Sunday, January 30, 2011

Hedge Fund Thinking:A Pershing Square Assessment

The global economy is much better now than a year ago,says Bill Ackman,Founder and Managing Principal of Pershing Square Capital Management.We're starting to see business confidence return.
We're not that worried about states defaulting;more so about municipalities.
I'm not a big fan of the government stepping in and buying bonds and so on.I think markets are self-healing.I think it's time for us to stand on our own two feet,and I think that will help the healing process,Mr.Ackman observed.
Pershing Square Capital Management,L.P. is a hedge fund management firm.Located in New York City,its funds include Pershing Square,L.P.
Hedge funds are investment instruments for affluent individuals and institutions.Many of these funds folded during the financial crisis,suffering massive losses rather than delivering the intended high rate of return.
Both presidential daughter Chelsea Clinton and her husband,Marc Mezvinsky,have worked in the hedge fund industry.

Bryn Mawr Trust:2011 Market Outlook

Bryn Mawr Trust is looking at double digit stock market returns in 2011.They like small to mid-cap stocks.They like the emerging markets also.
Bryn Mawr likes the exchange-traded funds VWO,IWM and IJH.Those are areas that they think are gonna do very,very well as we see capital flow into those areas of the stock market.
Eric Thorne is a Vice-President at Bryn Mawr Trust.Founded in 1889,the bank has branches in Chester,Delaware and Montgomery Counties,Pennsylvania.It is focused on helping individuals,affluent families,businesses and organizations create,manage,preserve and transfer wealth,building lasting relationships with them.
Bryn Mawr Bank Corporation(BMTC)

Management Consulting Openings

Grant Thornton has openings for team players with a Bachelor's degree who can handle deadlines,have an understanding of government consulting environments and at least three years of experience in one of the following:
Activity-Based Costing/Cost Analysis
Cost Modeling
A-123 Internal Controls
Financial Systems Implementation
IT/Financial Audit
Government Contracts and Subcontracts Administration
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Veterans and transitioning military are valued as a part of the Global Public Sector's elite management consulting team.
Those interested should send resumes and salary requirements to gpscareers@gt.com
Grant Thornton:it's time your experience met our opportunity.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Icagen and Pfizer Initiate Trials

Icagen and Pfizer have initiated Phase I trials for a candidate compound,Nav 1.7.A sodium channel-blocker,Nav 1.7 is believed to have promise for the treatment of pain and related disorders.The early trials will ascertain the safety,tolerability,pharmokinetics and optimal formulation of Nav 1.7.
Pfizer is funding all aspects of the collaboration.The pharma titan has exclusive worldwide rights to commercialize any products resulting from the partnership.For its part,Icagen may receive milestones and tiered royalties based upon product sales.
Icagen,located in Research Triangle Park,North Carolina,has identified multiple drug candidates that modulate ion channels.Ions are charged particles such as sodium,potassium and calcium.Ion channels are protein structures that span cell membranes and regulate the flow of ions into and out of cells.
Icagen is focused on oral medications for epilepsy,pain and inflammation that work by modulating these ion channels.
Icagen(ICGN),Pfizer(PFE)

Monday, January 24, 2011

Apotheker Shapes HP Board

New Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker(pronounced "Ahpotayker") has added five new members to the company's board.They are:
Meg Whitman,former CEO of eBay;
Patricia Russo,former CEO of Alcatel-Lucent;
Shumeet Banerji,CEO of Booz&Company;
Gary Reiner,former Chief Information Officer at General Electric and now a special advisor to General Atlantic;
and Dominique Senequier,CEO of AXA Private Equity.She has a post-graduate degree in Banking and Monetary Economics from the Sorbonne.
These appointments reflect a company seeking international and intellectual firepower,as well as executive experience at the highest level.Mr.Apotheker formerly resided in Paris,and is of German origin.
Brian Marshall,Securities Analyst at Gleacher&Company,thinks this is definitely a positive development for the company.It brings financial experience to the board.The next step is for Mr.Apotheker to come out and state his strategic vision for HP.
Hewlett-Packard(HPQ)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Raymond James:Small Brokerage,Big Growth

