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USG Earnings and Conference Call Notes - Feb 11 2009 11:47PM

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:30:00 GMT

Building materials manufacturer USG reported earnings about two weeks back, and the recent posting of the conference call transcript makes this an opportune time to catch up since the notes I put out from USG’s earnings last quarter. Although average realized wallboard prices continue to improve, volumes and utilization rates continue to fall. USG’s capacity use rate during the 4th quarter was just 51%. [More...]

China and the Baltic Dry Index - What's Really Going On?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:13:00 GMT

I'd like to write a comprehensive entry about the recent love for all things China and commodities in the past few days. (warning if you are not interested in China, global growth, commodities, or dry bulk shipping please move along to the next post, pass Go, and collect $200 now) Before I begin let me throw a few disclaimers out there: (a) I could be wrong (b) it doesn't matter what I think, as long as enough people "believe" anything can happen to stock prices in the short run - perception is reality on Wall Street and (c) ironically, I am arguing against myself. Let me delve into (c) a bit ... unlike most of the punditry who take a very narcissistic view of "USA! USA! USA!" I was never on the bandwagon of "first in, first out" i.e. "the United States got into this mess first, so therefore it will emerge first". In fact I touted that as [More...]

Cemex: Solid Play On Infrastructure

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:47:00 GMT

"I think we have bottomed in some sectors, including commodities and materials," explains Glenn Rogers. In Internet Wealth Builder, he says, "President-elect Obama will pour hundreds of billions into projects. The Chinese and the Europeans have also committed huge amounts to infrastructure." To play this trend, he looks at [More...]

Energy Investment Opportunities: Why 28 Million Customers Need These Upgrades

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:27:00 GMT

Energy Investment Opportunities: Why 28 Million Customers Need These Upgrades by David Fessler, Advisory Panelist, Investment U Friday, November 21, 2008: Issue #890 This week, we’re continuing our investigation of Obama’s “New Energy for America” plan. This comprehensive document details the President-elect’s roadmap for energy independence. (You can read the plan in its entirety here.) Under the Obama administration, I expect there to be many profitable energy investment opportunities under what will likely be a very “green-friendly” four- or possibly eight-year timeframe. Many of the opportunities will arise from his focus on energy independence and corresponding energy infrastructure. Reducing energy[More...]

Confusion Reigns With Deflation-Inflation Conundrum

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:24:00 GMT

The following article was written by George Athanassakos, professor of finance and Ben Graham Chair in Value Investing at the Richard Ivey School of Business. The global financial market is a confusing place these days. A battle is raging between concern about deflation in the near term and inflation in the longer term. As a wave of pessimism about capitalism sweeps around the world, investors are searching for reassurance from monetary authorities that this time they won't overreact in their bid to defeat deflation and unwittingly create a more severe problem in the future. Here is the conundrum in the balance between deflation and inflation. There is a lot of money to go around and high levels of liquidity. Money supply (M1) has been rising at a rate of close to 9 per cent over the past year in Canada, compared[More...]

USG Earnings And Conference Call Notes - Nov 2 2008 4:26PM

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:20:00 GMT

When I was creating my fall outlook in September during the calm before the storm (oh, the days of the S&P 500 above 1,200), one of the more alarming quotes I included was the following from Alan Mullaly, CEO of Ford (F): “Not only is the U.S. in a recession, but the rest of the world is slowing down… I’ve never seen anything quite like it… We think we’re going to be relatively flat through 2009 and we don’t see[More...]

DuPont : Science and Technology

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:59:00 GMT

"Broad-based chemical, agriculture, and 'science technology' company DuPont (NYSE: DD) is about as 'blue chip' as companies get," says Bill Martin.[More...]

U.S. Gypsum, Speculate With A Necessity

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:58:00 GMT

Although I have made very good money in real estate this year, especially in rentals and apartment renovations that have come to banks via foreclosures, I understand the reluctance of investors to get back on board with securities that represent companies[More...]

Analyst Comments: Toyota, Best Buy, LDK Solar, Beacon Roofing, Acusphere, Gerdau, Deere, AXA Group

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:11:00 GMT

In 2009 first quarter, Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) reported diluted earnings per ADR of $2.14 compared to $2.94 in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Net revenues decreased 4.7% year over year to $5.92 billion. The company attributes the decrease in revenues to soaring raw material prices and exchange rates fluctuations. Consolidated vehicle sales for the quarter amounted to 2.19 million units, an increase of 24,000 units compared with the same period of fiscal 2008. The company continues to expand its production capacity in a manner that increases efficiency and meets local demand and simultaneously powering it to emerge as the world?s financially strongest automaker. A strong presence in North America has been further consolidated by gaining market share from the leading U.S. automakers. Moreover, the company also has a strong cash flow and a[More...]

