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Summary of Jana Partners 13F: Aetna, Expedia and Kinder Morgan All Raised Among Others

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:24:18 -0400

Barry Rosenstein's JANA Partners released its 13F for Q1 Wednesday. Value of fund increased from $3.5 billion to $4.8 billion.

(All units are in millions of shares)

Raised:

• Aetna (NYSE: AET) from 2.6 to 3.8

• Agrium (NYSE: AGU) from 9.4 to 11.2

• Big Lots (NYSE: BIG)

Autoliv Introduces Stereo Vision Sensing – Analyst Blog

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:40:01 -0400

Autoliv, the pioneer in automotive safety systems, announced the development of a Stereo Vision Sensing system.

Johnson Controls Hits 52-Week High – Analyst Blog

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:25:01 -0400

Shares of Johnson Controls started escalating following its impressive guidance.

Meritor Remains Neutral – Analyst Blog

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:10:01 -0400

On May 13, we maintained our Neutral recommendation on Meritor

Magna Earnings Beat Estimate – Analyst Blog

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:01 -0400

Magna reported earnings per share of $1.57 in the first quarter of 2013, up 7.5% from $1.46 in the year-ago quarter

General Motors Stays Neutral – Analyst Blog

Fri, 10 May 2013 17:10:01 -0400

On May 9, we maintained our Neutral recommendation on General Motors Company

Cooper Tire Earnings More than Double – Analyst Blog

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:01 -0400

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company reported earnings of 87 cents per share in the first quarter of 2013 that more than doubled from 34 cents in the prior-year quarter

American Axle Upgraded to Neutral – Analyst Blog

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:15:01 -0400

On May 7, we upgraded American Axle and Manufacturing to Neutral

Earnings Scheduled For May 9, 2013

Thu, 09 May 2013 04:02:55 -0400

Agrium (NYSE: AGU) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.08 per share per share on revenue of $3.47 billion.

Cablevision Systems (NYSE: CVC) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $1.64 billion.

Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH)

General Motors Purchases Factory One – Analyst Blog

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:40:01 -0400

General Motors signed an agreement to purchase the original Durant-Dort Carriage Co. facility in Flint, Mich.

American Axle’s 1Q Earnings Plunge – Analyst Blog

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:56:01 -0400

American Axle's revenues reflect the adverse impact of roughly $12.5 million related to the labor strike at General Motors

GM Beats but Earnings Down 28% – Analyst Blog

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:29:01 -0400

Revenues in the quarter slid 2.4% to $36.9 billion, despite a 3.6% rise in retail unit sales.

Tenneco Earnings Beat Estimates – Analyst Blog

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:12:01 -0400

Tenneco reported a 9.1% increase in adjusted earnings per share to 72 cents in the first quarter of 2013

Lear Earnings Fall but Beat Estimates – Analyst Blog

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:58:01 -0400

Lear posted a 5.8% fall in adjusted earnings per share to $1.30 in the first quarter of 2013

Goodyear Earnings Beat but Revenues Fall – Analyst Blog

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:48:01 -0400

Goodyear's earnings per share exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 15 cents during the quarter

Asia and North America Drive Ford Earnings – Analyst Blog

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:16:01 -0400

The improvement in revenues and earnings was mainly attributable to Ford's strong performance in North America and Asia Pacific Africa

Johnson Controls EPS Falls but Meets Est – Analyst Blog

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:52:01 -0400

Johnson Controls posted a 23.6% decline in adjusted earnings to 42 cents per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2013

Goodyear Downgraded to Underperform – Analyst Blog

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:40:01 -0400

On Apr 14, we downgraded Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Tenneco to Support Chevy Malibu Production – Analyst Blog

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:30:01 -0400

Tenneco announced that its ride performance and clean air technologies will be deployed in 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Eco sedan

GM Recalls Buick Encores – Analyst Blog

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:40:01 -0400

General Motors has informed that the steering wheel in the vehicles could come loose

Ford Boosts 3-Wet Paint Capacity – Analyst Blog

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:20:01 -0400

Ford is set to add its industry-leading 3-Wet paint processes in 4 more plants in the U.S, China and Spain

General Motors Plans Next-Gen EV – Analyst Blog

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:30:01 -0400

General Motors is planning to manufacture the next-generation electric vehicles in South Korea to boost the stalling vehicle technology

Ford Recalls for Fuel Tank Leak – Analyst Blog

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:40:01 -0400

Ford manufactured the recalled vehicles at its Chicago assembly plant

Tesla Charges Up on Model S Sales – Analyst Blog

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:01 -0400

The news sent the stock to 52-week high of $46.68 on Apr 1

Navistar to Offer Senior Notes – Analyst Blog

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:00:01 -0400

Navistar announced its intention to offer $300 million of 8.25% worth of senior notes scheduled to mature in 2021

Genuine Parts Hits New 52-Week High – Analyst Blog

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:06:01 -0400

Genuine Parts has undertaken various initiatives to boost sales and earnings

Magna Stays Neutral – Analyst Blog

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:00:01 -0400

On Mar 26, we maintained our Neutral recommendation on Magna

Magna Hits New 52-Week High – Analyst Blog

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:30:01 -0400

Shares of Magna have been escalating following its impressive fourth quarter results.

