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The majority of the Form 4's have been 10b5-1 trading plan sells. They've sold lots of shares all last year as well.
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/rkus/insider-trades
Ok, the T Mobile Chief Executive has quite the way with words at his CES presentation.
"....On stage with a can of Red Bull in hand, Legere delivered snarky critiques of his competitors:
Verizon: ”I want to give them huge credit for standing up and saying our network is bloated and our speeds are too slow and we’re going to do something about it.” But people should be able to leave the network. “They lost sight of their customers because of their success and they took customers for granted.”
Family plans: “A family plan is nothing more than a contract on super-steroids with staggered dates, a complete life sentence.” Data caps have forced people in the family to think each other is the problem.
Sprint: “Sprint is a pile of spectrum waiting to be turned into a capability. Right now their network is completely horrible … They keep talking about pardon our dust while we redecorate.”
AT&T: “They take my [B.S.]… These are fat cats that can’t move. Why don’t they have the balls to answer the question” when asked about T-Mobile taking its customers.
Then Legere talked about how well T-Mobile has done in the fourth-quarter.
In the fourth quarter of 2012, T-Mobile lost 515,000 post-paid customers, he said. For the year we lost 2.1 million customers — “big hole, right?”
During this past fourth quarter, the company had 1.6 million net customer additions, up 60 percent, he said.
“Q4 was a complete knockout,” he said.
Through 2013, the company had 4.4 million new customers, making it the fastest-growing wireless company, he said.
Legere said other carriers will go crazy as T-Mobile continues growing.
“I’m going to love watching the peckers scream and cry and do everything they’re going to do because we’re going to win,” he said.
Talking about lower costs for customers on its network, Legere said that if every customer on Verizon, Sprint and AT&T shifted to T-Mobile “the savings would be $20 billion.”
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/brierdudley/2014/01/08/ces-2014-t-mobile-announces-uncarrier-move-4-0/
ASE, Micron rumored to set up joint venture fab in China
Mavis Hong, Taipei; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Tuesday 7 January 2014]
Rumors have circulated in the industry that IC packager Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and memory chipmaker Micron Technology will set up a joint venture fab in Xi'an, China. The fab reportedly will be mainly responsible for the packaging and testing of next-generation DRAM products produced by Micron.
A partnership with Micron would mean ASE's return to the DRAM backend business, according to market observers.
In response, ASE declined to comment on the speculation.
The possible tie-up between ASE and Micron would have a certain impact on the landscape of the DRAM backend market, and the relationships between Micron and its existing backend partners, the observers said.
Powertech Technology (PTI), Walton Advanced Engineering and ChipMOS Technologies provide Micron with backend services mainly for standard DRAM, mobile DRAM and NAND flash memory chips, the observers revealed. Micron also has ASE, Amkor Technology, Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) and STATS ChipPAC offer backend services for NOR and NAND flash parts, the observers said.
ASE phased out its DRAM backend business in late 2011, when it integrated subsidiary ASE Power Technology into its operations. ASE Power used to provide packaging and testing services to Powerchip Technology, but suffered huge losses since Powerchip turned its focus away from DRAM. ASE Power also sold its equipment to fellow backend companies PTI and Walton, before merging with its parent company.
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20140107PD205.html
New look on the website
http://www.hipcricket.com
Tegra K1 mobile processor...news out of CES
LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - Jan 5, 2014) - CES -- NVIDIA today unveiled the revolutionary Tegra® K1 mobile processor, a 192-core super chip featuring the same NVIDIA® Kepler™ architecture that powers the fastest GPU on the planet, the NVIDIA GeForce® GTX™ 780 Ti. For the first time, next-generation PC gaming will now be available on mobile platforms.
LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - Jan 6, 2014) - CES -- NVIDIA's new Tegra® K1 mobile processor will help self-driving cars advance from the realm of research into the mass market with its automotive-grade version of the same GPU that powers the world's 10 most energy-efficient supercomputers.
The first mobile processor to bring advanced computational capabilities to the car, the NVIDIA® Tegra K1 runs a variety of auto applications that had previously not been possible with such low power consumption.
-------------
The K1 has 192 graphics cores, or calculating engines, and four ARM cores. In addition, Nvidia says the chip runs Unreal Engine 4, a popular programming technology from Epic Games that is used in many PC games.
Boil it all down, and what can we expect? The images on mobile devices–particularly Android powered smartphones and tablets–are going to look a lot more engaging. Huang said the chip gives you “the horsepower of a gaming console in the palm of your hand.”
ROCK HILL, S.C., Jan. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced today the acquisition of Gentle Giant Studios, the leading provider of 3D modeling for the entertainment and toy industry. For over two decades, Gentle Giant Studios has led the development of state-of-the-art content using 3D scanning and modeling to develop and manufacture licensed 3D printed characters, toys and collectibles from a variety of franchise properties with global brand recognition, including Marvel, Disney, AMC's The Walking Dead, Avatar, Harry Potter and Star Wars.
3DS plans to immediately leverage Gentle Giant Studios technology and vast library of digital content into its consumer platform and extend its existing brand relationships to further the reach of 3D scanning, modeling and printing for entertainment, toys, collectibles, action figures in conjunction with numerous blockbuster films and evergreen licensed properties.
