The BlackBerry maker¡¯s stock may be preparing for a breakout

To say 2011 has been a bad year for Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) is an understatement, to say the least. And this week��s global service outage, which is taking place at the same time as a successful iPhone 4G launch, is another black eye for the BlackBerry maker.

The momentum tech name of days past has been a thorn in the side for many investors lacking the foresight to bail before the inexorable slide commenced at the beginning of the year.? However, this may be setting up savvy investors for a fresh new start with this sagging stock.

Despite the overall downtrend, there have been a few isolated opportunities to profit from RIMM on the long side, such as the run from $21 to $33 in August. Don��t look now, but the BlackBerry maker is actually setting up for a potential breakout to the upside.

From a price perspective, it is basing nicely against a key resistance level around $24.75 and has an unfilled gap providing a $4 price void overhead. Trading volume has also been rising on the last few upswings, showing increased participation from the bulls over the past few weeks.

On a confirmed break of $24.75, traders looking for bullish exposure on RIMM may consider the purchase of a November call option or call spread to exploit a continued rise in the stock.? Aggressive traders could purchase the RIMM Nov 25 Call outright.? Conservative traders could purchase the 25-29 call spread by buying to open the RIMM Nov 25 Call and selling to open the RIMM Nov 29 Call at the same time.? With a current value of $1.37, the call spread has $137 of risk and $263 of potential reward.

The long term trend on RIMM remains down, so I would treat this as a short-term tactical play.

Source:? MachTrader

At the time of this writing, Tyler Craig had no positions on RIMM.

Tags: 2012! Health Stocks ,AMZN ,BA ,BAC ,COP ,F ,Hot Health Stocks To Watch ,Hot Stocks To Watch In 2012 ,WLP ,Stocks Point Higher; Earnings from Ford, Boeing, Wellpoint, Conoco

Has a trade turned against you? Let's explore your ¡®options¡¯!

No matter how much you think you know about investing, there are always lessons to learn that you never expected. One hit me the other day that is very much worth a discussion, because it involves protecting yourself when you make a bad trade.

In this case, I had shorted 500 shares of Education Management Corporation (NASDAQ:EDMC) at $16.75, because the company is being sued by the Justice Department for fraud — to the tune of $11 billion. That would bankrupt the company, and my research suggested the suit had a lot of merit.

It sounded like a straightforward-enough trade. But I made two mistakes with this short that I hope you can learn from without having to find yourself in the same situation with real money at stake.

2 Steps to Never Skip When Shorting

First, I forgot to set my stop-loss at 7% above the price where I shorted. I always set stops at that level to limit potential losses.

Second, I didn’t think to check the Days to Cover/Short Interest data. If I’d done that, I would have seen the Days to Cover had skyrocketed from 16 to 44. In other words, it would take 44 days of regular trading volume for all the short interest to cover. That’s a huge number, and it meant that a short-squeeze could be easily triggered.

I was very pleased with myself when the stock was trading at $14.50. But I got burned, because a short-squeeze is exactly what happened as the stock ran up to $20. Had my stop been in place, I would have been out with only a $500 loss. Now I was looking at a $1,625 loss, and it seemed like the price would go even higher.

What could I do?

4 Potential Position-Protecting Scenarios

Buying five EDMC Dec 20 Calls for $1.60 would only protect me above $21.60. That wasn’t awful, but it meant absorbing another $800 in losses. It also guaranteed $800 more in losses, even if the stock shou! ld fall again.

Buying the EDMC Dec 20 Puts for $3.60 was no different than doubling-down on my short in a very expensive way, and I expected the stock to go up, not down.

Selling five naked EDMC Dec 20 Calls for $1.60 didn’t help, because it would require me to buy the stock above $20 if it was, in fact, trading above $20 at expiration. It provided a minor hedge, but that wouldn’t be much consolation if the stock were trading at, say, $28.

Selling five naked EDMC Dec 20 Puts for $3.60 might help, as it would be great if the stock fell. I’d have the stock ��put�� to me at $20 and, when combined with the premium I collected, would allow me to exit the entire position with a $175 gain. If the stock rose, however, I would remain exposed on the short side, although my effective short price would be $20.35.

Combine the 2 Best ��Options�� to Save a Losing Trade

I ended up creating a collar. I sold five EDMC Dec 20 Puts for $3.60, and also bought five EDMC Dec 20 calls for $1.60. No matter where the stock closed on expiration, I would either have 500 shares put to me at $20, or be able to execute the calls to buy 500 shares at $20.

So, no matter what happened, I was covering my short at $20. I also collected a net of $2 per contract, or $1,000 in the deal. Thus, my effective short price was now $18.75. I’d lose exactly $625 on the deal no matter what happened.

It wasn’t ideal, but it substantially cut my losses and, more importantly, didn’t expose me to further upside moves in the stock.

Except �� there was a third mistake I’d made.

Beware of the Interest Trap

Shares to short were scarce, so even my gigantic broker could only find them if I was willing to pay 2% in annual interest to borrow them.

I agreed, not asking if that number could change. A couple of days after initiating my collar, feeling good about my! brillia nt move, my broker called to inform me that the cost of borrowing the shares had just gone up ��. to 70%!

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttt??????

Not only that, but it could go even higher without warning.

There was no way I was going to pay 11% interest — another $920 — until my December collar played out. What a crushing blow.

I had no choice. Even worse, the stock was trading at $19. So I covered the short for a $1,125 loss �� but then had to buy back the puts for a $420 loss and sell the calls for a $400 loss. Total donkey-kick-to-the-head loss was $1,945.

The lessons here have already been explicated. The only consolation was that I’d already made over $10,000 this year selling naked puts on certain stocks — a much better strategy, which I’ll talk about next time.

Lawrence Meyers is crushed to report that he no any longer has any positions in EDMC. Wah-wah-wah.

Tags: BIG ,DG ,DLTR ,DUCK ,FDO ,FRED ,GMAN ,Great Stocks To Buy For 2012 ,Great Transportation Stocks ,NDN ,TGT ,WMT ,Dollar Tree Stores Inc. Third Quarter Earnings Sneak Peek

Conglomerates Sector Review: Winning and Losing Stocks

Wall St. Watchdog reveals information about today��s action in the Conglomerates sector:

Gainers (% price change)

• Federal Signal Corp. (NYSE:FSS): The shares closed at $4.57, up $0.5, or 12.29%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $284.18 million. About the company: Federal Signal Corporation manufactures and supplies safety, signaling, and communications equipment. The Company’s equipment includes fire rescue products, street sweeping and vacuum loader vehicles, parking control equipment, custom on-premise signage, carbide cutting tools, precision punches and dies, and plastic injection mold components.
• Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN): The shares closed at $17.99, up $1.28, or 7.66%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $1.44 billion. About the company: Olin Corporation manufactures chemicals and ammunition products. The Company manufactures and sells chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hydrosulfite, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen, sodium chlorate, bleach products, and potassium hydroxide. Olin also manufactures products that include sporting ammunition, reloading components, small caliber military ammunition and industrial cartridges.
• Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV): The shares closed at $47.48, up $2.84, or 6.36%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $8.83 billion. About the company: Dover Corporation manufactures a variety of specialized industrial products and manufacturing equipment. The Company’s products include Material handling equipment, refuse truck bodies, tank trailers, refrigeration systems, refrigeration display cases, marking and coding systems,sucker rods, drill bit inserts, nozzles, swivels and breakaways, and electronic technology equipment.
• Leucadia National Corp. (NYSE:LUK): The shares closed at $22.33, up $1.12, or 5.28%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $5.46 billion. About the company: Leucadia National Corporation is a diversified hol! ding com pany. The Company is involved in a variety of businesses, including manufacturing, telecommunications, property management and services, gaming entertainment, real estate activities, medical product development and winery operations.
• Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT): The shares closed at $17.53, up $0.81, or 4.84%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $4.86 billion. About the company: Textron Inc. is a global, multi-industry company with operations in aircraft, defense, industrial products, and finance. The Company’s products include airplanes, helicopters, weapons, and automotive products. Textron’s finance division offers asset based lending, aviation, distribution, golf, and resort finance, as well as structured capital.

Losers (% price change)

• The Zweig Fund, Inc. (NYSE:ZF): The shares closed at $2.75, down $0.01, or 0.36%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $252.88 million. About the company: Zweig Fund, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company incorporated in the USA. The Fund’s objective seeks to increase capital primarily through investment in equity securities consistent with the preservation of capital. The Fund also seeks to preserve capital through the use of certain hedging and market timing techniques.
• Koninklijke Philips (NYSE:PHG): The shares closed at $17.22, down $0.04, or 0.23%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $16.75 billion. About the company: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. manufactures medical systems; domestic appliances; consumer electronics; and lighting. The Company produces imaging, ultrasound and healthcare informatics equipment; shaving and beauty and health and wellness products; displays, and peripherals; and lamps and luminaries.

Tags: Best Small Cap Stocks ,Best Stocks To Ow! n 2012 ,Best Stocks To Own For 2012 ,FTR ,Small Cap Stocks ,VZ ,One Telecom with a Big Yield…and a Wild Ride

Bandaging old cars strikes gold in rusting economy

Even though U.S. new-car sales rose 7.5% in August, don��t expect that bump to take the air out of the right auto parts stocks. Here��s why: Before the recession hit in 2008, the U.S. auto industry was selling an average of 16 million new vehicles a year. And while this year��s forecast of 12.5 million vehicles is a big improvement from the 10.4 million the industry sold two years ago, it��s a far cry from being back to ��normal.”