Raymond James Financial reported profit up 90%,and revenue up 18%.CEO Paul Reilly says it's really a result of strong long term,conservative investment.There were solid returns from investment banking,banking and the asset management group.
We're seeing the returns really get back into the equity markets,although not like they have historically.Investors are being cautious,but are coming back into the markets.
Raymond James is adding advisors to its private client group.We think we can continue to achieve 15% compounded growth.We're not about being the biggest.It's kind of a quality goal.
We're really focusing on our current businesses.We will continue to look at niche acquisitions,Mr.Reilly indicated.
Raymond James has 5300 advisors.The company was founded in 1962.It serves individual,institutional and corporate clients from offices throughout North America.
Raymond James Financial(RJF)

ITT Has Openings

ITT needs talented and motivated people to work on a NASA contract in Greenbelt,MD,the Space Communication Network Services(SCNS)Program.Some of the top disciplines being sought are
Systems Engineering
Security
RF Engineering
Purchasing
IT Support
Satellite Operations
Janitorial
Technical Writing
Field Engineering
Top tier benefits are offered.For more information,visit www.ittscns.com
U.S. Citizenship is required.
ITT:Engineered for life

Heart Patient:The Hinterland

His heart was making a lot of noise in the stethoscope:something isn't right.The routine physical was instantly transformed into anything but.He had the sensation of falling into thin air.
The office lady made the referral.He would see a cardiologist in 10 days.
In the car,tears of fear and grief:he's sick;he's a heart patient.The hinterland of this life had never been so clear.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Human Genome Sciences Sets Cancer Goals

Human Genome Sciences has set its oncology and immunology goals for 2011.The therapies at the center of these goals are in the mid and early stage pipelines.The firm's oncology portfolio is centered around its expertise in the programmed cell death approach.
Human Genome's monoclonal antibody mapatumumab is being studied in combination with Nexavar as a treatment for advanced hepatcellular cancer.At the same time,The company's HGS1029 is being evaluated as a treatment for solid and advanced lymphoid tumors.
HGS1029 is one of a new class of compounds that block IAP proteins from protecting cancer cells.HGS1029 will be studied both alone and in combination with other agents,such as mapatumumab.HGS will initiate and continue the clinical trials of these oncology therapies in 2011.
CEO Thomas H. Watkins announced these and other goals on January 10 at the 29th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco.Human Genome Sciences is based in Rockville,Maryland and has more than a billion dollars of cash and investments in its war chest.That is considered a lot for a young biotech concern such as Human Genome.
Human Genome Sciences(HGSI)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Investment Prospects:Intel Corporation

In the opinion of Doug Freedman,Tech Analyst at Gleacher&Company Securities,the Intel earnings numbers were solid,beating estimates on both the top and bottom lines.He has a buy rating on the stock.There really is the ability for Intel to spend an extra two billion dollars this year and raise the dividend as well.
To Scott Galloway,Professor of Marketing at New York University,Intel continues to be organizationally a great company,but the stock is where it was 10 years ago.They continue to attract human capital and have a great cash flow.
Intel has all the marks of a company that could break out.The brand is very extendable-into tech education,for example.Intel has almost become commoditized,Professor Galloway thinks.
Intel says its Atom chips will appear in a wide array of tablets and mobile phones this year.Its capital expenditures will be used to operate four leading-edge plants.
Intel(INTC)

Re-purposed Real Estate Sees Demand

Real estate magnate Anthony Malkin is seeing a real demand for re-purposed properties.Mr.Malkin,President of Malkin Properties and Malkin Holdings,says that their Empire State Building,for instance,is the leader in energy efficiency.Being targeted for LEED-certification and to be an Energy Star showplace,it has been upgraded to serve the needs of the discerning and conscientious business while remaining a tourist mecca.
Our portfolio is leasing from the low 40s to the high 50s.They are all pre-war buildings with new hallways,lobbies and baths.Buyers are finding our offering very appealing.
You're probably 20-30% below peak rents today.By mid-2010,life insurance companies and banks were more willing to lend.Collateralized mortgage-backed securities are back now,the Harvard-educated Mr.Malkin noted.
The Malkin family has been active in real estate acquisition,management,construction and marketing for four generations.Mr.Malkin's father,Peter Malkin,is Chairman of the family businesses.