"Gentle Giant Studios catapults 3DS's consumer platform forward with highly curated, licensed characters, content publishing know-how and first-mover experience for the benefit of leading toy companies, movie studios and their merchandising divisions," said Avi Reichental, President and CEO, 3D Systems.
http://www.3dsystems.com/press-releases/3d-systems-acquires-gentle-giant-studios
Boise's Micron Technology was the second-biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 index in 2013 — a banner year for the U.S. stock market.
Shares of the memory-chip maker rose 243 percent, closing Tuesday at $21.75 — up 45 cents for the day.
That's lofty compared with the $1.68 low that Micron reached in 2008. But it's still only a fraction of the $90 peak Micron reached in 2000.
Investors this year bet that Micron, whose business has been plagued historically by excess capacity, will benefit from a consolidation in the industry that has set the stage for more stable prices. CEO Mark Durcan predicted in July that memory chips would become a "much, much better industry" after he completed the $2 billion purchase of Japan's Elpida Memory Inc. After two years of losses, Micron reported profits in its two previous quarters and is expected to be in the black again when it reports its latest earnings next Tuesday.
The stock market closed out a record year with more all-time highs on Tuesday, giving U.S. indexes their biggest annual gains in almost two decades.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/31/2951809/boises-micron-is-sp-500s-2nd-biggest.html#storylink=cpy
Revlis....true you've ordered two? Lol.....Happy New Year and thanks for all the up to date articles available on your site.
By YOUKYUNG LEE
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
SEOUL, South Korea —
Samsung said a 110-inch TV that has four times the resolution of standard high-definition TVs is going on sale for about $150,000 in South Korea.
The launch Monday of the giant television set reflects global TV makers' move toward ultra HD TVs, as manufacturing bigger TVs using OLED proves too costly.
Last year, Samsung and rival LG Electronics, the world's top two TV makers, touted OLED as the future of TV. OLED screens are ultrathin and can display images with enhanced clarity and deeper color saturation.
But Samsung and LG failed to make OLED TVs a mainstream that would replace the LCD television sets and still struggling to mass produce larger and affordable TVs with OLED. Meanwhile, Japanese media reported last week that Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. decided to end their OLED partnership.
Demand for U-HD TVs is expected to rise despite dearth of content while its price will likely come down faster than that of the OLED TVs. Much of the growth is forecast to come from China, a major market for the South Korean TV makers. Chinese TV makers have been making a push into the U-HD TV market as well.
According to NPD DisplaySearch, global sales of ultra-HD TV sets will surge from 1.3 million this year to 23 million in 2017. More than half of the shipments will be taken by Chinese companies between 2013 and 2017, according to NPD.
While Chinese TV makers have been seeking to boost sales of U-HD TVs with a lower price and a smaller size, Samsung's strategy is to go bigger with a higher price tag. Samsung's 110-inch U-HD TV measures 2.6 meters by 1.8 meters. It will be available in China, the Middle East and Europe. In South Korea, the TV is priced at 160 million won ($152,000) while prices in other countries vary.
Samsung said it received 10 orders for the latest premium TVs from the Middle East. Previously, the largest U-HD TV made by Samsung was 85-inch measured diagonally.
The ultra-HD TVs are also known as "4K" because they contain four times more pixels than an HD TV.
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022559576_apxtecskoreasamsungnewtv.html
From an article a few days ago:
Big data, big move for Micron with new processor
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/22/2939880/big-data-big-move-for-micron.html#storylink=cpy
For Micron, the processor is another avenue to develop specific products for specific purposes, as opposed to manufacturing and distributing generic memory chips - the key to the company's business for years. Memory chips are a commodity; Micron makes a profit by keeping production costs below sales costs. But that hasn't always happened in a market known for wild swings in supply and demand.
The Automata processor targets specific customers, much like the company's long-term relationship with car companies that sees it design specific memory chips for automobile systems - a move that gave the company increased margins.
Handy, the semiconductor analyst, said a prime customer for Micron's new processor could be the controversial National Security Administration, which gathers huge amounts of data - such as millions of phone calls - in need of analyzing.
Whoever the customers are, they will be getting a specialized product to fit their needs, said Shirley. That might mean Micron won't sell as many as it would memory chips, he said. But they would be of "much higher value and therefore more profitable."
(Note: "Micron's new processor hasn't left the company's property yet. Researchers are still finessing the device. By mid-2014, Micron hopes to make the Automata processor available to researchers, universities and companies to try on a limited basis.")
From another article:
"According to San Francisco CIO Marc Touitou, Ruckus is providing the City with 170 to 200 access points (APs), free of charge, a donation worth around $700,000. It will mount the 802.11n APs on traffic poles with fiber backbone connections providing dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz service to visitors. In areas where the fiber can't reach, Ruckus' SmartMesh Networking technology is being used to provide wireless connections between the APs."
http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/carrier-wifi/san-fran-taps-ruckus-to-unwire-its-outdoors/d/d-id/706966
Rambus and Micron Sign License Agreement
Date : 12/09/2013 @ 8:44PM
Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) and Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) today announced they have signed a broad patent cross license agreement. Under the agreement, Micron gains the right to use any Rambus patent for the manufacture of specified integrated circuit products, including any memory integrated circuit products. Certain of these memory products will enjoy a perpetual, paid-up license after the end of the initial term. The agreement requires quarterly royalty payments to Rambus over the next seven years capped at $10 million per quarter, with a rolling twelve-month cap fixed at $40 million, or $280 million during the initial term. In addition, Micron will have the option to extend the initial term of this agreement for additional renewal periods. As part of this agreement, the two companies have settled all outstanding patent and antitrust claims, and the agreement covers both Micron and Elpida products. Other terms and details of the agreement are confidential.
