Filed under: Analyst reports, Consumer experience, Microsoft (MSFT), Apple Inc (AAPL), Marketing and advertising

According to a new worldwide poll of professionals and students by online magazine brandchannel.com, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is the brand which has the largest impact on consumers and their lives. The readers were asked to say how these brands affected their behavior and view of the world. Microsft (NASDAQ: MSFT) lead the list of brands that consumers most wanted to argue with.

The survey covered people from 107 countries.

While the poll might not be the most scientific one ever made, it does show how Apple has built its image from being a niche PC company in 2000 to being a provider of critical products for people almost everywhere. Most of the credit for this probably belongs to the iPod. The product has sold over 140 million units worldwide.

The power of the Apple brand is also behind the reason the company could release the iPhone into a handset market which is already highly competitive and crowded with other, larger brands.

The critical question for Apple, now that it has won the branding war, is what its next act will be.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

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And we thought Florida real estate was bad

Filed under: International markets, Housing, Recession

In an article I wrote yesterday, entitled Hitting the skids in Florida, I examined the fallout of depressed real estate prices and how folks are coping with a new reality. Today, the FT has an article about how the changes in global real estate are affecting places like Spain.

In Spain’s Property Market Headed for a Fall, the FT examines financial conditions in Spain that are leading to a perfect storm. The story cites tightening credit conditions (ie, it’s harder to borrow money), the oversupply of houses, and rampant price inflation as leading to a precarious present for Spanish residents. Spanish prices have dropped almost 30% from where they were at this time last year.

Sound familiar?

We’re suffering from some of the same malaise but I have to say, that after a slow going, our Federal Reserve has moved quickly and decisively to address some of the same issues on American soil.

The difference between the Spanish situation and our own appears to be government intervention. Where our Federal Reserve has added a lot of liquidity into ailing banks, lowered interest rates, and even orchestrated a bailout, Spain’s Socialist government seems focused on job retraining and stepping up public works projects.

We’ll see where this all pans out.

Zack Miller is the managing editor of IsraelNewsletter.com and a former equity analyst for a leading multinational hedge fund.

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Foreclosure Bus Tour for potential Orlando home buyers

Filed under: Products and services, Consumer experience, Market matters, Economic data, Chasing Value, Housing, Recession

We have all heard of bus tours showcasing the homes of the rich and famous … but the recent credit crunch that has spread across America has led to another sort of bus tour: the Foreclosure Bus Tour. That’s right, potential home buyers looking to grab up a piece of Orlando, Florida real estate can now take a six-hour bus tour featuring various homes that have been foreclosed in the area.

It’s no secret that foreclosures have been on the rise over the past year to alarming levels, but the Foreclosure Bus Tour is a symbol of just how bad things have become. The cost of the tour was $45 per person ($65 per couple) and included a continental breakfast and lunch at Applebee’s. In addition to the food, the potential buyers were also given information on the homes, as well as some important teaching lessons that any potential home buyer could benefit from.

All in all, it seems like a decent way to go out and look at a whole bunch of properties all at once (the tour featured seven different available properties). At each stop the potential buyers got first hand access to a home inspector who walked them through the house, and between stops they were able to chat with a mortgage broker. The tour also had lawyers on hand to discuss any legal questions that came up during the trip. Not too bad for $45.

Florida has been hit pretty hard in the foreclosure crisis. In February, the state was #3 in the total number of foreclosures, only coming in under California and Nevada at the top of the list. According to a report by RealtyTrac Inc., the state had 32,447 homes foreclosed in February alone. That is 69% higher than the same month last year, and 7% higher from January of this year. Definitely makes you realize that the situation is not exactly turning around just yet.

If you are interested in picking up some discounted homes, but do not live in Orlando, don’t worry, these tours seem to be popping up all across the country. According to the Associated Press article, tours are also popping up in other major markets in California, and major cities such as Phoenix, Detroit, Kansas City and Jacksonville.

Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last four years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor’s Observer.

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Filed under: Deals, Engagements

Online media company CNet Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: CNET) said late Thursday it may appeal to a court ruling that allows a group of investors to nominate seven directors to its board.

The Delaware Court of Chancery ruled earlier Thursday that hedge fund Jana Partners LLC, which is leading a group trying to wrest control of CNet’s board, could nominate directors without violating the company’s corporate bylaws.

Jana is taking on CNet with investment funds Sandell Asset Management Corp. and Velocity Interactive Group, venture capital firm Spark Capital and technology entrepreneur Paul Gardi of Alex Interactive Media.
CNet said in January that the group’s efforts to nominate two directors to board seats and then expand the board by five members to 13 from 8 were improper under its bylaws.

Continue reading at TechConfidential.com.

