $10.00 after signing a pact with AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) which could ultimately bring in about $1.25 billion if all targets are met for its rheumatoid arthritis drug R788 or fostamatinib disodium.

Sequenom Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is indicated up around $4.70 after a $4.52 close.  The company has announced the launch of its SensiGene Fetal(XY) (Fetal Sex Determination) test.

EntreMed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENMD) is tiny in price but up in percentage terms.  The stock closed at $0.82 Friday and shares are up at $1.12 after it received an orphan drug designation for its ENMD-2076 in Leukemia.

A-Power Energy Generation Systems, Ltd. (NASDAQ: APWR) closed at $11.74 on Friday and shares are up around $12.70 this morning around 8:40 AM EST after it received NDRC Approval and makes a cash contribution to a Texas wind farm project.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 16, 2010

Top Day Trader Alerts (NILE, GRMN, SKIL, BWLD)

This morning is a little light on day trader and active alert stocks.  That is partly because of Friday, but there just are not as many big movers this morning compared to what we see on many trading days:

Blue Nile, Inc. (NASDAQ: NILE) closed at $52.56 yesterday and shares are down 13.4% at $45.50 on only about 5,000 shares this morning at 8:18 AM EST… This one traded 170,00 shares in the after-hours session last night per NASDAQ data and went out at $45.70.  Earnings and guidance are a disappointment here.

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) was added to Jim Cramer’s SELL BLOCK last night on CNBC’s Mad Money.  This was over free competition against its personal navigation and GPS devices, although frankly Cramer gave no new information here from what was known last year… You just know he will be slamming this one every time anyone asks now.  Shares are indicated lower than the $32.42 close but there have been no pre-market trades seen at 8:18 AM EST.

SkillSoft plc (NASDAQ: SKIL) closed at $9.76 yesterday and shares are trading up 12.7% at $11.00 on 145,270 shares as of 8:18 AM EST… This is on a $1.1 billion buyout offer from a private investor group at $10.80 per share.

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) closed at $48.40 yesterday and shares are down 12.8% at $42.18 on 33,493 shares as of 8:18 AM EST… This one traded 679,576 shares in the after-hours session last night and went out at $42.10 per NASDAQ data.  The buffalo wings specialty casual dining spot had disappointing earnings with much tied to its costs in the quarter.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about unusual stock moves, top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Top Day Trader Alerts (ATVI, ALU, AYE, BSX, JASO, LF, YRCW)

We have provided a list of top day trader and active trader alert stocks this morning with a brief explanation of each move as well as what the move and trading volume is.  Time stamps are at approximately 8:45 AM EST.

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is trading up about 6% at $10.72 on almost 200,000 shares after beating earnings handily last night.

Alcate-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) feels more like a perpetual Alcatraz-Losin’ than anything.  The company had light revenues and gave a forecast that will be disappointing after you compare it to Cisco.  Shares are down over 8% in New York ADRs at $2.92 on 700,000 shares.

Allegheny Energy Inc. (NYSE: AYE) is trading up 12% at $23.55 on 650,000 shares this morning after FirstEnergy (FE) is acquiring it in a $4.7 billion deal.

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is trading down 7.6% at $7.66 on reports that it has a design flaw in two defibrillators which can cause the devices to deliver potentially life-threatening shocks to the hearts of patients.  There was also a downgrade at Deutsche Bank this morning.

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) managed to beat earnings and raise its shipment forecasts for 2010.  Earnings were $0.14 EPS vs. $0.11 EPS estimates and revenues rose 23.5% to $238.4 million versus $213.5 million consensus (Thomson Reuters consensus).  It now expects shipments to exceed 900MW for 2010, above prior guidance in the range of 750MW to 800MW.  Shares are up 8% at $5.04 on over 600,000 shares.

LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: LF) is soaring this morning after the company significantly beat earnings estimates and gave guidance in-line for 2010.  Shares are up over 23% at $4.60 on over 40,000 shares.

