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Avon Takes Steps to Enhance its Corporate Governance; Shares Far From a Beauty

Avon Products AVP announced on Friday that independent chairman Fred Hassan would be stepping down immediately in light of ” his other professional commitments” (which presently include working as a managing director and partner at private-equity firm Warburg Pincus, as well as a director at Time Warner TWX and chairman of Bausch and Lomb) . Former Campbell Soup CPB CEO Doug Conant (a director since … Continue reading Avon Takes Steps to Enhance its Corporate Governance; Shares Far From a Beauty

Gilead Sciences GILD NASDAQ:GILD

Avnet Reports Soft Sales to Western Markets, Growth in Asia

We’re maintaining our fair value estimate and moat rating for Avnet AVT after it reported third-quarter results that indicate trepidation from enterprise businesses in Western markets, but continued growth in emerging markets. Avnet generated $6.3 billion of total sales, in line with seasonality and our own expectations. Pro-forma sales to higher-margin Western markets (EMEA and Americas) declined year-overyear in both of Avnet’s segments—electronics marketing (EM) … Continue reading Avnet Reports Soft Sales to Western Markets, Growth in Asia

Ametek Delivers Earnings Growth in First Quarter

Ametek AME delivered first-quarter earnings of $0.51 per diluted share, an 11% increase versus the first quarter of 2012. While operating margin performance was ahead of pace to meet our full-year expectation, revenue growth, including acquisitions, of 7% was a bit weaker than we anticipated. Management increased the bottom end of its full-year EPS guidance from $2.07 to $2.08, resulting in a new midpoint of … Continue reading Ametek Delivers Earnings Growth in First Quarter

American Electric Power Posts Flat First-Quarter Earnings

American Electric Power AEP reported $0.80 ongoing EPS for the first quarter of 2013, flat from the year-ago quarter. Management reaffirmed ongoing 2013 EPS guidance of $3.05 to $3.25. The company recently announced a $0.49 quarterly dividend, a 4.3% increase and in line with the previously announced increased targeted dividend payout ratio of 60% to 70%. We are reaffirming our 2013 EPS forecast, our $48 … Continue reading American Electric Power Posts Flat First-Quarter Earnings

Range’s First-Quarter Results Come in Ahead of Expectations

Range Resources RRC reported first-quarter results Thursday. Quarterly production came in at 876 MMcfe per day, up 4% sequentially and 34% year over year and above both the company’s guidance and our forecast of 839 MMcfe/d. Growth was led by Range’s Marcellus acreage, where the firm continued to deliver impressive results across both its liquids-rich and dry-gas areas. Range maintained its 2013 guidance of 20%-25% … Continue reading Range’s First-Quarter Results Come in Ahead of Expectations

Avago Technologies to Acquire LSI Corp at 41% Premium

On Monday morning, it was announced that Avago Technologies (AVGO), a leader in advanced optical, analog and mixed-signal chip design, will acquire LSI Corp (LSI), a strong market participant in hard disk drive semiconductor, system-level silicon for communications and server applications and flash storage solutions. AVGO will pay $6.6 billion for LSI, or $11.15 per LSI share. This is a 41% premium from Friday’s close … Continue reading Avago Technologies to Acquire LSI Corp at 41% Premium