With high unemployment, tight credit and sinking consumer confidence, fixing up the clunker in the driveway might just be the new ��normal.” Since the average car on the road today is 11 years old, that translates into a continued growth opportunity for auto parts stocks.

With that in mind, here are three auto parts stocks to drive — and three to park:

Drive

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO). AutoZone on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter earnings growth of 12.1% to $301.5 million ($7.18 per share); net sales jumped 8% to $2.6 billion. Same-store sales, which measure performance against direct competitors, grew 4.5%. For the full year, sales increased 9.6% to $8.1 billion; full-year earnings rose 15% to $849 million. One key measure of AZO��s strength: for the first time in its history, commercial sales accounted for more than $1 billion. This will be a growth opportunity for AutoZone in the future. At $327.75, AZO is trading more than 53% above its 52-week low of $214 last September. With a market cap of $23.62 billion, AZO has a price/earnings-to-growth ratio of 1.14, meaning it��s only slightly overvalued.

LKQ Corp. (NASDAQ:LKQX) LKQ, which will next report earnings on Oct. 24, sells new and recycled auto parts, providing a lower-cost option for consume! rs. Last year��s acquisition of Cross Canada Body Parts and Paint Circuit gave LKQ a strong Canadian presence, as well as 300 more locations in North America. At $25.51, LKQ is trading more than 27% above its 52-week low of $19.94 last September. With a market cap of $3.74 billion, LKQ has a PEG ratio of 1.08, meaning it is fairly valued.

O��Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ:ORLY) O��Reilly, which next reports earnings on Oct. 26, boasts 3,657 stores in 39 states. ORLY said last week it has lowered its credit facility from $750 million to $660 million in exchange for lower interest rates and a longer term through 2016. ORLY set a new 52-week high of $72 on Monday and, at $70.42, is more than 36% higher than its 52-week low of $51.71 last September. With a market cap of $9.57 billion, the stock has a PEG ratio of 1.19, indicating it is slightly overvalued.

Park

Pep Boys (NYSE:PBY). While Manny, Moe and Jack earlier this month reported 31% earnings growth for the second quarter ($13.9 million), revenue rose only 3.5% ($523 million). PBY purchased the Big 10 Tire Stores chain and is generating more repair work, but same-store sales in the quarter slumped by 1.3%. PBY hit a new 52-week low of $8.18 on Aug. 9. At $9.81, PBY is trading more than 38% below its 52-week high of $15.96 in January. With a market cap of $516.73 million, the stock has a PEG ratio of 0.99, meaning it is slightly undervalued. PBY last week declared a three-cent (1.2% yield) dividend.

U.S. Auto Parts Network (NASDAQ:PRTS) U.S. Auto Parts, which next reports earnings on Nov. 8, is a hybrid of old and new commerce: It sells body, engine and performance parts over the Internet. In August, it purchased the 95-year-old Whitney Automotive Group for $27.5 million and assumption of $11 million in other obligations. PRTS set a new 52-week low of $4.53 on Tuesday — more than 54% below its 52-week high of $9.97 in January. With a! market cap of $138.43 million, the stock has a PEG ratio of -2.69, indicating the company is losing money.

Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE:GPC). GPC, which next reports earnings on Oct. 10, provides real NAPA replacement parts through its 58 U.S. distribution centers. Its Automotive Parts Group also includes NAPA Canada and Auto Todo in Mexico. GPC��s strength in pricier NAPA parts might be its short-term weakness: Competition is weighing on margins. At $52.18, GPC is trading 9.5% below its 52-week high of $57.66 in July. With a market cap of $8.18 billion, it has a PEG ratio of 1.4, meaning it��s slightly overvalued. Still, the company has paid a dividend every year since 1968 — the current yield is 3.4%.

As of this writing, Susan J. Aluise did not hold a position in any of the stocks named here.

Tags: AMZN ,Call Options ,Options Spread ,Options Trade ,Stocks to Watch ,Tech Stocks ,Buy in to AMZN's breakout with this cost-efficient call trade

HF Manager Loeb’s 3Q Yahoo! Buy, Tech Take

Daniel Loeb, CEO of hedge fund Third Point.

Hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb bought Yahoo! (YHOO) stock in the third quarter and his hedge fund still ranks among Yahoo!’s largest institutional shareholders, according to fresh ownership filings.

Technology was the largest sector weighting in the quarter for Third Point, Loeb’s hedge fund operation, at 35.5% of holdings. Filings show Third Point added 48 million Yahoo! shares – valued at $768 million – during the third quarter.

Loeb has been a noted critic of Yahoo! and lobbyist for a board shakeup, including the removal of? co-founder Jerry Yang from the board. Loeb reportedly was talking with the board before it ousted CEO Carol Bartz in September, according to a September Wall Street Journal story. Third Point held a small call position on Yahoo! in the third quarter.

Hedge fund manager David Tepper of Appaloosa Management exited Yahoo! in the third quarter.

Third Point also added more than 1 million shares to a position in online retailer Expedia (EXPE), bringing the total to 2.8 million shares. The position was valued at $79 million.

In the third quarter, Third Point picked up 675,000 shares of semiconductor chip maker SanDisk (SNDK), bringing that position’s total to 1.4 million shares valued at $71.5 million.

Among the positions Loeb exited in the third quarter: AMC Networks (AMCX), a spinoff of Cablevision Systems (CVC), which he also sold; and three semiconductor companies: ! NXP Semi conductors (NXPI), On Semiconductor (ONNN) and Freescale Semiconductor Holdings (FSL).

Tags: 2012 Dividend Stocks ,CCE ,CELH ,COKE ,COT ,DPS ,FIZZ ,HANS ,JSDA ,KO ,PEP ,REED ,Top Performing Dividend Stocks ,Jones Soda Co. Earnings Cheat Sheet - Streak of Four Straight Quarters of Expanding Margins Snapped

The Cheapest Coffee Stock in Town

"There is no misconduct," CEO Larry Blanford said during Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' (Nasdaq: GMCR  ) quarterly conference call last night, addressing the most salacious of hedge fund manager David Einhorn's recent knocks on the company.

Taking this long to defend itself against Einhorn's bearish thesis has roughed up the stock in recent weeks, but this morning's sell-off is the Keurig company's own handiwork.

For the first time in a couple of years, Green Mountain missed Wall Street's aggressive targets with its fiscal fourth-quarter results. Net sales may have climbed 91% to $711.9 million, and adjusted earnings climbed even faster to $0.47 a share. Most companies would love this kind of torrid growth, but analysts were banking on an adjusted profit of $0.48 a share. It's not a matter of the pros getting ahead of themselves; K-Cup demand also didn't live up to Green Mountain's own projections.

Investors may also be concerned with inventory levels growing much faster than net sales. A projected spike in capital expenditures this new fiscal year also isn't going to woo the naysayers.

Where do we go from here?
Despite the miss and chunky capex going forward, Green Mountain's outlook for fiscal 2012 is in line with where the pros are perched.

Green Mountain sees net sales soaring 60% to 65% for fiscal year 2011, and Wall Street's targeting a 61% spurt. Green Mountain's adjusted earnings-per-share guidance of $2.55 to $2.65 -- a 56% to 62% forecast increase -- is in harmony with Wall Street's $2.62 a share estimate.

In a nutshell, one of the market's most overvalued stocks is now trading at a forward earnings multiple in the teens -- even though it continues to grow considerably faster than that rate would suggest.

Bears will argue that the real problem comes after fiscal 2012, when two of its K-Cup-related patents expire. However, it's not as if Green Mountain is asleep at the wheel! there. It already owns many of the top K-Cup brands. It's also working on a new Keurig platform.

During last night's call, Green Mountain expressed its confidence in getting a second-generation Keurig out during fiscal 2012. In fact, $100 million of the projected $630 million to $700 million in capital expenditures earmarked for this new fiscal year will go to beefing up the portion-pack packaging capacity related to the new platform. This will be a new premium platform with new patents.

Green Mountain will continue to develop the existing platform. The company hopes to open the original platform to "new demographics," which basically means that the brewers will likely get cheaper as the off-patent K-Cups do.

Green Mountain will continue to profit from the original Keurig platform, but the real potential here is for coffee lovers to embrace the upgraded format.

Greener pastures
The sell-off is brutal, but Green Mountain is not a broken company. Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX  ) finally began selling retail K-Cups this month. Dunkin' Brands (Nasdaq: DNKN  ) and ConAgra's (NYSE: CAG  ) Swiss Miss hit the K-Cup market this summer.

Beyond the two Keurig platforms that will be in operation by the end of this new fiscal year, Green Mountain continues to work with Italy's Lavazza on an espresso system.

I recommended Green Mountain to subscribers of the Rule Breakers growth newsletter service at a split-adjusted price of $8.93 a little over two years ago. It will take a lot of gloom and doom before that call is a loser, though I'm clearly not happy with being on the wrong side of this call in recent weeks.

However, would you believe me if I told you that the KO'd Keurig ambassador is the cheapest premium coffee stock at the moment? Going with the $44 price it was trading at last night, le! t's comp are the forward earnings multiples of the publicly traded java junkies.

