Sprint Begins To See Turnaround Success

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Sprint Nextel Corp (NYSE: S) could be on its way to a full recovery from its recent financial struggles.

The wireless carrier, which has experienced major losses in the last year, has been implimenting turnaround tactics that are increasing investor confidence, leading to a 13% jump in stock price last week.

Increased focus on improving consumer service and it's new products has some analysts predicting that the next quarter will see greater customer retention and increasing performance (see article from The Wall Street Journal). 

Earlier this month, NewsVisual published an article and Knowledge Map illustrating one new tactic that Sprint is using to boost its numbers (see article).

It's likely that Sprint's current leadership played a huge role in sparking a turnaround. NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map to convey the degree of high-level corporate experience that Sprint has under its belt that may prove key in this critical time.

Yahoo Plans Another Revamp Despite Investor Skepticism

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) has announced yet another plan for reorganization, yet after a shaky last few months that left investors doubting its leadership, some are wondering whether this latest plan is mearly an attempt at distraction.

On Thursday the company announced that it would create three primary divisions focused on new product creation and data usage. The plan may have been a good idea last year, however critics are panning Yahoo for supposedly using the reorganizations as a way to save face after the embarrassment surrounding the failed takeover by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).

DealJournal compared Yahoo in its revamp attempts to "the great sorcerer" from The Wizard of Oz, who mearly turned out to be a purveyor of smoke and mirrors in order to project a greater image of himself to those around (see article ).

Can Sony Catch Up With New Strategy and Corporate Connections?

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- Sony Corp (NYSE: SNE) is aiming to surpass the competition and reach high performance goals after announcing its latest growth strategy.

The Japanese electronics maker plans to take advantage of the recent surge in popularity of video downloading by offering the service through its products, including computers, televisions and videogame consoles. Sony has been lagging in performance in the last few years, especially after its Walkman music devices failed to attract consumers like Apple's iPod (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

Despite being a big name and having a strong reputation in electronics, Sony is facing stiff competition from being slower to work the online market. 

Monsanto Can Thank Surging Demand And Strong Industry Network For Positive Earnings

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Monsanto Co (NYSE: MON) saw a big earnings boost in its third quarter, driven by growing demand, which led the seed company to once again up its fiscal-year outlook.

In the previous quarter ended in May, Monsanto said that its net income jumped by 43% and total revenue reached $3.59 billion. Though many US company's are feeling the pinch due to worries about the economy, Monsanto appears to be thriving.

As the world's largest seed producer, record grain prices means good news for the company, which attributed high demand as the reason for its latest success.

After realizing the better than expected results, Monsanto raised its outlook for the fourth time. The news is positive, however, analysts are expecting a slight loss in the fourth quarter, which is typically more influenced by its cotton and agricultural herbicides businesses and usually sparks a brief downturn (see article from The Wall Street Journal). 

ConAgra Boosts Outlook After Better Than Expected Performance

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- ConAgra Foods Inc (NYSE: CAG) cited very strong profits as the reason behind its increased fourth quarter earnings outlook.

Various sectors of the foods company are said to have done well in the quarter ended in May, including its foods and ingredients divisions, and the high sale of its trading business also contributed to the boosted outlook (see article from The Wall Street Journal). 

Bear Stearns On Edge Of Collapse; SEC Chief In Hot Water Over Response

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Bear Stearns Cos (NYSE: BSC) is facing a major meltdown, and amid the crisis, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox finding himself a target for scrutiny.

Critics are saying that the SEC head has exhibited less than stellar leadership performance in the midst of the investment bank's downward spiral.

The SEC has been scrambling to form a bailout plan for Bear Stearns, though noticeably absent from the meetings and dealings has been Cox, whose personal plans like birthday party and family vacation caused him to miss bailout meetings and press conferences. Cox appears to be doing the opposite of what critics say is needed most during this trying time- a visible and outspoken leader activate serve as a strong leader during such a major crisis.

