Macy's Feels Optimistic

Macy's,one of the focal points for tracking holiday sales in the retail sector,is pleased with the season opening and has a positive outlook for the year.CEO Terry Lundgren cited about 7,000 people lined up outside the flagship Herald Square location on Black Friday at 4 am.They're very pleased so far.
Retail analyst Dana Telsey of the Telsey Advisory Group agrees that Macy's did well on Black Friday.It's certainly an encouraging start.
Macy's has had a very good year,Mr.Lundgren added.They opened three Bloomingdale's outlets in Q3.In 2010,they've opened six Macy's stores and closed one.They're making sure there's obvious value to the customer at every price point.
They have a lot more confidence based on the momentum so far this year.Sales are up 4-5%.Mr.Lundgren thinks that bodes well for the industry next year.
CNBC's Jim Cramer considers Macy's to be best in breed among department stores.
Macy's(M)

BlackRock Favors Cash Flow Companies

BlackRock,the world's largest money manager,is favoring companies with lots of free cash flow,according to Vice President Bob Doll.These are in the telecom,health care and energy sectors.You need diversification,but clearly you've got to focus on that free cash flow.
BlackRock did buy some six million shares of GM on the initial public offering,but they continue to hold a bigger position in Ford.Ford continues to pay down their debt and improve their margins.
The whole story is a cyclical one,Mr.Doll believes.He thinks there's more cyclical improvement coming.GM stock could rise into the low 40s.
General Motors(GM),Ford Motor Company(F)

CarMax Adds D.C. Staff

CarMax is adding staff at its D.C. stores.One of Fortune magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For,they are offering a generous benefits package,including a car discount and tuition assistance.They are looking for Detailers,Technicians and Sales Consultants.
CarMax says it as an engaging workplace with opportunities for advancement,recognition and fun.You may apply online at carmax.com/careers

Developing Shenzen:Chinese Health Care Workers Study USC Hospitals

A group of Chinese health care workers from Shenzen Sekou People's Hospital have been touring and working at USC's University Hospital and Norris Cancer Hospital in Los Angeles this month.Huang Yong Yue,CEO of the Chinese hospital,and a group of its researchers participated.
The researchers have been working at the USC Department of Radiology through a special exchange program,and took the hospitals tour along with Mr.Huang,who expressed admiration for the hospitals.The tour profiled operational practices at the USC hospitals,including the Patient Experience program.
Mr.Huang,the CEO of Shenzen Sekou People's Hospital,also garnered hospital administration insights from USC hospitals Operating Executive Scott Evans.Mr.Evans is,in addition,an adjunct faculty member of the USC School of Pharmacy and director of the School of Pharmacy's Acute Care Residency Program.
Shenzen,also known as Shenzhen,is a rapidly growing city of just over a million people in the Guangdong Province of Southern China.The metro area has a population of 8,615,000.
Shenzen is located just north of the Hong Kong border,some 40 kilometers north of Hong Kong Central,in the Pearl River Delta.
Since the late 1970s,the former fishing village has been developed into a Special Economic Zone with gleaming skyscrapers,an urban showplace with tens of billions of dollars of foreign investment.A major financial center,it is China's third busiest container port,after Shanghai and Hong Kong.

What GM Has To Do

GM has been reborn as a public company,exceeding its listing price of 33.00 a share last week.Behind the shares is a business model with a level playing field between union costs and management costs.
Each of GM's four regions has a different set of challenges and objectives,according to CEO Dan Akerson.The North American blueprint is how GM will address the European issues:reduce costs;match capacity with demand;offer the best vehicles.GM has a great auto portfolio in Europe.They hope to see profitability there in 2012.
The great car that GM has today is based on the resilience of the GM employee.GM has the resident expertise to provide the best cars you can buy.They have a pretty good balance sheet right now,in Dan Akerson's opinion.
Mr.Akerson wants to make GM more of a consumer marketing company.Their goal is to have zero debt on the balance sheet,and even pay down their entire pension liability to the extent possible.
GM is much more global than Ford.They have to have the ability to make a car unique for the particular market,Mr.Akerson feels.
General Motors(GM)

RiverFront Dividend Stock Suggestions

The market is reacting to a few reports.That's the way slow growth feels,says Doug Sandler of RiverFront Investment Group.We're actually getting better and better news underneath the surface.
Seek the selective quality now.Consistent dividend growth is more real than earnings.Dividend companies tend to be more stable.
Among these firms are McDonald's,American Express,Chevron and Lockheed Martin.
RiverFront Investment Group is located in Richmond,Virginia.Majority employee-owned,it provides asset management,investment advice and leading edge market insights by seasoned professionals.
McDonald's(MCD),American Express(AXP),Chevron(CVX),Lockheed Martin(LMT)

Microsoft Has Many Openings

Microsoft Corporation has several openings in Chevy Chase,Maryland and Reston,Virginia,as well as surrounding areas.They need
Software Engineers
Program Managers
Consultants
Finance Managers
Premier Field Engineers
Systems/Operations Engineers
They have multiple openings at various levels.For details and to apply,visit www.jobs-microsoft.com
Microsoft is an EOE supporting workplace diversity.