Company	Price	2012 EPS	2012 P/E
Peet's Coffee (Nasdaq: PEET  )	$57.66	$1.79	32
Caribou Coffee (Nasdaq: CBOU  )	$13.99	$0.50	28
Starbucks	$42.95	$1.82	24
Green Mountain Coffee	$44.00	$2.62	17

?Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Cynics will argue that there's more to this story than forward earnings estimates, and Einhorn singled out the questionable accounting and model sustainability concerns that go beyond being the cold stock in a hot sector.

However, none of these companies are growing at anywhere close to Green Mountain's pace. If we look ahead to the $3.87 a share that analysts see in fiscal 2013 -- which is now technically next year -- Green Mountain's earnings multiple drops to 11.

There is uncertainty here, and far more uncertainty than you will find in most stocks. However, it's hard to ignore the value that today's sell-off is presenting investors, since it's already discounting a lot of the shoes that may drop in the future.

If you want to follow this caffeinated saga, add Green?Mountain?Coffee?Roasters to My Watchlist.

Tags: 2012 Hot Stocks ,Hot Stocks of 2012 ,Hot Stocks To Buy ,Hot Stocks To Buy For 2012 ,Hot Stocks To Invest In ,Mighty Apple Whiffs In The 4th

YouTube Partners With Disney

YouTube and Walt Disney (DIS) are teaming up for a family-friendly video channel.

The YouTube channel will include Disney original content, some select current Disney original series and user-created content.

The content will be made available on the site starting in early 2012.

According to The New York Times, the two media giants will spend a combined $10 million to $15 million on original series.

-Reported by Jeanine Poggi in New York.

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Tags: 2012 Gas Stocks ,Gas Stocks ,Hot Gas Stocks 2012 ,Hot Stocks of 2012 ,Hot Stocks To Watch 2012 ,What China Mobile Will Do With Its $50 Billion In Cash

Moynihan thinks you're being too hard on poor BofA

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) is one of the most hated companies in America — and for good reason. BAC stock is down 50% this year and over 85% from its 2008 peak. Bank of America plans on instating a $5-per-month debit-card fee at the beginning of next year. It took billions in bailout money while regular Americans continue to face stagnant wages, runaway inflation and no relief from the brutal realities of both the housing market and job market.

But apparently Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan thinks we are all being a bit too hard on him and his cronies.

��I, like you, get a little incensed when you think about how much good all of you do, whether it’s volunteer hours, charitable giving we do, serving clients and customers well,” Moynihan said to employees last week, according to a Bloomberg report. “You ought to think a little about that before you start yelling at us.”

Really? Do you really want us to think more about the antics of Bank of America and expect that reflection to benefit you?

OK, fine. Here are a few musings citizens are chewing over:

• Your predecessor, CEO Ken Lewis, was indicted by the SEC on civil charges but never faced jail time. Whatever fines and legal fees he ultimately will incur for his tenure are more than offset by a jaw-dropping $125 million severance package.
• Even as you proposed to gouge consumers with a $5 debit card fee, Bank of America wrote a final paycheck worth $6 million to former wealth-management division head Sallie Krawcheck. Another manager, Joseph Price, got a $5 million payday. That��s means the first 2.2 million debit-card charges will go solely to paying off these BofA lackeys.
• Your $5 fee just so happens to coincide with ��tests�� by JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) over a $3 fee, prompting calls for an inv! estigati on that the big dogs in the financial sector are colluding to roll out fees at the same time — browbeating consumers into suffering though the charges because there will be fewer alternatives.
• The government is suing BofA (along with 16 others) for its role in the mortgage debacle.
• Bank of America placed 28th?out of 30 in a recent American Banker survey of bank reputations.

The list goes on. And through it all, the pompous Moynihan is due up to $10 million in performance-based cash and bonuses this year.

Sorry Brian. It��s not us — it��s you. And boneheaded comments like this one are just further proof that Bank of America’s hubris knows no bounds. Maybe you had a sympathetic audience among your employees when you made that asinine statement, but the rest of America isn��t fooled one bit.

Jeff Reeves is the editor of InvestorPlace.com. Write him at editor@investorplace.com, follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook. As of this writing, he did not own a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.

Tags: Best Performing Stocks For 2012 ,Best Performing Stocks To Buy ,Best Performing Stocks To Invest In ,Penny Stocks ,Corporate Bonds - Figuring Out A Fair Price

Get an AMZN pick

Shares of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) fell 11% on Wednesday after a disappointing earnings report earlier in the week but gained 4% back Thursday. In the aftermath of this volatility, many investors are wondering, ��What��s next?��

It��s not easy to say. On one hand, AMZN stock still is up 15% since Jan. 1 and up 60% since 2010. On the other hand, there��s a lot to be said for knowing when the ride is over — and there are warning signs things could be getting rocky for Amazon.

But never fear. Today we��ll make sense of the mayhem with a hard look at the pros and cons of Amazon, finishing with a clear decision on whether now is the time to buy or sell this tech giant.

Let��s take a look now at the pros and cons of Amazon stock:

    

Pro: Red-Hot Sales

Perhaps the most encouraging figure from Amazon��s earnings is that revenue climbed 44% year over year to $10.9 billion. That is a huge figure and a huge rate of growth.

True, profits were a big disappointment as earnings totaled a mere $63 million on the quarter, significantly missing forecasts. But it��s important to note that the shortfall was not caused by a slowdown in the sales of books and electronics, and rather because Amazon spent more.

Many companies can juice profits in the short term by stock buybacks that boost earnings per share or through layoffs and various cost-cutting measures. True growth, however, has to come from growing sales — and Amazon clearly has that.

Consider this: Fiscal 2010 revenue totaled over $34 billion, easily double the $14 billion in 2007. Fiscal 2011 revenue is tracking almost $49 billion, easily double the $19 billion in sales for 2008. Fiscal 2012 revenue is forecast to top $60 billion, easily double the $! 25 billi on in 2009.

See a trend here? Doubling your revenue every three years — especially for an established blue chip like Amazon — is a pretty impressive feat.

    

Con: All That Sales Cash Squandered

Of course, tens of billions in revenue makes the lack of profits that much more disturbing. And worse, Amazon is now projecting a loss for the current quarter.

The company isn��t spending all that dough on private jets, of course. The lion��s share of that cash is going to build 17 new fulfillment centers this year. But the moves clearly indicate Amazon isn��t nearly the zero-overhead online storefront some investors mistakenly believe it is.

What��s more, Amazon has taken a costly gamble on its new Kindle Fire tablet by heavily subsidizing the gadgets. The theory is that if Amazon sells the devices at almost break-even for $200, it can find a foothold as a low-cost alternative to the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad. After the Kindle Fire catches on, it will start to pay for itself with content sales — eBooks, apps and the like.

That��s fine in theory, but many investors are skeptical AMZN might be left holding the bag. Brokerage firm Stifel Nicolaus summed it up pretty succinctly in a recent ratings cut on the stock: “Amazon continues to invest in high-growth opportunities at the expense of near-term profits.”

    

Pro: One of the Few Companies With Vision

One could rightly argue that a myopic CEO can doom a company to failure. The fact that founder and CEO Jeff Bezos continues to take the long view for his company should be an inspiring sign to shareholders — even if! it mean s short-term pain.

Consider that the original Kindle hit the market in 2007, just a few months after the iPhone was born and while terms like ��e-books�� and ��tablets�� didn��t exist in casual conversation. Years of costly research and development went into this product, which reinvented publishing as we now know it.

Where would Amazon be if it refused to spend its time and money on this innovative product four years ago?

For every analyst lowering his price target on AMZN stock, there are others who admit the necessity of Amazon spending now if it wants to keep up its impressive track record of breakneck growth. Bank of America Merrill Lynch experts recently said Amazon remains the best way to play e-commerce and that the Kindle Fire could be a catalyst for even bigger growth.

    

Con: Amazon��s Gamble is YOUR Gamble

Of course, there��s no way around the fact that Amazon��s long-term gamble is your long-term gamble, and its short-term pain could be your short-term pain as a shareholder.

And the reality is there could be much more short-term pain to come.

“Given that Amazon is selling these hardware devices at a loss, the return on their sales won’t show up in Q4, but farther into 2012 and beyond,” a Yankee Group researcher told the E-Commerce Times this week.

In short, the current high-spending, low-profits environment at Amazon will continue for months as Amazon bankrolls Kindle Fire manufacturing. And after the initial push, we��ll have to wait even longer to see whether the bloom falls off the rose and whether the the gadget can hang tough against the Apple iPad.

And after all that, we��ll have to wait longer to see if profit indeed materializes from secondary sales of content as Kindle Fire owne! rs start shopping for books, TV shows, apps and other goodies on their new gadgets.

How long are you willing to wait to know?

    

Pro: The Smart Money Still Likes Amazon

Here��s the clearest endorsement of all for Amazon stock: Hard price targets by some of Wall Street��s top analysts and investment bankers.

Yes, Stifel Nicolaus cut its rating on Amazon, but it still rates AMZN stock a ��buy�� and its price target went down from $280 to $265. Amazon currently is trading under $200 — so that��s hardly a bearish call.

Evercore Partners also cut its rating and target — from $290 to $260. Again, 30% upside from here despite a ��gloomier�� outlook.

Out of 25 brokers surveyed by Thomson/First Call, the median target is $260 and the mean target is about $245.

Things indeed are complicated right now at Amazon.com because of the Kindle Fire launch. But there��s still an average target of 20% to 30% profits in this stock anyway.