Those that are defending the SEC Chairman say that Cox has acted as he should, and even went beyond in taking action with to help prevent public panic by taking refusing to show anything but optimism for Bear Stearns' outlook (see article from The Wall Street Jornal).   

UAL and Continental Form Partnership With Strong Common Ties

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- UAL Corp's (NYSE: UAL) United Airlines and Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) have forged a deal that falls just short of a merger.

The agreement between the airlines would form a marketing alliance that would have the two working closely for mutual benefit without the risks, labor worries and costs associated with a full blown merger.

The deal would partner United and Continental, ranked 2 and 4 in terms of traffic, in a time when operating an independent airline is risky business. Amid economic woes and rising fuel prices, many airlines have sought out mergers and similiar alliances to help ease costs and lower risk.   

Circuit City Posts Weak First Quarter; Leadership Acts For Turnaround

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Circuit City Inc (NYSE: CC) is worrying investors as the electronics retailer posted weak performance results in its fiscal first quarter.

Despite the losses, Chief Executive Officer Phillip Schoonover claims that changes have since been made and the downturn will be short lived .

One method of boosting Circuit City's results could be a sale, as the company recently opened its books to Blockbuster Inc (NYSE: BBI) and billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

An IntellectSpace Knowledge Map illustrates that the the Circuit City Board likely has a firm grasp of time-tested business principles given their current affiliations with other corporations.  The connections could inspire confidence in investors who are currently nervous about the retailer's future. While corporate experience may not be the sole factor in determining whether or not Circuit City will see a quick turnaround, the the ties of the company's Board will likely go far as its leadership attempts to determine the best methods of achieve better performance in the next quarter.

IBM Comes Out Ahead In Supercomputer Rankings

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- International Business Machines Corp (NYSE: IBM) nabbed the top spot in a new ranking of the world's largest supercomputer installations with its Roadrunner system.

This is the second year in a row that the chip maker has taken the lead that sector.

The results of the rankings are determined by performance, including processing speed. IBM's system reached new heights when it was able to exceed a petaflop, or one quadrillion "floating point" calculations per second (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

The news will likely be a boost for IBM's entire operations, amid national worries of the effects of an economic crisis. IBM started off the year with upward growth, and the results of the ranking may solidify that pattern. 

New AIG CEO Proves His Leadership Abilities

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- American International Group Inc (NYSE: AIG) appointed long-time Chairman Robert Willumstad as CEO, in the hopes that he will be the answer to the insurer's recent poor performance.

Willumstad, who succeeds ousted CEO Martin Sullivan, steps in at a tumultuous time for AIG, which announced history's biggest federal losses this year. Though the new CEO promised strong leadership and creativity in his new role, investors remain skeptical that Willumstad will have what it takes to save AIG.

In order to determine whether or not AIG's new CEO will be able to make good on his promises, NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map of Willumstad’s past and present corporate and organizational affiliations that could add merit to his leadership abilities. A substantial history in finance may have given Willumstad essential experience to successfully fulfill his CEO duties.

As clearly illustrated in this Knowledge Map, Willumstad has considerable corporate leadership experience as well as membership to organizational entities. He has been the Chairman of American Insurance Group since departing Citigroup as President and Chief Operating Officer, and he is also shown to have former leadership ties with MasterCard, Commercial Credit Company and SC Johnson. 

Cisco Predicts Massive Internet Video Growth; May Spark Shift In Business

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CSCO) is predicting that online video will increase Internet traffic up to sixfold between now and 2012.

Thanks to website sensations like Google Inc's (NASDAQ: GOOG) YouTube, online video has quickly become the greatest driver of Internet traffic.

Cisco conducted a study called the Cisco Visual Networking Index that found that at least half of all internet data transfers will come in the form of Internet video (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

The results could inspire Cisco and other tech and Internet companies to place more focus of their businesses on online video to take advantage of the surge. The network-equipment maker said that growth in that sector was huge in the last three years, jumping from 5% in 2005 to 30% by the end of this year, before potentially reaching 50% in 2012.

