Archive for June, 2011

Apollo Group Inc. (APOL) benefits from government ruling

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Apollo Group Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL) shares rose 10.2% to $46.50, after the U.S. Education Department softened a rule that had threatened some aid to for-profit colleges.

The Department of Education on Thursday rolled out a rule that denies federal aid if programs don’t lead to “gainful employment” in a recognized occupation.

But the final rule would deny assistance as early as 2015, rather than immediately, if three tests over student loan repayment weren’t met.

“If you get three strikes in four years, you’re out,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement. The department estimates that 18% of for-profit programs are expected to fail the thresholds at some point, with 5% of them failing to improve and ultimately losing eligibility.

Phoenix-based Apollo Group was one of a number of companies in the sector that jumped on the news.

Apollo Group, Inc. is one of the world’s largest private education providers and has been in the education business for more than 35 years. The Company offers innovative and distinctive educational programs and services both online and on-campus at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels through its subsidiaries: University of Phoenix, Apollo Global, Institute for Professional Development and College for Financial Planning.

The Company’s programs and services are provided in 40 states and the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; Latin America; and Europe, as well as online throughout the world.

Orbitz Worldwide Inc. (OWW) celebrates legal win with stock surge

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Orbitz Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: OWW) shares surged 25.8% to $2.78 Thursday morning, after an Illinois court ruled Wednesday that American Airlines must let the online travel company resume selling its tickets. Volume for the stock was 1.3 million shares, or more than four times its all-day average.

American (owned by parent AMR Corporation) had removed its information from the website in December while it disputed the terms that it shares with the global distribution systems that currently act as the distributors for flight data of more than 90% of flights bought by consumers in the U.S.

American and other airlines want to be able to sell more flights of products through their own websites, cutting out the fees that they currently pay to GDS providers. The former re-entered a court dispute with GDS providers Sabre and Travelocity with an antitrust suit it filed in a Texas court Wednesday.

“This reinstatement of American Airlines’ full schedule of flights on Orbitz.com and Orbitz for Business is a win for transparency, consumer choice and for all of our mutual customers,” Orbitz said in a statement.
The decision grants Orbitz and Travelport, which owns nearly half of Orbitz, injunctive relief that was denied late last year by a different judge. Travelport later appealed that ruling.

Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. (OREX) stock price balloons for diet pill maker

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX) shares jumped 17.7% to $3.33 Wednesday, after the diet-pill developer said it would make a regulatory announcement about its obesity treatment in two days. Volume for the stock was 8.2 million shares, or more than six times its daily average.

The San Diego-based Orexigen has announced a regulatory update on Friday, June 3, before the markets open. The announcement will be followed by a live webcast and conference call at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time. No one from Orexigen management was immediately available for comment.

The company’s lead product, Contrave®, has completed Phase 3 clinical trials and has received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA for its New Drug Application. The Company is in the process of determining the next steps for Contrave.

The Company’s second product, Empatic™, has completed Phase 2 clinical development. Each product candidate is designed to act on a specific group of neurons in the central nervous system with the goal of achieving appetite suppression and sustained weight loss, through combination therapeutic approaches.

Telvent GIT SA (TLVT) darts higher on French sale

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Telvent GIT SA’s (Nasdaq: TLVT) U.S.-listed shares rose 15.2% to $39.70, after France’s Schneider Electric said it would acquire the Spanish software maker for $2 billion. Volume for the stock totaled 4.4 million shares, compared to an all-day average of 141,632.

Abengoa, the international company that develops innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, has reached an agreement to sell its 40% stake in Telvent to Schneider for $40.00 U.S. per share. The transaction is subject to approvals from the European and U.S. competition authorities. The sale will be made as part of a tender offer that Schneider Electric will be launching within 10 business days.

Manuel Sanchez Ortega, CEO of Abengoa, said, “I believe this is a highly satisfactory transaction for Abengoa. We are strengthening our balance sheet from the sale of assets at a very attractive valuation, so we can continue to develop innovative solutions for sustainable development, and creating value for our shareholders. For us, it is equally important that the offer has been made by a company like Schneider Electric, which is presenting a solid and attractive project for Telvent, which in turn creates a great professional opportunity for Telvent employees.”

Telvent is a leading real-time IT solutions and information service provider, which employs more than 6,000 professionals in 19 countries. It was organized as a subsidiary of Abengoa in 1969. At the time of its initial public offering in 2004, Telvent was the first Spanish company to undertake a primary listing of its ordinary shares on the NASDAQ stock market.