Tobacco

Technology outsourcing and consulting major Accenture plc (ACN) recently announced its intention to acquire Germany-based customer relationship management (CRM) and mobility software provider CAS Computer AG. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of January 2011. Financial terms of the...

Shares of Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) are higher on the session by 0.02%, currently trading at $86.77. 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 short...

Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO) announced today the declaration of a quarterly dividend on its common stock, in the amount of $1.125 per share, payable December 13, 2010 to stockholders of record as of December 1, 2010.

Goldman has updated its estimates for Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) 2:1 stock split. The adjusted 2010/2011/2012 estimates are $2.51/$2.65/$2.74 from $5.03/$5.30/$5.49. There is no change to its investment thesis or rating. Goldman's 12-month P/E based price target is now $31 from $62 to reflect...

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) is nearing levels of support, despite recent weakness in shares. It is at the bottom end of its Bollinger Band, which is $24.46, and this coincides with its 50 day moving average of $24.45. Shares should bounce here and the next level of resistance is its 20 day...

This evening Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) presented to the J.P. Morgan sales team, following on from the analysts' morning hosted earlier in the day. The presentation was upbeat, with the company focused on continuing to deliver medium and long term growth in EPS in the mid to high single digit...

Citi Investment Research is reiterating its Buy rating on Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE: RAI) and $79 price target. In a note to clients, Citi writes, "While RAI has been tremendously successful in pruning their portfolio (having cut 85% of their SKUs since 2004), and having returned the company to...

On Friday, November 12, 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services announced in the Federal Register Volume 75, Number 218 the proposed rule called 'Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements.' As part of the proposal, the Federal government came out with a series of graphic...

Citi Investment Research is downgrading Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) to Hold, but has a $27 price target on shares. In a note to cleints, Citi writes, "Early signs of headwinds are evident, and MO's shares are trading at peak multiples. While MO represents a solid core holding, given its enviable...

Below are the top large-cap consumer good stocks on the NASDAQ and the NYSE in terms of return on equity. The trailing-twelve-month return on equity at Lorillard Inc (NYSE: LO) is 590.09%. LO's quarterly earnings surged 16.60% y/y. The trailing-twelve-month return on equity at Philip Morris...

Tobacco stocks, which everyone seemed to be piling into lately, are getting hit hard for the third consecutive day, indicating the trend is over for now. At last check, shares of Altria (NYSE: MO) were down 53 cents to $25.05, a loss of 2%. Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) is down 28...

CIGX – a Best Idea Update – (Part B)   National Rollout Underway? Star Scientific (NASDAQ: CIGX) Infomercials hit markets in NYC / Tri-State Area, Boston, Chicago, LA and San Francisco Star Scientific Inc. (CIGX) $1.78 Nasdaq Market-cap $212 million Recently I updated...

The cigarette stocks aren't quite quitting, but they are putting out the light, at least for today. Shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) are down 59 cents to $60.23, a loss of nearly 1%. Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) is down 14 cents to $26.01, a loss of 0.5%. Lorillard Inc. (NYSE...

Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) announced that net income for the first half of fiscal year 2011, which ended on September 30, 2010, was $77.2 million, or $2.65 per diluted share. Results were lower than last year's net income of $96.3 million, or $3.23 per diluted share, as most regions saw...