The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Google, Apple, Amazon, Yahoo and DuPont

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Jun 05, 2013, 09:30 ET

CHICAGO, June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG), Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL), Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN), Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) and DuPont (NYSE:DD).

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Here are highlights from Tuesday's Analyst Blog:

Google Play App Coming to iOS

Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG), the world's most popular Internet search engine provider, plans to extend its Google Play Music All Access app to archrival Apple's (Nasdaq:AAPL) iOS mobile operating system.

Google's music streaming service was officially launched last month, offering a mix of online radio and on-demand music streaming through Google Play, its online media hub. Google Play lets users upload as many as 20,000 songs to the cloud and the service is already available on Android devices or online for a monthly subscription of $9.99 with a free 30 day trial.

Google has been adding to its music library over the last few months. Recently, Google had signed licensing agreements with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group to give people unlimited access to their songs for a yet-undisclosed fee.

The competition in the music streaming market is getting fierce. The market is already crowded with companies like Spotify, Deezer and Rdio whose streaming services are quite popular. With this move, Google appears to have gotten a leg up on Apple, which will not launch its iRadio streaming music service for another few weeks. Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) is also vying for a share of the pie by launching a similar streaming service.

According to the NPD Group, 39% of the listeners in the age group of 13-35 years used Pandora's music streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2012, 11% used the iHeartRadio streaming service, 9% used Spotify whereas the remaining tuned into other services.

According to a report by IDC, Android and iOS operating systems together managed to grab a whopping 92.3% of all smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2013, with a total of 199.5 million units sold worldwide, up 59.1% from the year-ago quarter. Following the introduction of the app on iOS, Google will be able to invade the streaming market successfully, given its presence on both Android and iOS devices.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, Google reported solid earnings of $10.07per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by $1.24. Google's gross revenue (including total traffic acquisition costs [TAC]) came in at $13.97 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 31.2%.

However, legal entanglements related to competitive matters or patent infringements remain an overhang. Google has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Another stock that has been performing well and is worth considering is Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

DuPont Report Addresses China's Needs

A DuPont (NYSE:DD) report, written in collaboration with FORTUNE's Content Marketing and Strategies Group, focuses on helping China maintain its fast rate of urbanization without hindering public safety, health and environmental protection, through the use of integrated science.

The report reveals that, according to a research conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute, China's urban economy could generate more than 90% of the country's economic output by 2025. McKinsey also estimates that by 2025, of the world's 25 fastest growing cities, 13 will be in mainland China.

The report also states that although with the increase in China's urban centers there has been considerable improvement in the living standards of the Chinese, the enhancement in lifestyle is also jeopardizing the county's environment at the same time.

China needs to address four major challenges which include building safe infrastructure, creating safer workplaces, protecting the natural environment and promoting public safety. DuPont believes that with the help of science these challenges can be efficiently dealt with.

DuPont is creating partnerships so that scientific innovation will directly align with local market needs of China. One instance of it is consultants from DuPont Sustainable Solutions cooperated with China National Petroleum Corporation managers to lead regular staff safety training sessions with workers. DuPont also supplies BELCO scrubbers that major Chinese petrochemical refiners, including PetroChina, Sinopec and CNOOC, use to reduce toxic emissions.

DuPont is a global chemical and life sciences company and provides innovative products, materials, and services to the global market. The company beat expectations in first-quarter 2013 on the strength of its agriculture business, reflected by strong corn seeds and crop protection products sales.

DuPont currently retains a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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