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Los Angeles-based builder KB Home (NYSE: KBH) is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings this Friday, Jan. 9, before the market opens. Analysts are expecting KBH to swallow a loss of $1.19 per share, which would represent a marked improvement from the homebuilder's year-ago loss of $9.99 per share.

However, if history is any indication, there's a good chance KB Home's results will fall short of the Street's predictions. The company has disappointed analysts in each of the previous five quarters by reporting wider-than-expected losses.

On the plus side, it doesn't seem that many players on Wall Street are betting on an upside surprise. During the past 10 days, traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) have bought to open nearly 3 times more puts than calls on KBH. The stock's 10-day ISE put/call ratio of 2.78 ranks higher than 65% of comparable readings taken in the past year, which suggests that bearish sentiment is ramping up ahead of earnings.

Massive bookselling chain Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) reported today that holiday sales for the nine-week period ended Jan. 3 fell to $868.8 million, down 11.7% from a year ago. Same-store sales for the holiday season plunged 14.4%. The retailer said that holiday sales started off slow, but accelerated as the season continued.

Additionally, the bookseller said that CEO George Jones will be replaced by private equity executive Ron Marshall. The new chief executive has previously helmed turnarounds at food distributor Nash Finch Co. and supermarket chain Pathmark Stores Inc. Borders stated that the new appointment will help to "more aggressively drive a turnaround of the company within today's challenging economy."

Borders Group is also getting a new chief financial officer; Mark Bierley will be internally promoted to the position, replacing Ed Wilhelm.

BGP could definitely benefit from Marshall's turnaround prowess. The stock has endured a stomach-churning 52-week plunge of 95.2%, and is currently trading below 50 cents per share. By contrast, competitor Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) surged more than 9% today after scoring an upgrade from Sell to Neutral at Goldman Sachs.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (NYSE: PNY) is one of the few corporations to report earnings this week -- and, judging by its results, that may be a good thing. PNY reported a widened fourth-quarter loss of $13.2 million, or 18 cents per share, while revenue improved by 12% to $311.8 million. Gross margin for the period contracted from 29.1% to 28.1%.

Ahead of the report, analysts were expecting a more modest quarterly loss of about 13 cents per share, according to Thomson Financial. Piedmont's forecast for the next fiscal year also fell short of Wall Street's expectations; the company backed its fiscal 2009 guidance for earnings of $1.55 to $1.65 per share, compared to analysts' consensus estimate for earnings of $1.66 per share.

This post is part of our feature on Money Losers of 2008. See all 20.

Hillary Clinton is easily one of the most polarizing figures in U.S. politics. Perhaps it's because she combines the DNA of a female with the ruthlessness, grit, and cold-blooded calculation of the average male politician -- journalists never know whether to criticize her hairstyle, or her foreign policy credentials! (Governor Sarah Palin received similarly schizophrenic coverage: Yes, she's got an opinion about offshore drilling, but what kind of statement are those pumps making?)

In any event, it was a given that Hillary would run for president in 2008. As an idealistic, card-carrying young feminist, I'd personally been chanting "Hillary '08!" ever since I cast my vote for her in the 2000 Senate race in New York. Unfortunately for Ms. Clinton, it seems that most of her fervent supporters have a certain characteristic in common with me. No, it's not two X chromosomes; apparently, we're all broke.

When she suspended her presidential campaign in June, it was a bitter defeat for Hillary. Not only was she edged out in the primaries by an Ivy League rookie, but she also had to contend with a whopping campaign debt load. Reports indicate that the future Secretary of State poured $11.4 million of her own money into the campaign, just for starters. At the beginning of November, she still owed $7.5 million to various vendors, and the primaries haven't even been paid for yet.

This post is part of our feature on Money Losers of 2008. See all 20.

I love football players. When they're not entertaining me with their athletic prowess, they can usually be found doing something reckless or saying something ridiculous. Plus, several of them have ushered me to a Super Bowl victory in the 2008 Schaeffer's fantasy football league (Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans, if you're reading this: you complete me). As such, Plaxico Burress is the best of all possible worlds -- a gifted wide receiver with absolutely no common sense.

As you've probably heard by now, the New York Giants suspended Burress without pay in early December after he accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed firearm. The Super Bowl-winning wideout arrived at a club in Manhattan with the loaded weapon concealed in his pants, but the .40-caliber Glock unexpectedly discharged outside the VIP area.

