Kraft Still has a Sweet Tooth
Excerpt from the InvestorGuide.com Stock of the Day on 11/9/2009

With mergers and acquisitions, sometimes things start on good terms and other times things can quickly head south. The cut throat business world sparks a lot of determination in companies that really want something specific, whether it is another company or something else. Kraft Foods has had its eye set on Cadbury for a while and now the company has switched its strategy to try and close this deal. Kraft has launched a formal hostile takeover bid for Cadbury two months after the UK confectioner rejected its initial offer. What caused Kraft to switch its acquisition approach with the company? Will this hostile bid actually hurt or harm the company's chances? More >

Altria- a Smoke Signal of Distress or Success?
Excerpt from the InvestorGuide.com Stock of the Day on 10/21/2009

The smoking industry has faced a litany of challenges over the past two decades. The industry has seen everything from public smoking bans to cigarette taxes. These obstacles have certainly hit the tobacco companies hard, but the industry has yet to be knocked out. While some tobacco firms went down for the count, there were companies such as Altria (MO: Charts, News, Offers) that refused to throw in the towel. In fact, Altria has even managed to throw a few punches of its own. The largest U.S. tobacco company reported that its third quarter profit grew 1.7 percent while revenue increased 20 percent. How was Altria able to beat Wall Street predictions for the quarter? More >

Hasbro's 3Q Earnings Top Expectations
Excerpt from the InvestorGuide.com Stock of the Day on 10/19/2009

The holiday shopping season is quickly approaching and retailers will soon become the center of conversations on and off the street. Consumers will be discussing which stores have the best deals and investors will be paying attention to sales figures from retailers. Initial reports are suggesting that the figures will be slightly better than last year, but lackluster to say the least. These are valid predictions given the amount of Americans looking for jobs or working for less pay. The toy industry always looked forward to hoards of consumers flocking to stores to purchase the “hot” toys of the year for family and friends. Hasbro Inc., the world's second- largest toymaker, has already reported an increase in sales before the most popular shopping season. How was the company able to top expectations? Is this an indication that the same type of results will spill over into the fourth quarter? More >