With close ties to companies like Google and Yahoo, as evident in this IntellectSpace Knowledge Map illustrating the company's Board connections, Cisco will certain reap great rewards from its strong network within Internet provider and technology industry. As the largest maker of Internet data delivery equipment, Cisco will likely be seeing a boom in business if the results of its study prove to be correct. 

Yahoo and Google Join Forces With Executive Connections

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Yahoo Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) made a move to partner with Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) in the wake of Microsoft Corp's (NASDAQ: MSFT) failed takeover attempt.

Despite offering a sizeable premium over the share price, which would have valued Yahoo at over $50 billion, the Internet company's resistance of the deal is likely what ultimately led Microsoft to drop its offer (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

Poor Performance Leads Citigroup To Close Pandit Hedge Fund

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) is closing the hedge fund founded by new CEO Vikram Pandit just under a year after its purchase for more than $800 million.

The move may create some negative sentiment for Pandit, who co-founded Old Lane Partners in 2006 and saw a huge profit after Citigroup purchased the hedge fund in 2007. Since its purchase 11 months ago, the fund has experienced few returns and high management turnover, leaving Citigroup to finally decide to cut its losses and shut it down (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

The fate of Old Lane Partners could mean embarrassment for not only Citigroup, which is only the latest in a series of banks to see underperformance after investing in hedge funds, but also for Pandit. As the fund's Co-Founder, Pandit likely had a greater interest in proving the success of Old Lane Partners, especially after its takeover by Citigroup.

Kerkorian Makes A Move For Ford

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F) could be seeing a boost as financier Kirk Kerkorian has said he plans to up his stake in the underperforming auto maker.

The deal would give Kerkorian's investment company, Trancinda, a 5.5 percent stake in Ford after purchasing 20 million shares at $8.50 each.

The purchase price offers a hefty premium over the current price of Ford's stock, which has taken a dramatic drop in the past month after the company announced that it wouldn't be seeing a profit by next year, fueled by lowered production demands and fuel costs (see article from The New York Times).

NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map, which illustrates that Kerkorian has sizeable corporate experience through his leadership positions held at companies like Tracinda and MGM. The past deals that he has made through his investment vehicle Tracinda could increase the confidence of Ford's shareholders and lead to a boost in share price and performance.

Apple Tries New Strategy For Selling iPhones

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) has made a dramatic attempt at increasing its iPhone sales with the introduction of competitive new model, the iPhone 3G.

With the new plan, the company essentially admitted that the iPhone's original introduction at a much higher price was less than successful. The new phone will feature faster Internet surfing speeds, a lower dropping instance and a price that is $200 cheaper than the original.

Apple is also attempting to reach a larger global audiencce with its new iPhone by expanding distribution.

CEO Steve Jobs said in a conference that the price of the phone has been the biggest obstacle attracting consumers. The new lower price and updated Internet features will likely have a new and larger set of customers scrambling for the smartphone (see article from The New York Times).

The period of time since the first launch of the iPhone has been a learning experience for Apple's Board and Executives. The hefty pricetag effectively alienated many consumers who were unwilling pay so much for the phone, leading to lower sales than anticipated. This latest slash in prices will likely leave current users annoyed at having forked over $200 more than what they could have if they waited a few months, but the payoff for Apple will most likely be in greater sales.

Sprint CEO Hesse Boosts Customer Response With New Ad Angle

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- A commercial from Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) may boost customer confidence and become a big factor in the recovery of the communication company.

Sprint, which has experienced huge losses both in its finances and customer base in the last few years, hired industry veteran Dan R Hesse as its new Chief Executive Officer in December. Since then, Hesse has literally become the face of Sprint, starring in a spring commercial aimed at repairing the company's weak customer service reputation.