Few Thoughts and a Look at the Earnings in the Coming Week

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:15:00 GMT

WITH RESPECT TO THE US’ GDP GROWTH, THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH SEES A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN ECONOMIC ACTITIVY SPREAD ACROSS THE ECONOMY, WHICH WILL LAST MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS - WSJ - According to Robert Hall, economist at Stanford University, US economic data that has been reported provide (...)[More...]

Fire Razes Furr's Lumber Yard: Lack of Hydrant, Large Water Line Hampered Firefighting Efforts

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:47:00 GMT

Oct. 17--A 53-year-old family business went up in flames early Friday morning when the main shop and storage building at Furr's Building Materials was burned to the ground.
The Mineral Wells Fire Department and the Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department, as well as volunteers from Cool-Garner, Adell-Whitt, Millsap, Graford and Palo Pinto, responded to the fire in the 3500 block of U.S. Highway 281 North about 5 a.m. Friday.
Weatherford College also sent a transport tanker equipped for firefighting to help.

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Equity Group Buying Oregon-Based Lumber Wholesaler

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:47:00 GMT

Aug. 6--North Pacific Group, Inc., one of the nation's largest wholesale distributors of wood products, has signed a letter of intent to sell all of its stock to a private equity firm.
The company, headquartered in Tigard, did not name the buyer Thursday, stating only that it was "nationally recognized."
The sale, subject to a number of consents, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2009, said company spokeswoman Monique Bauer, who declined to release further details.

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Yuba Construction Plant Shutting Down

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:47:00 GMT

Jan. 6--About 70 workers at Kbi Norcal on Rancho Road In south Yuba County are slated to lose their jobs in the next few months, according to an announcement Monday from the lumber and wall panel plant's parent company, Building Materials Holding Corporation.
BMHC executives, who transferred the company's headquarters last week from San Francisco to Boise, Idaho, have said they will shut down the Rancho Road plant some time during the first quarter of 2009.
The job losses come on the heels of an announcement in November that Shoei Foods Corp. of Japan, which owns a prune-packing plant on Feather River Boulevard, plans to shut down and move its operations into the Sunsweet plant in Yuba City.

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TNB Looking at Several Middle East Projects

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:47:00 GMT

NATIONAL utility Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is looking at a few power-related projects in the Middle East, its president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said.
"We are currently looking at a few power-related projects in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia," he said.
He said the Middle East is a good area to expand into as there is a large demand for electricity there, adding that the region is also probably the least affected by the current global credit crisis.

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Suit Alleges Construction Workers Underpaid

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:54:00 GMT

Construction workers in Nevada, California and Arizona were underpaid for at least the past four years, according to allegations in a federal lawsuit against a large residential construction company and its subsidiaries.
The Laborers' International Union of North America announced the lawsuit against Building Materials Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries, including SelectBuild, at Tuesday news conferences in Los Angeles, Phoenix and at the Lloyd George U.S. Courthouse in Las Vegas.
The 14 plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for the lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles.

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She Finds Story Behind Old Items: Style Archaeologist Collects Vintage Clothing, Accessories

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:51:00 GMT

Aug. 30--EVERYTHING HAS A STORY -- every purse, every doorknob, every paper fan.
Alexa McColl Smith makes it her mission to uncover those stories.
Her business cards read: "Alexa McColl Smith, Style Archaeologist."

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AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Manufacturing and Industry Briefs - Aug 4 2008 3:55PM

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:50:00 GMT

Aug. 4--BUILDING MATERIALS PRICES TO GO 5 PERCENT UP: Danube Building Materials FZCO said that prices of building materials will rise by approximately 5 percent during the 3rd quarter due to record oil prices, rising freight overheads and strong demand in the GCC. Steel has hit steep prices, which has doubled since January at $700 per ton and reaching $1,500 per ton in July.
Wood products such as timber and film-faced plywood have also gone up by at least 25 percent during the past three months.
GE WINS $500M EMAL CONTRACT: GE Energy has won the contract worth more than $500m to supply equipment to power Emirates Aluminum (Emal) production facility, located near Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi.

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Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada - Trading Halt - Bear Lake Gold Ltd. - BLG

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:48:00 GMT

VANCOUVER, July 17 /CNW/ - The following issues have been halted by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC): Issuer Name: Bear Lake Gold Ltd.[More...]