That��s because the Kindle Fire remains only part of the story. According to comScore, in June 2011, Amazon was visited by 282 million people, or 20.4% of the world��s online population. Think about that: 1 in 5 folks with an Internet connection visit the site each month!

Even if the Kindle Fire never becomes what Amazon hopes it will be, there still are avenues for Amazon to succeed. Some of Wall Street��s biggest investors have managed to remember this — and so should you.

The final verdict: Amazon is a good “buy” at $200.?

One final note of caution: It��s worth pointing out that Amazon.com doesn��t pay a dividend. If you are a long-term investor, you have little incentive to bide your time in this stock unless you expect a steady ascent in share pr! ice.

That said, most reports are enthusiastic about the Kindle Fire, and its rock-bottom price should allow it to compete with the Amazon iPad. Bezos recently noted that advance orders for the gadget are much higher than expected.

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EU Debt Accord: Nothing More Than A Band-Aid Solution For U.S. Treasuries

Yesterday was a big day, even though the Europeans didn't do much to solve their underlying problem, which is governments that have grown too big and taken on more debt than they can service. Debt write downs and bank recapitalizations such as were announced yesterday help address the threat of bank defaults, and that in turn reduces the threat of systemic failure and an economic collapse. But they don't solve the problem. Eventually, Greece must either throttle back its government, or abandon the euro and return to the drachma, which would then mean a sizable devaluation and a significant decline in living standards for all Greeks. Either the public sector bites the bullet, or everyone does, because the market will no longer willingly lend government the money to continue its profligate ways. (The ECB may do so, of course, and the German taxpayers may also help, but that's only a stopgap measure.) And Italy, Spain, and Portugal must also adopt concrete austerity measures.

As the top chart shows, 2-yr Eurozone swap spreads haven't changed much as a result of yesterday's debt accord, which makes sense since the accord was only the equivalent of a band-aid solution. But 2-yr U.S. swap spreads are down from 37 bps two days ago to 30 bps today; that puts them firmly in "normal" territory. Conclusion: the threat of defaults and systemic disruption remains quite high in Europe (which makes sense), but the risk that problems in Europe could seriously disrupt the U.S. economy has diminished, and is relatively low. A growing U.S. economy can effectively trump the troubles emanating from the Eurozone.

One of the biggest changes to come in the wake of yesterday's Eurozone accord was a sizable drop in the Vix index, which has come down from 45 earlier this month to 25 today. It's still elevated, but it's no longer in what might be termed the panic zone. Investors are breathing easier, but they are still genuinely concer! ned abou t the outlook.

U.S. equities have rebounded almost 17% from their Oct. 3rd lows, in part because the risk of a Eurozone contagion has declined, but mostly because the economic stats have shown that the U.S. economy continues to grow, and fears of an imminent double-dip recession were overblown. The chart above is one way to see this, since weekly unemployment claims have not deteriorated and look to be trending downward (claims are inverted in the chart), and equities had been priced to a deterioration that failed to occur.

10-yr Treasury yields have rebounded from an all-time low of 1.7% to 2.3% today, which is equivalent, as the chart above suggests, to pulling back from the edge of a depressionary abyss. Yields are still extremely low by historical standards, but at least they no longer reflect a market that is braced for an imminent catastrophe—rather, a market that still worries that the U.S. may end up in a recession. However, I think it's also likely that Treasury yields are depressed because of the ongoing troubles in the Eurozone, and are behaving more like a safe-haven than as a proxy for the long-term outlook for the U.S. economy. That's how I would explain the fact that equities display a measure of strength while Treasuries are still in recession/depression territory.

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Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Tricky Stocks to Avoid (Final)

"I'm tired of being tricked," Jim Cramer told his "Mad Money" TV show viewers on a special Halloween episode.

Cramer told viewers not to be fooled by the following stocks, as they never offer any treats. "Invest anywhere else," he said.

First on Cramer's trick-or-treat list were the airlines. Cramer said just because the plane is full, it doesn't mean the company is making any money. He recalled two horrid investments gone wrong, People's Express and a former incarnation of American Airlines, both in the 1980s.

Cramer said the airlines always have fuel problems, high labor costs and are in a business that's highly cyclical. "Don't even think about the airline stocks," he concluded.

Next on the list were the gold miners. Cramer said he's recommended some gold stocks on "Mad Money" in the past, only to be disappointed. "No more," he said, as even when these companies deliver their best, it never seems to be good enough. Cramer said investors who want to play gold need to own the bullion or SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), not the mining stocks.

Also on the list, supermarkets. Cramer said this business is cut-throat and has lots of waste. He said stocks like Kroger (KR), Supervalu (SVU) and Safeway (SWY) are just tough to own. Cramer recommended only Whole Foods (WFM), a healthy play the operates above the competition since they have pricing power.

Finally, Cramer offered up two tech stocks, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Micron Technologies (MU), two "perennial single-digit midgets." Cramer said these two companies are always getting undercut by competitors and investors need to stay away.

Learning From Losers

Continuing with! his Hal loween theme, Cramer highlighted three stocks that "tricked" him into losing money. He said you can always learn more from your losers than your winners, so investors take heed.

Cramer's first misstep was Ancestry.com (ACOM) , the online genealogy resource that he first recommended in November, 2009. Shares of Ancestry were up 233%, but Cramer didn't recommend ringing the register and instead overstayed his welcome.

After two dismal quarters in a row, shares of Ancestry.com slid from $36 to $23 a share after the company raised subscription prices and tried to nudge subscribers into yearly plans. "They blew it," said Cramer, "and so did I." The company continues to forecast weaker demand for their service going forward.

Cramer's next trickster was Netflix (NFLX), which also imploded after it raised prices and tried to spin off its DVD business under the name Quickster. This once $235 stock is now an $82 stock, said Cramer, who is chastising himself for not recommending investors get out sooner. He said when a high-growth stock becomes a battleground, investors must take their money and run.

Finally, Cramer noted Lufkin Industries (LUFK), an oil equipment maker that predicted a new wave of demand with the pickup in U.S. oil production. After two disappointing quarters, Cramer said it's clear that Lufkin is having trouble executing and investors need to steer clear.

Chinese IPO Duds

"Don't be taken in by cute costumes," Cramer warned viewers. He said that hot Chinese IPOs may be dressed up like reputable American companies, but in many cases they're far from it and can be hazardous to your wealth.

Cramer explained that after years of old, main-line Chinese manufacturing companies coming to the U.S. IPO market, lately the trend has been towards growth names ala dot-coms and solar plays. He said these companies all feature sky-high valuations and cute U.S. equivale! nts, lik e "the Chinese Amazon.com (AMZN)" for example. "Chinese stocks don't have the same disclosures," Cramer reminded viewers, as he noted the recent performance of a few of them.

For example, DangDang (DANG) popped 86% on its first day of trading, only to fall 74% in the open market. Youku.com (YOKU) soared up 161%, only to fall 31% since. And Qihoo360 (QIHU) rocketed up 134% and has since fallen 38%.

Cramer said on average, these names are down 40% in the after market, which is why he continues to recommend only Baidu.com (BIDU). Only Baidu, the Chinese Google (GOOG) has a proven track record, said Cramer, the rest are all hype.

Xilinx's New Chip

In the "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer once again sat down with Moshe Gavrielov, president and CEO of Xilinx (XLNX), the leading provider of programmable logic devices and a company with a 2.3% dividend yield.

Gavrielov said his company's new 28-nanometer technology has 6.8 billion transistors on a single chip, twice as many as its nearest competitor. He said that Xilinx gets about 50% of its business from wired and wireless communications products, the infrastructure needed to service the growing number of wireless devices around the globe.

Gavrielov also said that Xilinx' current generation of products is 10 times faster than those made just three years ago, a compelling reason for the company's 10,000 customers to continue to upgrade their networks. Given that Xilinx services both wired and wireless networks, Gavrielov said his company's earnings are often balanced, as sometimes wireless is stronger and sometimes not.

Cramer commented on Xilinx' $1.5 billion in cash, ! somethin g that Gavrielov said Xilinx will continue to use for stock buybacks and increases to their dividend. Cramer continued his recommendation on Xilinx.

Lightning Round

Cramer was bearish onActivision Blizzard (ATVI), Microsoft (MSFT), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Cheniere Energy (LNG), MetroPCS Communications (PCS), Kirby (KEX) and Nuance Communications (NUAN).

Mea Culpa

In his "No Huddle Offense" segment, Cramer commanded viewers to never get behind a stock if they can't also get behind the company's management. He issued a big "mea culpa" on Avon Products (AVP), whose stock was on the Sell Block in April, but one that Cramer gave a reprieve to earlier this month.

Cramer said after Avon's dividend hit 4%, he told viewers it was worth owning. "I should have known better," he said, as Avon reported yet another dismal quarter and shares got pummeled. Cramer said he has no choice but to return CEO Andrea Jung to his "Wall of Shame," a position she held from 2006 to 2007.

Cramer said at a time when every other direct sales and beauty company is soaring, Avon has delivered just a 5% gain over the past two and a half years. After years of restructuring the company, Avon simply has nothing to show for it, he said, and there needs to be a change at the top. To contact the writer of this article, click here: Scott Rutt.

