On January 22, KeyCorp. (NYSE:KEY) led gains among banks, banking on better-than-expected quarterly results. KeyCorp’s fourth-quarter 2014 earnings of 29 cents per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 26 cents. Shares of KeyCorp climbed 7.6%. Overall, the Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) gained 2.5%, the highest among the S&P 500 sectors. On Tuesday shares of KeyCorp. (NYSE:KEY) closed at $13.31. Company’s sales growth for last 5 years was -7.60% and EPS growth for next 5 years is recorded as 9.58%.
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)’s bold move to buy rival Time Warner Cable in a $45-billion deal once seemed inevitable. Wall Street figured combining the nation’s two largest cable operators wouldn’t have much problem clearing regulatory hurdles. Both companies operate in different parts of the country, and wouldn’t be seen as anti-competitive. Subscribers, including 1.8 million in the Los Angeles region, would have the same number of choices for pay-TV as they currently do. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) in last trading activity fell -0.59% to close at $56.35. Company weekly performance is 0.98% while its quarterly performance stands at 4.26%. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is -4.59% away from its 52 week high.
On January 15, Continental Resources Inc (NYSE:CLR) said Harold Hamm, its chief executive officer and majority shareholder, has pledged about one-fourth of the company shares he owns as collateral for a personal loan, according to a regulatory filing. On last trading day Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CLR) increased 2.58% to close at $45.78. Its volatility for the week is 6.03% while volatility for the month is 6.08%. CLR’s sales growth for past 5 years was 29.20% and its EPS growth for past 5 years was 16.90%. Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CLR) monthly performance is 18.05%.
In a major negative the short interest in Asta Funding, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASFI) shot up by 6.2% or 1,058 shares. The final shorts are 0.2% of the total floated shares. The positions increased from 17,094 shares on December 15,2014 to 18,152 on December 31,2014. Inculcating the per-day average trading of 10,925 shares, the days to cover are 2.Asta Funding Inc. (NASDAQ:ASFI) has 32.25% insider ownership while its institutional ownership stands at 35.90%. In last trading activity company’s stock closed at $8.53.
On January 20, New Media Investment Group Inc. (NYSE:NEWM) announced that it has completed the sale of 7,000,000 shares of its common stock. The gross proceeds of the sale were approximately $152 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. All of the shares were offered by the Company and were issued pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. On last trading day New Media Investment Group Inc. (NYSE:NEWM) fell -0.13% to close at $22.29. Its volatility for the week is 2.45% while volatility for the month is 3.28%. New Media Investment Group Inc. (NYSE:NEWM) monthly performance is -7.70%.