Red Hat (RHT) Spikes Down ~7%

Red Hat (RHT) reported 4Q'14 results (02014.03.27) after the market closed yesterday (Thursday) and the market wasn't happy. RHT closed today (Friday, 02014.03.28) at $52.23, down almost 7%. Intra-day low was $51.80. 52-week range: $41.89 - $61.45. Friday's volume was 7.1M vs. 1.6M.

I like Red Hat's CEO. I like that Red Hat is a leader when it comes to Open Source. I have grown a liking to Red Hat's FY. I have to sell some RHT at $67.48, but I don't want to.

Red Hat (RHT) Reports 4Q'14 Results

Red Hat (RHT) reported 4Q'14 results after the market closed today (02014.03.27). A couple of items from Red Hat's 4Q'14 press release.

"Red Hat continues to deliver a compelling combination of revenue growth, profitability and cash flow."

[...]

"We continued to invest in new technologies and commercial capabilities that further expand our future growth opportunities in open hybrid cloud computing".

I like the phrase "open hybrid cloud computing." #OpenHybridCloudComputing

I like Red Hat's use of the word future because for me it's all about the #future.

These days when I look at a Red Hat quarterly results press release, I immediately goto "cash and investments." As of 28 Feb 02014: $1.49 billion.

RHT closed today (02014.03.27) at $56.13. Intra-day low was $54.80. 52-week range: $41.89 - $61.45.

"Don't fall in love with your stocks" is true. I don't love RHT, but I'm sure glad RHT is a GDT::Portfolio stock (it's currently at #6). I'm a long-term thinker of Open Source being a sustainable movement and not a revolution. RHT is a leader in Open Source computing and for a long time I've been calling myself a FLOSSer (i.e. user of Free/Libre Open Source Software). I need to sell some RHT at $67.48, so I'd like to see a near term RHT pop.

[sidebar] I'd like to see Red Hat Inc. switch from fiscal year reporting to calendar year reporting. Still, I like that 02014 is don and we're currently in 1Q'15. To me, 02015 sounds like a futuristic year.

Bought Some More Twitter (TWTR) at 15 $Pi ($47.12)

Although I vowed not to chase Twitter (TWTR), I did some TWTR chasing today (02014.03.26) buying some at 15 $Pi ($47.12). TWTR 52-week range: $38.80 - $74.73.

Illumina (ILMN) Has Fallen Almost 20% in 22 Days

Illumina (ILMN) hit a new 52-week (and all-time high) of $183.30 on 02014.03.04 (i.e. 22 days ago). Yesterday, 02014.03.25, ILMN closed at $147.89. In other words, ILMN is down ~19.3% in the span of three weeks.

At $147.89 ILMN still has a whopping PSR (Price Sales Ratio) of 13.62, but Illumina is a genomics leader and I believe we've only recently entered into the Age of Genomics.

On 02014.03.26 Yahoo! Finance is showing ILMN's SIR (Short Interest Ratio) at 11.6, which I consider high.

When Stocks Correct, They Really Correct

The last few days have been difficult on GDT::Portfolio stocks. On 02014.03.25, there are only two (Level 3 Communications [LVLT] and Trimble Navigation [TRMB]) of thirty-two GDT::Portfolio stocks that are less than 10% away from new 52-week highs.

Yesterday, 02014.03.24, Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) fell 21.7% after a couple of days of huge gains. Also, yesterday, Nanosphere (NSPH) closed at $2.05 putting that key investment underwater. Two top stocks--Illumina (ILMN) and iRobot (IRBT)--are 18% and 15% from their respective 52-week highs.

#Volatility is the rule.

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) Continues To Go Up

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) closed up 25% yesterday (02014.03.20) at $4.97. Intra-day high was $5.33. Volume was 2.53 million vs. 0.16 million.

Today (02014.03.21) ASTM opened at $5.15 (up ~6%) and spiked to $5.30.

ASTM ended 02013 at $3.23.

[update::02014.03.21] ASTM closed today at $6.49, up 30.58%. Intra-day high was $7.00. Volume was 5.36M vs. 0.97M. Note: According to Yahoo! Finance ASTM has a float of approximately 5.73M.

Nanosphere (NSPH) Appears To Be Progressing, But...

Nanosphere (NSPH) issued a press release yesterday (02014.03.18) after the market closed having the headline: Nanosphere Enters Into $30 Million Common Stock Purchase Agreement With Aspire Capital. My immediate thought was dilution, but I'd take that over the company going out of business due to no working capital.

"Our core U.S. microbiology business is continuing to grow and we expect our expanding infectious disease test menu to build upon this momentum. This facility provides us with another component in our financing plan that ensures Nanosphere has the capital necessary to take advantage of our growing market opportunities," said Michael McGarrity, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nanosphere.

Nanosphere will be hosting an Investor Day tomorrow (02014.03.20) in New York City.

NSPH closed yesterday 02014.03.18 at $2.29. 52-week range: $1.77 - $4.49.

Kenneth Langone Buys More Geeknet (GKNT)

Geeknet (GKNT) continues to flounder, yet that didn't stop Kenneth Langone from buying 417,736 GKNT shares at $14 per share on 02014.03.14. My calculator says this is approximate $5.85 million investment for Langone. Note: The volume on 02014.03.14 did not reflect Langone's buy.

GKNT closed yesterday (02014.03.17) at $13.97. 52-week range: $12.38 - $20.00.