In other words, Burress's suspension was mostly a formality; it's hard to run those out routes with a bullet wound in your thigh, and he was already battling a hamstring injury. The withheld salary was hardly symbolic, though.

The shares of Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSYS) are on the upswing today, following news of an acquisition and a bullish brokerage nod. This morning, Fuel Systems said its Italian unit has agreed to purchase Distribuidora Shopping SA for $22 million. The Argentinean company produces components and systems for the compressed natural gas vehicles market, and FSYS President Matthew Beale said, "The transaction reinforces our natural gas vehicle product line and expands our global manufacturing and distribution footprint."

In other news affecting the shares today, FSYS was initiated with a Buy rating at Janney Montgomery Scott. The analyst noted that Fuel Systems is "well positioned to take advantage of the drive to cleaner transportation alternatives," and added, "We believe Fuel Systems will not need to raise additional capital."

Considering its impressive year-to-date performance, FSYS seems overdue for more bullish attention from analysts. Zacks reports that only three brokerage firms currently cover the stock, with all of them maintaining an enthusiastic Strong Buy opinion.

With the shares up 118.6% in 2008, there's ample opportunity for more optimistic initiations along the lines of Janney Montgomery Scott's. Any additional upbeat comments could draw more buyers to the table for this relatively undiscovered high-flying stock.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

Milwaukee-based Joy Global Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYG) offered up its fourth-quarter earnings report today, with the company raking in a profit of $1.11 per share on $1 billion in sales. The results surpassed analysts' expectations, which called for earnings of $1.08 per share.

The mining-equipment concern also updated its fiscal 2009 guidance. Joy Global now expects revenues of $3.5 billion to $3.7 billion for the current fiscal year, with earnings per share arriving between $3.60 and $4.00. The forecast fell short of Wall Street's consensus estimates for a full-year profit of $4.24 per share on $4 billion in revenue.

With so many corporations falling short of quarterly earnings expectations, investors have been quick to reward JOYG's better-than-expected fourth quarter. The stock gained roughly 10% in the first hour of today's trading, propelling the shares above resistance from their descending 10-week moving average.

Once the euphoria fades, though, Joy Global could be vulnerable to negative analyst notes. Zacks reports six Strong Buy ratings and two Buys, compared to just three skeptical Holds. If any of these bullish brokers are disappointed by the company's modest outlook for 2009, the stock could be hit with downgrades.

Price-target cuts are also a potential threat. JOYG's average 12-month price target is $49.45, according to Thomson Financial, representing a lofty premium of 118% to Tuesday's closing price. Any downward revisions to this consensus estimate could draw fresh selling pressure to the security.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

This post is part of our feature on Money Winners of 2008. See all 20.

Everybody likes an underdog, but especially me -- I'm a die-hard Cincinnati Bengals fan, after all. So, heading into the 2007 football season, I had quite a soft spot for New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. His older brother, Peyton, had just led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory. Meanwhile, cranky New York sports fans were calling for Eli's head due to his rather spotty performance behind center. As far as Archie's boys go, it wasn't hard to pinpoint Eli as the underdog.

But, a funny thing happened on the way to the Super Bowl. The Giants nearly upset the undefeated New England Patriots in their last regular-season game, and then the Boys in Blue went on to score unexpected playoff victories against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Green Bay Packers. Suddenly, Eli Manning was following in big brother Peyton's footsteps and preparing for a final showdown against the (still undefeated) Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Going into that fateful championship game, it's probably a safe bet to say that most of the football universe was rooting for the Giants. By this point in the season, the Patriots had embarrassed nearly every team in the NFL once or twice, and sports fans were thirsty for vengeance. As a result, the Eli Manning fan club swelled to proportions never before seen.

Analysts at Pali Research today started coverage of Baidu.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) with a Sell rating and a $90 price target. The brokerage firm cited "short- to mid-term uncertainties," which it says outweigh current opportunities for the Chinese Internet-search titan.

Chief among those uncertainties is Baidu.com's "controversial" business model. The search engine has recently come under fire for hosting search listings paid for by unlicensed medical and pharmaceutical concerns. Last week, the company added to Wall Street's concerns by slashing its fourth-quarter revenue outlook.

