Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Spire: Not an Insider Buy, But CEO Owns More SPIR

Spire (SPIR) is a penny stock these days. Yahoo! Finance reported that Roger Little (Spire's CEO and chairman) had indirectly acquired 200,000 SPIR shares at $0.78. (SecForm4.com filing) The following is copied from the filing.
( 2 )On November 17, 2011, Mr. Little elected (and the Compensation Committee approved such election) to receive aggregate accumulated deferred compensation of $500,000 for 2010 and 2011 in shares of common stock, which, based on the closing sale price of the issuer's common stock on such date ($0.78), is equal to approximately 641,025 shares. Because of limitations on awards under the 2007 Plan, Mr. Little is entitled to have 200,000 of such shares credited to the Plan in 2011. ( 3 )Includes 2,109,305 shares of common stock in the Roger G. Little Family Trust of which Mr. Little is the primary beneficiary.

Roger Little currently "owns" approximately 2,138,205 SPIR shares. There are approximately 8.36 million SPIR shares.

SPIR at $0.87 at 12:05pm MST on 02011.11.29. 52-week range: $0.72 - $6.20

Geeknet: I Hope Geeks are Buying Geeky Stuff

Geeknet (GKNT) is a top five GDT::Portfolio stock and having it priced at $17.49 is beyond frustrating. 52-week range: $14.82 - $30.50. These days Geeknet, via ThinkGeek, is an e-commerce company and I can only hope that a record "Cyber Monday" was a good day for ThinkGeek. The following was reported by USAToday.com.
Online traffic was up 43% from last year, says content delivery network Akamai, and online sales were up 18% over Cyber Monday 2010 as of 9 p.m. ET, says IBM Smarter Commerce, a Web performance analytics firm for 500 of the largest retail websites.

I keep looking for some new insider buying at Geeknet, but it's not happening. During 02011 number there were number insider buys and they were at prices in the mid-20s.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Are Spire and Axion Heading For Extinction?

Spire (SPIR) became a penny stock yesterday (02011.11.16) hitting an intra-day low of $0.89 before closing at $0.96. 52-week range: $0.89 - $6.20. I've placed a limit order to add to our SPIR holdings at $1.00. SPIR is an important stock in the GDT::Portfolio and it is frustrating that it has become a penny stock.

Axion Power International (AXPW.OB) reported 3Q'11 results on Tuesday, 02011.11.15, and yesterday (02011.11.16) AXPW.OB hit a new 52-week of $0.30 before closing at $0.38. 52-week range: $0.30 - $1.27. The following was copied from the company's 3Q'11 press release.

"[...] although we have made very significant progress with our PbC technology, the adoption process, and the general path to commercial viability, has been longer than we originally anticipated. In addition, we will need working capital to fund our anticipated continued growth of sales in traditional batteries and PbC products. Consequently, we initiated prudent and proactive steps in the second quarter that we have continued since that time, namely - to explore funding strategies that will ensure that we have the flexibility to access capital resources when they are needed to meet our business goals. We believe that currently available funds at September 30, 2011 , along with internally generated funds, will provide sufficient financial resources for ongoing operations, working capital and capital expenditures through the second quarter of 2012. Subsequent financings will be required to fund the Company's ongoing operations, working capital, and capital expenditures beyond June 30 , 2012."

Key phrases the Axion press release: "longer than we originally anticipated" and "subsequent financings will be required" and a drop dead date of 30 June 02012.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Aastrom Bioscience Reports Good News

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) is making forward progress, but financing remains a huge concern for many investors. Aastrom released the following yesterday on 02011.11.14: Aastrom Reports Positive 12-Month Results from the RESTORE-CLI Phase 2 Clinical Trial for Ixmyelocel-T in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia

"We were one event [amputation] away from reaching statistical significance," says Aastrom CEO Tim Mayleben. [source: TheStreet.com]

Headline at TheStreet.com: "Aastrom Cell Therapy Reverses Effects of Blocked Leg Arteries".

The importance of a trail being statistically significant is significant.