Yahoo! (YHOO) Gap Open on Alibaba IPO News

Yahoo! (YHOO) had a gap open this morning 02014.03.17 after Alibaba Group confirmed it will list its shares in the United States instead of Hong Kong. Previous close (02014.03.14): $37.60. Open (02014.03.17): $39.10 (up ~4%).

YHOO 52-week range: $21.87 - $41.72.

Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI) Is a Fun Stock For Volatility Seekers

Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI) crashed yesterday (02014.03.11) closing down ~18% at $5.29. Volume was almost 16-times average. 52-week range: $2.02 - $8.00.

ALTI's volatility has been extremely volatile over the span of the last few weeks. On 02014.02.26, ALTI had an intra-day high of $6.98. Yesterday ALTI had a trading range of $6.93 to $5.18 before closing at $5.29.

One month chart...

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) Reports 4Q'13 Results

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) reported 4Q'13 results yesterday (Tuesday, 02014.03.11) after the markets closed. Last Friday (02014.03.07) I bought some more KTOS at $8.14. I knew the 4Q'13 results were coming and I decided to buy before the earnings release. It appears in pre-market trading today (02014.03.12) that I shouldn't have done that. The market opens in 40 minutes and KTOS is at $7.18 (down 10%).

I liked the company's comment about 02014.

In 2014, we expect to generate significant cash flow from operations, free cash flow after the interest payments on our Senior Notes, and for our accounts receivable DSOs to continue to decrease. We also expect to refinance Kratos' senior notes in 2014, after the "no call" provision expires at the end of May, with the opportunity to significantly reduce the Company's interest rate and further increase our free cash flow."

KTOS closed yesterday (02014.03.11) at $7.98. 52-week range: $4.14 - $9.18.

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) Spikes Up (and I Don't Know Why)

Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM) closed at $3.90, up ~16%, on 02014.03.10. Volume was 3-times average. I don't why the shares popped. Aastrom is hosting a 4Q'13 Investor Call after the market closes on Thursday, 02014.03.13.

Bought Some More Twitter (TWTR) at 17 $Pi (was I'd Like More Twitter)

Bought some more Twitter (TWTR) today (02014.03.10) at 17 $Pi ($53.41).

[original posting on 02014.03.10] Twitter (TWRT) closed Friday, 02014.03.07, at $53.53. 52-week range: $38.80 - $74.73. I want more TWTR in the GDT::Portfolio, so I placed a limit order to buy some TWTR at 17 $Pi ($53.41). I want to buy more TWTR without chasing it, yet I'm chasing it at 17 $Pi.

Bought Some More Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) at $8.14

Bought some more Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) this morning (02014.03.07) at $8.14. I read the following at Defense.gov this morning.

Kratos Technology & Training Solutions Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a potentially estimated $35,211,430 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to support Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific’s Training Development and Support Center to provide training for a range of program offices. This is one of four contracts awarded. Each awardee will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and work is expected to be completed March 4, 2017. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy; other procurement, Navy and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via full and open competition via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with seven proposals received and four selected for award. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-14-D-0106). (Awarded March 5, 2014)

At $8.14, KTOS has a Price Sales Ratio (PSR) of 0.47.

Kratos will be reporting 4Q'13 results after the market closes on Tuesday, March 11th.

iRobot (IRBT) Hits New 52-High and Then Dumps

iRobot (IRBT) hit a new 52-week high of $48.36 yesterday (02014.03.06). At $46.38 IRBT was up 6.2% for the day, but IRBT ended the day down 1.6% at $44.80. Trading volume was ~2-times average. A couple days ago iRobot had a press release titled iRobot Management to Speak at Upcoming Investor Conferences. Those sessions are scheduled for March 12th and March 18th.

At its current price IRBT has a Price Sales Ratio (PSR) of 2.71, which I consider low for a technology company.

Spire (SPIR) Hits New 52-Week High (5 pennies shy of a $1)

Spire (SPIR) closed at $0.95 yesterday (02014.03.05). $0.95 was a new 52-week high. SPIR started 02014 at $0.54.

On 02013.01.01 I had a posting titled Spire (SPIR) Needs To Spire Upward in 02013. It didn't happen. SPIR started 02013 at $0.50 and ended 02013 at $0.54. I didn't define "spire upward" to mean an 8% gain.

SPIR is up ~76% so far this year and that fits my definition of "spire upward" a bit better. The GDT::Porfolio needs SPIR to stop being a penny stock. Will SPIR continue to "spire upward" here in 02014? If only I had a crystal ball.

[02014.03.06] SPIR closed on 02014.03.06 at $1.06 after hitting an intra-day high of $1.17.

New 52-Week Highs on 02014.03.04: AAL, BRKR, ILMN, RHT, TRMB

America Airlines (AAL), Bruker (BRKR), Illumina (ILMN), Red Hat (RHT) and Trimble Navigation (TRMB) all hit new 52-week highs on 02014.04.04.

[update::02014.03.05] "JPMorgan has upgraded Trimble Navigation (TRMB_) to "overweight" from "neutral" with a $43 price target." via TheStreet.com. TRMB closed yesterday (02014.03.04) at $38.99.

NeuroMetrix (NURO) Spikes Up on Good News

NeuroMextrix (NURO) issued a press release today titled NeuroMetrix Reports Publication of Study Demonstrating that NC-stat DPNCheck is Effective at Detecting Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. NURO spiked up on the news. Previous close on 02014.02.28 was $2.32. Today NURO spiked to $2.89 (up ~25%) before closing at $2.51 (up ~8%). Volume was 1.32M vs. 0.44M. NURO had an up day on a down day (DJIA down 0.94%; NASDAQ down 0.72%; S&P 500 down 0.74%).