Pali Research joins the majority of analysts with its downbeat opinion of Baidu.com. Zacks reports three Holds, one Sell, and one Strong Sell, compared to just two Buy or better ratings. While the shares have already shed 70.8% year-to-date, Pali's $90 price target suggests that the brokerage firm expects additional downside. This estimate represents a discount of 21.1% to the stock's closing price on Friday.

Despite BIDU's negative price action, option players remain relentlessly bullish on the shares. During the past 50 days, traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) have consistently purchased more calls than puts on this Internet issue.

With the shares up more than 1% in early trading today, the bullish case for BIDU looks curiously compelling. However, considering the company's cloudy fundamental outlook, it's unclear just how long the shares can rely on round-number support at $110 before succumbing to the effects of gravity once again.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

After the close last night, FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) reported that its fourth-quarter loss widened to $24.3 million, or 35 cents per share, compared to its year-ago loss of 25 cents per share. Ahead of the report, analysts were expecting FCEL to swallow a slightly more modest quarterly loss of 32 cents per share, according to First Call. Total revenues rose to $26.2 million for the quarter, outpacing the consensus estimate of $25.6 million. Product sales and revenues for the period ballooned by 113% year-over-year, arriving at $23.3 million.

FCEL's bottom line took a hit during the quarter as costs climbed, with total costs and expenses swelling to $48.9 million, up nearly 46% from last year. The company's backlog is also looking bloated, up to $87.6 million from $57.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2007.

For the full fiscal year, FuelCell recorded a net loss of $96.6 million, or $1.41 per share, while revenue arrived at $100.74 million. Analysts predicted an annual loss of $1.37 per share on $100.16 million.

Despite the mixed report, FCEL shares are fractionally higher this afternoon. Heading into the earnings release, option players aligned themselves bearishly. During the past 10 days, traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) bought to open 1.53 puts for every call on the stock. Looking back over the previous 20 trading days, FCEL garnered a buy-to-open put/call ratio of 4.86 on the ISE and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE).

In other words, investors purchased nearly five times more bearish bets than bullish in the four-week period leading up to the earnings report. This heavily pessimistic activity from speculators suggests that expectations were low for FuelCell's quarterly figures. The negative sentiment from investors has no doubt helped to cushion the blow of the company's fourth-quarter and full-year profit shortfalls.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

According to a Dow Jones report this morning, Citigroup (NYSE: C) has decided to cancel the Christmas party planned for its fixed-income staff in London. The soirée was supposed to be held this Thursday, December 11, but the financial firm apparently decided it was inappropriate to celebrate, considering the 52,000 job cuts it recently announced. The party's cancellation comes shortly after Citi scrapped a holiday celebration for its London equities division, which would have been held December 3.

Today's news from Citigroup is simply the most prominent report among a growing trend this year for U.S. corporations. In my own neighborhood, I can name more than a few companies who've axed their own Christmas plans in deference to the sorry state of the U.S. economy, as well as the continually growing unemployment rolls. It may be the holiday season, but it's harder than ever to find members of the working class who feel like celebrating.

If there's a silver lining to the anti-holiday mood, it's probably the growing trend toward prudent sacrifice among major corporations. Yesterday, we learned that executives at Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) will forgo bonuses -- and regular pay, in some instances -- along with many of their peers at other investment banks. Is it the least these guys could do? Maybe. But, as any addict can tell you, the first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem. Now that top executives are starting to shoulder some of the blame, Wall Street could finally be ready for rehab.

Elizabeth Harrow is an analyst and financial writer in the research department at Schaeffer's Investment Research. She is featured in the video series Schaeffer's Daily Q&A on SchaeffersResearch.com.

This post is part of a series featuring bargain stocks that are worth a look now. See more Cheap Stocks.

Of the 15 components on our Cheap Stocks roster, Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) is the one that my colleague Nick Perry dubbed "a bold choice." With plenty of question marks still surrounding the major financial names, there are undoubtedly those who will go even further and dub this pick "an unwise choice." On the other hand, some will probably just say we're stealing Warren Buffett's idea. With all potential criticisms thusly taken into consideration, let's take a look at what makes Goldman so hard to resist.

First, let's be upfront about the fundamentals. Amid the recent financial crisis, Goldman Sachs is one of the few major names on Wall Street that still has a pulse. Although it's now a bank holding company rather than an investment bank, Goldman stands out by sheer virtue of the fact that it has dodged bankruptcy rumors and has not needed an emergency rescue by one of its peers.