YRC Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: YRCW) is trading up for once… The company has entered into a note purchase agreement for $70 Million in new capital.  This has shares up over 7% at $0.72, but we have not even seen 100,000 shares trade hands yet.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Top Day Trader Alerts (ADBE, ATHX, BIDU, CPST, DELL, HMC, MCZ, NBG, NTGR, S)

We have many key movers, and many up by double-digit percentages.  These are this morning’s top day trader and active trader alert stocks:

Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE)  is trading up 3.5% at $33.45 on about 76,000 shares after two different analyst upgrades.

Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHX) is trading up big after it received a U.S. patent covering adult stem cell composition & production.  Shares are up over 30% at $3.76 on 400,000 shares.

Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) is surging over 8% and above the $470.25 mark at all-time highs.  The company beat earnings and raised guidance.

Capstone Turbine Corp. (NASDAQ: CPST) is trading up 5% at $1.20 on almost 50,000 shares.  A boutique called Northland upgraded the stock this morning.  FULL ANALYST CALLS

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is up 2.66 at $13.91 but had been up over 3%.  Only about 200,000 shares have traded.  FULL ANALYST CALLS

Honda Motor Co. (NYSE: HMC) is down 1.95% at $33.85 on 381,000 shares pre-market.  This is almost never a key price/volume alert, but it expanded a previous recall for 378,758 more vehicles in the U.S. related to driver-side airbag rupture issues.

Mad Catz Interactive (AMEX: MCZ) is a huge gainer this morning on video game peripheral sales.  The company reported Q3 sales of $48.8 million and net income of $5.6 million.   We are looking at gains of over 40% at $0.498 on about 90,000 shares.

National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) is trading down this morning despite hope of an E.U. or German-led rescue of its debt issues.  Shares are down 4.7% at $4.06 on over 100,000 shares.  Yesterday was a record on volume seen in many years and the stock was one of Tuesday’s top gainers.

NETGEAR Inc. (NASDAQ: NTGR) beat earnings and put revenues for the coming quarter above estimates.  Shares are up 13.5% at $24.70, but on fewer than 20,000 shares versus an average daily volume of 260,000 shares.  Anything above $23.41 marks a new 52-week high.

Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) is trading down 3% at $3.54 on over 1.9 million shares after it posted a narrower loss on lower revenues and its subscriber loss shrank in the fourth quarter as well.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

Timestamps around 8:45 AM EST

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 10, 2010

National Bank of Greece Setting Record Volume (NBG)

National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) is up on hopes that that either a German-led or EU-led bailout or aid package will end the country’s woes.  It is not just important by how much higher this stock is today, but the notion of the major trading volume is extremely important.  This has become the trader’s proxy stock for an EU or German bailout of Greece.

The 18.4% gain is more than impressive in the ADRs to $4.05.  Throughout this entire crisis yesterday was the zenith… 5,080,700 shares with a $0.52 loss to $3.42.  We still have 2 hours and 45 minutes of trading to go before the close and this has traded 8.87 million shares as of 1:17 PM EST.  This is more than 6-times normal trading volume of 1.46 million shares.

This number of shares won’t seem like much to the traders who trade $1 stocks that trade 50 million shares in a day.  But this is the most active trading day far going back to at least 2006.  That is called a proxy stock if you ever saw one.

JON C. OGG

Top Day Trader Alerts (AMGN, ACLI, CTIC, CERS, ERTS, LCAV, NBG, SQNM)

These are some of the top trading stocks seen on price and volume moves for day traders and active traders:

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) is trading up this morning by 2.25% at $58.75 on almost 200,000 shares on its report that its Phase III head-to-head trial evaluating Denosumab met its primary and secondary endpoints versus Zometa in a 1900+ study in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer that has progressed to bone metastases.

American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) is soaring as the top gainer on NASDAQ but on this volume.  The headline earnings were $1.09 EPS vs. $0.06 as revenue fell 16% to $226.9 million versus estimates of $222.5 million.  The revenue drop was blamed on commodities shipped by transportation customers and lower tow revenues as tons/mile volume declined was down 1.4%.  A large short interest exists here at 1.077 million shares or 11.5% of the float.  Shares are up 26% at $20.48 but on 13,000 shares.

