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Stocks Rally On Mixed Volume As Yet Another Day Of Insane Volatility Comes To An End

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:43:00 GMT

Stocks had a very interesting day of wild volatility today as stock rose on mixed volume. However, IBD reports that volume was higher on both exchanges and thus the SP 500 is in an official FTD rally. I however have a problem with this as I do not have to be completely scientific about calling a move a FTD. Just like in October 2005 when everyone was refusing to believe in the rally that I was going long and making money in, I will be refusing to believe that this is a bottom simply because a FTD has been announced by IBD. The problem with this FTD is that the volume is not an extreme example of heavy accumulation. Without this huge accumulation in the indexes, it is impossible to say that funds are heavily accumulating shares. Instead it looks like more continued short-covering rally that is trying to squeeze the excesses out of the shorts. The other clear problem with today’s FTD is that, once again, on another FTD[More...]

Even If The Market Has Bottomed, It Is Way Too Early To Go Long Stocks; Lower Volume Shows Institutions Lack Faith In Bounce

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:55:00 GMT

We will see how this plays out but I have to tell you something it is pretty hard to have an up 11% day and yet have more UGLY charts than we had on Friday. But today did it. That was easily evidenced by my long scans which had almost the identical stocks in it as on Friday. Too bad the stocks, after today, look worse via BOP going from max green to yellow, the RS line moving lower, or the price action was just too V-ish. No matter what, something was wrong with EVERY long candidate.Now, I am not saying these looked great on Friday. But after the Friday close I had a lot more future long candidates than I did after today’s close. Those who are a Gold or Platinum subscriber can go to the forums and watch my part two to clearly see the longs scans in action. After going over that video you will be able to clearly see what is wrong. Remember, if you think these great big winners show up much later, you are wrong. During the 2002 lows, I had more stocks with[More...]

Without Capitulation Volume We Can Just Keep Selling Off

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:27:00 GMT

I am too tired to add anything new to the commentary that I have written the past few days as there is nothing else to say about this market except that is U G L Y!!!! I do want to show you what you NON-subscribers missed the past three months that those at BWT did not miss. So you think everybody lost money the past three months. NOT HERE. top shorts and total return since entering: POT 46% CEDC 29% APD 35% CAJ 25% CEO 28% OKE 33% ATHR 20% CYT 40% AMX 35% RIMM 44% MOS 60% AAPL 44% TITN 35% SBAC 50% CETV 52% GGB 55% SDA 63% SPW 58% HXM 52% Gold and Platinum subscribers can watch the 14 minute long Market Wrap Video on the forums or from the link in the chat room. The youtube free version will be posted later tomorrow. It will be broken up into two parts. Enjoy Gold and[More...]

The Bottom Callers And Confused Follow-Through Day Followers

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:31:00 GMT

I have a special place in my heart for bottom callers. I feel their pain even though I have never in my nearly 13 years of investing tried this game for more than a small moment. I have had mixed results using that methodology vs. the methodology that helped make me a lot of money in 1999, 2003-2006. 2007 was a grind but what a lot of people don’t seem to understand is that this bear market of 2008 is not CURRENTLY in a bullish uptrend.Some people have made comments that the market is in a “FTD” since the Nassy flashed a signal not too long ago. First of all, the volume that day was weak. Second of all, the price gain was weak. Third, the price did not retake the 50 day moving average which history has shown greatly increases the odds of a bull market starting. In a bear market the sad fact is that there will be a lot of bear market rallies that flash a FTD that do not and will not work. It happens. For those that understand and get this it is pretty easy[More...]

Big Drop In Oil And A Big Rise In The Dollar Ignites Another Bear Rally.

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:57:00 GMT

How do we know it is a bear rally? Easy. Volume. Volume would not be heavy on the selloffs and light on the rebounds like it has been if this was real institutional investors. Besides that I ask you, if you were a bank or a mutual fund, would you be buying stocks knowing what kind of macro environment we are coming upon? I would think not.The biggest surprise to Friday’s trading is the complete reversal of action from Thursday. After Thursday ran right into the 50 and 200 DMA resistance points on various indexes, it sure seemed like the trend was ready to push lower. But just when the market looks like it wants to breakdown, it breaks upwards. That is what markets due in bear markets. They do this to throw the shorts off. They make the longs and bears look bad until eventually both give up (like I have done a while ago). This is the right thing for the market to do. But the problem belongs with traders. Most will get frustrated and leave the game behind.[More...]