In fact, Goldman Sachs survived because it knew that most of those subprime-derived securities were toxic, and placed bets that the investments would lose value. Regardless, the bank still sold those securities to its clients, so we're not talking about the financial equivalent of Mother Theresa. On the bright side, nor are we discussing the financial equivalent of Nero -- and in today's market, there are plenty of favorable comparisons to be made between GS and its sector peers.

This post is part of a series featuring bargain stocks that are worth a look now. See more Cheap Stocks.

In addition to old standbys like consumer staples, utility stocks are a proven favorite during times when your portfolio needs a defensive touch. Among utilities, Virginia-based Dominion Resources (NYSE: D) stands out for its solid price action, its exposure to natural gas, and its heavy potential for future upgrades.

While natural gas might not seem terribly thrilling, many analysts expect it to be a hot commodity in the coming years. It's a plentiful resource in North America, and no less an energy tycoon than T. Boone Pickens is banking on a natural-gas boom. With 1.1 trillion cubic feet of oil and natural gas reserves, Dominion looks poised to capitalize on a shift toward this source of energy.

The utility firm already seems to be thriving, in fact. In its October 30 earnings report, the company exceeded analysts' profit expectations by 4 cents per share, and offered upbeat guidance for fiscal 2008 and 2009.

For value investors, though, the third-quarter report contained even more good news. Thomas Farrell II, Dominion's president, chairman, and CEO, stated, "Given its confidence in the strength of our company's earnings and business model, the board of directors recently declared our fourth-quarter dividend and reconfirmed our dividend policy to sustain increases in 2009 and 2010 that will allow us to reach our targeted 2010 payout ratio of 55%."

This post is part of a series featuring bargain stocks that are worth a look now. See more Cheap Stocks.

If peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches are comfort food, then The J.M. Smucker Company (NYSE: SJM) is a comfort stock. You're probably familiar with the firm's trademark jams and jellies, but Smucker also peddles foodstuffs under the brand names Jif, Crisco, Hungry Jack, Pillsbury, and Carnation, to name just a few. In short, you'd be hard-pressed to find any aisle in your local grocery store that doesn't display Smucker's wares.

In its most recent earnings report, SJM proved that it's good to be a consumer-staples company in today's tumultuous economy. Chairman Tim Smucker observed, "The number of meals prepared and consumed at home, as recent market data indicate, continues to be trending upward in this challenging economic environment, and are currently at levels not seen since 1994."

Not only did this positive fundamental catalyst allow Smucker to beat analysts' earnings-per-share estimates, the firm absolutely crushed Wall Street's revenue expectations. The jam giant boasted second-quarter sales of $843.1 million, up 19% from the year-ago period, while analysts had expected revenue of just $796.1 million.

Despite the company's fundamental advantage, short sellers are overwhelmingly betting against SJM. Short interest on the stock has ballooned by an eye-popping 397% during the past month, and now represents 10.7% of the equity's available float. In light of Smucker's strong earnings report and its ensuing surge on the charts, SJM could bounce higher as the shorts are forced to cover their bearish bets.

This post is part of a series featuring bargain stocks that are worth a look now. See more Cheap Stocks.

Every time I write about Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), I get e-mails from vocal opponents of genetically modified foods. It strikes me as unusual, if only because there are so many companies out there doing business in an ethically questionable manner, and I'm rarely e-mailed about most of them. But, hey -- I can't blame anybody for being protective of the food supply.

If you're morally opposed to Monsanto, I definitely don't recommend you invest in it. Otherwise, there are valid reasons for taking a closer look at this agricultural chemicals firm. For example, on October 21, S&P Ratings hiked its long-term ratings on MON from "A" to "A+," citing the "expected continuation for favorable business trends ... a very strong market position ... and an impressive pipeline of new products that should underpin strong future earnings and cash flow."

Add sugar cane to the pipeline; Monsanto recently announced its intention to acquire Brazil's Aly Participacoes Ltda for $290 million. With sugar cane emerging as a popular alternative to corn for ethanol production, the acquisition makes sense. Carl Casale, the company's head of global strategy and operations, observed, "... we think that the biotechnology traits that we've invested in [corn] can bring a lot of value to sugar, as well."