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Filed under: Marketing and advertising, Burger King Hldgs (BKC)

Burger King Holdings (NYSE: BKC) has been a strong performer since its 2006 IPO, but as McDonalds (NYSE: MCD) has invested aggressively in modernizing its restaurants, Burger King is feeling the pressure to keep up.

Solution: The Whopper Bar. According to the Wall Street Journal(subscription required), Burger King will begin opening a new line of stores this year under that name, offering a wider variety of burgers and a hipper, more Gen Y-oriented atmosphere.

The stores and menu will be smaller but company executives told the Journal that the stores will include “as many as ten types of Whoppers such as the Western Whopper, the Texas Double Whopper and the Angry Whopper, a version topped with spicy onions. One menu sketch has a section called “Pimp Your Whopper,” where patrons can chose from additional toppings like jalapeno peppers, bacon and barbecue sauce.”

The Journal was also told that the company could possibly serve alcohol at some locations.

I like this idea: The Whopper is an extremely strong brand, and putting on the marquee and building a hipper brand around it should work well. Assembling the burgers in view of customers should bolster the company’s image (assuming it’s done in a classy way), and may help the brand appeal to a more affluent demographic turned off by the stigma of “fast food.” Hopefully they’ll open one near me.

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Filed under: Forecasts, Industry, Consumer experience, Goldman Sachs Group (GS), Economic data, Entrepreneurs, Federal Reserve, Recession

Some Wall Street analysts believe that most write-offs for subprime mortgages, LBO loans, and other credit paper are behind the big banks and brokerages. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) analysts think otherwise.

According to Bloomberg: “Wall Street banks, brokerages and hedge funds may report $460 billion in credit losses from the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, or almost four times the amount already disclosed.”

If the analysis is true, it will cause two huge problems in the financial markets. The first is that banks and brokerages will probably have to raise more money. This capital may be hard to come by. Sovereign funds and private equity firms appear to have lost their appetites for investing in US financial companies while their stocks keep dropping. That leaves the Fed to provide more capital, which will have to come from someplace. That someplace is the tax base especially individual taxpayers.

The other byproduct of more losses is that banks will cut lending to customers even further instead of risking capital on consumer credit, auto loans, mortgages, and small business loans.

In other words, borrowing a dollar for a cup of coffee may be out of the question.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

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Filed under: Earnings reports, Google (GOOG), Adobe Systems (ADBE), FedEx Corp (FDX), Goldman Sachs Group (GS), General Mills (GIS), Morgan Stanley (MS), NIKE, Inc’B’ (NKE), Lehman Br Holdings (LEH)

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) first-quarter profit soared and it offered an encouraging outlook.
• AgFeed Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: FEED) full-year results were in line with expectations.
• Credit Suisse Group (NYSE: CS) warned that it anticipates a first-quarter loss due to write-downs.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) first-quarter profit plunged on the unloading of Goldfish
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) posted lower-that-expected third-quarter earnings on rising fuel prices.
• 4Kids Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: KDE) posted dismal fourth-quarter and full-year results.
• GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) posted strong fourth-quarter earnings on Guitar Hero and other games.
• General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) third-quarter profit surged on increased demand for Cheerios, yogurt, etc.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings.
• Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LEH) posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings.
• Lumber Liquidators Inc. (NYSE: LL) beat estimates on infrastructure investments and merchandise variety.
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings.
• Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) third-quarter profits soared on strong international demand.
• Shuffle Master Inc. (NASDAQ: SHFL) missed expectations for the first quarter.
• Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) lowered its earnings outlook on delays and order cancellations.

Also, Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is recession proof? Ted Allrich wonders if there are any safe stocks. Jim Cramer doesn’t anticipate much from tech stocks. And Aaron Katzman looks at the effect of rising grain prices.

Upcoming results to watch for include Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF), Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL), ConAgra (NYSE: CAG), and KB Home (NYSE: KBH).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

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Filed under: Options, Management, Investments

Trane (NYSE: TT) is recently trading down to $45 range. Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE: IR) announced the purchase of Trane for $36.50 per share in cash and 0.23 shares of IR per share of TT on Dec. 17, 2007. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

The premium spread stays tight at approximately 2%. TT call option volume of 94 contracts compares to put volume of 2,225 contracts. TT April and May option implied volatility of 37 is above its 26-week average of 17 according to Track Data, suggesting large price movement.

M&A Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

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Filed under: Apple Inc (AAPL), Amazon.com (AMZN), Ford Motor (F), Motorola (MOT), Money and Finance Today, Clear Channel Commun (CCU), Comcast Cl’A’ (CMCSA), Electronic Arts (ERTS), AMR Corp (AMR), Time Warner Cable (TWC), Tata Mtrs Ltd (TTM)