“This milestone agreement puts years of legal disputes behind both companies and opens doors for future cooperation,” said Dr. Ron Black, president and chief executive officer at Rambus. “We continue to focus on developing innovative technology and furthering our more open, collaborative relationship with the broader industry.”
Nice 'after the bell news' today.
"December 9, 2013--Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ:CMTL) announced today that its Board of Directors has raised its annual target dividend from $1.10 per share to $1.20 per share and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share, payable on February 19, 2014, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 17, 2014. The dividend is the Company’s fourteenth consecutive quarterly dividend and represents an increase of 9.1% from the previous quarterly dividend paid on November 19, 2013. Future dividends will be subject to Board approval."
Micron's sterling year apparent in stock analysis
The Boise company is beating more glamorous Nasdaq names, such as Netflix and Tesla, the car maker.
BY CHARLES STEIN AND IAN KING
BLOOMBERG NEWSDecember 4, 2013 Updated 11 hours ago
SAN FRANCISCO - Micron Technology Inc. has been around for 35 years, competes in the shrinking market for memory chips that go into personal computers, and has lost $1.65 billion since fiscal 2007.
But this year, according to the Bloomberg Riskless Return Ranking, it is as good as it gets.
Micron's success has attracted hedge fund managers, including David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital and Seth Klarman of Baupost Group.
The investors are betting that Micron, whose business has been plagued historically by excess capacity, will benefit from a consolidation in the industry that has set the stage for more stable prices. CEO Mark Durcan predicted in July that memory chips would become a "much, much better industry" after he completed the $2 billion purchase of Japan's Elpida Memory Inc.
"Investors aren't coming in because they see significant growth," said Suji De Silva, a New York-based analyst with Topeka Capital Markets Inc. "What is far more important is the possibility of stable supply and firmer prices."
Einhorn, in a Nov. 21 presentation, said the memory industry was making the transition from a horrible business to just a bad business, according to a person who listened to his talk at the Robin Hood Investors Conference in New York.
Jonathan Gasthalter, a spokesman for Einhorn, declined to comment on the presentation.
Micron, the largest U.S. maker of memory chips, produced a risk-adjusted return of 6.3 percent through Dec. 3 this year, combining the third-highest absolute return in the Nasdaq 100 with higher-than-average volatility. The index is dominated by technology firms.
Tesla, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based electric car company, ranked second, combining for a risk-adjusted gain of 4.6 percent.
Netflix, the world's largest subscription streaming service, gained an adjusted 4.5 percent, third in the ranking. Netflix, based in Los Gatos, Calif., had the second-highest total return in the index and the second- highest volatility.
Bloomberg's risk-adjusted return is calculated by dividing total return by volatility or the degree of daily price-swing variation, giving a measure of income per unit risk. The returns aren't annualized.
After Micron more than tripled in 2013, some investors are betting the best might be over. Short interest in the stock hit 8.2 percent of shares outstanding on Nov. 21, the highest since 2011, and up from a record low of 0.9 percent in January, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and Markit, a London- based provider of financial information services.
Bearish bets against the stock were 6.7 percent as of Nov. 29, which compares with a 2.7 percent average for companies in the Nasdaq 100.
"Some investors are thinking it's been a fabulous party but here comes the hangover," said Betsy Van Hees, a San Francisco- based analyst with Wedbush Securities.
THE BAD TIMES
Investing in Micron hasn't always been rewarding. Like many technology companies, it has yet to approach the highs reached during the peak of the dot-com bubble. After rising as high as $96.56 in 2000, it traded as low as $1.69 in 2008.
The memory industry has a poor record of matching production with short-term swings in demand for personal computers, resulting in supply gluts and plummeting prices. Micron reported a net loss in four of the past seven fiscal years.
Similar losses have thinned out the ranks of companies willing to take the risk of investing billions of dollars in new production facilities. Many have followed the example of Texas Instruments Inc. and Intel Corp., which exited. Others, such as Germany's Qimonda AG and Elpida, failed.
The last Japanese maker of computer-memory chips, Elpida sought bankruptcy protection last year after losses left it unable to pay its debts. Micron acquired the company in July, roughly doubling its share of the global market for DRAM, or dynamic random access memory, the most widely used memory chips in PCs. South Korea's Samsung Electronics is the world's largest DRAM maker.
EINHORN'S EYE
Einhorn, who bet against Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. before its 2008 collapse, has likened Micron to Seagate Technology PLC, a disk-drive maker whose shares soared in 2012 as that industry consolidated. Einhorn acquired shares of Dublin-based Seagate in the first quarter of 2011 and exited his stake in the second quarter of 2013, regulatory filings show. Seagate more than tripled between March 31, 2011, and June 28, 2013.