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Carbo Ceramics Shrugs Off Competitive Threat

Carbo Ceramics (CRR $140) reported excellent on-target Q3 results. Sales advanced 41% to $167.1 million. Earnings climbed 81% to $1.61 a share (excluding stock option expense). Carbo is one of the two leading manufacturers of ceramic proppant used by oil and gas producers in shale production. The tiny spheres are inserted into the rock after it's been fractured to let the oil or gas flow to the surface. Most wells are drilled horizontally and typically are 10x longer than straight up and down wells. So more material is required. The proppant is injected into the well with a mixture of water and a jello like material. The water drives it in. The jello keeps it in place until everything settles. Then it dissolves. Since the proppants are round plenty of area remains for the oil or gas to flow back up the well bore.

• Most wells are 8,000 feet or more below the surface, far below the water table. Occasionally natural gas escapes towards the surface during the fracturing process. When that happens it can mix into the water supply. Technically speaking the jello material is made from chemicals, though it isn't much different than actual Jell-O. That gets loose once in a while, too. The Environmental Protection Agency has moved aggressively against those contamination issues, blocking natural gas development in large sections of the country. The EPA additionally has blocked Carbo from building new production facilities in some areas. For all the hoopla, the amount of actual damage is negligible in relation to the volume of energy produced. So while expensive remediation efforts might be required the industry appears likely to keep growing at a brisk pace well into the future.
• Growth is accelerating in the oil shale segment. Carbo got its start in shale gas. Its ceramic proppants worked better than conventional sand at keeping those new age wells open. Sand continues to be used in straightfoward applications because it's less expensive. But o! perators increasingly are switching to manufactured proppants to maximize the flow rate. In the shale oil segment, that conductivity advantage is even more pronounced. Drilling activity is surging because the market price of petroleum is 5x greater than natural gas on a Btu equivalent basis. The potential profit is much greater. In 2011 an estimated 32,500 oil wells will be drilled in the U.S., up 75% from the year before. The entire increase is coming from the shale oil segment. Natural gas wells are seen coming in at 19,500, up 5%. At this point Carbo is sold out and can't keep up with demand. New capacity is being brought on line, the EPA notwithstanding. But the tight supply situation has caused drillers to seek alternative sources. The resulting advent of new competitors has created some question marks about Carbo's long term outlook.
• Saint Gobain, the other leading producer of ceramic proppant, is expanding capacity. More ominous is a build-up in Chinese production. The Chinese have entered the market with lower quality products but they've offered lower prices, as well. The surge in industry demand has allowed Carbo to maintain margins and keep expanding to date. And that trend could continue if the international market begins to adopt shale drilling. For now the technology remains a North American specialty. At some point the number of drilling rigs could max out, or energy prices might skid and cause some rigs to go out of service. If proppant capacity keeps jumping an oversupply situation could develop.
• Today, performance remains vibrant. We have lifted our 2011 earnings estimate by $.15 a share to $5.65 a share. A stronger showing is possible if the customary Q4 industry slowdown fails to develop. Next year $6.60 a share (+17%) is a realistic target, in light of the economy and the Administration's efforts to promote green energy at the expense of fossil fuels. New manufacturing capacity is in the pipeline. If prices and margins aren't disrupted earnings could keep a! dvancing at a 20%-30% rate well into the decade.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

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Silver Mining Stocks Hit by Commodity’s Sharp Sell-Off

Yesterday��s sell-off engulfed metals and bullion. Gold (NYSE:GLD) and particularly silver (NYSE:SLV) were badly hit, down 3.9% and 8.9% respectively. Unfortunately, there is no respite today with silver down a whopping 10.3%. The precious metal is now down about 20% this week.

Investing Insights: What is the Mining Industry Forecasting for Gold?

The metal��s slide has dragged down silver mining stocks such as Silver Wheaton Corp. (NYSE:SLW) (-3.7%), Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE:CDE) (-4.4%), Silver Standard Resources Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRI) (-3.4%), and Endeavour Silver Corp. (AMEX:EXK) (-4.3%). However, base metal miners such as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX), Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO), and BHP Billiton Limited (NYSE:BHP) are nudging green today.

Silver Wheaton Corp. is trading at $33.56 today, down 5.33%. Shares are down 33.27% in one year. The stock’s trading range for the year is between $25.35 and $47.60.

Get more analysis on our support levels and ranges for gold and silver >>

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How Will Precious Metals React to the EU Bailout Plan?

After numerous jukes and headline rumors, the world finally received a so-called EU solution.? After threatening with a total insolvency Greece situation, European leaders were able to talk bondholders into accepting a 50% haircut on Greek debt.? Furthermore, the euro zone leaders agreed to increase the firepower of the European Financial Stability Facility.? The markets reacted quite well to the news, even if it was just a knee-jerk reaction.? The Dow surged 340 points, and is now on track for its biggest monthly percentage gain in nearly 25 years.? Gold and silver also had big gains on the news.

On Thursday, gold futures for December delivery jumped $24.20 to settle at $1,747 per ounce, while silver futures gained $1.80 to close just above $35.? With the EU plan crafted, where does gold and silver go from here?? Unfortunately, the plan does not instantly solve the financial problems of Greece, let alone the world.? The plan calls for the EFSF to be increased to 1 trillion euros, by leveraging the fund.? The leverage could be done by two ways, either by loss guarantees to buyers of euro zone debt, or by a special purpose investment that will be created in the coming weeks, in hopes to attract investment from China.? “The leverage could be up to one trillion euros under certain assumptions about market conditions and investors’ responsiveness in view of economic policies,” said Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council.��? This begs the question, how will more leverage solve the financial mess in the euro zone? Leveraged debt is what ignited and intensified the credit bubble.? If anything, the EU plan provides more uncertainty about the long-term financial stability of markets.? When uncertainty and debt rises, gold and silver tend to do the same.

Greece��s current debt burden is 160% of its GDP.? The 50% haircut on Greek debt will reduce the country��s debt to 120% of GDP by 2020.? Does this sound like an ideal situation?? ��Even if investors fully sign up! to the plan, this would still be an unsustainably high level of debt,” said Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics. “Accordingly, further Greek restructuring or defaults seem very likely in the future.”? The EU plan sets the financial markets up for more disappointment and more money printing.

The EU plan also requires banks to hold higher quality assets on their books.? Core tier one capital levels will be raised to 9%, which means that euro zone banks need to raise roughly 106 billion euros to meet the new levels.? Banks may need to receive government support if they cannot raise the money on their own.? The EU plan says that ��guarantees on bank liabilities�� may be needed to assist banks.? The key question is, how will EU governments pay for all these actions?? “European bank recapitalization remains an aspiration rather than a reality,” said Ian Gordon, a banking analyst at Evolution Securities in London.

I believe this is not the last bailout plan that Greece will receive.? Greece already received one bailout of 110 billion euros in May 2010, and will likely need more bailouts going forward.? Bailouts do not solve massive debts and spending problems that plague many countries.? Attention is already focusing on Italy, which just saw its 10-year bond price at record levels.? Gold and silver are hedges against the debt ridden world that we live in.? As investors lose confidence in governments and countries, precious metal prices will continue to rise.

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10 Holiday Rentals for Your Crazy Family

Holiday travelers tend to love the idea of being with the family during the season, but they're not spending the holiday pulling hair clogs out of the tub, deodorizing furniture and spinning infinite loads of laundry.

For hosts whose Thanksgiving and winter holidays at home feel more like a convention of inconsiderates pulling into their de facto hotel for vacation, a vacation rental may be a last resort worth considering.

"The holidays are a time of year that typically involves good food, spending time with your family and some travel -- but it doesn't need to mean sharing a roof with your in-laws," says Hank Hu! dpohl, d irector of vacation rentals for TripAdvisor. "A vacation rental can offer you and your family a great way to have all the conveniences of home -- and even save some money when compared to the cost of multiple hotel rooms and meal service."

Roughly 44% of Americans plan to pack up the brood and travel during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays, which the American Express(AXP) Spending and Saving tracker says is up from 39% during the 2010 season. Families of four say they'll part with an average of $2,636, or $659 per person, to go over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house or elsewhere and are increasing their spending by $200 from last year.

While 36% of those families say they'll fly this year (up from 26% last year), 21% say they'll take a longer trip and 17% say they'll travel with more people, only 19% plan to use that extra holiday cash to upgrade accommodations. That's tougher to swallow than overdone turkey or last year's fruitcake for the 22% of grandparents, aunts, uncles and other holiday hosts who told vacation rental site HomeAway(AWAY) that holiday guests overstay their welcome after all of one day. TJ Mahony, chief executive and co-founder of vacation rental site FlipKey, offers vacation rentals as a means of massaging away that holiday tension.

"The kids can come in and enjoy a different playground, different environment and different setting," Mahony says. "For the parents, what's great about it especially for Thanksgiving is that when you're not the actual host, it means that all the responsibility is distributed and everyone's expectation is that they have to contribute."

Hear that, sofa-riding uncle? The 31% of holiday hosts who told HomeAway they hate it when you leave your stuff all over the place are no longer inclined to pick it up if the whole family goes dutch on a cabin in the woods. The 26% who are brought to a boil when nobody helps with the cooking and cleaning! and 21% tired of coming up with new material when the family wants to be constantly entertained can rest easy in the comforts of a rented family commune where everyone's an out-of-towner.

"Vacation rentals 10 years ago would have required you to bring your own linens or clean up on your own and there wouldn't be a chef or additional amenities available" Mahony says. "Fast forward to now and linens are standard, managers and owners clean the property and sometimes, for an additional fee, you can have the property cleaned every day."

