Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/world
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Monday, September 16, 2013
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News
Friday, September 13, 2013
Microsoft: Over 2 million downloads for Windows 8.1 so far
Microsoft marketing head Tami Reller speaks this week at IDF.
Microsoft launched the preview version of Windows 8.1 in June, and earlier this week it allowed TechNet and MSDN subscribers to access the RTM build of the Windows 8 update. This week, during a keynote address at the Intel Developer Forum, Microsoft's marketing head Tami Reller told the crowd there had been over 2 million downloads of Windows 8.1 so far.
The transcript of the keynote speech doesn't show that Reller offered any more info on that statistic. so we don't know if the 2 million number is just for the preview version or if Microsoft is also counting the RTM bits it offered to developers this week. We have emailed Microsoft for more information. Of course, we are sure those download numbers don't include any that come from the leaked preview or RTM Windows 8.1 versions that have made their way online.
One interesting Windows 8.1 statistic comes from the Steam hardware survey page. Valve allows customers who download the Steam client a way to voluntarily upload their hardware and software data for the survey. The month of August shows that Windows 8.1 was installed on 0.45 percent of PCs with Steam. That's a small number, but it's still higher on the survey list than all of the Linux-based operating systems that support Steam.
Source: Intel | Image via Intel
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Rice is Top Texas University in U.S. News Ranking
Students on the University of Texas at Austin campus.
This year?s U.S. News & World Report ranking of the nation?s top colleges and universities only featured one Texas school ? Rice University at No. 18 ? in the top 50. One former member of the top 50, the University of Texas at Austin, dropped from last year?s ranking of 46 to the 52nd spot this year.
Also dropping in the ranking, which came out Tuesday, were Southern Methodist University (from 58 to 60) and Texas A&M University (65 to 69). ?
Baylor University remained in the 75th spot, and Texas Christian University moved up from the 92nd spot last year to 82nd. Other Texas universities that rose in the ranking include the University of Texas at Dallas, which moved from 151 to 142, and Texas Tech University, 165 to 161. The University of Houston was ranked 190.
For its college rankings, U.S. News uses measures that are based on 16 indicators of academic excellence. Analysts Robert Morse and Sam Flannigan worked on the ranking, which assigns a certain weight to each factor based on the analysts? judgment. The colleges and universities are then ranked against one another.
This year, the U.S. News assessment changed how it analyzed data for the rankings. The primary change was reducing the impact of students? standardized ACT and SAT scores, which this year counted for 12.5 percent of a university?s ranking, a drop from last year?s 15 percent.
UT-Austin?s drop was largely tied to its graduation rates.
Asked about UT-Austin?s dip, Tara Doolittle, the university?s director of media outreach, said, ?We have been working on improving our graduation rates for a year through a campaign. We did not change in performance, and we do not plan to change.?
Other factors in the ranking include academic reputation, which refers to the opinions of a university from top academics outside the school and accounts for 22.5 percent of the overall ranking. Graduation data, which includes the number of freshman students who returned for their sophomore year and overall graduation rates, counted for 30 percent. Twenty percent was based on how satisfied students were with faculty members. Financial resources ?? which involved school resources for student programs and services ? accounted for 10.5 percent.
The U.S. News rankings diverge sharply from Washington Monthly?s list, which came out last week.
In that list Texas A&M University ranked No. 3, and the University of Texas at El Paso ? which was unranked in U.S. News ?ranked seventh.
Washington Monthly's methodology is based more on the recruitment and graduation percentage of low-income students as well as on of scholarship and Ph.D.'s, and it examines how the school encourages students to give back to the country.
?The U.S News and World Report rankings are heavily weighted towards such prestige criteria as endowment size and alumni giving and are thus more attuned to smaller, elite private universities,? said Howard Daudistel, UTEP?s senior executive vice president. ?In contrast, the Washington Monthly rankings, which placed UTEP as No. 7 in the nation in between Stanford and Harvard, seek to capture an institution?s impact on the students it serves, on the region in which is located and on the nation as a whole.?
Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2013
British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc: Buy, Sell Or Hold?
I'm always searching for shares that can help ordinary investors like you make money from the stock market.
Right now I am trawling through the FTSE 100 (FTSE: ^FTSE - news) and giving my verdict on every member of the blue-chip index.
I hope to pinpoint the very best buying opportunities in today's uncertain market, as well as highlight those shares I feel you should hold... and those I feel you should sell!
I'm assessing every share on five different measures. Here's what I'm looking for in each company:
1. Financial strength: low levels of debt and other liabilities;
2. Profitability: consistent earnings and high profit margins;?
3. Management: competent executives creating shareholder value;
4. Long-term prospects: a solid competitive position and respectable growth prospects, and;
5. Valuation: an under-rated share price.
A look at British Sky Broadcasting Group
Today I'm evaluating British Sky Broadcasting Group , a British multichannel, multiplatform pay television services provider, which currently trades at 827p. Here are my thoughts:
1. Financial strength: The company is in excellent financial health. Net debt is only ?1.1bn and comfortably covered by cash flow from operations of ?1.8bn; interest cover is a hefty 17 times; and the company has generated more than ?800m in free cash flow for the past 4 years.
2. Profitability:?BSkyB (LSE: BSY.L - news) has been one of most successful companies in the FTSE 100 for the past 10 years. Revenue per share and operating profit per share has doubled, while adjusted earnings per share and dividend per share has increased threefold and fivefold, respectively.
Recently, the company posted record results for the 12 months ending 30 June 2013. Revenue was up 7% to ?7.2bn, operating profit increased by 9% to ?1.3bn, and basic earnings per share grew 18% to 60p. In addition, the company added 3.3 million new subscriptions, for a total of 32 million.
