CNH Global NV (CNH) stock growing after profit figures released

Posted on Monday, July 25th, 2011

CNH Global NV (NYSE: CNH) U.S.-listed shares rose 10.9% to $41.34 after the Dutch farm-equipment manufacturer raised its outlook for 2011 sales growth. Volume for the stock surmounted 1.2 million shares, or three times its normal daily volume.

A news release out July 25 stated that the company saw net sales increase 24% (18% on a constant currency basis) to $4.9 billion as a result of favorable trading conditions for agricultural equipment, as well as higher comparative construction equipment demand in every region. Equipment Operations posted an Operating Profit of $521 million as a result of higher revenues, increased industrial utilization and improved product pricing.

Net equipment sales for the quarter were 79% agricultural equipment and 21% construction equipment. The geographical distribution of revenue for the period was 42% North America, 35% EAME & CIS, 15% Latin America, and 8% APAC markets.

Net income before restructuring and exceptional items for the quarter was $320 million as a result of improved top line and industrial operating performance, improved results from the Group’s unconsolidated subsidiaries, and a lower tax rate. This resulted in the Group generating a significant increase in diluted earnings per share to $1.33 (before restructuring and exceptional items) compared to $0.59 per share in the comparable period of 2010.

Management of CNH did not comment in the release, although it did hold a conference call to take questions about its bottom line figures.
CNH Global N.V. is a world leader in the agricultural and construction equipment businesses.

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Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (ALTI) spikes on Canon pact

Posted on Monday, July 25th, 2011

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTI) shares jumped 29.6% Monday morning to $1.40, after the company today announced it had closed on a Share Subscription Agreement with Canon Investment Holdings Limited (Canon), through its affiliate, Energy Storage Technology (China) Group Limited (EST). Volume for Altair stock was 2.7 million shares, compared to a daily average of just over 225,000.

A news release put out on July 25 spelled out that, under the terms of the agreement, Altairnano issued 37,036,807 common shares to EST at $1.5528 per share, providing $57.5 million in proceeds to Altairnano. Following the closing of this transaction, there are 69,452,487 Altairnano common shares outstanding.

On September 20, 2010, Altairnano announced that it had entered into the Share Subscription Agreement, as amended, under which Canon had agreed to purchase newly issued common shares of Altairnano, which resulted in EST owning 53.3% of Altairnano’s common shares, 49.8% on a fully diluted basis, immediately following the closing.

“While this transaction took considerably longer to close than expected, the Canon investment allows us to now focus on growing the business and creating shareholder wealth,” said Terry Copeland, Altairnano president and Chief Executive Officer.

Headquartered in Reno, Nev. with manufacturing in Anderson, Ind., Altairnano is a leading provider of energy storage systems for clean, efficient power and energy management. Altairnano’s nano lithium-ion titanate-based solutions are among the highest performing and most scalable, with applications that include complete energy storage systems for frequency regulation and renewables integration for the electric grid, and battery modules and cells for transportation and industrial applications.

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Robert Half International Inc. (RHI) posts strong earnings, stock hikes

Posted on Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI) shares surged 15.8% to $29.91 Thursday on strong quarterly earnings. Volume for the stock closed in on five million shares, or better than triple its daily average.

The staffing solutions company, based out of Menlo Park, Calif., put out a press release July 20 stating that, for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, net income was $36.4 million or $.25 per share, on revenues of $938.0 million. Net income for the prior year’s second quarter was $12.2 million or $.08 per share, on revenues of $769.1 million.

Robert Half CEO Harold Messmer Jr., was quoted in the release as saying, “This is the fifth consecutive quarter we have reported accelerating year-over-year growth rates for our consolidated revenues. Second-quarter revenues increased 22% from one year ago, and second-quarter income per share tripled from the year-ago period.

Messmer continued, “We saw broad-based, improving demand for our professional staffing services and Protiviti both in North America and abroad. Our permanent placement and technology staffing divisions were particularly strong. The pricing environment also continued to improve during the quarter, which contributed to higher gross margins.”

Founded in 1948, Robert Half International Inc., the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, is a recognized leader in professional consulting and staffing services.

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SFN Group Inc. (SFN) being taken over, stock zooms

Posted on Thursday, July 21st, 2011

SFN Group Inc. (NYSE: SFN) shares shot up 51% to $13.93. Late Wednesday, the staffing-services provider and Dutch company Randstad Holding NV said the latter would acquire the former for about $770 million. Volume on SFN was 12.4 million shares, contrasted with a daily average of less than 570,000.

As a result of the acquisition, announced in a news release Wednesday, Randstad will become the third-largest HR services provider in North America, doubling its presence in the U.S. and reinforcing its leading position in Canada. Randstad and SFN Group have a comparable service offering in North America and a complementary geographic coverage, which creates a unique strategic fit.

In North America, the combination will have revenues of $4.6 billion (pro forma, LTM March 31, 2011) of which 39% in Professionals, 52% in Staffing and 9% in HR Solutions (Payrolling, Managed Services and Recruitment Process Outsourcing).

This represents under 5% of the highly fragmented North American HR Services market. The combination will have over 5,000 employees and operate from over 1,000 outlets. As a result of the transaction, the Randstad Group will have combined revenues of approximately $22 billion/ euro 17 billion (pro forma, LTM March 31, 2011).

SFN CEO Roy Krause was quoted in the release as saying, “The executive management and I are confident that the combination of our two companies is a strong strategic fit that will not only deliver expanded service offerings for our clients in North America, but also creates opportunities to service them on a global basis.”

“Both companies have complementary cultures and values which will provide growth opportunities for our staff associates.” Krause concluded.

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Quepassa Corp. (QPSA) leaps on myYearbook buyout

Posted on Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Quepassa Corp. (AMEX: QPSA) shares gained 33.5% to $9.52, after the social-media company said it would acquire the owner of myYearbook.com in a cash-and-stock deal worth $100 million. Volume for the stock topped five million shares, compared to a daily average of just over one million.

The company, based in West Palm Beach, Florida and owner of popular Latino social network Quepasa.com and cross-platform social game development studio Quepasa Games, announced in a news release Wednesday that it has executed a definitive agreement to merge with Insider Guides, Inc., DBA myYearbook, the best place to meet new people on the web or mobile device, for $100 million, comprised of approximately $82 million in Quepasa common stock and approximately $18 million in cash.

Quepassa CEO John Abbott was quoted in the same release as saying, “With this merger, we intend to create nothing less than the public market leader in social discovery.Combination with myYearbook nearly doubles the size of Quepasa’s existing user base while positioning the new company for significantly higher growth in mobile and social games, advertising, and virtual currency. The myYearbook team is product-oriented and hungry to continue building innovative products at the convergence of social and mobile. We expect the scale of this combination to enable a new class of investor in Quepasa.

Abbott concluded, “We believe myYearbook’s proven track record in monetization and engagement will fuel significant future growth.”

myYearbook makes meeting new people fun and easy online and on your mobile phone. myYearbook combines innovative social games, virtual goods, social applications, and a robust virtual currency called “Lunch Money” to facilitate introductions and break the ice. myYearbook started in a single high school in 2005 and has grown to over 32.7 million members worldwide.

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