Global technology partner develops a comprehensive virtualization and consolidation solution leveraging VMware, Lefthand Networks and IBM

Ubiquity of Java (TM) Technology Brand Connects Sun to Investors, Consumers and Opportunities

Consolidation and Design Breakthroughs in Santa Clara, Calif. Datacenter Reduce Sun's Energy Bill by 60% and Garner Nearly $1 Million in Utility Rebates and Awards

New Programs and Services Help Customers Improve Datacenter Performance and Save Money Plus - Enhanced by Sun's Efficient Server Designs, Solaris 10 OS Advances and Throughput Computing

Partner Growth Fund Expands Partner Revenue Potential With Access to Sun Technology Innovations

Startup says enhancements broaden backup and recovery capabilities

New York, NY (BoardCentral, Inc.) StockTalk is an intra-day resource powered by BoardCentral.com that provides investors with an overview of the most active stock discussions, activity across the Web’s most popular financial message boards and a snapshot of the most hyped stocks as of the time of this release. Appearing in today's StockTalk Lunch Bell edition are: AAPL, SWVC, SUNW, CCMI, NFI, BQI, ACII.

New York, NY (BoardCentral, Inc.) StockTalk is an intra-day resource powered by BoardCentral.com that provides investors with an overview of the most active stock discussions, activity across the Web’s most popular financial message boards and a snapshot of the most hyped stocks as of the time of this release. Appearing in today's StockTalk Morning Bell edition are: AAPL, SUNW, NFI, CCMI, SWVC, BQI, NTBK.

Sun Microsystems ( NASDAQ:SUNW) is willing to try just about anything to get its shares moving or at...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Newly public automation vendor posts revenue hike and takes a swipe at its rivals

Filed under: Dell (DELL), Sun Microsystems (SUNW), Options

Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUNW) volatility elevated into 9/5 financial analyst meeting.

SUNW is flat at $4.86. SUNW, which will change its symbol to JAVA on 8/27, will have an analyst meeting in New York on 9/5/07. The company has announced a $3 billion stock buyback on 5/16/07. SUNW recent market cap is $17.3 billion. SUNW over all option implied volatility of 45 is above its 26-week average of 38 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risk.

Rackable Systems (NASDAQ: RACK) volatility flat on renewed buyout chatter.

RACK, a provider of servers and storage products, is recently up $0.65 to $12.62 on unconfirmed and renewed deal speculation. SUNW & DELL have been frequently chattered as interested in RACK. RACK call option volume of 2,690 contracts compares to put volume of 250 contracts. RACK September option implied volatility is at 47, October is at 51 and December is at 56, above its 26-week average of 55 according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional and less price risk.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Good news, Products and services, Dell (DELL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), International Business Machines (IBM), Sun Microsystems (SUNW)

Dell, Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) has a desperate need for good news, as sales are not where they need to be for its shiny new products and the internal accounting scandal has the company mired in a mess (still). Well, that hooray sound you hear coming from Round Rock, Texas is probably from Dell's marketing and sales team for larger server computer systems. The world's second-largest computer maker managed to take the lead in the second quarter of 2007 in terms of overall large computer server sales growth.

Dell edged out rivals IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW) -- no small feat at all. How did Dell manage to grow faster than all these well-placed competitors? It came down to how a new business strategy played out in the brutal market for supplying large servers to midrange businesses and large corporate data centers. Result: Dell's sales in this segment soared over 20% according to industry analysis firm IDC.

Dell still remained down the chain in fourth place when it came to overall server computer market share. Dell grew faster than its competition by delivering (and marketing) more energy-efficient machines using both Intel Corp. (NYSE: INTC) and AMD, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) chips. Additionally, Dell's hiring of former Solectron CEO Mike Cannon gave quite a boost to the company's supply chain and logistics operations in terms of efficiency.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Before the bell, Microsoft (MSFT), Apple Inc (AAPL), Dell (DELL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Ford Motor (F), International Business Machines (IBM), Nokia Corp. (NOK), Sun Microsystems (SUNW)

Before the bell: BAC investment in CFC gives market a boost

Reuters reports that Paris Match magazine was told by a leading executive at France Telecom several companies were in talks with Apple Inc. (NADSAQ: AAPL) over marketing Apple's iPhone in Europe. While a deal wasn't reached yet with France Telecom's mobile unit Orange, the Financial Times Deutschland reported earlier this week that Deutsche Telekom's mobile phone unit, T-Mobile, had agreed to a deal. The deal, according to the magazine, includes T-Mobile giving Apple 10% of the revenue it makes from calls and data transfers by customers over iPhones. O2 unit of Spain's Telefonica is also said to have agreed to a deal with Apple.