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTIC) is up after a huge sell-off yesterday after the FDA postponed its Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting to review Pixantrone due to severe snow conditions around the nation’s capital. Shares closed at $0.64 and are indicated up around $0.78 on 1.9+ million shares.  Shares were as high as $0.84 in earlier trading.

Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) is trading up 16%, even above earlier indications, at $2.35 on 81,000 shares after the company reported positive results of its Phase 1 clinical trial of INTERCEPT red blood cells and on its report that it will collaborate with the French National Transfusion Service on INTERCEPT red blood cell development.

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) down 7.8% at $16.12 on 700,000 shares; very actively traded to downside last night; this after earnings were mostly in line with estimates but the company lowered guidance all the way out to Fiscal March-2011.

LCA-Vision Inc. (NASDAQ: LCAV) beat earnings this morning but just with a more narrow loss (-$0.19 EPS).  We have not paid attention to the rest of the data from the call but shares are down 9.5% at $5.35 on only about 12,000 shares.  This is rarely a stock that trades in the pre-market.

National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) is seeing a major pop up this morning despite a Goldman Sachs downgrade that is way too late.  This is on the major overhaul proposed.  Shares are up 10% at $3.77 on about 40,000 shares.

Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is trading up over 5% at $4.35 this morning on 60,000 shares after the company reported that it licensed the worldwide rights to develop age-related macular degeneration diagnostic test to Optherion and is expected to launch in 2011.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

Price snapshots as of 8:40 to 8:50 AM EST

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 9, 2010

Top Day Trader Alerts (AIB, AMAG, CIT, CVS, HAS, NBG)

These are this Monday morning’s top day trader and active trader alerts seen with price or volume moves.

Allied Irish Banks plc (NYSE: AIB) is seeing its ADRs trade lower yet again on concern of sovereign debt exposure in the PIIGS.  Shares are down 7.5% at $3.06 in early pre-market trading.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAG) is up on thin volume after the company issued a statement defending its recent troubles as the same percentages as had been indicated in testing.  The stock closed at $37.77 Friday and is up 5.9% at $40.00 on thin volume so far this morning.

CIT Group, Inc. (NYSE: CIT) is up 4% at $32.00 this morning after naming John Thain as CEO and Chairman of the company.

CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS) is up 2.7% at $31.91 on over 50,000 shares after beating earnings expectations.

Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) is up after $1.09 EPS vs. $0.81 Thomson Reuters estimates.  Revenue rose over 11% to $1.37 billion vs. $1.33 billion estimates.  Shares are up 9% at $33.60 on almost 100,000 shares.

National Bank of Greece SA (NYSE: NBG) is seeing its ADRs down yet again over Greek debt risks and the concern in the PIIGS… Shares are down over 8% at $3.61 in early pre-market trading.

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

Price snapshots take right around 8:40 AM EST

JON C. OGG
FEBRUARY 8, 2010

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Bullish Options Bias for Cisco (CSCO)

It is hard to use Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) for an options-bias for many time periods in general, but that has not been the case today not the case this week.  After a weekend review and considering that most key technology companies have beat earnings and then sold off, it was almost shocking that the options trading for the FEB10 Puts and Calls have been mostly in the Call options.  In short, there is a bullish bias.

As of 1:00 PM EST today, in the FEB10 contracts, there have been over 47,000 contracts in the various call strikes versus about 12,000 of the combined Puts.

Shares are down 0.3% at $22.95 on just over 30 million shares ahead of earnings… average volume is over 41 million shares and the 52-week range is $13.61 to $25.10.

JON C. OGG

Comsys IT Partners Buyout (CITP)

Comsys IT Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: CITP) is trading up big as the top winner so far this morning. Manpower is acquiring COMSYS for $431 million.  This translates to $17.65 per share.  At 8:47 AM EST we have seen 627,000 shares trade hands and the company is up 32% at $17.54.  The 52-week range is $1.82 to $13.65 and average volume is only about 45,000 shares per day.

