Lots of Activity at NTL This Week

NTL (NTLI) has traded up steadily this week, extending its gains since it announced it was going to purchase Virgin Mobile. The Virgin deal is still being negotiated and I expect it to be completed, however, this week’s gains are due to more rumblings that private equity funds are interested in buying NTL after it […]

Yahoo: New Buy For Client Accounts

With cash building in client accounts as winning trades were being harvested, I have been looking for a new idea to add to portfolios. I’ve picked up the hunt for a new idea because I believe the recent resting period for the broader market averages will give way to one more move upwards in 2005. […]

Trimming Central European Media Enterprises

I was so busy last week at the UBS Media Conference that I failed to get up a post informing clients that I trimmed positions in Central European Media Enterprises (CETV). I’ve had a long-standing target of low $60s based on 2006 estimates so when the stock first broke through $59 last week, I cut […]

Disney’s Movie Studio Suddenly Looking Good

The only presentation I heard from Disney (DIS) at last week’s UBS Media Conference came from George Bodenheimer, who heads up ESPN. The story at ESPN is excellent with double digit average growth in operating income through 2009 as most costs and affiliate fees are locked in. Recently, ESPN has been a bright spot while […]

NTL Merging With Virgin Mobile

I woke up Sunday morning to learn that NTL Incorporated (NTLI) will be merging with Virgin Mobile, according to numerous sources in the British and American press. It appears this deal will occur roughly simultaneously with the closing of the NTL-Telewest (TLWT) merger early in 2006. The new company will be named Virgin and the […]

Is A La Carte Pricing Coming To Cable?

The big news this week in media is the announcement that the FCC appears to have changed its mind and is now supporting requiring the cable TV industry to offer a la carte programming. A la carte means that subscribers could chose whatever channels they want to come into their house and pay only for […]

Trimming, Rather Paring, Apple Again :-)

On Monday, I trimmed client positions in Apple Computer (AAPL). The reasoning was similar to the decision to sell in September when the stock first crossed $48: maintain discipline and take some money off the table when a stock reaches an established target price. At the time of the September sale, I decided my next […]

Cramer Discovers Central European Media Enterprises

Central European Media Enterprises (CETV) shares will pop sharply on the open and likely be volatile for a couple of days because Jim Cramer mentioned it as a buy on his popular CNBC show Mad Money. Cramer moves stocks because he has lots of followers. He also has lots of detractors which is why I […]

Follow-Up Data Points From Disney Conference Call

After reading through analyst commentary on Disney (DIS) this morning I wanted to provide a few additional data points that were not included in my earnings summary. These points do not change my conclusion that the quarter was slightly worse than expected and the outlook for share gains in the next few months is worse […]

Disney Reports Mixed Quarterly Earnings

Disney (DIS) reported mixed 4Q05 results, slightly worse than analyst estimates on a segment basis. Analysts didn’t seem too concerned about the quarter on the conference call, however, as there were very few questions about the details. Rather the focus was on long-term issues and the forecast for 2006. I think the questions on long-term […]