Today's Big Movers: PRGO, RNN, DDSS, ZBB

Shares of Perrigo Company (NASDAQ: PRGO) jumped more than 7% after the company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Paddock Laboratories, Inc.), a privately-held, Minneapolis-based manufacturer and marketer of generic pharmaceutical products for approximately $540 million in cash. Perrigo expects to receive a significant tax benefit as a result of the acquisition of Paddock's assets. The net present value of this tax benefit is estimated to be $95 million. The acquisition is expected to close during the Company's fiscal 2011 fourth quarter pending regulatory approval.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: RNN) surged more than 10% after the pharmaceutical company announced that Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NASDAQ: Teva) purchased 2,334,515 shares of Rexahn's common stock in a private offering for $3.95 million, or $1.692 per share. This investment by Teva was made pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated June 26, 2009, as amended. The investment money will be used for the purpose of supporting the research and development program for the pre-clinical stage, anti-cancer compound RX-3117. After this transaction, Teva will own 6.29% of the outstanding shares of Rexahn.

Labopharm Inc. (NASDAQ: DDDS) rallied more than 8% after the company today announced that Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate has approved OLEPTRO (trazodone hydrochloride Extended Release Tablets), a novel once-daily formulation of the antidepressant trazodone, for the symptomatic relief of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adults. OLEPTRO acts as a serotonin antagonist reuptake inhibitor, providing physicians and patients in Canada with a new option in the treatment of MDD.

ZBB Energy Corporation (AMEX: ZBB) soared more than 14% on Thursday after the company announced that it has secured contracts in China to provide ZBB technology to one of the world's leading solar companies as well as a major petrochemical producer. ZBB CEO Eric Apfelbach said the company's next generation energy storage and power electronics technology will provide the two manufacturers with a more clean, reliable, consistent and energy efficient power platform.

Full Disclosure: None.

US Hot Stocks: BLTI, DDS, ISLE, SOLR

Biolase Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI) soared more than 75% on Thursday after the company announced that, based on a preliminary review of its financial performance for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Company expects to report net revenue ranging between $9.5 million to $10 million with positive net income excluding non-cash stock option expense. The company also issued annual revenue guidance for 2011 of net revenue in the range of $55 million to $60 million, a growth of approximately 120 percent to 140 percent over 2010, compared to analyst estimates of $40.4 million. Net revenue for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, traditionally the lowest quarter of the year, is expected to range between $8.75 million to $9.25 million, up from $4.4 million in the first quarter of 2010, with positive net income. Effective January 19, 2011, BIOLASE's Board of Directors approved a stock dividend of one percent, payable March 31, 2011, to shareholders of record on March 15, 2011. In addition, the Board adopted a four percent annual stock dividend policy.

Shares of Dillard’s, Inc. (NYSE: DDS) surged as much as 15% after the company announced that it intends to form a wholly-owned subsidiary that will seek to operate as a real estate investment trust. Dillard’s believes the formation of a REIT may enhance its ability to access debt or preferred stock and thereby enhance its liquidity. It is intended that various Dillard’s entities will transfer to the REIT interests in certain real properties currently owned by the Dillard’s Parties, who will lease the Properties back from the REIT under “triple net” leases. 

Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) plunged more than 18% on Thursday after the company announced the pricing of a registered underwritten public offering of 5,300,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $10.25. The underwriter has a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 795,000 shares from Isle to cover over-allotments, if any. Settlement of the offering is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur on January 25, 2011. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to temporarily repay borrowings outstanding under its revolving line of credit. The Company also intends to use the remaining proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes including, without limitation, to finance future capital expenditures.

Shares of GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR) rallied as much as 3% after the company announced that it has received a $33.3 million order from South Korea-based OCI Company, Ltd. for its sapphire crystallization furnaces. The order marks OCI's entrance into the fast-growing LED industry, and is GT Solar's first commercial sale of its sapphire crystallization furnaces into the important Korea LED market. OCI will use the furnaces to produce high quality sapphire material, the fundamental substrate material used to manufacture a wide range of LED products such as high brightness LEDs. The order will be included in GT Solar's backlog for its current Q4 FY11, which ends on April 2, 2011.

Full Disclosure: None.

SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE: STI): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE: STI) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Friday, January 21, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 7 cents per share on revenue of $2.19 billion. In the year ago period, the company posted a loss of 64 cents per share on revenue of $1.95 billion.

SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank, which provides various financial services to consumer and corporate customers in the United States. As of September 30, 2010, SunTrust had total assets of $174.7 billion and total deposits of $120.3 billion. 

In the preceding third-quarter, the Atlanta, Georgia-based company's net income was $84 million, or 17 cents a share, compared to a loss of $377 million, or 76 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. The company said total revenue for the quarter rose to $2.31 billion, against $1.94 billion in the year-ago period. Analysts, on average, expected the company to post a loss of 2 cents per share on revenue of $2.09 billion.According to the company, revenue growth was due to higher net interest income and growth in fee-based income, particularly mortgage and capital markets-related revenues. 

The bank expects to be profitable again in the fourth quarter. The company anticipates moderate improvements in asset quality and the money it sets aside for bad loans in the fourth quarter. The bank expects the impact from Reg E to stabilize to a low double-digit figure as we approach mid 2011. 

Optimism about the banking M&A environment also brightened investors' general outlook about the economy and the industry's recovery from the financial crisis. The regional bank is often mentioned as one of the top takeover targets during the current bank recovery rally.

However, quality of the company's capital is a significant issue because its trust-preferred share, whose inclusion in regulatory capital will be phased-out beginning in 2013.

SunTrust would be barred from hiking its dividend under the current circumstances as the company still has $4.85 billion in funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the largest TARP holdings of any U.S. regional lender. CEO James Wells said regulators have implied the second round of testing, which is expected at the end of the first quarter, will determine when the bank could pay back $4.85 billion it owes the government through the U.S. Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program. Analysts believe that SunTrust may need to raise cash through a stock sale before it repays TARP. The bank has said it is avoiding a stock sale because it would rather not dilute current shareowners' holdings.

In terms of stock performance, STI have gained nearly 20 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

Schlumberger Limited (NYSE: SLB), the largest oilfield services provider, is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Friday, January 21, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 77 cents per share on revenue of $8.70 billion. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 67 cents cents per share on revenue of $5.74 billion.

Schlumberger Limited and its subsidiaries supply technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas industry worldwide.

In the preceding third-quarter, the Houston, Texas-based company's net income was $1.73 billion, or $1.38 a share, compared to $787 million, or 65 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 70 cents a share in the latest quarter. Revenue rose to $6.85 billion from $5.43 billion. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of 70 cents per share on revenue of $6.83 billion.

During the third quarter, the company continued to feel the effect of the deepwater drilling moratorium in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The company said that the moratorium resulted in a reduction of its Q3 earnings of approximately $0.02 to $0.03 per share. At its last earnings call in October, the company said that the earnings effect of the moratorium in the fourth quarter is estimated to be approximately $0.04 to $0.05 per share. Although the Obama administration lifted a moratorium on deep-water drilling last October, regulators have not approved any new exploratory wells the ban would have blocked. The company expects the fourth quarter to show continued strong activity in North America on land.

Schlumberger’s North American business is expected to benefit from a revival in oil drilling in service-intensive areas. The current North American fundamentals are certainly robust. Internationally, the company continues to experience gradual improvement, with strong results in Russia, the North Sea and Caspian. Further, among SLB's emerging market clients, Brazil looks especially promising for future work. The company's size -- which dwarfs its nearest competitors: Halliburton (NYSE: HAL), Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI), and Weatherford (NYSE: WFT) -- makes it a key companion for some of the largest oil companies in the world and helps produce the most attractive profit margins when business booms.

Meanwhile, the company’s integration of the former Smith International is going relatively smoothly and is expected to generate cost efficiencies and potential revenue efficiencies as a result.

In terms of stock performance, Schlumberger shares have gained nearly 25 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

BB&T Corp. (NYSE: BBT): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

BB&T Corp. (NYSE: BBT) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Friday, January 21, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 26 cents per share on revenue of $2.21 billion. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 27 cents cents per share on revenue of $2.29 billion.

