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Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - CHRS Grants Stock Appreciation Rights to Newly Appointed President of Catherines Brand

 

Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares fell 37.20% Wednesday to close at $1.84. Charming Shoppes is a multi-brand, multi-channel specialty apparel retailer focused on women’s plus-size specialty apparel.

 

The company recently announced it has granted 154,321 stock appreciation rights to Carol L. Williams, the company's new president of its Catherines brand, in accordance with NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4350. The stock appreciation rights were granted as an inducement to Williams to enter into an employment relationship with Charming Shoppes.

 

Carol Williams has served in various retail-industry executive and merchandising positions over the past 30 years. In her role at Catherines, Williams will report to Alan Rosskamm, interim CEO and chairman of Charming Shoppes’ board of directors.

 

Charming Shoppes operates in two segments: Retail Stores segment and Direct-to-Consumer segment. The company’s Retail Stores segment operates retail stores and related e-commerce Web sites through names, such as Lane Bryant, Lane Bryant Outlet, Fashion Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes, Petite Sophisticate and Petite Sophisticate Outlet.

 

Its Direct-to-Consumer segment operates apparel, accessories, footwear and gift catalogs and related e-commerce Web sites through its Crosstown Traders business.

 

As of August 2, 2008, Charming Shoppes operated 2,359 retail stores in 48 states. In September 2008, the company sold its non-core misses apparel catalogs to Orchard Brands. The transaction includes catalog titles and their associated e-commerce sites, such as Old Pueblo Traders, Bedford Fair, Willow Ridge, Lew Magram, Brownstone Studio, Intimate Appeal, Monterey Bay Clothing Company and Coward Shoe.

 

In its recent chart, CHRS's Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Additionally, CHRS is trading near its lower Bollinger Band, signaling that the stock price is low relative to its recent price action. MACD reflects a strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, the bearish signal is more pronounced with decreasing moving averages.

 

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - SSCC Reorganizes Display and Graphics Business, to Release Q3 Results on October 22

 

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. (SSCC: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares dropped 34.78% Wednesday to close at $1.95. Smurfit-Stone Container is an integrated manufacturer of paperboard and paper-based packaging in North America, including container board and corrugated containers, and is also a paper recycler.

 

The company recently reorganized its North American display and graphics business as Smurfit-Stone Image Pac. The name change reflects the long-established reputation for excellence its Image Pac Display group has built in Canada, as well as the continued operational excellence and design leadership of the company's U.S. operations.

 

In other news, the company is scheduled to release its third quarter 2008 results Wednesday, October 22, after market close. Management will discuss the company’s financial performance at 9 a.m. ET Thursday, October 23, via a live Web cast and teleconference.

 

Smurfit-Stone Container is the industry's leading integrated container board and corrugated packaging producer and is one of the world's largest paper recyclers.

 

The company is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the Chicago Climate Exchange.

 

Smurfit-Stone generated revenue of $7.4 billion in 2007, has led the industry in safety every year since 2001, and conducts its business in compliance with the environmental, health and safety principles of the American Forest & Paper Association.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2007, the company combined its Reclamation operations into the Container board and Corrugated Containers segment and operates as one segment. In July 2008, the company completed the acquisition of a 90% interest in Calpine Corrugated LLC, an independent corrugated container producer.

 

In its recent chart, SSCC's Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects a strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, the bearish signal is more pronounced with decreasing moving averages.

 

Orthovita Inc. (VITA: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - VITA to Review and Discuss Financial Results for Q3 2008 on November 4

 

Orthovita Inc. (VITA: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares slipped 21.48% Wednesday, closing at $2.12. Orthovita is a spine and orthopedic biosurgery company with biomaterials and biologic technologies for the development and commercialization of synthetic, biologically active, tissue engineering products.

 

Orthovita's mission is to develop and market innovative, best-in-class biomaterials and biologics that facilitate the healing of bone and tissue and improve surgical outcomes for surgeons and their patients.

 

The company develops and markets synthetic-based biomaterial products for use in spine surgery, the repair of fractures and a range of clinical needs in the trauma, joint reconstruction, revision and extremities markets. Orthovita also markets products that complement its biomaterials platforms.

 

The company recently announced it will conduct a conference call Tuesday, November 4, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. ET. The company will review and discuss its financial results for the third quarter 2008, with company president and CEO Antony Koblish and CFO Albert J. Pavucek Jr. as hosts of the call.

 

Orthovita's near-term commercial business is based on its VITOSS Bone Graft Substitute technology platforms, which are designed to address the non-structural bone graft market by offering synthetic alternatives to the use of autograft or cadaver-based bone material, VITAGEL Surgical Hemostat, an adherent matrix and an impermeable barrier to blood flow, and VITASURE Absorbable Hemostat.

 

Its longer-term U.S. clinical development program is focused on its internally developed CORTOSS Bone Augmentation Material technology platform, which is primarily designed for injections in osteoporotic spines to treat vertebral compression fractures.

 

In its recenchart, VITA's Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects a weak bullish signal, with the indicator trending above the signal line, but still below the critical 0 level, indicating that the underlying moving averages are bearish. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, an indication of a bearish trend is generally considered.

