Housewares & Specialties

New home sales in December rose by 17.5% from November, but only to a dismal rate of 329,000. Relative to a year ago, sales are down 7.6%. While the level was substantially better than the expected rate of 300,000, it is still a very bad level. The eight lowest months on record (back to 1963) for...

Shares of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH) are higher on the session by 2.52%, currently trading at $34.12. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past six months and is currently trading above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying puts on the name today. A...

Jarden (NYSE: JAH) announced that 4Q2010 revenues will be at least $1.65 billion, or 3%-4% ahead of our prior $1.59 billion forecast. Goldman raises its 4Q EPS estimate by $0.04 to $0.82 to reflect assumed organic sales growth of 8% versus its prior 5% forecast. Goldman is boosting its 2011 and...

Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO) today declared a regular dividend of 19 cents per share on the Common Stock, payable in cash on March 1, 2011, to stockholders of record at the close of business February 9, 2011. The company also declared a regular dividend of 66.75 cents per share on the $2.67...

Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NWL) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter 2010 results on Thursday, January 27. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at 32 cents a share.    Third Quarter Performance Newell Rubbermaid logged a strong 10.5% growth in third quarter 2010 earnings...

Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NWL) is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter 2010 results on Thursday, January 27. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at 32 cents a share.    Third Quarter Performance Newell Rubbermaid logged a strong 10.5% growth in third quarter 2010 earnings...

Someone e-mailed me an article from Barrons: With cash pouring in, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway may do something big this year -- maybe even pay a dividend. A flush Berkshire Hathaway is in its best shape ever and piling up cash so quickly that it could be sitting on close to $50 billion at...

Shares of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH) are lower on the session by 0.88%, currently trading at $32.74. The stock has been moving largely sideways over the past four months, though it is currently trading above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying puts on the name...

In a research report published today, J.P. Morgan states that it believes Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) is well-positioned to shine in the household products sector as the company continues to reposition itself. In the report, J.P. Morgan states, "We expect a positive outlook when the company...

Below are the top mid-cap packaging & container stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of earnings estimate for the next year. The earnings estimate for Greif Inc (NYSE: GEF) for the next year ending October, 2012 is $5.50 per share. GEF's PEG ratio is 1.24. Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) is...

Shares of Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) are higher on the session by 0.51%, trading at $17.85. Overall put volume is now running at 10.23x the daily average, with 50% of all call puts traded being purchases on the offer. 2,005 contracts have traded on the session so far. Newell Rubbermaid Inc. is...

In a report published today, Piper Jaffray maintains its Sealy (NYSE: ZZ) Overweight rating and $3.50 price target. In the report, Piper Jaffray notes, "On balance, Sealy's December quarter financial results lack shine. Net sales for the December quarter were flat Y/Y at $297M - below the consensus...

Sealy Corporation (NYSE: ZZ), the bedding industry's largest global bedding manufacturer, today announced results from continuing operations for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2010. Unless otherwise noted, the reported financial data pertains to Sealy's continuing operations, which...