Greenlight, Einhorn's hedge-fund firm, bought 23 million shares of Micron valued at $402 million in the third quarter.
Klarman, whose Boston-based firm had assets of about $29 billion as of mid-September, added 22.5 million shares of Micron in the quarter, boosting his holdings to 64 million shares and making Micron his largest U.S. stock position.
Klarman is a bargain hunter who wrote the preface to the sixth edition of "Security Analysis," a 1934 book by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd that is considered the bible of value investing.
Viking Global Investors LP, the hedge fund firm run by O. Andreas Halvorsen, added 29.9 million Micron shares in the quarter, bringing its total stake to 37.3 million shares.
Doug Freedman, a San Francisco-based analyst for RBC Capital Markets, said the uncertainty about the future of personal computers will remain an issue, even as the memory industry reins in supply. "You still have the ability to mess up a market," he said.
PC MARKET
Worldwide PC shipments fell in the third quarter, reaching their lowest level for the period since 2008, market researcher Gartner Inc. said in October.
Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel, the world's largest maker of semiconductors, said in a November investor meeting that the PC market is beginning to see signs of stabilization.
In October, Micron reported sales for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Aug. 29 that exceeded analysts' estimates, as higher average prices for chips helped make up for lackluster demand for personal computers. Revenue rose 45 percent to $2.84 billion, compared with the $2.7 billion average estimate of 15 analysts in a Bloomberg survey.
Revenue from DRAM products rose 50 percent from the previous period, Micron said, buoyed by a 42 percent gain in sales volume and a 5 percent jump in average selling prices. Micron also makes so-called Nand flash memory, the chips that store information in mobile phones.
Durcan sounded optimistic in July.
"I believe that Micron, to a greater extent than ever before, controls its own destiny," he said. Acknowledging a volatile history, he said, "This business is clearly not for the faint of heart."
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/04/2908886/microns-sterling-year-apparent.html#storylink=cpy
Guidance
Methode has raised its full-year Fiscal 2014 sales guidance to a range of $720 to $750 million and earnings per share guidance to a range of $1.70 to $1.90. This replaces the Company's previous sales guidance of $670 to $700 million and earnings per share guidance of $1.40 to $1.60. The guidance ranges for Fiscal 2014 are based upon management's current expectations regarding a variety of factors and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the following significant factors and assumptions considered by management in preparing this guidance:
the launch of significant awards previously announced and the corresponding sales volumes and timing thereof for certain makes and models of automobiles, trucks and SUVs for Fiscal 2014;
the uncertainty of the European economy;
foreign exchange gains or losses;
an effective tax rate below ten percent, and no significant changes in tax valuation allowances;
compensation expense related to tandem cash awards; and
no unusual or one-time items.
Micron’s good times: Soaring stock tells a success story
BY BILL ROBERTS
broberts@idahostatesman.comNovember 28, 2013
Going up
Shares of Micron Technology Inc. have climbed past $20, the highest price since 2002 and up about 200 percent from the beginning of the year.
What happened?
There were three events: Micron’s purchase of Japanese memory chipmaker Elpida Memory Inc. in July; rising chip prices; and niggling concern about a memory chip shortage, said Dave Petso, a Boise financial planner who follows Micron.
Sweet, Sweet Elpida deal
When Micron first considered buying Elpida, in 2009, it was chancy. The chip market was weak. As the $2.5 billion deal came to closing, chip prices improved, lifting the value of bankrupt Elpida’s inventory. As the same time, the Yen fell. “It turned out to be brilliant beyond belief,” Petso said. “Elpida became a legendary steal.”
Growing market
The Elpida purchase doubled Micron’s share of the world memory chip marto 26 percent in one quarter, said Mike Howard, a semiconductor analyst with IHS iSuppli. Micron increased that share without increasing the size of the overall market. “They are making a fantastic margin on all of that extra 13 percent,” Howard said.
Buddy, can you spare a chip?
As demand stays strong, or even grows, the market is stabilizing. There aren’t a bunch of new companies building expensive memory fabrication plants to crank out chips. For some memory chip purchasers, that leaves a concern about a looming shortage. “It’s a psychological pricing game,” said Howard. “That kind of looming potential keeps pricing in check.”
Look who noticed
Micron’s good fortune has drawn the attention of longer-term investors such as hedge fund Greenlight Capital Inc, which recently announced that it had bought 23 million shares for a total of $402 million. These kinds of funds aren’t in it for the short term or to pick up a dividend, Petso said: “They are thinking the next three years look great.”
Rebounding stock
Historically, Micron stock prices has swung wildly. They briefly hit $90 a share in July 2000, then tumbled. Petso remembers prices at $1.65. The stock traded at about $7.95 a share when Chairman and CEO Steve Appleton was killed in a plane crash in February 2012.
Wednesday's closing
Micron ended at $21.17, up 86 cents for the day. The stock hit its 52-week high of $21.19 during the trading day.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/11/28/2897064/microns-good-times-soaring-stock.html#storylink=cpy
Great run...you've done well with SPWR.