With a hand from FlipKey, HomeAway and last-minute vacation rental site PackLate, we came up with 10 places that can serve as home for the holidays without allowing freeloaders to tromp wet feet through your house after dashing through the snow:

West Village, New York City
Size: Three bedrooms, one bathroom, sleeps six
Price: $507 a night
Available: Christmas
While the rest of the city is heading out to the burbs or beyond to be with family and avoid the crazed Christmas crowds, your clan can pull its best Carrie Bradshaw impression in its fifth-floor walkup on Bank Street with an updated kitchen, fresh linens and a short walk to Magnolia Bakery or the Meatpacking District.

This cute little spot in the West Village is tucked away among the best burgers in town at Jane Street's Corner Bistro, beer-and-tile bars such as WXOU Radio and the White Horse on Hudson Street and rows of restaurants including the nearby celeb-owned Spotted Pig in the same neighborhood Julian Schnabel, Lou Reed and Julianne Moore call home.

Holiday visitors are just a subway ride from the holiday markets and tailbone-splitting tourist skaters in Central or Bryant parks, the tree and the maddening throngs who made the pilgrimage to see it at Rockefeller Center, the smells and bells of St. Patrick's Cathedral and the window shopping on Fifth Avenue or at Macy! 's(M) in Union Square.

If you want a real New York experience, however, drop the fake HBO facade, skip the tourist traps and just take a stroll along West 4th Street, down Carmine Street or through Washington Square Park. Grab a pretzel and coffee, find a seat and just watch the show. The mix of bridge-and-tunnel types and Village old-timers is the best holiday spectacle this far south of Radio City.

Orlando, Fla.
Size: Seven bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, sleeps 14
Price: $219 to $269 a night
Available: Thanksgiving and Christmas
Those seemingly endless holiday stays tend to shrink up a bit when you can give the relations some toys to play with or just ship them off to Walt Disney(DIS) World for a few days.

This 3,000-square-foot villa in the Solana Resort comes with a private pool, hot tub, gas grill, free Wi-Fi and cable, billiards, foosball, skee-ball and a Nintendo Wii, but also has a community pool, tennis courts, basketball courts and an arcade nearby. Perhaps its biggest selling point, however, is an eight-mile drive to Disney World, which the owners not so subtly remind renters of with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse stuffed animals on each bed.

If the comforts of home are of greater concern to holiday guests, the unit also has fresh towels and linens, hair dryers, an iron and ironing board, washer, dryer, full kitchen, dining area and 24-hour security. It's a five-night minimum stay, but families who stay for an entire week don't pay a fee for cleaning services.

Big Sky, Mont.
Size: Four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, sleeps 13
Price: $395 a night
Available: Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving dinner is just that much more tantalizing when y! ou have to ski to it.

This wood-framed, ski-in/ski-out lodge is at the end of a few easy green runs so both the expert skiers in the family and their kids getting by on the pizza-slice and french-fries technique can get home in time for turkey. Once they arrive, they'll step into a 2,500-square-foot home with a stone fireplace and LCD television in the great room, a stainless-steel kitchen, full dining room and huge windows with mountain views.

Whoever scores the master suite gets yet another fireplace, a soaking tub in the bathroom and balcony access. Everyone, however, has access to the hot tub on the main porch, the nearby Iron Horse ski lift to the Big Sky or Moonlight Basin resorts and skiing-distance access to the Moonlight Lodge for lift tickets, coffee and a morning paper.

Combined with free linens and towels, a washer, dryer, dishwasher and multiple HD televisions, the other amenities are a lot more than just window dressing when trying to keep a family occupied on vacation while making it feel like home once dinner is served.

Ocean Shores, Wash.
Size: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, sleeps 14
Price: $385 a night
Available: Thanksgiving and Christmas
So you've trekked your family of 14 out to the far end of Washington state amid cold beaches for the holidays to a house on a canal right in the middle of nowhere. Now what?

We're guessing the owners ran into this cold-months conundrum a few times themselves, which explains the 14-seat movie theater with a double-door marquee entrance and more than 200 movies. It may also have played a part in turning the room just outside that theater into a replica of a vintage 1920s ice cream parlor and soda fountain with seating for 16.

It's not that the rest of the house itself is so forgettable. There's a fireplace and wood stove in the living room, a waterfront view with a dock and pedal boat for the warm-blooded ! and an o bservation tower for even better views. Throw in some linens, a full spread of appliances and a full kitchen and dining room and you'll not only forget that the only surrounding amusements are the logging town/tourist trap of Forks (made famous by the glittery vampires in the Twilight films) and the windy heights of Hurricane Ridge and the rest of Olympic National Park, but you may never leave to see them.

Maggie Valley, N.C.
Size: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight
Price: $155 a night
Available: Christmas
If your family members would rather watch football Christmas Day than check out the views from this the cliffside cabin overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains, check their pulses. They might be dead inside.

The elk graze along the mountains right nearby and two levels of porches give you and your family front-row seats to the show. Those who find that a bit chilly are free to warm their feet by the fire and watch the action from the windows while making use of the free Wi-Fi. Either way, a Christmas tree or a holiday dinner should look lovely with those ridges as a backdrop.

The house is right near the restaurants of Maggie Valley, the brewpubs and historic sites of Asheville and the skiing and tubing slopes of Cataloochee Ski Resort. The quarters can get a little tight, but free linens and towels, lots of appliances and a full movie library for the bored relatives should make it seem as cozy as home ... only with fewer chores and better views.

Union Pier, Mich.
Size: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight
Price: $250 a night
Available: Christmas
Lake Michigan in the winter can be just a bit brisk, but where some families see disaster, others see a deal.

"Christmas is a more extended vacation! because of how long the kids are off from school and is a more high-demand area," FlipKey's Mahony says. "Any type of snow destination is going to command a premium, but shoulder areas like Cape Cod and certain summer areas just shut down to the point that some renters won't make property available because demand is so low."

The properties that remain, however, are going at a discount. This Union Pier house commands a minimum seven-night stay and $1,900 during the summer months. Its screen porch, outdoor shower, fire pit and ceiling fans are a bit less of a draw during the cold months. This fall, the owners dropped the minimum stay to three nights, lowered the price by nearly $40 a night and offered a free 10-pound turkey to the renters who took the house for Thanksgiving.

Those who take it for the winter holidays are getting a steal, however, as the big stone fireplace heats up a sprawling open-layout main room that includes the living room, dining room and full stainless-steel kitchen with breakfast bar.

Restaurants, bakeries, delis and corner stores along the town's main drag are still open and the house is only a half-mile from a winery and three miles from a casino -- depending on your preference for holiday cheer. The turkey may not be free for the winter holidays, but the linens, Wi-Fi and appliances are still a nice touch for freezing families. The group that gets to stay in the detached guest house with its own bathroom gets the best present of all, though: quiet, and lots of it.

Laguna Beach, Calif.
Size: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight
Price: $2,100 a week
Available:Thanksgiving and Christmas
If your holidays feel like they're just missing something -- like the epicenter of 2000s teen drama, a backyard pallapa and fire pit and an "Asian Zen feel" -- maybe it's time to move the party to Laguna Beach.

The town that launched Lauren! Conrad and hours' worth of sniping and comebacks on MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills now wants you to cook your turkey in professional-grade appliances, set it on granite counters and carry it across the Brazilian Koa floors out to the ocean-view deck for a bit of whale watching. All three of this house's bedrooms have ocean views, the bathrooms have multiple shower heads and rainfall soakers and the living room has a clear view to the Pacific to go with its fireplace and HDTV.

Located a trolley ride from the shops at Laguna Beach and just a quick jaunt from Disney Land, Universal Studios theme park and the San Diego Zoo, this house is more of a beach getaway than a holiday hearth and home. With a huge modern kitchen, plenty of room for everyone and incredible sunset views, though, a family could certainly do worse.

Kauai, Hawaii
Size: Five bedrooms, four bathrooms, sleeps 12
Price: $8,000 a week
Available: Christmas
Save this one for a family that's spent the year working its way from the "naughty" to "nice" sections of Santa's list.

Situated on Kauai's North Shore, the Paradise Retreat at the base of the Hihimanu Mountains is a 5,000-square-foot luxury playground. The gated, 1,000-foot circular driveway lined with palm trees leads to a house with 1,500-square feet of hammock-hung and hot tub hiding lanais with views of Hanalei Bay.

The amoebic swimming pool in the back and the fireplace in the dining room are carved out of lava rock. The kitchen is stocked with a Viking stove, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a private chef who'll make sure guests never lift a finger to prepare holiday dinner.

There are sunset views of Bali Hai and private games of pingpong in the game room. Look out onto the lush vegetation, visit the beaches in each direction with the house's surfboards and snorkel gear or stay inside on the wicker island ! furnitur e and catch the game on an HDTV. This holiday comes at a premium, but that's the price guests pay for being pampered instead of put out when the family comes over.

Tags: AMP ,AMTD ,BAC ,FNGN ,LPLA ,MET ,MS ,OPY ,PFG ,PRU ,RJF ,SF ,SPY ,Ameriprise Financial Inc. Earnings - Profit Drop Breaks Four Consecutive Quarters of Growing Profits

3 Hot Stocks Making Early Moves: UBS Gets New CEO, S&P Under Fire, and Dreamliner Finally Arrives

Shares of UBS (NYSE:UBS) popped nearly 2% after CEO Oswald Gruebel resigned over the weekend due to the recent $2.3 billion rogue trader scandal. ?Sergio Ermotti will be his replacement.?Keep your eye on European banks this morning:?Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB), Barclays (NYSE:BCS), Royal Bank of Scotland (NYSE:RBS), Lloyd��s (NYSE:LYG), and Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS).