General/Professional Openings

General/Professional openings will be featured at a pavilion in The Washington Post Mega Career Fair,to be held Wednesday,January 26 from 10am-3pm at
Dulles Expo and Conference Center
4368 Chantilly Shopping Center
Chantilly,VA 20153
All levels of experience are needed by employers including Allstate,Cox Communications,Nationwide and Transportation Security Administration for opportunities such as B2B Sales,Exclusive Agents,Insurance,Finance,Transportation Security Officers and Federal Air Marshals.
For more information,contact resume@expoexpertsllc.com or 1-877-842-3976x17

Friday, January 14, 2011

Pharma Flash:New Limit On Prescriptions With Acetaminophen

The Food and Drug Administration is imposing a new limit on dosages of prescription drugs that contain acetaminophen.The agency asks that a limit of 325mg per tablet or capsule be observed by manufacturers in order to protect the liver.Codeine,Percocet and Vicodin are among the prescription drugs that will be affected by the new rule.
In addition to the dosage limits,manufacturers must update warning labels to warn about the potential risk of severe liver injury.An FDA deputy director,Sandra Kweder,MD,said that the agency is taking the action to make the prescriptions safer for patients to use.Overdose from prescription combination products containing acetaminophen account for nearly half of all cases of acetaminophen-related liver failure in the United States;many of which result in liver transplant or death.There is no immediate danger to those currently taking those drugs,Dr.Kweder continued,and they should continue to use them as prescribed.Liver injury mainly occurs when patients take multiple products containing acetaminophen at one time and exceed the current limit of 4,000mg within a 24 hour period.
The FDA was concerned about continuing reports of liver injury.Rarely,even normal usage of the medications can cause liver damage.Acetaminophen is the number one cause of acute liver damage in North America and Europe.
OTC drugs such as Johnson and Johnson's Tylenol will not be affected by the new regulations.The new limit on prescription acetaminophen combinations will be phased in over three years.
Johnson and Johnson(JNJ)

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Focus On Tech,Part 2:What Facebook Is Really Worth

Given a recent surge of investor interest in Facebook,Wall Street is discussing just how much this company is really worth.The more thoughtful retail investors are watching to see if Facebook would be a good prospect for them,should it ever go public.Nick Beim of venture capital firm Matrix Partners thinks the 50 billion dollar price tag that Goldman Sachs put on Facebook is an extraordinary valuation for a 7-year old company with 2 billion in revenue.
At the same time,Facebook does have extraordinary growth.It is increasingly a large source of traffic to Google and many other web sites.
Goldman Sachs' 450 million dollar investment in Facebook is an attempt by them to play the private finance market in many ways.The Securities and Exchange Commission may get involved in overseeing this market,but they have a lot more important things on their plate at the moment,Mr.Beim points out.
Ryan Jacob of Jacob Asset Management,who participated in the original Internet boom time,says it's very difficult to know what the margin structure of private companies such as Facebook is.It's a murkier picture.A lot of the information about these firms is hearsay and very speculative.
A valuation is just a snapshot,Mr.Jacob feels,so it's really hard to say what Facebook is actually worth at any given moment.Valuations can change from day to day.The 50 billion valuation that Goldman Sachs put on Facebook was probably valid at that point in time,but may not be accurate now.
A fund that Goldman Sachs set up for private investors to get in on Facebook with has been filled up in short order.Many believe that Facebook will have its initial public offering as early as this year,when retail investors would get a chance to add Facebook to their holdings.That will be a huge event,if it indeed occurs,based on Facebook's vast reputation alone.
Goldman Sachs(GS)

Focus On Tech:Google and Yahoo

Hudson Square Research has a buy rating on Google,with a price target of 750 dollars.Google has a very strong core business,says Rory Maher of Hudson Square-plus mobile and display assets.They have a lot of cash to buy fast-growing Inet companies.
Mobile search is starting to boost Google's sales.Hudson Square is excited about Google's Android operating system.They think it's gonna gain a majority share in mobile search.
Yahoo also has a buy rating.Hudson Square is pretty bullish on Inet media overall.Yahoo owns a bunch of ecommerce companies in China that are about to be profitable.Hudson Square is also pretty excited about Yahoo as a stand-alone company,and is pretty confident in the shift of traditional ad dollars to online,which will benefit both Google and Yahoo.
The biggest risk for both is Facebook stealing ad dollars.All will benefit from the shift to online;it's a question of who steals ad dollars from within the sector,Rory Maher believes.
Hudson Square Research is an institutional equity research boutique focused on the tech,media,telecom and consumer sectors.They provide institutional investors with fundamnetal equity research to assess valuation,risk and opportunity.
Google(GOOG),Yahoo(YHOO)