BB&T Corporation operates as the financial holding company for Branch Banking and Trust Company that provides banking and trust services to small and mid-size businesses, public agencies, local governments, and individuals in the United States. As of September 30, 2010, the company has more than $157.2 billion in assets. The company operates approximately 1,800 financial centers in 12 states and Washington, D.C., and offers a full range of consumer and commercial banking, securities brokerage, asset management, mortgage and insurance products and services. BB&T was one of the few U.S. banks that had reported profit throughout the financial crisis. Thus the company was not actually having any problem with its NPAs.

In the preceding third quarter, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company's net income was $210 million or $0.30 per share, compared with $152 million or $0.23 per share last year. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of $0.26 per share in the third quarter. BB&T experienced an increase in lending during the third quarter of 2010, generating $18.4 billion in originations for the quarter, compared with $17.5 billion during the second quarter of 2010. The improved lending results included growth in all non-real estate portfolios, as management continues to focus on diversifying the loan portfolio.

In December, BB&T Corp.’s senior debt and long-term deposit ratings were downgraded by Moody's Investors Service, the ratings arm of Moody's Corp., as a result of concerns related to the company’s weaker credit profile.

Last month, BB&T Corp's chief executive Kelly King said that he wants his company to be among the first U.S. banks to raise its dividend in 2011. As the financial crisis peaked in 2008, the largest U.S. banks, including BB&T, slashed their dividends as part of the government's bailout aid requirements. The large U.S. banks will have to undergo another round of stress tests securing approval from the Federal Reserve to increase their dividends or buy back shares. In fact, all 19 banks that were subject to the stress tests in 2009 had submitted their capital plan to the Fed recently. All the 19 banks, including big names such as JPMorgan, Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC), Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) will have to demonstrate that they have adequate capital to address potential losses over the next two years under various scenarios. These are mainly a precautionary measure amid economic recovery. Also, CEO King said recently that the bank will not need to raise capital to comply with new industry requirements, known as the Basel III rules.

In terms of stock performance, BB&T Corp. shares are down nearly 3 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

Stocks In Focus: MNKD, WEN, CYTX

Shares of MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ: MNKD) slumped more than 43% in Thursday's pre-market trading after the company announced that it has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration regarding the New Drug Application for AFREZZA Inhalation Powder for the treatment of adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes for the control of hyperglycemia.

Shares of Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. (NYSE: WEN) surged more than 8% in pre-market trading after the company announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives for Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., including a sale of the brand. UBS Investment Bank is assisting in the process. Arby's is the second-largest quick-service sandwich chain in the U.S. with nearly 3,700 restaurants. Arby's restaurants specialize in slow roasted and freshly sliced roast beef sandwiches as well as Market Fresh(R) deli-style sandwiches, toasted subs and salads, all with the convenience of a drive-through.

Shares of Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYTX) rallied more than 6% in Thursday's pre-market trading after the company announced that it has received approval from The Netherlands to initiate a pivotal European trial, named ADVANCE, to investigate adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs), processed by the Celution(R) One System, in the treatment of patients with acute heart attacks. This is the first country and trial-center approval for ADVANCE. Additional country and trial-center approvals are anticipated throughout Europe during the first half of 2011. One of the goals of the trial is to expand the Celution System CE Mark to include acute heart attack claims and to provide economic data to justify its implementation and reimbursement.

Full Disclosure: None.

Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA): Q2 Earnings Preview 2011

Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA) is scheduled to release its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Thursday, January 20, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 68 cents per share on revenue of $158.30 million. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 62 cents per share on revenue of $133.32 million.

Synaptics Incorporated develops and supplies custom-designed human interface solutions that enable people to interact with various mobile computing, communications, entertainment, and other electronic devices.

In the preceding fiscal first-quarter, the Santa Clara, California-based company's net income was $18.70 million, or 52 cents per share, from $9.80 million, or 27 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 67 cents per share in the latest quarter. Revenue rose 28% to $153.19 million from $119.59 million. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of 65 cents per share on revenue of $152.72 million. 

At its last earnings call in October, the company said that it expects fiscal second-quarter revenue in the range of $154 million to $162 million, representing an increase of 16% to 22% over the comparable quarter last year.