Sadly, I've only been watching since $22 !
IdaCorp Raises Dividend 13%
By Rich Duprey
October 17, 2013
Idaho electric utility IdaCorp (NYSE: IDA ) announced today its third-quarter dividend of $0.43 per share, a 13% increase over the payout made to investors last quarter of $0.38 per share. The new higher payout to investors was announced last month.
The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on December 2 to holders of record at the close of business on November 6. The regular dividend payment equates to a $1.72-per-share annual dividend, yielding 3.4% based on the closing price today of IdaCorp's stock.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/10/17/idacorp-raises-dividend-1.aspx
Oct 18 (Reuters) - Power company NRG Energy Inc said on Friday it would pay $2.64 billion to acquire the assets of bankrupt unregulated power producer Edison Mission Energy, adding nearly 8,000 megawatts of coal, gas and wind generation to its business.
NRG's stock closed up 4.8 percent at $29.30 following the announcement. It reached $30.17 earlier in the session, its highest level since 2008.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nrg-buy-edison-mission-energy-192701477.html
Hmmm...sort of like how great it worked out with Ron Johnson at JC Penney.
"...But Johnson didn’t even consider a staged roll-out. He immediately rejected everything existing customers believed about the chain and stuffed it in their faces."
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/ron-johnson-jcpenney-anatomy-retail-failure-114635276.html
Where is three column the standard? You should have several sites to name.....name three, please...you know, ones we've heard of. Thanks.
You should desire to be the industry standard...not follow it, which by the way , show me where three column posts are "the standard".
Imo, you guys have screwed this format up, big time.
Yup....here's some about the financing:
"On October 4, 2013, Hipcricket, Inc. ("we" or "us") closed a $9.6 million financing transaction with 13 investors, each of whom is an "accredited investor" within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The terms and conditions of the financing are set forth in the Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of October 3, 2013, between the Company and the investors. The investors purchased units of our securities at $0.40 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of our common stock and a warrant to purchase 0.3 shares of our common stock. An aggregate of 23,875,000 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase up to 7,162,500 shares of our common stock were purchased in the financing. The warrants have a five year term and an exercise price of $0.60 per share."
Revenue Growth Accelerates 23% While Decreasing Operating Expenses 30%; Completes a $9.6 Million Capital Raise
http://app.quotemedia.com/quotetools/newsStoryPopup.go?storyId=63133599&topic=HIPP&symbology=null&cp=null&webmasterId=98005
KIRKLAND, WA--(Marketwired - Oct 8, 2013) - Hipcricket®, Inc. (OTCBB: HIPP) (OTCQB: HIPP), the one-stop mobile advertising and marketing company, announces its operating results for the second quarter ended August 31, 2013.
Second Quarter Highlights
•Increased second quarter revenue 23% to $7.6 million from $6.2 million in the same period last year.
•Secured significant new customer relationships with Google and Mondelez International and expanded relationship with MGM International.
•Increased average annual revenue per customer 46% to approximately $105,000 from $72,000 on a trailing twelve month basis.
•Completed a $9.6 million financing subsequent to the end of the quarter, setting foundation for accelerating future growth.
Ivan Braiker, CEO of Hipcricket, commented, "We achieved accelerated year-over-year growth in the second quarter, compared to the first quarter of this year and the same quarter one year ago. We believe that improving market conditions, better company execution, and changing the corporate name to Hipcricket, Inc. as well as centralizing leadership in our Kirkland headquarters, puts us in an optimal position to continue this growth trend for the rest of the year. We have secured significant new customer relationships, most recently being contracted by Mondelez International and Google to build mobile websites for multiple global brands. Our expanded sales team is growing our pipeline, getting deeper into sales cycles, and closing business faster. Over the balance of the year, we will work to increase the number of brands we are working with and the number of products being used by our existing customers. We also will seek to add new clients to our existing base, which now includes 26 of the Fortune 100 companies. As we head into the end of the year, we decided now was an opportune point in our development as a company to secure additional funding for investment in our future."
Outlook
For the full fiscal year 2014 Hipcricket reiterates previous guidance that it expects revenue to be in the range of $34.0 - $35.4 million.
Second Quarter Financial Results
Revenue for second quarter of fiscal 2014 increased to $7.6 million, from $6.2 million for second quarter of fiscal 2013, an increase of 23%.
Operating expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 were $7.6 million compared to $10.9 million in second quarter of fiscal 2013. Non-GAAP operating expenses, defined as total operating expenses adjusted for non-cash charges for second quarter fiscal 2014 decreased to $5.5 million from $7.8 million for second quarter fiscal 2013.
Net loss for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 was $3.4 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss of $2.3 million, or $0.02 per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2013. Excluding non-cash charges and benefits, the non-GAAP loss for second quarter fiscal 2014 was $1.3 million compared with $4.1 million for second quarter fiscal 2013.
As of August 31, 2013, backlog decreased 1% to $18.7 million from $18.9 million compared to August 31, 2012.
Second quarter bookings (the dollar value of contracts signed during the second quarter) were $7.9 million, level with the same period last year.
Cash and cash equivalents as of August 31, 2013 were $360,000 with borrowings on our revolving credit facility of $1.7 million and an additional $1.7 million available under that facility.