Medical Is Leading, And Innovative Tech Is Being Destroyed

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:27:00 GMT

Tech and bank stocks continue to receive no love, while the commodity stocks continue to top. The rotation, to me, is clearly going into medical and food stocks. I have listed a ton of stocks to be looking to get long and have gone long enough medical stocks that we have enough candidates to watch for possible buy points.However, this doesn’t mean you have to trade. If some of you have not learned from “How to Make Money in Stock” or “Reminiscences of a Stock Operator” that there are times to be long, times to be short, and times to stay away, like now, then I don’t know what to tell you. I am still getting too many questions about stocks from people that are clueless that they are fighting a major freaking battle. No FTD has ever succeeded for a real bull market rally that sent stocks up 1000% of points that did not see the FTD bust through the 50 DMA and the best take both the 50 and 200 DMA out. So the fact that our FTD was so weak and that we took the[More...]

History About Bear Market FOMC Meeting Rallies

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:21:00 GMT

I know that sounds super cautious but in this market a lot of people are quick to call this bear dead. That is my first clue that we are probably not dead. The second clue is that I clearly remember my biggest gains destroyed day during the first trading[More...]

No Bull Market Has Ever Started Without A FTD

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:54:00 GMT

This is one of those terms (FTD) that throw people for a loop when they here it. Most think that it means it is automatically time to go into the markets buying stocks. However, a FTD has to be accompanied by a few things to be a real FTD for me. First the selloff must lead into the FTD on low volume. We did not have low volume on the pullback this year. Second when I see a FTD the first thing I look for is the explosion in volume. How much volume was in on the FTD? Today, it was around a 16% to 18% increase in the indexes and while that is close to what I look for it was no where near the 20% increase in volume that I like to see. For a perfect example of what I am talking about go back to 2003 and take a look at that FTD. The volume was huge and the price gains were enormous following a lower volume selloff. We do not have that this time and the fact that medical stocks are still the only stocks leading has me still not convinced we have a real follow[More...]

Weekly Mergers and Acquisitions Report (07/14/2008 - 07/18/2008)

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:42:00 GMT

As widely reported and analyzed since yesterday (7/17), Commissioner Adelstein has issued a proposal to approve the companies' license transfer application contingent of significant concessions involving a six-year price cap on subscriptions[More...]

Weekly Mergers and Acquisitions Report - Jul 2 2008 9:38AM

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:33:15 GMT

Huntsman Corporation (HUN) - Hexion Specialty Chemicals, FTD Group, Inc. (FTD) - United Online, Inc. (UNTD), William Wrigley Jr. Co. (WWY) - Mars, Inc.[More...]

Give Your Heart Without Spending an Arm and a Leg: Creative Can Often Trump Expensive

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:50:00 GMT

Feb. 8--C an money buy you love this Valentine's Day in the midst of an eco nomic slump?
According to a National Retail Federation survey, people plan on spending an average of $102.50 on gifts and merchandise this Valentine's Day.
maybe spending a little less than what they've spent in past years," said David Myers, district manager for Things Remembered, a national chain specializing in personalized gifts with locations at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids and Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville.

[More...]

United Online Buys Ftd Merger: Deal Boosts Web Firm's Revenue Base to the Tune of $1 Billion.

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:53:00 GMT

The iconic Mercury Man on Tuesday joined United Online Inc. as the Woodland Hills-based company completed its $441 million acquisition of flower retailer FTD Group Inc.
Terms call for FTD stockholders to receive $307 million in cash and 12.3 million shares of United Online stock.
United Online will also assume $435 million in FTD debt and pay transaction expenses.

[More...]

United Online, Inc. Successfully Completes the Acquisition of FTD Group, Inc. For Approximately $754 Million; The Acquisition, Including the World-Class FTD and Interflora Brands, Significantly Diversifies United Online's Revenue Streams and Profitability

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:50:00 GMT

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Aug. 26, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD), a leading provider of consumer products and services over the Internet, today announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of FTD Group, Inc. ("FTD") for $10.15 in cash and 0.4087 of a share of United Online common stock for each share of FTD common stock, for a total value of $14.62 per share of FTD common stock based on United Online's closing stock price of $10.93 on August 26, 2008.
The total consideration to FTD stockholders will be approximately $441 million, consisting of approximately $307 million in cash and approximately 12.3 million shares of United Online common stock.
As a result of the transaction, former FTD stockholders own approximately 15% of United Online.

[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:20:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE: FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, today announced fourth quarter and fiscal year 2008 financial results for the period ended June 30, 2008.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Receives Stockholder Approval for Proposed Merger with United Online, Inc.