Synaptics has been investing heavily in value engineering and material science, working with its partners to aggressively take costs out of capacitive Touchscreen in order to bring prices down and to fuel mass market adoption. It is entering a lot of interesting growth markets, including those for large-screen displays and TVs, tablet computers, and smarthphones. It's a wide play on a lot of growth markets where human-screen interfaces are becoming more important than ever. The market for touch-screen technology should rebound nicely in 2011 as new devices hit the market.

The company has done an excellent job of positioning itself as the leader in its niche industry. It is poised to benefit from a spurt in demand for consumer electronics based upon touch technology.

In terms of stock performance, Synaptics shares have gained nearly 4 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

Capital One Financial (NYSE: COF): Q4 Earnings Preview

Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Thursday, January 20, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of $1.27 per share on revenue of $3.87 billion. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 83 cents per share on revenue of $4.37 billion.

Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for the Capital One Bank (USA), National Association and Capital One, National Association, which provide various financial products and services to consumers, small businesses, and commercial clients in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

In the preceding third quarter, the McLean, Virginia-based company's net income was $803 million, or $1.76 per share, compared to $394 million, or 87 cents per share, in the comparable quarter last year. Revenue increased $4.016 billion from $3.558 billion. Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of $1.13 per share on revenue of $3.80 billion.

Capital One has benefited from an increase in retail spending and improved margins. Given the size of its bank, Capital One has the best funding profile of the credit card companies, which is expect to benefit margins and reduce its dependence on the capital markets. The company also reported a decline in delinquencies for the month of November and December 2010. A decline in delinquencies will have a direct impact on the provisions for losses which are expressed as a percent of total outstanding loans. 

However, recently passed regulations like the 12 cents limit per debit card transaction enforced by Federal Reserve last month could potentially limit its upside. On Thursday, analysts likely will ask for more details on the impact of financial and credit card regulation.

In terms of stock performance, COF shares have gained nearly 16 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

General Electric (NYSE: GE): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Friday, January 21, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 32 cents per share on revenue of $39.92 billion. In the year ago period, the company reported earnings of 28 cents cents per share on revenue of $41.44 billion.

General Electric Company (GE) operates as a technology, media, and financial services company worldwide. The Company’s products and services include aircraft engines, power generation, water processing, security technology, medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and industrial products.

In the preceding first quarter, the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company's net income was $2.06 billion, or 18 cents a share, from $2.49 billion, or 23 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. Earnings from continuing operations climbed to 29 cents per share from 22 cents a share in the year-ago quarter. Revenue dropped to $35.89 billion from $37.80 billion in the same quarter last year. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 27 cents per share on revenue of $37.67 billion.  The company said it was the first time in two years that it had seen growth in both equipment and service orders.

In December, GE said that it will take an after-tax charge of $500 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 to help pay for the second phase of the Hudson River dredging project in New York. However, the company said that it would be offset by "positive items, including a favorable tax settlement." GE expects its pending sale of 51% of NBC Universal to Comcast was to close early in 2011, yielding $6.4 billion in cash. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval.

At its last earnings call in October, the company said that it expects earnings growth in its financial-services business to continue. The company also anticipates industrial revenue in the fourth quarter to grow sequentially. In addition, the company said that it plans to continue capitalizing on complementary and financially attractive inorganic growth opportunities, opportunistic share repurchases and investing in innovation as part of its capital-allocation efforts.

GE has adopted strategic imperatives to strengthen its portfolio by building strong growth platforms and generating cash from low-return businesses. Its focus remains on accelerating organic growth and achieving technical and service excellence, while building enduring customer relationships around the world. As the economy chugs along, GE expects to see rising demand across its broad portfolio, from train locomotives to medical imaging devices, to LEDs. The company also anticipates strong international growth, especially in growing markets like China and India. All in all, GE estimates sales will rise up to 5% in 2011. And the company projects to have as much as $30 billion in cash by 2013. Last month, CEO Jeff Immelt Immelt said that GE Capital may be able to pay dividends to the parent company by 2012. 

In December, Immelt also said that the company would redeem the $3 billion in preferred shares held by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway in October 2011. The shares - which Berkshire purchased in October 2008 - have a hefty 10% coupon and while retiring the shares will cost GE a premium of $300 million, it will also save the company $75 million per quarter in interest payments.