McGraw-Hill (NYSE:MHP) is trading higher despite the company disclosing that the SEC is weighing action against its Standard & Poor’s credit rating unit tied to its ratings for a collateralized debt obligation dating back to the financial crisis. The company also competes with Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO).

Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is set to take flight with its highly awaited 787 Dreamliner. ?Japanese airline company, All Nippon Airways, took contractual delivery Sunday of the first Dreamliner. ?Shares are flying 2% higher in pre-market trading.

Tags: 2012 Health Stocks ,ERTS ,HPQ ,NOK ,Top Health Stocks To Watch ,Top Stocks To Watch In 2012 ,YHOO ,Tech Winners & Losers - Yahoo!, HP

Trending Stocks Recap: The Most Active Shares of the Week

Investors and traders continue to face a bipolar market as Italy and Greece step forward, then backward. Here��s your Cheat Sheet to the hottest stocks of the week from the day the stock was most active.

Don��t Miss:?Will Gold Offer Protection from a Thanksgiving Feast?

Monday

As the markets attempt to find direction on this Monday morning, here are the most buzzworthy stocks to watch:

1)??? American Dental Partners, Inc.?(NASDAQ:ADPI): Shares of American Dental Partners, Inc. are trading?higher?79% today. American Dental Partners, Inc. provides dental practice management services. The company offers a broad range of services designed to enhance practice revenue, improve operating efficiencies and expand operating margins. American Dental is affiliated with various dental group practices and operates in selected markets throughout the United States.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

2)??? Force Protection, Inc.?(NASDAQ:FRPT): Shares of Force Protection, Inc. are trading?higher?30% today. Force Protection, Inc. manufactures and distributes vehicles that protect and save lives and property. The Company��s subsidiary designs, manufactures, and markets mine-protected vehicles used by police and military organizations domestically and in other countries for transportation, de-mining, and special applications.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

3)??? DISH Network Corp.?(NASDAQ:DISH): Shares of DISH Network Corp. are trading?higher?3.92% today. DISH Network Corp. provides a direct broadcast satellite subscription television service in the United States.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

4)??? BroadSoft Inc?(NASDAQ:BSFT): Shares of BroadSoft Inc are trading?lower ?almost 4% today. BroadSoft Inc. is a global provider of software that enables fixed-line, mobile and cable service providers to deliver voice and multimedia services over their Internet protocol-based, or IP-based, networks. The Company��s software enables customers to provide enterprises and consumers with a range of cloud-based, or hosted, IP multimedia communications.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

5)??? SYSCO Corporation?(NYSE:SYY): Shares of SYSCO Corporation are trading?lower?over 1% today. Sysco Corporation distributes food and related products primarily to the foodservice industry. The Company also distributes personal care guest amenities, housekeeping supplies, room accessories, and textiles to the lodging industry.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

6)??? TravelCenters of America LLC?(AMEX:TA): Shares of TravelCenters of America LLC are trading?higher?2% today. TravelCenters of America LLC operates a network of hospitality and fuel service areas primarily along the US Interstate Highway System. The Company provides products and services to professional drivers as well as business and leisure travelers.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

7)??? Best Buy Co., Inc.?(NYSE:BBY): Shares of Best Buy Co., Inc. are trading?lower?2% today. Best Buy Co., Inc. retails consumer electronics, home office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through its retail stores, as well as its web site. The Company also retails pre-recorded home entertainment products through retail stores.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

8)??? TEKELEC?(NASDAQ:TKLC): Shares of TEKELEC are trading?higher?11% today. Tekelec designs, manufactures, markets, and supports network systems products, diagnostics systems, and selected service appli! cations for telecommunications networks and contact centers. The Company��s customers include telecommunications carriers, network service providers, equipment manufacturers, and contact center operators.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

9)??? Coeur d��Alene Mines Corporation?(NYSE:CDE): Shares of Coeur d��Alene Mines Corporation are trading?higher?6% today. Coeur d��Alene Mines Corporation, through its subsidiaries, explores, develops, operates, and/or owns silver and gold mining properties and companies. The Company��s properties are located primarily in the United States, Australia, and South America.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

10) Ebix Inc?(NASDAQ:EBIX): Shares of Ebix Inc are trading?flat?today. Ebix, Inc. supplies software and electronic commerce solutions to the insurance industry. The Company provides a series of application software ranging from carrier systems, agency systems, and exchanges to custom software development for all entities involved in the insurance and financial industries. Ebix provides products, support, and consultancy to customers on several continents.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

Tuesday

As the Dow Jones Industrial Average traders above 12,000 and the S&P 500 Index is at 1,261, here are stocks that are grabbing headlines among the trading and investing community:

1)??? Targacept , Inc.?(NASDAQ:TRGT): Shares of Targacept , Inc. are trading?lower?57% today. Targacept Inc. is a a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the design, discovery and development of a new class of drugs to treat multiple diseases and disorders of the nervous system by selectively targeting neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

2)??? McCo! rmick &a mp; Schmick��s Seafood Restaurant?(NASDAQ:MSSR): Shares of McCormick & Schmick��s Seafood Restaurant are trading?higher?27% today. McCormick & Schmick��s Seafood Restaurants, Inc. operates a chain of seafood restaurants. The Company��s restaurants are located throughout the United States.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

3)??? Dynegy Inc.?(NYSE:DYN): Shares of Dynegy Inc. are trading?higher?26% today. Dynegy Inc. provides electricity to markets and customers throughout the United States. The Company��s sell electric energy, capacity and ancillary services on a wholesale basis from its power generation facilities.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

4)??? Fossil, Inc.?(NASDAQ:FOSL): Shares of Fossil, Inc. are trading?lower?4% today. Fossil, Inc. designs, develops, markets, and distributes consumer fashion accessories. The Company��s products include an extensive line of men��s and women��s fashion watches and jewelry sold under proprietary and licensed brands, handbags, small leather goods, belts, sunglasses, and apparel.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

5)??? Rockwell Automation?(NYSE:ROK): Shares of Rockwell Automation are trading?higher?7% today. Rockwell Automation, Inc. is a global provider of industrial automation power, control, and information solutions. The Company��s products include Low voltage and medium voltage electro-mechanical and electronic motor starters, motor and circuit protection devices, AC/DC variable frequency drives, contactors, push buttons, signaling devices, termination and protection devices, and relays.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

6)??? Activision Blizzard, Inc.?(NASDAQ:ATVI): Shares of Activision Blizzard, Inc. are trading?higher?over 1% today. Activision Blizzard, In! c. publi shes, develops, and distributes interactive entertainment software and peripheral products. The Company��s products cover diverse game categories, including action/adventure, action sports, racing, role playing, simulation, first-person action, music-based gaming and strategy.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

7)??? priceline.com Incorporated?(NASDAQ:PCLN): Shares of priceline.com Incorporated are trading?higher?6% today. Priceline.com Incorporated enables consumers to use the Internet to save money on a variety of products and services. The Company��s product allows customers to name their own price on products or services and communicates that demand directly to participating sellers or to their private databases. Participants include domestic and international airlines, and hotel chains.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

8)??? Opexa Therapeutics Inc.?(NASDAQ:OPXA): Shares of Opexa Therapeutics Inc. are trading?higher?35% today. Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. is biotechnology company. The company develops cellular therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatic, and cardiac conditions. Opexa holds a worldwide license for an autologous T cell vaccine for rheumatoid arthritis.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

9)??? International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.?(NYSE:IFF): Shares of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. are trading?lower?10% today. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. creates and manufactures flavor and fragrance products. The Company��s fragrance products are sold to manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and detergents, and its flavor products to manufacturers of prepared foods, beverages, dairy foods, pharmaceuticals, and confectionery products.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

10) Procera Network! s, Inc.< /strong>?(AMEX:PKT): Shares of Procera Networks, Inc. are trading?higher?16% today. Procera Networks, Inc. develops and markets hardware and software which can be applied to a range of data switching and management applications. The Company��s products enable full layer 7 packet processing to be integrated with switching and routing without degrading network speed or latency.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

Wednesday

As the Dow Jones Industrial Average sells off over 200 points in negative news out of Italy, and the S&P 500 Index is lower 2%, here are the stock buzzing among business headlines today:

1)??? Rovi Corporation?(NASDAQ:ROVI): Shares of Rovi Corporation are trading?lower?33% today. Rovi Corporation provides digital home entertainment experience by delivering solutions to businesses to protect, enhance an distribute digital goods to consumers across multiple channels. The Company��s services and products include connected middleware, media recognition, interactive programming guides, copy protection and rich media.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

2)??? Ralph Lauren Corp?(NYSE:RL): Shares of Ralph Lauren Corp are trading?lower?6% today. Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation designs, markets, and distributes men��s, women��s and children��s apparel, accessories, fragrances, and home furnishings. The Company��s products are sold under a wide range of brands. Polo��s operations include Wholesale, Retail and Licensing.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

3)??? General Motors Company?(NYSE:GM): Shares of General Motors Company are trading?lower?8% today. General Motors Co. manufactures and markets new cars and trucks. The Company offers features for special needs drivers, OnStar vehicle protection, service, p! arts, ac cessories, maintenance, XM satellite radio, features for commercial owners, and more. General Motors offers its vehicles and services worldwide.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

