If you're feeling good about the market, you're not alone. Let's review some of this week's more uplifting headlines.
1. You go, IPO
The pipeline of new offerings isn't exactly gushing, but the IPOs that are trickling through are holding up surprisingly well. SolarWinds
SolarWinds and OpenTable both arrived on the market above their initial pricing ranges, and both popped at the open to reward their first public investors. If the market is going to warm up to fresh stock offerings -- something that underwriters desperately need, and to which growth-stock investors are looking forward -- it will take a string of well-received IPOs. So far, so good.
2. XM marks the spot for Howard Stern
Sirius XM Radio
Problem solved. All this week, Stern's Howard 100 and Howard 101 channels have been beamed into all XM receivers. The taste test doesn't cost Sirius XM much. If anything, it may be able to milk more out of its advertisers. This is a smart move by a company trying to win over new subscribers to its premium "Best Of" pricing plan. Now let's get some XM-exclusive talent out there to tempt Sirius subscribers.
3. From goodbye to good buy
Yahoo!
"I can guarantee you there will be some acquisitions," Yahoo! CTO Ari Balogh said during the Reuters Global Technology Summit on Wednesday.
Well, it's about time! Yahoo! has an exciting CEO at the helm and a strong leadership position in display advertising. However, it has spent the past few months hacking away at existing properties, so it's refreshing to hear the company confirm that a turnaround solution won't be strictly organic. There are ideal companies and sites out there waiting to be brought into the fold, and a cash-rich company like Yahoo! can afford to put it all together.
That doesn't mean I would applaud just any acquisition, though. The price has to be reasonable, and the deal has to make sense. However, given the pittance that idle cash is generating in interest these days, it's refreshing to see a laggard like Yahoo! shake itself out of its slumber and start sounding aggressive.
4. A dynamic duo grows stronger
Netflix
The two companies are certainly getting cozy lately. Microsoft's Xbox 360 is the only console that works with Netflix's digital offering, and Netflix uses Microsoft's Silverlight software platform to power the player. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is also on the Microsoft board. And the moves make perfect sense. Xbox Live is well ahead of its console rivals when it comes to connectivity, and having the Netflix icon on Windows Media Center in some versions of Vista will help promote the service.
5. Loud, proud, and cloud
salesforce.com
The company earned $0.15 a share, well ahead of the $0.11 that Mr. Market was targeting. Investors shouldn't be surprised, since the company has now beaten Wall Street profit estimates in seven of the past eight quarters.
The news isn't all good for salesforce.com, with the company warning of weakness in the current quarter. Then again, when analysts continue to underestimate your earnings potential, you're going to look less than invincible from time to time.