GE is also pursuing a number of strategic acquisitions, focused primarily on power generation, specifically in offshore wind and solar power plants. Energy services has been one of GE's fastest growing divisions, partly because of acquisitions. GE has said it could spend up to $30 billion on takeovers in the coming years as Chief Executive Officer Jeff Immelt renews the company's focus on heavy manufacturing after reaching a deal to sell its media unit and deciding to scale back the GE Capital finance arm. 

Recently, GE announced that it will buy privately held Lineage Power Holdings Inc. in a deal worth $520 million to tap into the growth in data centres, electronic devices and telecommunications.Lineage Power produces equipment that converts electric power back and forth from alternating current, or AC, to direct current or DC. This kind of equipment is used both inside personal electronic devices like mobile phones and also to covert electricity from the grid or from generators to power computers inside data centres, telecommunication antennae and other electric industrial equipment. GE said Thursday the market for power conversion equipment is $20 billion and growing fast.The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter.

Last month, General Electric announced a $1.3 billion deal for U.K. energy-equipment group Wellstream Holdings PLC, as part of a move to boost the U.S. conglomerate’s presence in the oil-and-gas sector. GE said that the acquisition of Wellstream will broaden its Oil & Gas’ subsea production systems equipment and services capabilities. The deal will also allow GE to capitalize on growth in Brazil, Africa and Asia. The addition of Wellstream will particularly boost its presence in the fast-growing region of Brazil, where presalt oil-field discoveries have led to further opportunities for subsea exploration and production. GE said it can now extend its reach into floating production, storage and offloading offshore of oil and gas.

In October, General Electric announced that its GE Healthcare unit will acquire Clarient Inc. in a deal that values the cancer-diagnostics company at about $580 million.  

Recently, General Electric said that it plans to invest more than $2 billion through 2012 to boost research and development in China and fund new local joint ventures in areas such as technology and financial services. In a statement, the U.S. conglomerate's chairman and chief executive, Jeff Immelt, said the company will spend $500 million on improving its research and development operations and set up new customer innovation facilities in China. In addition, GE also pledged to invest more than $1.5 billion to fund new joint ventures with Chinese state-owned enterprises in key high-technology sectors.Early this month, GE signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the State Grid Corp. of China, the country's near-monopoly power distributor, and the Chinese Academy of Science to jointly develop smart grid standards. The three entities will cooperate in the standardization of technologies in areas including electric-vehicle charging and integration of large power-storage systems. 

In addition, the company won a $750 million contract to expand an electric power station in Andhra Pradesh, India, with gas turbines. "This will represent the largest gas turbine combined-cycle project in India's history and will help the country meet its continuing demand for reliable electricity to support its rapidly growing economy," the company said in a statement. India is the world's sixth largest consumer of energy, GE said, and its demand for natural gas has been climbing at about 6.5% a year for the last decade.

Among other developments, GE hiked its dividend  by 17% to 14 cents a share from 12 cents a share, citing a recovery at its GE Capital unit and strength in its various business units. The new dividend is payable Jan. 25 to shareowners of record as of Dec. 27. “We are able to increase the GE dividend for the second time this year because of continued strong cash generation, accelerated recovery at GE Capital and solid underlying performance in our industrial businesses through year-end 2010,” said CEO Immelt.

In terms of stock performance, GE shares have gained nearly 13% over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), owner of the world's most-popular online search engine, is scheduled to release fourth quarter earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday, January 20, 2011. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of $8.06 per share on revenue of $6.04 billion. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported earnings of $6.79 per share on revenue of $4.95 billion.

Google Inc., a technology company, maintains index of Websites and other online content for users, advertisers, Google network members, and other content providers. The company's innovations in web search and advertising have made its web site a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world.

In the preceding second quarter, the Mountain View, California-based company's net income was $2.17 billion, or $6.72 a share, compared to $1.64 billion, or $5.13 a share, in the year-earlier quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned $7.64 a share in the latest quarter. Revenue increased 23% to $5.5 billion from $5.94 billion.  Analysts, on average, expected the company to report earnings of $6.67 per share on revenue of $5.25 billion. Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of its AdSense partners, increased approximately 3% over the third quarter of 2009 and increased approximately 2% over the second quarter of 2010. Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of its AdSense partners, increased approximately 16% over the third quarter of 2009 and increased approximately 4% over the second quarter of 2010. 