Bull of the Day: Visteon (VC) – Bull of the Day

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:00:01 -0400

Bull of the Day: Visteon (VC) - Bull of the Day

GM Unveils 2014 Buick LaCrosse – Analyst Blog

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:09:01 -0400

General Motors showcased the redesigned 2014 Buick LaCrosse at the New York International Auto show

Lear Reaches 52-Week High – Analyst Blog

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:22:01 -0400

During 2012, Lear repurchased 5.4 million shares for $223 million

Magna Hits 52-Week High – Analyst Blog

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:40:01 -0400

Magna expects higher sales in 2013

The technologies that will save us from the “mobile data crunch”

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:00:22 -0400

The mobile explosion has meant an exponential growth in data use – and punishing traffic to our cellular networks. In the eyes of VCs, that mobile misfortune spells opportunity.

“In The Studio,” FLOODGATE’S Mike Maples Maintains An Outsider Mindset Despite His Valley Successes

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:00:03 -0500

"In the Studio" welcomes a co-founder of a company which went public, a native Texan who studied engineering in Silicon Valley and business on the east coast, and who, upon returning to the Valley to begin investing, encountered a different path than he originally anticipated.

Earnings Scheduled For February 28, 2013

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 04:36:03 -0500

Best Buy Co (NYSE: BBY) is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $1.53 per share on revenue of $16.32 billion.

ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $1.08 per share on revenue of $240.43 million.

Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) is projected

Hunter Walk Leaves Google After 9 Years To Start VC Firm With Satya Patel Called Homebrew

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:52:03 -0500

Earlier today, CNNMoney broke the news that well-known Googler/YouTuber Hunter Walk and former Googler Satya Patel would be starting a new VC firm called Homebrew. What wasn’t known was whether Walk would be leaving Google to pursue Homebrew full time, but he has confirmed that to be the case. The last time that we spoke with Walk, he was passionately explaining all of the things he gets to work on with the YouTube For Good team, which was a team that I didn’t know existed. It consisted of people with all types of skill-sets, including forward-thinkers and leaders like Walk, who would help out non-profits and organizations with spreading their message and raising awareness for their programs using YouTube. In a blog post, which is the email that Walk sent to his colleagues at Google, he thanked those who brought him into the company and gave a glimpse into the Google culture that you hear from those who have “re-entered the mainstream” after leaving the Mountain View company: After nine years, two months it’s time for me to figure out how to make lunch for myself. Yup, I’m leaving Google and it’s my year-old daughter’s fault. You see, when I look at her I think about the values my wife and I want to instill. Among the most important is the belief that you should pursue all your dreams, think big, lean into your fears and keep building. The best way for me to teach this is by example, so I need to step away from Google’s comfort. No next adventure to announce yet – this is about feeling there’s more for me to do, but also knowing I need some space to figure it out. Google has changed my life. The chance to work with so many smart and creative people – thank you for letting me learn from you. There’s no university in the world which could have supplied equal education. Because of my time at Google I truly look at the world in a different way, one of problems waiting to be solved rather than insurmountable obstacles or indelible truths. I’m especially appreciative of Joan Braddi, Susan Wojcicki, Chad Hurley and Salar Kamangar – leaders who took me into their teams and, when it was time, encouraged me to find new challenges. Selfless, intelligent and loyal to Google. While being inside of Google is special, passing through

Ask A VC: Foundation Capital’s Anamitra Banerji Talks About Twitter Ads, Becoming A VC And More

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:48:42 -0500

For this week's Ask A VC episode, we sat down with Foundation Capital's newest partner Anamitra Banerji, who was just promoted from entrepreneur in residence to investment partner at the firm. We chatted about Banerji's decision to become a VC vs. founding a startup, and how being an entrepreneur in residence helped him come to that decision.