ASTM on Monday, 02011.11.14. Previous close: $2.75; open $2.80; intra-day high $2.91; intra-day low $2.43; close $2.58. For the day ASTM was down 6.2%. Trading volume was 1,021,500 vs. trailing-3-month average of 262,702.

After the markets closed yesterday (02011.11.14), I saw Stem cells help regenerate damaged heart on the CBS Evening News. Nutshell: Stem cells generated by heart tissue help repair damaged heart.

"It's like someone gave me a magic pill," he said. "I felt better all over suddenly. It's science fiction basically to me. That's what it feels like." [source: CBSNews.com]

Cray is Our Investment in Supercomputing

IBM is not in the GDT::Portfolio, but GDT is a fan of IBM and so is Warren Buffett. Headline: "Buffett reveals $10.7bn stake in IBM." On 16 June 02008, I had a blog posting on AzCentral.com titled "IBM remains a great American company."

Cray (CRAY) is in the GDT::Portfolio and they issued a couple of press releases yesterday (02011.11.14). (a) "Cray gets $188M contract, replaces IBM on Illinois project" and (b) "Cray Enters the Integrated Storage Market." From press release (b).

From press release (a): "This is a transformational contract for the company," CEO Ungaro said. "It's a very big deal for us. It's a huge contract based on the size of the company and we couldn't be more excited about it."

From press release (b): Designed specifically for a wide range of HPC workloads, the Cray Sonexion 1300 system cost-effectively scales from approximately 50 terabytes to more than 50 petabytes of useable capacity without a compromise in performance. The storage system also features data rates of more than a terabyte-per-second.

Cray competes against IBM. CRAY closed yesterday (02011.11.14) at $6.02. 52-week range: $4.96 - $8.38.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Aastrom Biosciences: 14 Nov 02011 is a Big Day

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) is having a good day today on Friday, 02011.11.11, thanks to traders speculating about what the company will announce on Monday, 02011.11.14. Headline: "Final 12-Month Results From the Aastrom RESTORE-CLI Phase 2b Clinical Trial to be Presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2011 on Monday, November 14, 2011." Right now at 11:09 MST on 02011.11.11, ASTM is at $2.72, up 6.25% for the day. Intra-day high has been $2.84. 52-week range: $2.01 - $4.45. With 2+ hours left before the market closes, trading volume was almost four times the trailing-3-month daily average.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Nothing to Yahoo! About on 9 November 02011

Yesterday (02011.11.09 or 11/9) was 22nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin, but Wall Street didn't give a hoot. DJIA down 3.2%; NASDAQ down 3.88%; S&P 500 down 3.67%; Russell 2000 down 4.82%. Ouch!

Yahoo! (YHOO) is such a soap opera. Today (02011.11.10) Reuters reported that Capital Research and Management, Yahoo Inc's top shareholder, is "extremely unhappy" with the way the Internet company is handling sale discussions. Duh!

Yesterday (02011.11.09) I read this by Eric Jackson. How a "Cash-Rich Split" Could Take Yahoo! to $41/Share

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Red Hat; Yahoo!; Daylight Saving Time

Red Hat (RHT) was downgraded from 'Buy' to 'Neutral' by an investment firm because of "valuation." RHT closed yesterday (02011.11.07) at $50.58 and this investment firm's target price was $54. I have no plans on selling any RHT until it hits $67.48.

Yahoo! (YHOO) continues to be frustrating stock to own. It closed yesterday (2011.11.07) at $15.69. Today (02011.11.08) I read an article about Yahoo!'s patents and how difficult it is to place a value on Yahoo!'s intellectual property. In a nutshell, Yahoo! appears to have some patents that have some tangible value.

The Valley of the Sun, like most of Arizona, doesn't do Daylight Saving Time. That means during the summer months the stock markets open at 6:30am MST, but when New York falls back one hour, it pushes the opening to 7:30am MST. I much prefer the markets being open at 6:30am MST.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

iParty Halloween Sales Hit By a Nor’easter

iParty (IPT) hit a new 52-week low today (02011.11.03) after the company issued a press release announcing sales for October 2011. The press release started with the following: "Early Season Snowstorm Disrupts Halloween Holiday Business." D'oh!

iParty CEO Sal Perisano stated “Historically, the last few days before Halloween are our strongest sales dates of the year. There is no question that this storm arrived at the worst possible time of the year – on our busiest day." D'oh!