3. Management: Jeremy Darroch has been BSkyB's CEO since taking over from James Murdoch in Dec 2007. Prior to that, he was the company's CFO from 2004 to 2007. He has successfully transformed BSkyB from a pay-TV provider to a triple-pay provider of television, telephony and broadband services and, under his helm, the company achieved its target of reaching 10 million subscribers.
4. Long-term prospects: BSkyB has dominated the UK pay-TV market for years offering the best content such as major sports events like rugby, football and cricket; and movies and television shows featuring Hollywood blockbusters and premium US drama along with original British productions.
It is the UK's largest pay television service provider with over 10 million subscribers and has rapidly grown its paid-for-subscription products from 14 million in 2008 to 32 million today. Also, it has broadened its product offerings with mobile TV and video online demand and is the UK's fastest growing broadband and telephone service provider with already around 4.9 million customers.
However, the company faces heavy competition in the coming years. Just recently, BT Group (LSE: BT-A.L - news) had acquired a share of the rights to Premier League football television coverage, which include the rights to 38 live games. Also, it struck a deal with Virgin Media allowing Virgin Media cable customers free access to BT's sport offerings. Furthermore, over the top (OTT) video providers such as Google TV, Apple TV, Netflix (NasdaqGS: NFLX - news) and Amazon's Lovefilm could potentially take away market share.
5. Valuation: Shares are trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14, moderately below its 10-year median P/E of 18. It also returns a prospective dividend yield of 3.6%, covered 2 times.
My verdict on British Sky Broadcasting Group
For the past decade, BSkyB was able to dominate the UK television space virtually uncontested. However, with increasing competition, this will be more difficult to do than in previous years. For one, the cost of acquiring the rights to premium content could increase --which already has happened as BSkyB had to pay 40% more for its latest Premier League deal.?Also, the company will have to spend more to fend off competition, which could squeeze margins. More importantly, the company could lose its lock on some of its major offerings, which has been the source of its competitive advantage.
Nevertheless, I think it will be very hard to dislodge BSkyB from its perch atop pay-TV. It still offers the best content and its new services have rapidly grown, which could provide it with future growth opportunities. Moreover, the company is trading at a discount relative to both its historical P/E and to the wider market.
?So overall, I believe British Sky Broadcasting Group at 827p looks like a buy.
More FTSE opportunities
As well as British Sky Broadcasting Group, I am also positive on the FTSE shares highlighted in "8 Dividend Plays Held By Britain's Super Investor". This exclusive report reveals the favourite income stocks owned by Neil Woodford -- the the City legend whose High Income fund turned ?10,000 into ?193,000 during the 25 years to 2012.
The report, which explains the full investing logic behind Mr Woodford's dividend strategy and his preferred blue chips, is free to all private investors. Just click here for your copy. But do hurry, as the report is available for a limited time only.
In the meantime, please stay tuned for my next verdict on a FTSE 100 share.
> Zarr does not own any share mentioned in this article.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/british-sky-broadcasting-group-plc-104035421.html
Monday, August 26, 2013
Scott opens FedEx Cup playoffs with a win
Adam Scott, of Australia, tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of The Barclays golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
Adam Scott, of Australia, tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of The Barclays golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
Kevin Chappell putts on the second green during the final round of The Barclays golf tournament on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
With Manhattan's One Trade Center visible in the distance, fans watch play during the final round of The Barclays golf tournament on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) ? Masters champion Adam Scott won The Barclays on Sunday after everyone around him did their best to lose it.
Scott played bogey-free and closed with a 5-under 66. He finished an hour before the final group, and watched from the locker room at Liberty National.
Kevin Chappell had a two-shot lead through 10 holes and went 7 over the rest of the way. Justin Rose three-putted the 18th. Tiger Woods dropped to his knees after a back spasm on the 13th hole when he hooked his approach into the water, leading to a bogey. Woods birdied the 16th and 17th to get within one, and his 25-foot birdie off the 18th green stopped just short.
Gary Woodland had three straight birdie attempts inside 10 feet and missed them all.
Associated PressSunday, August 25, 2013
Wells Fargo Cutting 2300 Jobs Citing 20 percent Decline in Refi Share
Wells Fargo Bank confirmed on Wednesday
that it will be laying off about 20 percent of its mortgage production staff
because of a drop in its refinancing business.?
About 2,300 jobs will be cut from Wells Fargo Home Mortgage principally
in North Carolina, Iowa, and Alabama.?
The San Francisco-based lender has said
it expects its refinancing business to be lower for the rest of the year as
higher interest rates cut demand for refinancing.? The company had already announced two smaller
reductions to its mortgage staff, 350 announced in mid-July and a 758 person
layoff announced on August 7th. ?Three hundred additional jobs will be cut over
the next 11 to 17 months as the company winds down eight joint ventures. ?The company said it had just over 11,400 loan
officers at the end of last March.
In a staff memo obtained by a number of
news agencies, Franklin Codel, head of mortgage production for the bank, said
that refinancing had accounted for about 70 percent of the bank?s mortgage
applications during the first half of the year but that has now dropped to
about 50 percent and was expected to decrease further in upcoming months.?
?We?ve had to recalibrate our business
to meet customers? needs,? the memo said, ?and to ensure we?re operating as efficiently and effectively as possible.? Unfortunately, displacements within our team
are necessary.?
Employees
were given 60 days notice of the layoffs on Wednesday. The banks said it will
try to retain as many staff as possible by finding them other positions at the
bank.?
Wells
Fargo is the country?s largest mortgage lender writing and servicing one
out of five mortgage loans.? The company has written over $100
billion in home loans in each of the last seven quarters.? However it told analysts on July 12 that it did
not expect to repeat that in upcoming quarters as mortgage rates rose.
Article source: http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/08212013_wells_fargo.asp
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