Operating results and non-cash charges are shown below, including reconciliation of net loss to non-GAAP financial measurements noted above.
Funding
On October 4, 2013 Hipcricket closed a $9.6 million financing transaction. The investors purchased units of our securities at $0.40 per unit. Each unit consisted of one share of our common stock and a warrant to purchase 30% of one share of common stock. The warrants have a term of 5 years and have an exercise price of $0.60. An aggregate of 23.9 million shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase up to 7.2 million shares of our common stock were purchased in the financing.
Non-GAAP information and reconciliation to comparable GAAP financial measures (unaudited):
This press release includes financial measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the SEC. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. We supplement our GAAP disclosures with Non-GAAP Operating Expenses and Non-GAAP Earnings (Losses). These amounts exclude non-cash items including share-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization (including impairment charges), and acquisition related contingent consideration (including fair value adjustments and deferred income tax benefits). The following table reconciles Non-GAAP Operating Expenses and Non-GAAP Earnings (Losses) to the comparable GAAP measures (Unaudited):
Adobe Says Hackers Stole Source Code, 2.9M Custoers’ Info
By Jordan Robertson - Oct 3, 2013 7:51 PM MT
Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE), the biggest maker of graphic-design software, said hackers broke into its networks and stole personal data on 2.9 million customers and source code for popular products including Acrobat and ColdFusion.
The customer information includes names and encrypted credit- and debit-card numbers, and Adobe is notifying victims and resetting the passwords for affected accounts on its website, Brad Arkin, chief security officer, wrote today in a blog post. The San Jose, California-based company doesn’t believe the hackers got access to decrypted card numbers, Arkin wrote.
While there are established procedures for consumers to fight financial fraud after a data breach -- primarily contacting banks and placing fraud alerts on credit reports -- the theft of source code presents a more vexing challenge for technology companies. In a separate blog post, Arkin wrote that Adobe believes the same hackers may have stolen code for Adobe Acrobat, ColdFusion, ColdFusion Builder and other products.
Such thefts potentially open the door for hacking attacks on Adobe customers, as source code can allow hackers to identify previously unknown weaknesses in the software and deliver specially crafted attacks. Adobe isn’t aware of any “zero-day” attacks targeting its products based on the theft, Arkin wrote. The term refers to attacks that begin before companies know the vulnerabilities in their products exist.
Adobe didn’t specify whether the code was for the latest versions of the software, which would amplify the threat of hacking attacks.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-04/adobe-says-hackers-stole-source-code-2-9m-custoers-info.html
Tesla stock tumbles after Model S catches fire in Kent, WA
Shares of electric car company Tesla sank more than 6 percent Wednesday after an Internet video showed flames spewing from one of the company's vehicles as it traveled through Kent. Read article
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reader_feedback/public/display.php?thread=914540&direction=DESC&column=rating&offset=0#post_5110818
(Comments on the article: "I heard the car had a bumper sticker that said "My other car is a Boeing 787".
And, this one:
"What a brilliant way to make a pile of money..... short Telsa stock to the hilt on Tuesday before the market closes, then go out and start your Telsa vehicle on fire Wed morning..... close your short out Wed afternoon.")
Rumors that Ford CEO Alan Mulally could replace Steve Ballmer as Microsoft CEO are heating up again.
All Things D, citing sources close to the situation, reports Mulally has moved to the front of the list of candidates.
Mulally, 68, said earlier this month that he was not leaving Ford, the company he helped save from the brink of bankruptcy. But sources say Mulally has become more interested in the Microsoft job in recent weeks.
Mulally’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2014, but the board of directors at Ford reportedly is willing to let him step down early. The company recently named Americas President Mark Fields as chief operating officer, grooming him to succeed Mulally.
Mulally was the former CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the former resident of Kansas started in 1969 as a youg aerospace engineer out of college. By the 1990s he was heading up Boeing's 777 program that expanded Boeing's use of high tech systems and materials. The 777 was Boeing's first plane designed on a computer, the first Boeing jet to use fly by wire technology on board, involving more computers. The plane made extensive use of plastic and carbon composites in the tail. The new 787 would push those technology even more, another program that Mulally was deeply involved with.
But Mullaly may be best known for his ability to communicate. During development of the 777, Mulally helped break down institutional walls within Boeing. They called it Working Together.
http://www.nwcn.com/news/business/Alan-Mulally-Microsoft-CEO-rumors-225534042.html
Sept 24 | Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:12am EDT
(Reuters) - Private-equity firms KKR & Co LP and Sycamore Partners are aiming to buy retailer Jones Group as soon as this week, the New York Post reported, citing sources.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/jonesgroup-kkr-idUSL4N0HK21T20130924
BlackBerry Plans to Cut 4,500 Jobs
OTTAWA — BlackBerry, the embattled smartphone maker, said on Friday that it would lay off 4,500 employees and that it would report a quarterly loss between $950 million and $995 million next week. The layoffs will eliminate about 40 percent of the company’s worldwide workforce.
The loss is mainly the result of a write-off of unsold BlackBerry phones, as well as $72 million in restructuring charges. The company said that it would discontinue two of the six phones it now offers.
