5 Dates to Circle in November

• Email
• Share
• Print

Will November be a time to give thanks?  

Beyond the gobble-gobble, the market has certainly given bullish investors a reason to be grateful with the monstrous rally that began in March.

However, news moves the financial markets, and this month will provide plenty of defining close-ups of Mr. Market. Here are a few of the days that I plan to approach with eyes wide open.

Nov. 5
After months of scorching gains, it is time for Sirius XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) to torch the skeptics with its third-quarter report. The satellite-radio provider has taken major steps toward profitability since completing last year's merger. Unfortunately, it has also suffered back-to-back quarters of sequential net subscriber declines.

Did Sirius XM's user base peak last year? A soft economy, horrendous auto market, and rollout of new fees and rate hikes have dealt the broadcaster some serious headwinds. New gadgets, smartphone apps, and this summer's Cash for Clunkers program should help.

I expect a small decline in net subscribers, though my fellow Fools are all over the map with their expectations.

The bottom line is that Sirius XM needs to show either marked cash-flow improvement or a turnaround in its net subscriber defections. It only needs to hit on one of those two goals. If it nails -- or fumbles -- both, you can expect some wild price swings later this week. 

Nov. 10
Don't be surprised if diehard gamers call in sick to work or don't show up at school next Tuesday. Activision Blizzard's (Nasdaq: ATVI) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 hits stores on the 10th.

A lot is riding on the game. It is one of Activision Blizzard's biggest franchises, and the stakes are even higher after September's disappointing release of Guitar Hero 5. If the plastic guitar genre is fading, Activision Blizzard is going to need the latest installment in its Call of Duty war games to win more than just the battle.

Nov. 12
Retailers will begin posting results for the back-to-school quarter. Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) are the two chains worth watching on Nov. 12. They are two of the recession's winners. Wal-Mart's economies of scale make it practically untouchable when it comes to pricing, while Kohl's has won over penny-pinching apparel shoppers seeking out a little more fashion sense than they'll find at Wal-Mart.

Both companies are expected to post modest bottom-line improvement for the quarter. If they both miss, it will send ripples through the retailer stocks, unless consumers are somehow feeling confident enough to trade back up to pricier chains. 

Nov. 17
China's leading online gaming company -- NetEase.com (Nasdaq: NTES) -- will have a lot of questions to answer in its quarterly conference call, which is expected on the evening of Nov. 17, U.S. time.

Regulators have been cracking down on the industry, placing restrictions on foreign ownership and beefing up content censorship. NetEase felt the clamps firsthand when regulators held up its release of Activision Blizzard's World of Warcraft for months this summer.

These clouds are heavy. Analysts see quarterly earnings soaring 39% at NetEase, yet the stock trades at only 13 times next year's projected earnings. NetEase needs to relieve global investing concerns to command a loftier valuation.

Nov. 30
Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) may be late to the digital reader party, but it's apparently a quick learner. Its Nook will hit the market by month's end at the same $259 price point as market leader Amazon.com's (Nasdaq: AMZN) Kindle, but offering a lot more features.  

Offering a second color multi-touch screen will win over iPhone fans. The promise of serving up promotions directly to Nook owners once they step into stores will keep digital audiences coming back to the stores.

The late release and any potential hardware shortages may keep the Nook from moving the needle this holiday season, but Barnes & Noble has a real chance to strike before the Kindle ecosystem becomes the industry standard.