4)??? Sodastream International Limited?(NASDAQ:SODA): Shares of Sodastream International Limited are trading?higher?1% today. SodaStream International Ltd. manufactures home beverage carbonation systems, which enable consumers to transform tap water into carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. The Company develops, manufactures and sells soda makers and exchangeable carbon-dioxide (CO2) cylinders, as well as consumables, consisting of CO2 refills, reusable carbonation bottles, and flavors.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

5)??? Imperva Inc.?(NYSE:IMPV): Shares of Imperva Inc. are trading?higher?36% today.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

6)??? Maidenform Brands, Inc.?(NYSE:MFB): Shares of Maidenform Brands, Inc. are trading?lower?24% today. Maidenform Brands, Inc. is a global intimate apparel company with a portfolio of brands and products. The Company designs, sources, and markets a range of intimate apparel products, including bras, panties, and shapewear. Maidenform sells its products through multiple distribution channels, including stores, mass merchants, off-price retailers, Company-operated outlets, and its Web site.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

7)??? Weight Watchers International, Inc.?(NYSE:WTW): Shares of Weight Watchers International, Inc. are trading?lower?6.6% today. Weight Watchers International, Inc., is a provider of weight control programs. The Company operates through a network of company-owned and franchised operations. Members attend weekly Weight Watchers meetings to receive group support and education about healthy eating pattern! s, behav ior modification and physical activity.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

8)??? Blue Nile, Inc.?(NASDAQ:NILE): Shares of Blue Nile, Inc. are trading?lower?30% today. Blue Nile, Inc. is an online retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry. The Company��s Web site showcases various independently certified diamonds and various styles of fine jewelry, including rings, wedding bands, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and watches.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

9)??? STEC, Inc.?(NASDAQ:STEC): Shares of STEC, Inc. are trading?lower?14% today. STEC Inc. provides technology solutions, offering products based on dynamic random access memory, static random access memory, and Flash memory technologies. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets memory, storage, and connectivity products used in high performance computing, networking and communications, consumer electronics, and industrial applications.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

10) Computer Sciences Corporation?(NYSE:CSC): Shares of Computer Sciences Corporation are trading?lower?12% today. Computer Sciences Corporation provides consulting and information technology (NYSE:IT) services to industry and government. The Company provides consulting, systems design and integration, IT and business process outsourcing, applications software, and Web and application hosting. Computer Sciences operates locations around the world.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

Thursday

As the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallies over 100 points and the S&P 500 Index rebounds almost 1%, here are the hottest stocks on trading screen today:

1)??? Cisco Systems, Inc.?(NASDAQ:CSCO): Shares of Cisco Systems, Inc. are trading?higher?over 7% today. Cisco Systems, Inc. supplies data networking products for the Internet. The Company��s Internet Protocol-based networking solutions are installed at corporations, public institutions and telecommunication companies worldwide. The Company��s solutions transport data, voice, and video within buildings, across campuses, and around the world.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

2)??? Ocwen Financial Corporation?(NYSE:OCN): Shares of Ocwen Financial Corporation are trading?flat?today. Ocwen Financial Corporation is diversified financial services holding company. The Company��s primary businesses are the acquisition, servicing and resolution of sub-performing and nonperforming residential and commercial mortgage loans, as well as the related development of loan servicing technology and business-to business e-commerce solutions for the mortgage and real estate industries.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

3)??? Kohl��s Corporation?(NYSE:KSS): Shares of Kohl��s Corporation are trading?higher?over 2% today. Kohl��s Corporation operates a chain of family-oriented department stores. The Company��s stores feature apparel, footwear and accessories for women, men and children; soft home products such as sheets and pillows; and housewares targeted to middle income customers. Kohl��s also offers online shopping as well as offers store credit cards.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

4)??? Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.?(NASDAQ:GMCR): Shares of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. are trading?lower?37% today. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. roasts Arabica coffees and offers various coffee selections. The Company��s products include single-origin, estate, certified organic, Fair Trade, signature blends, and flavored coffees sold under the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand. Green Mountain serves offices,! superma rkets, and convenience stores, and operates a direct mail business.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

5)??? Pegasystems Inc.?(NASDAQ:PEGA): Shares of Pegasystems Inc. are trading?lower?21% today. Pegasystems Inc. develops customer relationship management software. The software automates customer interactions across transaction-intensive enterprises. The Company provides its products to customers in the banking, mutual funds and securities, mortgage services, card services, insurance, healthcare management, and telecommunications industries.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

6)??? Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc.?(NASDAQ:KLIC): Shares of Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc. are trading?higher?over 6% today. Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets capital equipment, related spare parts, and packaging materials used to assemble semiconductor devices. The Company also services, maintains, repairs, and upgrades assembly equipment. Kulicke��s equipment is used in wire bonding systems, wafer dicing saws, and die bonders.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

7)??? Imperva Inc.?(NYSE:IMPV): Shares of Imperva Inc. are trading?higher?over 3% today.Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

8)??? Arrowhead Research Corp?(NASDAQ:ARWR): Shares of Arrowhead Research Corp are trading?higher?over 43% today. Arrowhead Research Corporation is conducting research projects in the area of the development of nanotechnologies and applications with the California Institute of Technology. The Company is seeking to acquire the exclusive commercial rights to use any technology that might result from the research.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

9)??? Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc?(NYSE:HII): S! hares of Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc are trading?higher?over 6% today.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

10) General Motors Company?(NYSE:GM): Shares of General Motors Company are trading?flat?today. General Motors Co. manufactures and markets new cars and trucks. The Company offers features for special needs drivers, OnStar vehicle protection, service, parts, accessories, maintenance, XM satellite radio, features for commercial owners, and more. General Motors offers its vehicles and services worldwide.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

Friday

As the Dow Jones Industrial Index ignites higher over 250 points to 12,163 and the S&P 500 Index is higher 2%, here��s a closer look at the most popular buzzing stocks on Wall Street today:

1)??? The Walt Disney Company?(NYSE:DIS): Shares of The Walt Disney Company are trading?higher?over 7.5% today. The Walt Disney Company, an entertainment company, conducts operations in media networks, studio entertainment, theme parks and resorts, consumer products, and Internet and direct marketing. The Company produces motion pictures, television programs, and musical recordings, as well as publishes books and magazines. Disney also operates ABC radio and television and theme parks.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

2)??? NVIDIA Corporation?(NASDAQ:NVDA): Shares of NVIDIA Corporation are trading?higher?over 2% today. NVIDIA Corporation designs, develops, and markets three dimensional (3D) graphics processors and related software. The Company��s products provide interactive 3D graphics to the mainstream personal computer market.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

3)??? Pinnacle Data Systems, Inc.?(AMEX:PNS): Shares of Pinnacle Data! Systems , Inc. are trading?higher?105% today. Pinnacle Data Systems, Inc. provides technology and service solutions to the telecommunications, medical systems, and manufacturing process control markets. The Company combines high-end engineering designs with commercially available hardware and software to meet original equipment manufacturer��s needs.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

4)??? Dillard��s, Inc.?(NYSE:DDS): Shares of Dillard��s, Inc. are trading?lower?over 8% today. Dillard��s, Inc. operates retail department stores located primarily in the southwestern, southeastern, and midwestern United States. The Company offers name-brand and private-label merchandise, including fashion apparel and home furnishings.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

5)??? Netlist, Inc.?(NASDAQ:NLST): Shares of Netlist, Inc. are trading?higher?20% today. Netlist, Inc. develops and manufactures computer memory subsystems. The Company markets its products to original equipment manufacturers for use in servers and the high performance computing and communications markets.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

6)??? Western Gas Partners, LP?(NYSE:WES): Shares of Western Gas Partners, LP are trading?flat?today. Western Gas Partners LP owns, operates, acquires, and develops midstream energy assets. With midstream assets in East Texas, the Rocky Mountains, the Mid-Continent and West Texas, the partnership is in the business of gathering, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

7)??? Nordstrom, Inc.?(NYSE:JWN): Shares of Nordstrom, Inc. are trading?lower?over 1.5% today. Nordstrom, Inc. is a fashion retailer of apparel, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children. The Company operates through multiple reta! il chann els, discount stores, boutiques, catalogs, and on the Internet. Nordstrom, Inc. also offers, through a subsidiary, private label card credit and debit cards.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

8)??? Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corp.?(AMEX:TRX): Shares of Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corp. are trading?higher?11% today.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

9)??? Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc.?(NYSE:PNY): Shares of Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. are trading?higher?over 1.5% today. Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. is an energy and services company that primarily transports, distributes, and sells natural gas. The Company serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Piedmont also, through subsidiaries, markets natural gas to customers in Georgia, and distributes propane in various states.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here >>

10) Bank of America Corporation?(NYSE:BAC): Shares of Bank of America Corporation are trading?higher?over 4% today. Bank of America Corporation accepts deposits and offers banking, investing, asset management, and other financial and risk-management products and services. The Company has a mortgage lending subsidiary, and an investment banking and securities brokerage subsidiary.?Get the most recent company news and stock data here

Tags: AAON ,AIDC ,CMCO ,CX ,DRC ,FLOW ,GFA ,GFF ,IN ,MXCYY ,SWHC ,XLI ,Capital Goods Sector Review - Winning and Losing Stocks on Oct 12th