It’s the latest setback for BlackBerry, which was once a leader in the smartphone market.
This summer BlackBerry announced that it was undertaking a strategic review, which could lead to a sale of the company. A new operating system and phones that were introduced this year failed to revive the company after meeting with consumer indifference.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/technology/blackberry-plans-to-cut-4500-jobs.html?_r=0
BOISE, Idaho, Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IDACORP, Inc. (NYSE: IDA) announced today the approval by the IDACORP Board of Directors of an increase to IDACORP's quarterly common stock dividend.
At its meeting on September 19, 2013, the IDACORP Board of Directors approved a 13.2 percent increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend on IDACORP's common stock to $0.43 per share. At the new rate, the dividend on an annualized basis is $1.72 per share. The next quarterly dividend at the new rate is payable December 2, 2013 to IDACORP shareholders of record on November 6, 2013.
"Based on IDACORP's current estimates for earnings and cash flow, assuming the company meets those estimates and depending on other factors influencing dividend decisions, IDACORP's management anticipates recommending to the IDACORP Board of Directors additional annual increases to the quarterly common stock dividend of greater than five percent, with the next recommended increase by September 2014. Management anticipates recommending these increases until the dividend reaches the upper end of the target dividend payout ratio of between 50 and 60 percent of sustainable IDACORP earnings," stated IDACORP President and Chief Executive Officer and Idaho Power Chief Executive Officer J. LaMont Keen.
Benefitfocus becomes next hot cloud software IPO, soars 102% in market debut
9/18/13 Analyst IPO Blog
Benefitfocus, which provides a cloud-based platform for employee benefits management, soared nearly 102% in its market debut on Wednesday, sliding into third place for best first-day return in 2013, behind Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) and Noodles & Company (NDLS). The company raised $131 million after pricing at $26.50, well above its original range of $21.50 to $24.50. Benefitfocus has also earned the title of best first-day gain for a technology company in 2013, and joins three other enterprise software IPOs (MKTO, DATA, and CVT) on 2013's list of top ten first-day performances.
Nvidia unveiled the Tegra Note reference tablet on Wednesday, which showcases a 7-inch design powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 4 processor for just $199. The only catch is that the Tegra Note is a reference device – you won’t actually be able to buy it under that name.
Instead, the Tegra Note is a reference for Nvidia’s Kai platform that will be sold under different names and brands. Hardware partners in North America include EVGA and PNY. These are somewhat interesting choices, as EVGA primarily makes graphics cards and PNY works in memory. Unlike the Nvidia shield, you won’t be seeing the Tegra Note sold as an Nvidia-branded device. Rather, it will come to market as EVGA, PNY, or perhaps another manufacturer Nvidia brings into the fold.
http://gigaom.com/2013/09/18/nvidia-unveils-7-inch-199-tegra-note-reference-tablet/
FireEye increases range to $15 to $17, proposed IPO deal size now $224 million
9/17/13
FireEye, which provides virtual machine-based IT security software to enterprises and governments, raised the proposed deal size for its upcoming IPO on Tuesday. The Milpitas, CA-based company now plans to raise $224 million by offering 14.0 million shares at a price range of $15 to $17. The company had previously filed to offer 14.0 million shares at a range of $12 to $14. At the midpoint of the revised range, FireEye would raise 23% greater proceeds than previously anticipated.
FireEye, which was founded in 2004 and booked $115 million in sales for the 12 months ended June 30, 2013, plans to list on the NASDAQ under the symbol FEYE. FireEye initially filed confidentially on May 14, 2013. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Barclays, BofA Merrill Lynch and UBS Investment Bank are the joint bookrunners on the deal. It is expected to price during the week of September 16, 2013.
http://www.renaissancecapital.com/ipohome/news/FireEye-increases-range-to-$15-to-$17-proposed-IPO-deal-size-now-$224-milli-15918.html
September 13, 2013 7:07 P
Calif. turns to Mojave Desert for new era of green energy
(CBS News) MOJAVE DESERT -- From a distance it looks like a shimmering blue lake in the bleak Mojave Desert. But that mirage is really a mirror - 170,000 of them. They're called heliostats.
"The total project will power 140,000 California homes, so one way to look at it is one heliostat powers one home," says Tom Doyle, the CEO of NRG, the company heading this massive solar project.
"In fact, this is the largest concentrated solar thermal project in the world," Doyle said.
Conventional solar panels capture the sun's energy. These mirrors reflect it onto a 450-foot tall tower. Inside is a boiler which then heats to 1,000 degrees. Water is turned into steam that powers a turbine and creates electricity, which will likely be sent to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Doyle says the project is displacing 400,000 tons per year of C02 by using solar energy in lieu of fossil fuel capacity.
The solar installation will help towards California's goal of getting one third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. But it's not cheap - this project cost $2.2 billion. It's privately funded by several companies including Google, which invested $168 million. The project is backed by a $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee and they lease the land from the government.
The land was also home to the desert tortoise, a protected species. It cost the project's backers $22 million to hire biologists, purchase conservation land and relocate about 200 tortoises into pens on the property. But they feel it's worth it because this type of solar plant could eventually be replicated in the desert Southwest and in the Middle East.
