NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by Benchmark Journal.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4271741 for the full story.

Visit StreetInsider.com at http://www.streetinsider.com/news.php?st=p&id=4271589 for the full story.

A CEO change alone can't solve Borders' major challenges.

Amazon.com receives a timely upgrade.  

Don't pay too high a price for mediocre performance.

Filed under: Management, Marketing and advertising, Costco Wholesale (COST)

NutriSystem Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRI) has worked out a deal to have its weight-loss products sold at Costco (NYSE: COST) stores. Until now, Nutrisystem products had been sold almost exclusively through the company's website and TV commercials.

NutriSystem's Senior Vice President of Business Development Will Auchincloss said that "We see Costco as a great partner during these tough economic times, and are excited to leverage our direct to consumer model in the retail channel with Costco. Through their gift card program, Costco will allow us to expand our existing customer base in the retail channel and capitalize on our strong consumer brand."

I'm not so sure how exciting this is: Nutrisystem has grown rapidly over the past few years with a strong marketing campaign and non-traditional distribution model. It's not like this is the first time that it's occurred to them that they could partner with retailers so the question is: Why now?

The deal with Costco isn't completely outside of NutriSystem's model, as the food will still be delivered by mail. So far investors appear to be shrugging it off.

NutriSystem inks deal to sell at Costco originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last Christmas, my brother bought me a shirt that reads:

The Top Ten Reasons Why I Procrastinate…
1.

Regardless of whether the cheeky lad thinks this sums up my character, it always provokes comments or a laugh when I wear it.

As the final…

Dragged down by plunging gasoline prices and an auto industry struggling for survival, retail sales fell by 1.8% in November for a record fifth straight month, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. But a historic drop in retail gasoline prices and auto sales may have exaggerated the decline.  Filling-station sales mirrored the recent ...

Filed under: Earnings reports, Nokia Corp. (NOK), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD), H and R Block (HRB), Kroger Co (KR), Costco Wholesale (COST), FedEx Corp (FDX), Procter and Gamble (PG), Eastman Kodak (EK), Electronic Arts (ERTS), Dow Chemical (DOW), Texas Instruments (TXN), CKE Restaurants (CKR)

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Analogic Corp. (NASDAQ: ALOG) Q1 earnings plunged well below expectations due to costs.
• CKE Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: CKR) solid Q3 earnings were in line with analysts expectations.
• Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) beat Q1 expectations and same-stores sales increased.
• Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) lowered its guidance and announced layoffs and factory closings.
• Eastman Kodak Co. (NYSE: EK) withdrew its guidance due in part to weak consumer spending.
• Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) lowered its outlook due to weaker-than-expected holiday sales.
• Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) offered a full-year profit forecast that missed analysts' expectations.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) lowered its earnings guidance and announced price increases.
• FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) reported a deeper-than-expected loss but topped sales estimates.
• H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) Q2 net loss was in line with expectations but revenue fell short.
• Hartford Financial Services Group (NYSE: HIG) raised its full-year forecast, doubling the share price.
• Hooker Furniture Corp. (NASDAQ: HOFT) shares sold off following disappointing Q3 results and outlook.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD) reported a deeper-than-expected Q3 loss on increased costs.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Costco, Kroger, Krispy Kreme, Lululemon, FedEx, P&G and others

Earnings highlights: Costco, Kroger, Krispy Kreme, Lululemon, FedEx, P&G and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cisco Systems (CSCO), General Electric (GE), PepsiCo (PEP), Intel (INTC), H and R Block (HRB), Costco Wholesale (COST), Dow Chemical (DOW), Wells Fargo (WFC), Anglo Amer ADR (AAUK), Stocks to Buy, Stocks to Sell, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNI)

This week started with a positive momentum as the auto industry bailout seemed to have a chance of passing, and President-elect Obama announced a huge stimulus plan, including infrastructure investment that could boost the weak job market.

For a few days, things seemed like they were almost back to normal. Until Thursday -- when the Senate failed to pass the bailout. This was aggravated by news of the ex-Nasdaq chair being accused of a massive $50 billion 'Ponzi scheme,' and economic indicators that actually were not as bad as expected.

Still, if the automakers manage to get assistance from somewhere else, we might see some sort of stabilization. If that happens, some investors may choose this time to return to the market. This week's theme among BloggingStocks contributors seemed to revolve not just around 'cheap' but also on yield. Competent management also plays a bigger role these days when picking stocks.

Here are some picks from this week:

Jim Cramer took a hard look at these high yielders: Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW), General Electric (NYSE: GE), Du Pont (NYSE: DD) and Intel (NASDAQ: INTC). He cautions against jumping in without considering "which companies have gone into survival mode to get there? Which companies will even make you money if they cut the dividend?"

Continue reading Stock picks and pans for troubled times: GE, EME, HRB, PCU, AAUK, BNI, HNZ ...

Stock picks and pans for troubled times: GE, EME, HRB, PCU, AAUK, BNI, HNZ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schaeffer's Equities Analyst Colleen S. King a look at news on the Street before the market open.

Discussion of Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) present and future prospects with Turley Muller.

Schaeffer's Andrea Kramer takes a look at unusual option activity on the Street

Schaeffer's analyst Colleen S. King takes a look at the major news of the day on Wall Street.

Schaeffer's Laura Houser takes a look at activity on the Street ahead of the market open