Tobacco

Cusick's Corner News out of the Middle East is flowing out, with overnight markets tossing and turning on each headline. I watched the futures trade quite erratically with each headline, but decided that this action was extremely choppy and not worth playing. This choppy action has continued and...

Shares of Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) are higher on the session by 2.49%, trading at $78.68. Overall put volume is now running at 5.49x the daily average, with 13% of all puts traded being purchases on the offer. 23,317 contracts have traded on the session so far. Lorillard, Inc. is a manufacturer...

Goldman Sachs has published a research report on Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) after the company reported guidance that outweighs positive trends for the near-term. In the report, Goldman Sachs writes "Given a guidance update on 1/26/11, Live Nation reported 4Q2010 adjusted operating income...

Deutsche Bank is maintaining its Hold rating on Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO). “We remain concerned about menthol regulation and near-term impact on Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) as TPSAC holds final two meetings this month,” Deutsche Bank writes. “The panel's discussions this week will be an important...

Citi is out with its report today on Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), raising its price target from $60.50 to $63.50. In a note to clients, Citi writes, "We are transferring coverage of Philip Morris International from Adam Spielman to Vivien Azer in this note and maintain a Hold rating on...

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. has an Overweight rating and a $23 price target on shares of Altria (NYSE: MO). In a note to clients, J.P. Morgan writes, "The FDA-led investigation into menthol in US cigarettes continues, with the full report due by 23 March 2011. Two further draft chapters of the...

Citigroup has raised the price target on Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) from $60.50 to $63.50 and maintains its Hold rating.

Here is a quick peek at stocks that have abnormally high daily put/call ratios today relative to their average…. 1. Infosys Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: INFY) 4,131 puts, 85 calls 2. Rowan Companies Inc, (NYSE: RDC) 2,946 puts, 461 calls 3. Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) 8,797 puts, 1,435 calls 4. STEC...

Vector Group Ltd. (NYSE: VGR) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2010. Fourth quarter 2010 revenues were $277.6 million, compared to revenues of $236.7 million in the fourth quarter 2009. Net income for the 2010 fourth quarter was $12.0...

Cusick's Corner Looks like Colonel Gadhafi is singing a new tune, “I am leaving on a jet plane. I don't know when I'll be back again...” (I never thought I would ever incorporate a Peter, Paul & Mary song.) There are reports that Gadhafi is attempting to flee the country. While the initial...

Oil Prices Pass the $100 Mark; Reminding Consumers and Investors to Take another Look at Alternative Fuel Choices February 24, 2011 (Investorideas.com renewable energy/green newswire) Investorideas.com a leader in cleantech investor research, reports on recent clean energy vehicle news for...

The board of directors of Reynolds American Inc.(NYSE: RAI) today announced an 8.2 percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock to $0.53 per share from $0.49 per share. This action increases the annual dividend rate to $2.12 per share from $1.96 per share, bringing...

Credit Suisse is raising its price target on shares of Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) to $64 from $62, and still has an Outperform rating on shares. In a note to clients, Credit Suisse writes, "We raise our FY11e EPS forecast by 2.5% to $4.41 (from $4.31) consistent with management guidance...

Credit Suisse has raised the price target on Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) from $62 to $64 and maintains its Outperform rating.

Philip Morris (NYSE: PM) announces planned share repurchases in 2011 of approximately $5.0 billion against its previously communicated three-year share repurchase program of $12 billion, initiated in May 2010