Participating In Hackathons Is the Best Way To Become Pitch Perfect For VCs

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:02:10 -0500

The proliferation of organized “hackathons” has been a big story over the past few years. Quite a few developers that I’m friends with see them as a way to keep themselves sharp on their own products and ideas, especially when a different company is the one putting the event on. I recently attended, and judged, a Foursquare hackathon in San Francisco, and saw about twenty presentations from some pros and beginners alike. It was a really fun event, and usually the participants hack away on an idea, or series of ideas, over a twenty-four hour period. During the hacking, teams are built, careers can be made, and new features and companies can be found if people are paying close enough attention. At the Foursquare hackathon, where the participants hacked away on Foursquare’s API, as well as some other sponsors’, I found the things you’d expect at a hackathon – stickers, beer, pizza and geeks. After attending quite a few of these hackathons in San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, Mexico and Israel, I’ve found that this is a great testing ground to get ready for pitching VCs for the product you want to spend all of your time working on. Most of the projects that get presented aren’t ready for prime-time, but facing judges and an audience with a five minute presentation is a great way to sharpen your pitch skills. Some of these things might seem obvious, but they can serve as a reminder for you. Have something finished There are only so many hours in a day, and a hackathon. Sometimes, you don’t get your project finished, and you go ahead and present anyway. That’s pretty cool, but it’s a good idea to focus on having something finished. Even if you have to divert from your original idea, showing something that works is putting your best foot forward. If there are recruiters at the hackathon, they want to see nimble teams that can move and shake in any situation. Simply “running out of time” isn’t an excuse, it’s a hackathon after all, so hack your way through the stumbling blocks. Even if you don’t win, you’ll show your peers that you can get shit done. At the Foursquare hackathon, there were a few teams that said that they didn’t realize how hard their idea was until the first few hours of hacking on it. When you say

Visteon Announces Deal to Consolidate Worldwide Climate Operations Under 70%-Owned Affiliate Halla Climate Control

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:26:24 -0500

Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) and its longtime Korean affiliate Halla Climate Control Corp. (HCC) today announced they have signed a definitive agreement to contribute most of Visteon's automotive climate business to HCC for a purchase price of $410 million in cash (KRW 436 billion), subject to certain adjustments. The transaction, first outlined in

Visteon Confirms Agreement to Consolidate Visteon Climate Operations into Halla

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 06:14:16 -0500

Visteon (NYSE: VC) confirmed today that the board of directors of its Korean affiliate Halla Climate Control Corp. (HCC) has approved a definitive agreement to consolidate most of Visteon's automotive climate business into HCC. Approval of the agreement by Visteon's board of directors and entry into the final

The secret algorithm one VC firm uses to pick entrepreneurs

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 13:30:18 -0500

Every VC firm has its own way of evaluating potential investments. Remmy Oxley, an anonymous VC, says that Moneyball-style methods are the next step, and reveals his firm's algorithm for screening candidates.

Trustpilot takes €10 million to help consumers rate etailers

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 06:16:01 -0500

The Danish firm has been building a platform for consumers to review independent online retailers. Now it wants to break America. But does Trustpilot need to work hard on improving its own visibility, or just syndicate its reviews to Google?

Trustpilot takes €10 million to help consumers rate etailers

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 06:16:01 -0500

Apple VP backs payment platform Cleeng to break U.S.

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 07:35:35 -0500

Another vendor hoping to provide a paid content mechanism to online publishers is raising money from backers including Apple's former overseas lieutenant.

Open-source video’s Kaltura takes $25 million to go to Asia

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 05:05:54 -0500

In an Asian video market that's growing fast and dominated by Vietnam, online software vendor Kaltura will open up efforts with a $25 million investment.

After Flipboard and Tumblr, Chernin bets on YouTube video boom

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 04:24:21 -0500

Online video is hot. So the media vehicle run by News Corp's former COO is now investing in Base 79, a company that populates online video channels and apps for content owners.

App-focused VC fund Vision+ reveals first investments

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 02:00:45 -0500

The fund, backed by Microsoft and Nokia, invests in products rather than startups. Early takeup is promising, with Vision+ putting money into three new top-level domains and a fistful of games.

Big earnings Thursday: Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, AIG

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:57:15 -0400

Thursday’s earnings calendar includes a pair of blue chips as well as some newcomer and upstarts.

Nordic news publisher Schibsted buying in to ebook service Riidr

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:46:57 -0400

Scandinavian newspaper publisher Schibsted is keeping up its efforts to diversify and attract user payments by investing in a regional ebook service.

Italian publishers’ online ad firm financed to develop new formats

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:48:37 -0400

The exclusive provider of ad services to a host of Italian online publishers is taking on money to fund development of new ad formats.