Though initially met with skepticism, the ad has since begun to accomplish what it intended in revamping Sprint's image (see article from The New York Times).

The results should be very reassuring for Sprint and especially Hesse, who stepped into the CEO role at the company in the midst of company losses that topped $29.5 billion. Sprint is still far from a full recovery of those losses, but the surprise success of the commercial and customer response could be what sparks a turnaround.

NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map of Hesse's corporate connections and related experience that will likely go far in leading Sprint.

Broadcom Fraud Case Takes A New Turn

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- It turns out that former Broadcom Corp (NASDAQ: BRCM) Chief Executive Henry T Nicholas III is facing more than fraud charges.

The latest news in the case now reveals that he also was allegedly spiking the drinks of Broadcom associates with drugs that may have included Ecstacy.

The sensational 21-count federal indictment was unsealed on Thursday, and also includes multiple counts of fraud and options backdating in addition to those that suggested the ex-CEO's intent distribute drugs to unknowing clients (see article from The New York Times.

Nicholas, who turned himself in to the FBI on Thursday, is also the Co-Founder of Broadcom. Through the combination of good timing and savvy business sense, he quickly joined the ranks of the technology billionaires. As such, he easily made his $3.4 million bail and is now preparing to fight the charges.

Common Connections May Have Sparked Verizon-Alltel Deal

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- Wireless carrier Alltel Corp (NYSE: AT) may soon be facing a takeover by Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodaphone Group.

The deal could create some serious competition for rival AT&T Inc (NYSE: T), as the potentially $27 billion acquisition would likely create the country's largest cellphone company.

NewsVisual created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map of the common corporate connections shared between Alltel and Verizon wireless parent Verizon Communications Inc to determine if any significant executive ties may have prompted this latest news.

Icahn Challenges Yang For Yahoo Control

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace ) -- In his latest move to control Yahoo Inc's (NASDAQ: YHOO) Board of Directors, billionaire investor Carl Icahn has said that he is specifically striving for the removal of Jerry Yang in the CEO post.

After Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) proposed takeover of the company went bust, supposedly due to Yahoo's lack of enthusiasm for the deal, Icahn stepped in to make the deal happen. As one of the world's most influential activist investors, Icahn has said that the Yahoo Executive Team's refusal to accept Microsoft's offers was more about retaining control than being in the best interest of Yahoo's shareholders.

In addition to Icahn's involvement, Yahoo shareholders have also filed a lawsuit over the lost deal. Both parties have the notion that Yahoo's Senior Leadership Team, with Jerry Yang at the helm, effectively sabotaged any possibility of a deal by creating a hefty retention plan that would add a huge cost for Microsoft. Icahn noted that the only way to attract Microsoft back to resume negotiations is to get Jerry Yang out (see article from The Wall Street Journal).   

Microsoft Secures Deal With HP; Common Ties May Have Been A Factor

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Micrsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) is clearly trying to get an edge over the competition, after announcing that it had struck a deal with Hewlett-Packard Co (NYSE: HPQ).

The partnership would boost Microsoft's web-search abilities, a move that is clearly aimed at competing with rivals Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Yahoo Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO).

Wachovia Ousts CEO Thompson and Faces New Losses

(NewsVisual, powered by IntellectSpace) -- Wachovia Corp (NYSE: WB) chose to oust the company's CEO, Ken Thompson, prompting worries that the bank could soon be facing additional financial losses.

Soon after last month's report of worse-than-expected first-quarter losses, Thompson was forced to step down as Chairman, so investors are worried that this latest news could be a sign of more trouble to come. Wachovia failed to mention a single event as the cause of Thompson's departure as CEO, though most likely the bank's poor performance and inability to bounce back in the face of the industry's crisis was the ultimate cause (see article from The Wall Street Journal).

Chairman Lanty Smith has been elected to replace Thompson on an interim basis while leading efforts to find a new CEO.