JON C. OGG

USEC Options Alert… Obama-Nuclear Stock (USU)

There has been some increased trading activity in the stock of USEC Inc. (NYSE: USU).  This is based upon more belief that the loan guarantee denied last Summer may be back on because the Obama administration has talked about adding nuclear power and more loan guarantees tripling to possibly $54 billion in the 2011 budget that is supposed to be submitted Monday. The activity is taking place in the APRIL-2010 $5.00 CALLS and the $6.00 CALLS. So far we have seen 1,916 contracts trade versus an open interest of 3,824 contracts in the $5-strike and 1,654 contracts traded versus an open interest of 4,883 contracts in the $6-strike.

USEC shares are up 8% at $3.99 on 2.8 million shares as of 1:20 PM EST. The 52-week trading range is $3.22 to $7.24 and the average daily volume is now only 1.53 million shares.

JON C. OGG

Yucheng Shows How Dire Chinese Bank Situation Is (YTEC)

Yucheng Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: YTEC) is getting killed after the IT-solutions provider for Chinese banks reported earnings.  The company’s guidance for 2010 is awful as a direct play on Chinese bank spending post-cuts that have now been mandated.

The company is offering some clarity over the Chinese loan-halt situation: “We believe that the prospective reserve ratio increase by the People’s Bank of China and the possibility that non-performing loans may increase in the near future, which would adversely affect the profits of Chinese banks, caused Chinese banks to reevaluate their spending and contract signings ahead of the New Year. As a result, contracts that management had been negotiating in the fourth quarter 2009 have slipped into 2010, and as negotiations progress may become more limited in scope or provide lower margins. We anticipate banks to remain cautious initiating new projects in the near term. Overall, the shifts in the banking market caused us to experience a revenue shortfall in the fourth quarter of 2009.”  In short, business is falling off a cliff.

The company issued guidance based upon uncertainty based on approximately 25% growth on the top-line and 10% to 15% growth on the bottom-line.  That puts first quarter 2010 expectations of revenues of $11.6 to $12.2 million and non-GAAP EPS of $0.08 to $0.10. Thomson Reuters has estimates at $0.08 and $13.5 million in revenues.

The 2010 annual guidance expectations are where things fall off the proverbial cliff…. revenues guidance $65 to $68 million and non-GAAP EPS of $0.30 to $0.36, versus Thomson Reuters estimates of $0.91 EPS and $84.14 million in revenues.

At 9:00 AM EST we have just hit 1 million shares and the average volume is 165,000 shares.  The price drop is horrific… -48% at $3.48.  The 52-week range had been $4.06 to $9.64.  Shares closed at $6.74 yesterday and had been $8.00 just two weeks ago.

JON C. OGG

Ford on Cruise Control at 120 MPH (F)

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) is seeing huge volume after the only remaining public US auto maker posted a full year profit for 2009.  That was unthinkable a year ago.  The shares are only up 2% at $11.80 as of 8:56 AM EST, but we have already seen 11.7 million shares trade hands.  Average volume is $97 million shares and the 52-week range is $1.50 to $12.14.  Keep in minds as far as the $12.00 handle… that price has not been seen since March 2005.

-JON OGG

Flextronics Lags EMS Stocks (FLEX)

Flextronics International Ltd. (NASDAQ: FLEX) closed at $7.10 but shares are down 3.8% at $6.83 on 98,065 shares of stock as of 8:43 AM EST.  This is effectively making the stock the worst reaction for the electronics manufacturing service or EMS stocks.  The earnings Were $0.17 EPS and $6.6 billion in revenues versus Thomson Reuters estimates of $0.15 EPS and $6.3 billion.  The guidance is the problem because other EMS  players have raised guidance: $0.13 to $0.16 EPS on $5.8 to $6.2 billion in revenues; Thomson Reuters estimates are $0.13 EPS and $5.8 billion.  Sometimes good isn’t good enough.