Access National Seeks Many Bankers

Access National Bank and its Access National Mortgage subsidiary,a NASDAQ-listed firm(ANCX),has several openings in Northern Virginia.They need
Business Bankers
Commercial Lending Officers
Credit Analysts
Loan Administration/Servicing Specialist
Mortgage Loan Officers
Portfolio Managers
Residential Lenders
Retail Banking Center Branch Managers
Business Development
Financial Consultants
All candidates must pass a full background check.A complete benefits package is offered.Candidates should email their resume and cover letter to careers@accessnational.com
Access National Bank:progressive business banking
www.accessnationalbank.com

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Care Innovators:GE and Intel

General Electric and Intel have joined forces on Care Innovations,an initiative to support independent living of the chronically ill,improving their health and lowering the cost of care.The jointly-owned company,which combines GE Healthcare's Home Health division and Intel's Digital Health Group,will tap a market for Telehealth and home health monitoring that is expected to grow to around 7.7 billion dollars by 2012.
Care Innovations has a vision of providing innovative products and services that will enable new models of care,improving the quality of care and patient empowerment,while helping reduce health care costs through new technologies,according to CEO Louis Burns.The joint venture has received final regulatory clearances and is fully operational.
CI's core focus areas are disease management,independent living and assistive technologies.Among its products are patient monitoring,independent living concepts and assistive technologies such as the Intel Health Guide and GE QuietCare.The firm intends to continue developing this healthcare IT to enable lower healthcare costs and a higher quality of life for patients worldwide.
Dutch electronics titan Philips is also active in the field through its Telehealth Solutions.Among Philips' products are the TeleStation,Measurement Devices and Web-based Clinical Review Software.
General Electric(GE),Intel(INTC),Koninklijke Philips Electronics(PHG)

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Citigroup Gauges 2011 Market Risks

Some observers are totally bullish on the new year,but Tobias Levkovich,Chief U.S. Equity Strategist at Citigroup,recalls that we still have geopolitical risk to consider.In addition,we haven't really talked a lot about gasoline prices,which have been climbing markedly lately.
Political heat will occur in the latter part of 2011,as primary election issues come into focus.At that juncture,a separation of the parties will take place.People want something done in Washington,but at some point the paths totally diverge.
Health care will be going on for a couple of years in the courts.The funding of it will be an interesting battle to see,but commodity prices will be much more interesting to the markets.
Profit margins are not being paid attention to.Around mid-year,that could be an issue.Wage creep that pressures the margins could be a big issue.We're looking at the S&P 500 reaching a level of 1400 in 2011.We think the beginning of the year will be relatively strong;then there will be a pullback on some of these margin issues.
We review our targets in December.What drove the markets in December were the tax cut extension and payroll tax deduction,Mr.Levkovich said.A Canadian citizen who frequently appears on business television,he writes a report card on his own performance every year.
Citigroup(C)

American Express:The Latest Consumer Trends

Mary Himes,Vice-President of Marketing at American Express,highlights the offering of coupons to groups of consumers by the websites Groupon and Gilt Groupe.These sites are in the Group Buying and Social Spending categories.Social shopping is on the rise,and the response has been enormous.It has the exponential value of word of mouth.
Mobile tech is changing consumers.They are buying local,supporting their local economy.They want a hometown feel,the general store ambiance.The response to the recent Small Business Saturday promotion was enormous.There was a 28% increase in business for those who take American Express cards.
The customization of products is so critical,spread across a variety of industries.AmEx is offering customized credit cards.These have packs of benefits for customers to choose from,such as the health and fitness pack,Ms.Himes pointed out.
American Express(AXP)

NOVA Faculty Openings

Northern Virginia Community College,Virginia's largest post-secondary institution,with more than 78,000 students on its six campuses and Extended Learning Institute,has 70 entry-level full time faculty openings for the 2011-12 academic year.
A Masters degree with 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline is required,and some teaching experience is preferred.Applications will be reviewed starting February 11.For more information and to apply online,visit www.nvcc.edu and choose the "Jobs at NOVA" link.