The Benchmark Company

Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) - Clayton Moran at The Benchmark Company

Benchmark Co analyst Clayton Moran this morning cut his rating on Yahoo (YHOO) to Hold from Buy, while maintaining his $18 price target on the shares. Moran thinks the stock "could remain a value trap.". His concerns: . On the loss of search share, he writes that losses should moderate, but adds that he fears further secular challenges as "scale and and momentum increasingly reside with Bing.". 

BP plc (BP) - Mark Gilman at The Benchmark Company

The fine of nearly $3 million pales in comparison to the company's $4.3 billion fourth quarter profit. "That's barely a rounding error in the context of BP's numbers," said Mark Gilman, an analyst with Benchmark Co in New York. However, BP's ongoing safety issues are a concern to those who follow the company, Gilman said 

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD) - Edward Atorino at The Benchmark Company

Sales decreased by nearly 15 percent to $9.9 billion from $11.6 billion, in lline with the $9.8 billion estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg LP. "The biggest problem is that it's a fragmented industry, with tons of smaller competitors. As large as Donnelley is, their market share is small, so they don't have much pricing power, and the smaller competitors have aggressive lower pricing," said Dave Novosel, senior analyst at Gimme Credit LLC. According to the company's SEC 10 K filing, the excess capacity created by the recent declines in industry volume has resulted in heightened price competition in some product lines, and the management expects prices will continue to be a focal point for customers in the future. Nevertheless, the company's stock is making a comeback, leveling around $20 per share after reaching a 25 year low of $5.58 in . Edward Atorino, an analyst at Benchmark Co. LLC, estimates earnings in fiscal 2010 will reach $1.48 per diluted share, a decline of 8 percent year over year, with recognition of last in, first out, or LIFO, inventory adjustments and product enhancement. 

Elliott Associates, L.P. - Brent Williams at The Benchmark Company

Benchmark Co analyst Brent Williams asserts that the currently proposed deal won't close, and adds that the bid isn't likely to trigger a white knight bidder. "Investors should be set for a long battle, which we ultimately believe will end up at best at a stalemate with Elliott taking one or more board seats and remaining in a holding pattern." He adds that "taking the company private to sell off the parts won't create much value for Elliott, and we think the fund doesn't have enough experience to operate such a complex business itself." ISI analyst Abhey Lamba likewise contends that "any strategic buyer would have difficulty finding synergies in all of the company's segments," and that a private equity deal is more likely than an acquisition by another company. Lamba thinks the stock could be worth $6 to $6.50 a share 

Torstar Corporation (TS.B) - Edward Atorino at The Benchmark Company

Despite two pronounced dips since the autumn rally, both The Times and Gannett have hung onto much of their gains. “There are increasing signs that the ad spend is strengthening,” said Edward Atorino at Benchmark Co. LLC in New York. The media analyst cautions though that longer term secular pressures would almost certainly limit the upside for investors, and that the baby bull run is perhaps heading for a correction in the United States. 

ConocoPhillips (COP) - Mark Gilman at The Benchmark Company

The Syncrude stake might not be worth more than $1 billion, said Mark Gilman , an analyst at the Benchmark Co in New York who has a "hold" rating on ConocoPhillips shares and owns none. 

Syncrude Canada Ltd. - Mark Gilman at The Benchmark Company

The Syncrude stake might not be worth more than $1 billion, said Mark Gilman , an analyst at the Benchmark Co in New York who has a "hold" rating on ConocoPhillips shares and owns none. Possible buyers of the Syncrude stake include Canadian companies, partners in the business and international oil and gas companies, Mulva, 63, said Feb. 4. He declined to say what the stake might be worth 

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD) - Edward Atorino at The Benchmark Company

"We're seeing continuation about what we call a return to more normal seasonality where, we're going to see more volume and more revenues in the back half of the year because of the cycle of advertising and the like." . According to a report released Tuesday by Edward Atorino, a media analyst for Benchmark Company LLC, Donnelley will continue to gain market share on an industrial wide basis, adding to internal growth. "Acquisitions could potentially add another percent or two in revenue growth." Bloomberg LP estimates diluted earnings per share for the first quarter to be 31 cents, compared with 7 cents in actual diluted earnings per share from the year ago quarter 

Stratify, Inc. - Edward Atorino at The Benchmark Company

According to the companies, the rest of the Mimosa team will also be retained Iron Mountain has made several significant acquisitions over the past few years, including the cash purchase of Stratify for $158 million in 2007 According to Benchmark analyst Edward Atorino, Iron Mountain has been trying to expand its digital business since Bob Brennan joined the company in 2004 with the acquisition of Connected Corporation, where he served as chief executive Brennan became chief executive of Iron Mountain in June of 2008 when Richard Reese stepped down after 27 years of leading the company 

Iron Mountain Inc. (IRM) - Edward Atorino at The Benchmark Company

According to the companies, the rest of the Mimosa team will also be retained Iron Mountain has made several significant acquisitions over the past few years, including the cash purchase of Stratify for $158 million in 2007 According to Benchmark analyst Edward Atorino, Iron Mountain has been trying to expand its digital business since Bob Brennan joined the company in 2004 with the acquisition of Connected Corporation, where he served as chief executive Brennan became chief executive of Iron Mountain in June of 2008 when Richard Reese stepped down after 27 years of leading the company