 

Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - CHTR Announces Interim Results and Amendment of $100 Million Tender Offer for Debt Securities

 

Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares slid 20.51% Wednesday, closing at 31 cents. Charter Communication operates broadband communications businesses in the United States, with approximately 5.60 million customers during the year ended December 31, 2007.

 

The company recently announced its interim results and amendment for the previously announced cash tender offer by its subsidiary, Charter Communications Holding Co. LLC, to purchase an amount of notes of Charter Communications Holdings LLC not to exceed $100 million. The amount of Notes includes accrued and unpaid interest.

 

Approximately $69 million of Notes having an acceptance priority level of 1 were tendered, as of 5 p.m. ET on October 14, 2008. No change has been made to the Total Consideration or Tender Offer Consideration for any series of notes having an acceptance level priority of 1. The initial settlement date for notes having an acceptance priority level of 1 that were tendered prior to the early tender time is expected to occur on October 17, 2008.

 

Also, Charter Holdco has decreased the tender offer consideration and the total consideration for each series of Notes having an acceptance priority level of 2, the “Affected Notes," validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the offer.

 

The Early Tender Time for the Affected Notes has been extended until the expiration time, which is 5 p.m. ET, on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Consequently the new total consideration includes the early tender premium of $15 per $1,000 principal amount of affected notes payable to holders that validly tender, and do not validly withdraw, their affected notes at or before the expiration time and whose affected notes are accepted for purchase.

 

Through its hybrid fiber and coaxial cable network, Charter offers traditional cable video programming (analog and digital, referred to as video service), high-speed Internet access, and telephone service, as well as advanced broadband services (such as Charter OnDemand video service (OnDemand), high definition television service, and digital video recorder (DVR) service).

 

As of December 31, 2007, the company served approximately 5.22 million video customers, of which approximately 2.92 million were digital video customers. It also served approximately 2.68 million high-speed Internet customers (including approximately 289,600 who received only high-speed Internet services). Charter also provided telephone service to approximately 959,300 customers.

 

In its recent chart, CHTR's MACD reflects a strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, the bearish signal is more pronounced with decreasing moving averages. Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend.

 

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LXRX: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - LXRX to Present an Investigational New Drug for Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LXRX: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares fell 17.56% Wednesday to close at $1.08. Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering and developing treatments for human disease. The company uses its proprietary gene knockout technology to identify and develop new drugs.

 

In its Genome5000 program, Lexicon is utilizing its knowledge of the function of nearly 5,000 genes to identify a portfolio of drug targets.

 

The company recently announced it will be presenting initial phase 1 clinical trial results for LX2931, an orally-delivered, small molecule drug candidate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in San Francisco, California

 

Also, Lexicon will be presenting two posters at the conference titled, "LX2931: A Potential Small Molecule Treatment for Autoimmune Disorders," and "Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Lyase is a Potential Therapeutic Target in Autoimmune Diseases Including Rheumatoid Arthritis." The two posters will be presented on Sunday, October 26 and Tuesday, October 28, respectively.

 

LX2931 is one of four programs in human clinical trials as part of Lexicon's 10TO10 program. Lexicon also has two additional drug candidates in formal preclinical studies.

 

Lexicon currently has six drug candidates in development for autoimmune disease, carcinoid syndrome, cognitive disorders, diabetes, glaucoma and irritable bowel syndrome, all of which were discovered by the company's research team.

 

Utilizing its proprietary gene knockout technology to characterize approximately 5,000 genes, Lexicon has discovered more than 100 promising drug targets. Lexicon has applied small molecule chemistry and antibody technology to these biologically-validated targets to create its extensive pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs.

 

Lexicon's goal is to advance 10 drug candidates into human clinical trials by the end of 2010, the strategic objective of its 10TO10 program.

 

In its recent chart, LXRX's Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects a strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, an indication of a bearish trend is generally considered.

 

Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS: Summary, Messages, Articles) Trade Alert - CDNS to Announce to Q3 2008 Financial Results via Web cast on October 22

 

Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS: Summary, Messages, Articles) shares dropped 15%, closing at $4.50 Wednesday. Cadence Design Systems develops electronic design automation (EDA) software and hardware.

 

The company licenses software, sells or leases hardware technology, and provides design, methodology and education services throughout the world to help manage and accelerate electronics product development processes.

 

Its range of products and services are used by the electronics companies to design and develop complex integrated circuits (ICs) and electronics systems.

 

The company is scheduled to announce its third quarter 2008 financial results via the Web. Participating on the Web cast will be Lip-Bu Tan, interim vice president of Cadence's board, and Kevin Palatanik, senior vice president and CFO.

 

The Web cast will begin Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008, at 2 p.m. (Pacific)/ 5 p.m. (Eastern).

 

Cadence offers its customers three license types for its software: perpetual, term and subscription. During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2007, the company’s product revenue was 68% of its total revenue. During fiscal 2007, Cadence acquired Invarium Inc., a San Jose-based developer of advanced lithography-modeling and pattern-synthesis technology, and Clear Shape Technologies Inc. On March 7, 2008, the company acquired Chip Estimate Corp.

 

In its recent chart, CDNS' Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects a strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower. With share prices currently below the stock's 13-day moving average, the bearish signal is more pronounced with decreasing moving averages.

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