Meanwhile, Apple has a month left to achieve Jobs' stated goal of selling 1 million iPhone units by the end of the quarter (Sep. 30). Analysts are only slightly more bullish than that. Still, some expect sales to reach 1.5 million units by the end of the quarter.

As Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) CEO Alan Mulally about to enter the second year at his job, he said yesterday that volatility in global credit markets was a concern in its disposal of British luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover. Still, Mulally expects the process to continue at current pace of interest. Also referring to the automaker's plan to turn around the company, Mulally said current U.S. economic conditions were a "headwind."

Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) handsets, Nokia S60 , will carry Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows Live suite of Web-based services in 11 countries, mostly in Europe. Initially a free trial, the services will then be asked to pay a monthly fee in some markets.

According to IDC, in the server computer market, Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) had the fastest revenue growth in the second quarter, outpacing International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW). Dell's rrevenue from the sales of servers jumped 20.2% but it remained in fourth place in overall share of the market at 11.6%. IBM's server-revenue grew 6.4% to $4.07 billion as it kept the to top spot in market share with 31%. HP's server revenue rose 8% to $3.71 billion, keeping it in second place with 28.2% of the worldwide server market. Sun Microsystems also kept its third place with server revenue rising 5.6% to $1.71 billion and a 13% of the market.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Full StarOffice suite, without tech support, now bundled into Google Pack download; another shot across bow for Microsoft.

Filed under: Before the bell, Analyst upgrades and downgrades, Microsoft (MSFT), Apple Inc (AAPL), PepsiCo (PEP), Intel (INTC), International Business Machines (IBM), Sun Microsystems (SUNW), Amgen Inc (AMGN), Kraft Foods'A' (KFT)

Main market news: Further selling indicated

The Wall Street Journal gives a report card to iWork, Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Office equivalent. To summarize, Walter S. Mossberg says that while iWork '08 is "capable of turning out sophisticated and attractive word-processing, presentation and spreadsheet documents," but "isn't as powerful or versatile as Microsoft Office."

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) said yesterday it will cut up 12% to 14% of its work force and has lowered its profit guidance to between $4.13 a share and $4.23 from $4.28 previously as sales were less than expected on its amnesia drug. Amgen shares are down 1.36% in premarket trading (8:06 a.m.).

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) was upgraded by Credit Suisse from Underperform to Outperform with the analyst upping the target price from $22.5 to $35.

The Wall Street Journal speculates [subscription required] that Kraft (NYSE: KFT) may sell its Post cereals unit for as much as $3 billion. One potential buyer may be Pepsi (NYSE: PEP).

The Register speculates on what Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUNW) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) may announce as their operating system agreement in their joint press conference later today.

Thomas & Betts Corp. (NYSE: TNB) announced late yesterday it is buying Lamson & Sessions Co. (NYSE: LMS) for approximately $426.6 million. The two sides valued the transaction at $450 million.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple debuts 20-inch and 24-inch iMac models, Massachusetts design firm is building eco-friendly homes at market prices and Sun Microsystems announces job cuts.

Changing Channels is a weekly interview hosted by Ziff Davis Channel editors Mike Vizard, John Hazard and Jessica Davis with industry channel executives and solution providers discussing major issues as they specifically affect the channel.

Sun CEO romances Linux guru, protecting kids during their very digital summer vacations, and giving Big Bird a run for the money.

Mark Fightmaster takes a look at activity in the options pits today.

Sun's open-source processor push, Apple updates its MacBook laptops, and kids now have their own programming language.