Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Ford Motor, General Motor, Tata Motors, Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline - Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – June 1, 2010 – Zacks.com Analyst Blog features: Ford Motor Co. (F), General Motor (MTLQQ), Tata Motors (TTM), Amgen Inc. (AMGN) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

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Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Ford to Shed Mercury Brand

Ford Motor Co. (F) has decided to discontinue its 71-year old Mercury old line due to its lagging sales over the last few years. The company’s CEO, Alan Mulally, had expressed his dissatisfaction about the sales performance of the brand soon after he joined in 2006. However, he had failed to phase out the brand at that time due to a strong opposition from the Ford family.

The Mercury brand had been founded by Edsel Ford -- son of Henry Ford -- in 1939 to market entry-level luxury cars. It is similar to General Motor's (MTLQQ) Buick and Chrysler’s namesake brand. In 1958, the brand was merged with Ford’s Lincoln division and has since been manufactured under the Lincoln–Mercury division.

Mercury saw its heydays in 1978 and then again 1993. However, the brand’s popularity has languished since then with sales falling by more than half annually. In 1999, the brand was dropped in Canada with only the Grand Marquis model selling in the region. Last year, the brand’s sales dwindled to almost a fourth of its sales in 2000 at 92,299 vehicles.

Alan Mulally and other senior executives have recently convinced the Ford family to phase out the brand in order to focus on its namesake brand. Ford will suspend production of two out of the four existing Mercury models -- the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis -- in this year. The future of the remaining two models, the midsize sedan Milan and a small sport utility vehicle Mariner, is currently unknown.

Under the supervision of Mulally, Ford has already sold the U.K.-based Jaguar and Land Rover brands to the Indian auto giant Tata Motors (TTM). It had also put up its Volvo cars for sale in December 2008, which will be acquired by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Currently, the company is also considering the future of its Lincoln brand, which has been struggling despite its new line-up.

EU Approval for Amgen’s Prolia

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) received a boost with the EU approval of its lead pipeline candidate, Prolia (denosumab). The European Commission granted approval for the use of Prolia in the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fractures, and the treatment of bone loss associated with hormone ablation in men with prostate cancer at increased risk of fractures.

The approval was expected as Prolia had received a favorable recommendation from the European Medicines Agency’s (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in December 2009. In addition to the EU, Prolia gained approval in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Prolia’s approval is a major positive for Amgen. Based on encouraging phase III results, we believe the product has the potential to capture a major share of the osteoporosis market once launched. The osteoporosis market represents huge commercial potential. It is estimated that about 30% of all post-menopausal women in Europe suffer from osteoporosis.

Amgen has a collaboration agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for Prolia for the postmenopausal osteoporosis indication in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. Glaxo will be responsible for commercializing the product for all indications in countries like China, India, Brazil and South Korea, where Amgen does not have a commercial presence. Glaxo’s strong marketing presence in these areas and expertise in primary care markets should help Prolia capture significant share once launched.

Prolia has yet to gain approval in the US. The company failed to receive first round approval for the product from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a final decision on the approvability of the product for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoarthritis should be out by July 25, 2010 in the U.S.

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