Things never get dull for the country's lone satellite-radio provider. Shares of Sirius XM Radio (SIRI +0.00%) moved 0.3% lower to close at $3.52. The media darling's slight dip was a sharp contrast to the Nasdaq's 2.6% surge on the week.
There was more going on beyond the small drop, even if it was Sirius XM's third weekly decline in a row. Ford (F 1.66%) offered up an unsettling update, but the news isn't necessarily bad for Sirius XM. On the streaming front, AOL's (NYSE: AOL) plan to discontinue Winamp and SHOUTcast may result in a stay of execution.
Let's take a closer look.
Fourth week's the charm
Sirius XM's stock fell by only $0.01 on the week, but it still marked the third week in a row that the shares have closed lower. Given Sirius XM's ascent over the years, finding the stock move lower for three consecutive weeks is rare, but it has happened -- most recently back in June. It bounced back strongly the following week.
Ford explorer
It was a bad week for Ford, after it warned that operating margins will be challenged as it rolls out 23 new or refreshed product lines next year. That's more than twice as many new vehicles as it introduced this year.
However, Sirius XM's fortune is tied more to Ford's top line than its bottom line. Updated cars should drum up sales, and that will result in more gross subscriber additions for Sirius XM.
Sirius XM also warned about weakness in Europe and currency devaluations in Latin America, but these are markets that go beyond Sirius XM's reach.
You've got bail
AOL was all set to nix Winamp on Friday, but it will apparently live to play another day.
TechCrunch reported this week that AOL was close to selling Winamp and SHOUTcast. There should be some meat to the chatter. AOL also happens to own TechCrunch, though we have to be fair and point out that the tech blog has done a good job over the years of remaining independent.