BMHC Plans Move to OTC Trading

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:05:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today announced it is in the process of moving the trading of its common stock to the OTC Bulletin Board ("OTCBB").
The anticipated move to OTC trading is the result of the Company no longer meeting the minimum market capitalization standard of the New York Stock Exchange.
We expect a number of market participants to make a market in our stock in the OTC system and that our investors will be able to continue trading BMHC shares."

[More...]

BMHC to Report Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results on November 6, 2008

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:27:00 GMT

Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, will release third quarter 2008 financial results at market close on Thursday, November 6, 2008.[More...]

BMHC Statement Regarding NYSE Listing Standards

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:09:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today announced that it is not in compliance with the continued listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") because the thirty-trading- day average closing price of the Company's common stock was less than $1.00.
The Company intends to cure the deficiency, and will remain in communication with the NYSE throughout the process.
In addition, the Company noted that delisting would not affect the Company's business operations and does not change its SEC reporting requirements.

[More...]

BMHC Announces Successful Amendment of Its $540 Million Secured Credit Facility

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:52:00 GMT

Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today announced that it has successfully negotiated and completed an amendment to its $540 million secured credit facility. The amended facility continues to provide for a $200 million revolving line of credit and a $340 million term loan maturing in November 2011. As of September 29, 2008, there was $29 million outstanding on the revolver and $340 million outstanding under the term loan. Wells Fargo Bank and J.P. Morgan Securities acted as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers and Wells Fargo Bank served as Administrative Agent for the transaction. For additional information, please refer to our related SEC filing on Form 8-K, which will be available through our website later today.[More...]

BMC West Receives 2008 'Partners Of Choice Award' From David Weekley Homes

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:25:00 GMT

Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today announced that its BMC West operations have been recognized by David Weekley Homes, the largest for-profit privately-held homebuilder in the United States, by receiving the prestigious "Partners of Choice Award" for providing world-class service. Receiving an "A" in Service, BMC West is one of only 16 companies to be recognized this year by David Weekley Homes out of a total field of approximately 150 suppliers. The award is based on David Weekley's "National Trading Partner Survey" in which approximately 1,000 of its team members are surveyed and asked to evaluate trading partners in both quality and service. The comprehensive survey solicits input from all levels of David Weekley Homes' organization, across the country. Award winners must maintain an "A" rating for the previous 12 months.[More...]

BMHC Announces Second Quarter 2008 Financial Results

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:10:00 GMT

Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today reported sales for the second quarter of 2008 decreased 41% to $385 million from $656 million in the same quarter a year ago. For the six months ended June 30, 2008, sales decreased 38% to $728 million from $1.2 billion in the same period of 2007.[More...]

Standard & Poor's Announces Changes to U.S. Indices - 13-08-08

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:30:00 GMT

Standard & Poor's will make the following changes to the S&P 500 and S&P SmallCap 600 indices:[More...]

BMHC Obtains Waiver From Lenders

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:48:00 GMT

Building Materials Holding Corporation , a leading provider of building materials and construction services to professional residential builders and contractors, today announced that it has obtained a temporary waiver of certain conditions to borrowing under its credit facility. The waiver allows the Company to borrow up to $60 million, through September 30th, while it works to finalize a permanent amendment to the credit facility.[More...]

Lender Group Represented by Jones Day Forms to Review Senior Credit Agreement Discussions with Building Materials Holding Corporation

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:26:00 GMT

In connection with the current lender discussions with Building Materials Holding Corporation ("BHMC")(NYSE:BLG)(CUSIP:120113105) as referred to in BHMC's press release dated July 29, 2008, a group of lenders with respect to BHMC's $340 million term loan has formed in order to discuss matters of mutual interest based on publicly available information. Other term lenders interested in participating in the discussions should contact the group's counsel, Greg Gordon at Jones Day at 214-969-3759. An unrestricted conference call will be scheduled Friday morning (August 8) for all term lenders who contact Jones Day.[More...]

Form 4/A BUILDING MATERIALS HOLDI For: Jul 16 Filed by: REITEN RICHARD G (10K)

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:34:00 GMT

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Form 4 REITEN RICHARD G For: Oct 08 (10K)

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:19:00 GMT

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Form 4 MORRISON R SCOTT JR For: Aug 26 (10K)

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:58:00 GMT

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Form 4 BUILDING MATERIALS HOLDI For: Jun 05 Filed by: WILSON STANLEY M (10K)

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:28:00 GMT

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