The bad news in one sentence: "Total company sales of $17.6 million for the calendar month of October, 2011, a decrease of 11.1% compared to total company sales in calendar October 2010." D'oh!

At 11:03am MST on 02011.11.03, IPT was at $0.15. 52-week range: $0.15 - $0.35. Trading volume was 125,201 versus a trailing-3-month daily average of 14,047.

Megadollar Losses... Nanosphere and Altair Nanotechnologies

Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI) reported 3Q'11 results prior to the market opening today (02011.11.03). ALTI previous close was $1.26. 52-week range: $0.72 - $3.32. 3Q'11 revenues were $0.9 million (yes, million). Net loss of $5.9 million compared to $5.3 million. $53.4 million in cash ($0.89 per ALTI share). $1.52 million debt.

Nanosphere (NSPH) reported 3Q'11 results after the market closed yesterday (02011.11.02). NSPH previous close was $1.42. 52-week range: $0.89 - $5.95. 3Q'11 revenues were $0.6 million (yes, million). Net loss of $9.5 million compared to $10.9 million.$ 46.9 million in cash ($1.08 per NSPH share). $0 debt.

Geeknet (GKNT) reports 3Q'11 results today (02011.11.03).

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

3Q'11 Results for Cray, LookSmart, StemCells, Trimble Navigation

Cray (CRAY) closed yesterday 02011.11.01 at $6.17. 52-week range: $4.96 - $8.38. Cray reported 3Q'11 results after the market closed. The "Outlook" section of the company's press release ended with "Actual results for any future period are subject to large fluctuations given the nature of Cray's business." That's an understatement. Peter Ungaro, Cray's president and CEO, was quoting saying: "I'm excited about where we're headed." The following is a news item that I had not seen: "In August, Cray signed a contract to deliver a multi-cabinet Cray XE6 supercomputer to ExxonMobil, marking a significant return to the energy segment for Cray." I'm 99.999% sure that CRAY will either open up or down today.

LookSmart (LOOK) closed yesterday 02011.11.01 at $1.35. 52-week range: $1.25 - $2.48. In a nutshell, LookSmart is still in business. From the 3Q'11 press release: "The Company ended the quarter with $25.6 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments, compared to $26.9 million at December 31, 2010. The decrease in cash includes $0.9 million in restructuring charges." Cash per share at the end of 3Q'11 is approximately $1.48.

StemCells (STEM) closed yesterday 02011.11.01 at $1.97. 52-week range: $1.70 - $12.70. Martin McGlynn, President and CEO, said: "[...] we are making real progress in containing our expenses and cash burn." And this is "real progress" that was really needed. A highlight of the quarter? "In July 2011, we received notification from The NASDAQ Stock Market that we had regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement needed to continue listing on the NASDAQ Global Market." Big whoop! The company needed to execute 1:10 stock split to accomplish this. Owning STEM is a serious LOF (Leap Of Faith).

Trimble Navigation (TRMB) closed yesterday 02011.11.01 at $38.58. 52-week range: $31.88 - $52.30. I thought the company reported solid 3Q'11 results. "The third quarter results confirmed that Trimble can continue to grow under the current economic conditions," said Steven W. Berglund, Trimble's president and CEO. The 3Q'11 press release stated: "Effective Oct. 28, 2011, Trimble's Board of Directors approved a $100 million stock repurchase program."

Today (02011.11.02) Level 3 Communications (LVLT) and Nanosphere (NSPH) report 3Q'11 results.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

It's 3Q'11 Reporting Season

Hyperlinks from my Finance.Yahoo.com webpage on 02011.11.01.
STEM Q3 2011 StemCells Inc Earnings Release - After Market Close
TRMB Q3 2011 Trimble Navigation Ltd Earnings Release - Time Not Supplied
LOOK Q3 2011 Looksmart Ltd Earnings Release - After Market Close
CRAY Q3 2011 Cray Inc Earnings Release - Time Not Supplied

I guess I'll be busy when the markets close today.