The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: RadioShack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart Stores, Apple and Alcoa
CHICAGO, Sept. 28, 2012 /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 RadioShack Corp. (NYSE:RSH), Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT), Apple Inc (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA).
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Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:
RadioShack CEO Walks Out
The nightmare for RadioShack Corp. (NYSE:RSH) persists as the company's chief executive officer (CEO) James F. Gooch resigned from the post with immediate effect. Dorvin Lively, the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will succeed as an interim CEO until the company finds the right person for that role.
RadioShack's poor performance during the last few years has forced Mr. Gooch to vacate the CEO position and simultaneously step down from the board of directors. The company has already hired an executive search firm to give them a perfect replacement.
Mr. Gooch, 45, had been in RadioShack since 2006, as CFO and thereafter succeeded Julian Day as CEO in May last year. However, the company's performance continues to deteriorate further mainly attributable to slowdown in the consumer electronics demand coupled with lack of footfall in its retail outlets and stiff competition from the likes of Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT).
Moreover, selling of Apple Inc'.s (Nasdaq:AAPL) low margin iPhones and other smartphones/tablets have further affected its margin growth. In addition to these, the company also has suspended its current dividend plan to reduce its debt burden.
However, the current scenario for RadioShack may change mainly based on such structural changes coupled with the launch of new iPhone 5 and its related accessories. Moreover, rollout of more retail outlets in the U.S. and Mexico will further act as tailwinds for the company going forward.
We maintain our long-term Neutral recommendation on RadioShack. Currently, it has a Zacks #3 Rank, implying a short-term Hold rating on the stock.
Alcoa Wheels Reduce Emissions
Aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) revealed the findings of its peer-reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA), which showed that commercial vehicles using Alcoa aluminum significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the vehicles. The study concluded that the use of Alcoa forged aluminum wheels in place of steel wheels helped lower greenhouse gas emissions considerably in the commercial vehicle sector.
The study also revealed that the substitution of 18 conventional steel truck wheels with Alcoa aluminum wheels in North America will cut carbon emissions by 16.3 metric tons over the lifetime of the wheels. This represents the average annual carbon footprint of a four-person household in the U.S.
Moreover, the adoption of Alcoa wheels instead of steel by mass restricted vehicles in North America enhanced the capability of the vehicle to 414 lbs of additional payload per haul with the same fuel consumption. In Europe, the estimate is 215 kg of additional payload per haul. The substitution of 12 steel wheels with aluminum cuts 13.3 metric tons of carbon emissions in Europe.
Further, Alcoa wheels helped save more than 520 gallons of fuel in North America and more than 1,942 liters in Europe.
Using aluminum wheels also enable net energy savings throughout the life cycle of the wheel. Alcoa wheels retain their value throughout their lifetime and have an end-of-life scrap value equivalent to that of primary aluminum.
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