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:28:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE:FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, today announced that its stockholders, at a special meeting held today, voted to adopt the agreement and plan of merger among FTD, United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD), and UNOLA Corp., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of United Online. Shares voted in favor of the adoption of the agreement and plan of merger represented more than 79 percent of the total issued and outstanding shares of common stock of FTD.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Announces Receipt of Requisite Consents to Amend Indenture Relating to FTD, Inc.'s Senior Subordinated Notes

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:28:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE: FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, announced that, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Monday, August 11, 2008, tenders and consents representing approximately 97.6% of the $170,117,000 aggregate principal amount of outstanding 7.75% senior subordinated notes due 2014 of its wholly owned subsidiary FTD, Inc. (“FTDI”) had been received. FTDI has received the requisite consents from holders of the notes to effect certain amendments and waivers to the indenture governing such notes and has entered into a third supplemental indenture with respect to the notes, which, upon becoming operative upon FTDI’s acceptance of consents following the Expiration Date (as defined below), will eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain events of default and waive any and all defaults resulting from the consummation of the pending acquisition of FTD by United Online, Inc. (“UOL”) and the financing in connection with that acquisition. The obligations to accept for payment and to pay for the notes remain subject to certain conditions, including, among other things, the consummation of UOL’s acquisition of FTD.[More...]

FTD Named One of the Top 10 Hot 100 Retailers, According to the National Retail Federation's STORES Magazine

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:26:00 GMT

FTD Group Inc. , a leading floral and gift provider, today announced that it has been named one of the top 10 Hot 100 Retailers by the National Retail Federation's STORES Magazine. The 2008 Hot 100 Retailers list, to be released in the August issue of STORES magazine, highlights retail companies that reported the greatest year-over-year revenue percentage growth in 2007. All public companies with more than $100 million in sales were eligible for the list, which provides a definitive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing retailers. This is the third year for the Hot 100, which is sponsored by Alliance Data.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Announces Tender Offer and Consent Solicitation for All of FTD, Inc.'s Senior Subordinated Notes

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:24:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE: FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary FTD, Inc. (“FTDI”) commenced a cash tender offer for any and all of the $170,117,000 aggregate outstanding principal amount of FTDI’s 7.75% senior subordinated notes due 2014 (CUSIP No. 30265Q AB 5). In conjunction with the tender offer, noteholder consents are being solicited to effect certain amendments and waivers to the indenture governing the notes. The tender offer and the consent solicitation are being conducted in connection with the pending acquisition of FTD by United Online, Inc. (“UOL”). The closing of the acquisition of FTD remains subject to certain conditions, including FTD’s receipt of stockholder approval and UOL’s receipt of the proceeds of certain financing. The special meeting of FTD stockholders to consider and vote on the acquisition has been scheduled for August 25, 2008, and the acquisition is expected to close shortly thereafter. The tender offer is conditioned on, among other things, consummation of the acquisition.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Announces Date of Special Meeting

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:51:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE: FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, today announced that it will hold a special meeting of stockholders on Monday, August 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m., local time, at its principal executive office, 3113 Woodcreek Drive, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515. The purpose of the meeting is to consider and vote upon a proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 30, 2008, by and among FTD, United Online, Inc. and UNOLA Corp., as amended (Agreement and Plan of Merger). Stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 21, 2008 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Announces Increase in Cash Merger Consideration in Connection with United Online, Inc. Merger in Full Substitution of United Online Notes

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:40:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE:FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, today announced that it and United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD) have entered into an amendment to their previously announced merger agreement pursuant to which United Online has elected to exercise its right under the terms of the merger agreement related to United Online obtaining additional financing to increase the per share cash merger consideration payable to FTD’s stockholders by $2.81 in full substitution of the $3.31 principal amount of United Online 13% senior secured notes due 2013 (the “Notes”). United Online has received a commitment from Silicon Valley Bank to provide United Online, on the terms and subject to the conditions therein, a $60 million senior secured term loan facility to be used to fund a portion of the cash merger consideration. As a result, in accordance with the formula provided in the original merger agreement, FTD stockholders will receive a total of $10.15 in cash and 0.4087 of a share of United Online common stock (“United Online Stock”) in exchange for each share of FTD common stock in the merger, for a total value of $14.38 per share of FTD common stock, based on United Online’s closing stock price of $10.35 on July 16, 2008. In such case, the total consideration to FTD stockholders and option holders would be approximately $434 million, consisting of approximately $307 million in cash and approximately 12.35 million shares of United Online Stock.[More...]

FTD Group, Inc. Reports 12% Growth in Mother's Day Orders for the Domestic Consumer Segment - May 27 2008 1:31AM

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:37:00 GMT

FTD Group, Inc. (NYSE:FTD), a leading international provider of floral related products and services, today announced that its Domestic Consumer Segment experienced an increase of approximately 12% in orders delivered during the 2008 Mother’s Day holiday season (which is defined as April 28, 2008 through May 11, 2008) compared to the comparable period of the prior year (which was April 30, 2007 through May 13, 2007).[More...]