Google is the undisputed market leader when it comes to web search. Google eads the search market with a share of around 68% while competitors Yahoo (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT) are way behind Google. 

Google is also pursuing an aggressive strategy in rapidly growing mobile advertising market. According to market research firm EMarketer, U.S. mobile advertising spending will grow 43 percent this year to $593 million from $416 million last year. Mobile ad spending is forecast by EMarketer to grow almost threefold more by 2013, reaching $1.56 billion. In mobile space, Google is taking on Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone with its Android operating system. Google has made its Android operating system software available on a variety of different mobile devices. Market Research company, comScore 's latest mobile subscriber market share report for the three month average period ending November 2010 indicates that Google's open source operating system, Android continues to increase its popularity in the United States. The market research firm said in a report that Android has a 26 percent market share in the U.S., snatching the second position after Research in Motion’s (NASDAQ: RIM) BlackBerry while Apple was relegated to the third spot with 25 percent market share. Google recently announced that there are now more than 300,000 Android phones activated every day. In November of 2009, Google held just 3.8% of the market. At recently held CES 2011, Google recently offered a preview of its newest tablet-friendly Android mobile operating system, Android 3.0, or Honeycomb,.

During the quarter in review, Google also unveiled a laptop powered by its Chrome operating software, a move that could pose a challenge to the dominant position held by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Apple Inc. n computer software. The first laptops will be first made by Acer Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Other manufacturers are also building devices running the software, Google said. The company said that the first laptops powered by the Chrome OS will be available for sale in the first half of 2011. 

Among other developments, Google and Myspace Inc., a division of News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS) announced a multi-year agreement to renew and expand their long-standing search and advertising relationship. Under the terms of the new agreement, Google would continue to power Myspace search and search advertising and would also provide additional display advertising services to enhance the rich entertainment content experience inherent on Myspace.

In terms of stock performance, Google shares have gained nearly 5 percent over the past year.

Full Disclosure: None.

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD): Q4 Earnings Preview 2010

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE: AMD) is scheduled to release fourth quarter earnings after the closing bell on Thursday, January 20, 2010. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 11 cents a share on revenue of $1.62 billion. In the year ago quarter, the company reported earnings of $1.52 per share on revenue of $1.65 billion.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., a semiconductor company, provides processing solutions for the computing, graphics, and consumer electronics markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

In the preceding third quarter, the Sunnyvale, California-based company's net loss was $118 million, or 17 cents a share, compared with a loss of $128 million, or 18 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 15 cents a share in the latest quarter. Revenue grew 16% to $1.62 billion from $1.4 billion. Analysts, on average, expect the company to report earnings of 6 cents per share on revenue of $1.61 billion. GAAP gross margin for the quarter improved to 46% from 42% a year ago, while non-GAAP gross margin rose to 46% from 38% last year. 

At its last earnings call in October, AMD said that it expects revenue to be approximately flat sequentially for the fourth quarter of 2010. 

The company has benefited from a rebound in semiconductor demand and Windows 7 PC upgrade cycle. Consumer spending may be down in developed markets but corporate markets have been strong and emerging markets like India and China have been picking up the slack. Recently, the Semiconductor Industry Association predicted that worldwide chip sales for 2010 would total $300.5 billion, an increase of 33 percent over 2009 sales. That's more than the group had predicted in June, when it forecast 2010 sales of $290.5 billion. 

Recently, AMD unveiled its much-anticipated low-power Fusion Accelerated Processing Unit chips for notebooks and desktops. The low-power Fusion APU loaded Tablets and embedded devices would be made available in the first quarter of this year. A Fusion APU comprises of x86 CPU crammed with GPU and dedicated Unified Video Decoder 3.0 HD video acceleration block for better video output. 

Among other developments, the chipmaker announced that starting the first fiscal quarter of 2011, the company will begin accounting for its investment in GlobalFoundries Inc. under the cost method and will no longer recognize any share of GlobalFoundries' net income (loss) in its statements of operations. Details regarding this change in accounting treatment will be provided during AMD's earnings conference call to report its financial results for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended December 25, 2010.

In terms of stock performance, AMD shares have lost nearly 10 percent over the past year. 

Full Disclosure: None.