Market Movers

Merrill May Buy a Piece of BlackRock

Google lower after bearish news story; Starbucks shares dip; plus more stocks in the news Monday

STORY TOOLS

Search for business contacts:

PREMIUM SEARCH
Search by job title, geography and build a list of executive contacts

Merrill Lynch (MER) is in talks to buy a stake in the money manager BlackRock (BLK) for $8 billion, in a deal that would create a $1 trillion fund-management colossus and transform the nation's largest retail brokerage firm, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Google (GOOG) shares were lower Monday after a Barron's article said the company's share price could well be cut in half over the next year; the story cited growing competition, mounting concern about click fraud. S&P keeps hold. UBS Financial reiterates neutral.

Starbucks (SBUX) shares fell after UBS Financial downgraded its recommendation to neutral from buy.

Vimpel Communications (VIP) The Russian telecom heavyweight confirms that it has sent in the past week an offer to both the Norgwegian telecom operator Telenor ASA (TELN) and Altimo (the telecom subsidiary of Alfa Group) to acquire 100% of their jointly owned Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar G.S.M. for $5 billion in Vimpelcom shares, plus debt assumption.

K&F Industries (KFI) posts 41 cents fourth quarter earnings per share (EPS) vs. breakeven on a 10% sales rise. It sees $1.22 to $1.27 2006 EPS on revenue growth of 4% to 6%.

Swisscom (SCM) posts 8 cents vs. 56 cents fourth quarter EPS as higher costs offset a 5% revenue rise. It expects to deliver high-single digit revenue growth and low-double digit EPS growth in 2006.

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) says operating revenue rose 8% for the three months ended Jan. 31, 2006. It continues to see first quarter EPS of $1.12 to $1.18 and in 2006 of $5.60 to $5.78.

Opsware (OPSW) announces a multimillion dollar worldwide distribution agreement with Cisco Systems (CSCO), whereby Cisco will distribute Opsware's Network Automation System under the Cisco Systems brand.

Syntel (SYNT) posted a breakeven fourth quarter vs. 26 cents earnings per share (EPS) as $12.3 million expense associated with repatriation of foreign earnings of its Syntel Ltd. foreign unit offset a 27% revenue rise. It sees $1.00 to $1.05 2006 EPS on $250 million to $260 million revenue.

China Medical Technologies (CMED) posted 42% higher third quarter net income on a 62% rise in revenue.

Chindex (CHDX) The Chinese healthcare provider posts 7 cents third quarter loss vs. 69 cents loss on a 22% revenue rise.

All of the views expressed in this research report accurately reflect the research analyst's personal views regarding any and all of the subject securities or issuers. No part of analyst compensation was, is or will be, directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this research report.
Standard & Poor's Regulatory Disclosure

Any advice, analysis, or recommendations contained in articles labeled "Insight from Standard & Poor's" reflect the views of Standard & Poor's, which operates separately from and independently of BusinessWeek Online. It is possible that BWOL may from time to time publish information that is not consistent with advice, analysis, or recommendations that are published by Standard & Poor's. Standard & Poor's and BusinessWeek Online are each units of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

READER COMMENTS

BW MALL SPONSORED LINKS

48HourPrint.com You'll order from us again and again. Great service, fast delivery.
Recruiting in the Finance Industry? Software for Recruiting, Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Performance Management, Job Postings & more
Sales Coaching: Learn From The Best; Be The Best! Read Richardson's sales coaching article to learn what is needed to create a sales coaching culture.
FxPro.com - FOREX Trade Forex, Stocks and Futures with flexible leverage up to 1:500 in MT4, low spreads from 1.8 pips
Study accredited UK postgraduate degrees Earn an industry focused accredited masters degree in 1 year full-time or 3 years online. Ranked 2nd in UK for employability by FT. Aberdeen Business School offers courses in business, information and law. We are based in the oil capital of Europe.

Buy a link now!

Get BusinessWeek directly on your desktop with our RSS feeds. XML

Add BusinessWeek news to your Web site with our headline feed.

Click to buy an e-print or reprint of a BusinessWeek or BusinessWeek Online story or video.

To subscribe online to BusinessWeek magazine, please click here.

Learn more, go to the BusinessWeekOnline home page