"So it's happening, it's real, and this really is today's technology from an energy perspective," Doyle said.
Technology that's no longer elusive even if it appears to be an illusion.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57602940/calif-turns-to-mojave-desert-for-new-era-of-green-energy/
Twitter files for long-awaited IPO
SAN FRANCISCO -- The most anticipated Silicon Valley initial public offering since Facebook is in the pipeline: San Francisco-based Twitter announced Thursday that it has privately filed for its first public sale of shares.
Bloomberg News reported that Goldman Sachs would be the lead underwriter for the offering, based on an unnamed source.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24081539/twitter-files-ipo
ZTE Grand Memo Handset to Be First 4G Smartphone Sold in China
By Bloomberg News - Sep 9, 2013 12:00 AM MT
ZTE Corp. (000063), the world’s fifth-largest smartphone maker, said it was the first company to receive regulatory approval in China to sell a handset for fourth-generation network service.
The company’s Grand Memo handset was approved by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to run on the 4G TD-LTE network standard, Shenzhen-based ZTE said in an e-mailed statement today. The statement didn’t say when the device, which runs Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)’s Tegra3 processor, will go on sale.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-09/zte-grand-memo-handset-to-be-first-4g-smartphone-sold-in-china.html?cmpid=yhoo
Xiaomi Corp., the smartphone maker that outsells Apple Inc. (AAPL) in China, has turned profitable for the first time as market-share gains put the company on pace to almost triple handset sales this year.
Sales in the first half more than doubled to 13.2 billion yuan ($2.16 billion), and may rise to 28 billion yuan for the full year, from 12.6 billion yuan for all of last year, President Bin Lin said in an interview at the company’s headquarters in Beijing yesterday. Handset sales may jump to 20 million units, from 7.19 million last year, he said. He didn’t supply a figure for profit.
The three-year-old company, which was valued at $10 billion in its latest round of funding, is expanding product offerings after selling handsets priced at about a third of the cost of Apple’s iPhone 5 in China. Xiaomi, which on Sept. 5 said it will sell Internet-ready televisions, will focus on developing new devices and has no plans to sell shares to the public in the next five years, founder and Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun said.
“Xiaomi wants to spread very fast and become a dominant player,” said Jeongwen Chiang, chairman of the marketing department at the Shanghai campus of the China Europe International Business School. “The China market is very price-sensitive. Xiaomi can sell millions of handsets because they offer real value for the money.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-06/xiaomi-turns-profit-as-sales-of-iphone-beating-handset-to-triple.html?cmpid=yhoo
NVIDIA today announced that the NVIDIA® Tegra® 4 mobile processor is powering the Xiaomi Mi3, which was unveiled in a major press event in Beijing.
Delivering superb gaming and lightning-fast web browsing, the flagship phone represents the first collaboration between NVIDIA and Xiaomi, one of China's most innovative mobile device companies. The Mi3 will launch on China Mobile, the world's largest carrier, in October.
The Mi3 is the first phone powered by Tegra 4 -- the world's fastest mobile processor. It combines premium specs and features with all-day battery life. In addition to Tegra 4, it includes a 5-inch 1080p full HD display with 441ppi, 2GB RAM and up to 64GB of storage. The Tegra 4 processor offers record levels of performance and battery life with its 72-core NVIDIA GeForce® GPU, quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 and fifth battery-saver CPU core, also based on Cortex-A15.
http://ih.advfn.com/p.php?pid=nmona&article=59095676
Jury decides in Microsoft’s favor in patent battle with Motorola
Posted by Janet I. Tu
September 4, 2013 at 4:04 PM
The jury in a Microsoft-Motorola patent trial has decided in Microsoft’s favor, saying that Motorola breached its agreements to provide licenses to certain of its patents on fair and reasonable terms.
The jury, which deliberated for about three hours, awarded Microsoft about $15 million in damages — about half of what Microsoft had sought but also far less than what Motorola had originally asked for, according to Microsoft’s calculations.
Microsoft provided a statement, saying: “This is a landmark win for all who want products that are affordable and work well together. The jury’s verdict is the latest in a growing list of decisions by regulators and courts telling Google to stop abusing patents.”
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/microsoftpri0/2013/09/04/microsoft-motorola-patent-case-now-in-jurys-hands/
Methode Electronics, Inc. Reports Fiscal 2014 First-Quarter Earnings per Share Improved to 36¢ From 10¢ Year Over Year
Consolidated Sales Grow 40.9 Percent and Gross Margins Improve to 20.3 Percent; Increases Fiscal 2014 Sales and EPS Guidance
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/methode-electronics-inc-reports-fiscal-103000619.html
NEW YORK — Biotech drugmaker Amgen will buy cancer drug maker Onyx Pharmaceuticals for about $10.4 billion in cash in a deal that will add several cancer drugs to Amgen's stable and add to its pipeline of new drugs.
Amgen Inc. said Sunday it will acquire Onyx for $125 per share, and it expects to complete the deal at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The companies value the deal at $9.7 billion excluding Onyx's cash, and Amgen said it will use $8.1 billion in committed bank loans to finance the deal.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/25/2725110/amgen-may-buy-cancer-drug-maker.html#storylink=cpy