Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over daily movements, we do like to keep an eye on market changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
This article features Cisco Systems, Intel, Hertz Global, and Jabil Circuit. Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in Cisco, Intel, Hertz, or Jabil. The Motley Fool recommends Cisco Systems and Intel. The Motley Fool owns shares of Hertz Global Holdings and Intel.
The Dow Jones Industrials (^DJI -0.11%) managed to break its losing streak, rising 55 points as investors tried to look beyond current events in Washington to focus more on positive economic news. The gains didn't make a big dent in the declines that the market has suffered over the past week, but the Dow and the broader markets remain solidly higher for the month of September, encouraging investors as third-quarter earnings season approaches.
Nevertheless, several stocks failed to join in the Dow's overall gains. Cisco Systems (CSCO 0.06%) fell 2.7% as CEO John Chambers once again threw cold water on shareholder optimism, with comments emphasizing the potential downsides of the business. The move shows just how susceptible stocks are to negative insider comments, as Chambers didn't really reveal anything that investors weren't already aware of as potential threats. Along with those threats, Cisco has plenty of opportunities that could produce nice surprises for long-term investors who don't let the CEO's risk-related comments talk them out of holding onto their shares.
Intel (INTC 0.64%) also declined, falling 1.2%, but recovering from worse losses in the last hour of trading. As Fool contributor Travis Hoium noted earlier today, some investors might be disappointed that the company didn't raise its dividend, instead keeping its payout stable for the sixth quarter in a row. Unlike many companies that do annual dividend increases, Intel has consistently kept its payouts flat for longer periods of time. Nevertheless, over the long haul, Intel has provided substantial dividend growth to long-term investors.
Finally, earnings news hurt some companies outside the Dow. Hertz Global (HTZG.Q) dropped 16% after the rental-car company cut its guidance for the full year. By cutting its earnings per share projections by $0.10 per share, and reducing its revenue by half a billion dollars, the company made investors nervous about whether the industry giant can sustain its long-term profit growth. Meanwhile, Jabil Circuit (JBL -0.54%) fell 10% after similarly pulling back on its guidance for the current quarter, forecasting earnings and revenue well below expectations. Given that Jabil counts BlackBerry as a substantial customer, the smartphone maker's decline has hurt Jabil substantially, forcing Jabil to take large charges related to its relationship with BlackBerry.