The 52-week trading range is $1.81 to $7.97 and average volume is over 8 million shares. Shares had been down 7% and the Needham upgrade to BUY is probably keeping this from being worse.

JON C. OGG

Double-Digit Percentage Earnings Movers (ALGN, NFLX, QCOM, TTEK)

We have at least four stocks up or down by double-digit percentages in the after-hours session based upon their earnings reports.  These are Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) and Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) up; Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) and Tetra Tech Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEK) down…

Price snapshots below are as of 7:00 PM EST:

Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) beat earnings at $0.16 EPS and revenue rose 16.9% year over year to $86.6 million.  Estimates were $0.09 EPS and $80.6 million. Guidance for next quarter is $0.12 to $0.14 EPS on revenue of $85 to $88 million vs. estimates of $0.08 EPS and $80.42 million.

• Align Technology, Inc. $16.69 close… up 10.5% at $18.45 on 82,130 shares

Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) said everything right that it could short of issuing any guarantees.  The movie rental player added 1.1 million customers and said that its fourth quarter profits rose 36% and gave strong expectations for 2010.  Shares were up about 15% in the after-hours session after the close.

• Netflix, Inc. $50.97 close… shares up 15.2% at $58.72 on 1,331,429 shares

Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) beat earnings as was expected, but the company gave very ugly guidance considering the number of smartphones and mobile web devices that are coming online in 2010.  There was just no pretty way to paint today’s report.  Average sales prices per unit were brought down by 4.2% for 2010.

• QUALCOMM Incorporated $47.20 close… down 10% at $42.48 on a whopping 6,085,526 shares

Tetra Tech Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEK) is supposed to be one the companies in the sweet spot ahead of the State of the Union, but the company must not be too robust about its chances of garnering remediation and infrastructure revenues from the handouts that may be coming.  It lowered guidance for the year due to the downturn in the commercial construction market.  Earnings were $0.30 EPS and revenue rose 4% to $343.5 million.  Thomson Reuters estimates were $0.29 EPS and $339.7 million in revenues.  It sees Q2 earnings of $0.20 to $0.23 EPS and $310 to $330 million in revenues, while it sees 2010 at $1.08 to $1.18 EPS and $1.4 to $1.5 billion.  Thomson Reuters was looking for $0.30 EPS and $354.7 million in revenues and the year estimates were $1.32 EPS and almost $1.50 billion in revenues.

• Tetra Tech, Inc. $25.07 close…  down 10.25% at $22.50 on 13,591 shares

You are invited to join our free daily email distribution list to hear about top analyst upgrades and downgrades, IPOs and secondary offerings, ongoing day trader and options trader alerts, stock and market rumors, Buffett and guru investor news, M&A and more.

JON C. OGG

Sanmina Rocking (SANM)

Sanmina-SCI Corporation (NASDAQ: SANM) posted a Q1 profit and earnings blew out the consensus Thomson Reuters data with strong margin gains…. guidance was raised too, but there was suspicious strong and active rally trading seen yesterday. Shares rose 14% last night after closing at $12.30.  This morning we have a 15.8% gain to $14.25 but only on 47,040 shares.  This is a 52-week high as the range was $0.73 to $12.45 and average volume is about 1 million shares.

JON C. OGG

Apple Chart Set-Up (AAPL)

Apple Inc.(NASDAQ: AAPL) is trading up 2.2% at $207.54 on 760,0000 shares as of 8:50 AM EST.  You already knew about the blow-out it reported, but the accounting changes made the report very difficult to use for a real comparison.  It also had solid growth in iPhones and Mac sales, but the iPods unit sales declined as everyone who wants an iPod already has one.  The chart may be more directing than the news now with the following moving averages:

• 5-day $207.13
• 10-day $207.95
• 20-day $209.68
• 50-day $203.26

To catch everyone’s take any time on Apple, you can see those at AppleFinancialNews.com.

JON C. OGG