With the end of the first quarter approaching, it is time to adjust the names in our Watch Lists. We will price all the new lists as of the close on Friday, March 30. Today we present our planned updates to the Large Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy).

Though less than the Small Cap Watch List and Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy), there was still relatively high turnover in this list. 14 of the original 33 names made the cut for the new list (which was trimmed to just 26 names.) Part of the reason for the turnover was to reduce overlap between the lists. One third of the Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy) names appear on each of the Small Cap and Large Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy)s, but there is no longer any overlap between small and large.
So without further ado, the names on the chopping block from the previous list are:

3M (MMM); Continental (CTTAY.PK); Mitsui (MITSY); Anheuser-Busch (BUD); ConocoPhillips (COP); Helix Energy (HELX); IndyMac Bancorp (NDE - Annual Report); Barr Pharmaceutical (BRL - Annual Report); Quest Diagnostics (DGX); Public Storage (PSA); ITT Educational Services (ESI); Equifax (EFX); Rent-a-Center (RCII); Kroger (KR); Ricoh (RICOY); First Data Corp. (FDC); Expeditors International (EXPD); and Keyspan (KSE).

The new list is:

With the end of the first quarter approaching, it is time to adjust the names in our Watch Lists. We will price all the new lists as of the close on Friday, March 30. Today we present our planned updates to the Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy).

As with the Small Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy), we were surprised at the amount of turnover in our screens. Only 7 of the original 29 names made the cut for the new list (which comes in at only 24 names.) Part of the reason for the turnover was to reduce the overlap between the Small Cap and Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy)s. Now there is only one-third overlapping names rather than two thirds. Furthermore, given the level of outperformance we saw in the first quarter (actually just two months) and the fact that much of those gains were achieved early, perhaps the turnover is warranted.

So without further ado, the names on the chopping block from the previous list are:

Silgan Holdings (SLGN - Annual Report); Middleby (MIDD); Olin (OLN); Vector Group (VGR); Sanderson Farms (SAFM); Tesoro (TSO); Downey Financial (DSL); Waddell & Reed (WDR); Gamco (GBL); Apria Healthcare (AHG); Quest Diagnostics (DGX); ITT Educational Services (ESI); Equifax (EFX); Delhaize Group (DEG); Papa John’s (PZZA); Rent-a-Center (RCII); Cato Corp (CTR); Dassault Systemes (DASTY); Ingram Micro (IM); Energy East (EAS); South Jersey Industries (SJI - Annual Report); and American States Water (AWR).

The new list is:

We asked, but no one answered. So we are taking our own counsel and breaking our Watch List into three portfolios: Small Cap, Mid Cap and Large Cap. Each will be tracked against the relevant S&P index going forward from their collective inception date of January 31 (priced at the close of market trading that day.)

For your viewing pleasure, the Large Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy) (to be measured against the S&P 500) follows.

Astute observers will notice less overlap between this watch list and the names in the Small Cap Watch List and Mid Cap Watch List. This was not for lack of overlap, as the smallest S&P 500 name has a market capitalization of $600 million, which would allow for complete overlap with the Mid Caps if we chose. Instead we selected an arbitrary low of $2 billion for large-cap names, which cuts off five names that are actually in the S&P 500.
In addition, we will provide a “quick and dirty” analysis of each name, with a goal of one such analysis per day. As the name implies, the quick and dirty analysis will be incomplete. We are hoping you will join in the debate and fill the gaps in our analysis.

We asked, but no one answered. So we are taking our own counsel and breaking our Watch List into three portfolios: Small Cap, Mid Cap and Large Cap. Each will be tracked against the relevant S&P index going forward from their collective inception date of January 31 (priced at the close of market trading that day.)

For your viewing pleasure, the Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy) (to be measured against the S&P 400) follows.

Astute observers will notice a significant overlap between the names in the Small Cap Watch List and this one. In fact, of the 29 names on the Small Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy), 19 are included among the 29 names in the Mid Cap Watch List (Track at Marketocracy). The main reason is that we ran our screens against the criteria in the relevant indices rather than the names in the indices. Since the largest market cap in the S&P Small Cap is $3.5 billion and the smallest market cap in the S&P Mid Cap is $600 million, there is room for a good deal of overlap if one is willing to accept it.

In addition, we will provide a “quick and dirty” analysis of each name, with a goal of one such analysis per day. As the name implies, the quick and dirty analysis will be incomplete. We are hoping you will join in the debate and fill the gaps in our analysis.

Summary: Inflation continues to be a worry, with the PPI data fairly strong and seemingly on the rise. That means lenders are getting paid back with cheaper currency. Earnings are coming in strong, however - particularly for the brokers and asset managers.

Watch List news:
Bancolombia SA (CIB) agreed to sell its majority stake in Almacenar S.A. for 29 billion pesos. Translating to approximately $11 million, the transaction is fairly small for a company with $4.14 billion in market capitalization.

SEI Investments Co. (SIEC - Annual Report), which provides investment services to financial institutions, said second-quarter profit rose 31 percent on higher revenue, a lower tax rate, and lower expenses to account for the value of employee stock options. The company posted net income for the second quarter ended June 30 of $57.9 million, or 57 cents per share, versus profit of $44.2 million, or 43 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 50 percent to $285 million from $190.1 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial forecast earnings of 55 cents per share on $284.1 million revenue.

First Regional sets 3-for-1 stock split

Other news:
Merrill Lynch (MER) said second-quarter earnings were $1.6 billion, or $1.63 a share, compared with $1.14 billion, or $1.14 a share, in the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by Reuters Estimates on average expected earnings of $1.53 before exceptional items.

Citigroup (C - Annual Report) earned $5.27 billion, or $1.05 a share, compared to $5.07 billion, or 97 cents a share, a year ago. Analysts had expected the company to earn $1.06. “Lower bankruptcy filings and a continued favorable credit environment led to a $193 million decline in net credit losses and a $160 million pre-tax loan loss reserve release,” the bank said. Comment: Releasing reserves is sometimes considered aggressive accounting. Regardless of how it is considered, approximately $0.01 of the current quarter EPS was the result of this accounting adjustment.

Wells Fargo profit up 9 percent - which was below expectations.

MGIC Investment Corp. reported that second-quarter net income fell 14% as the mortgage-insurance specialist’s net premiums declined in the face of a real estate slowdown.

AmSouth Bancorp said second-quarter net income rose slightly from the year-ago period and indicated it is making “good progress” in closing its merger with Regions Financial Corp. in the fourth quarter.

State Street said its net earnings rose 3% in the second quarter, topping analysts estimates, and said it expects full-year earnings to come in at the high-end of forecasts.

Discount stockbroker Charles Schwab Corp. said quarterly earnings rose 35 percent as net new assets nearly doubled from a year earlier.

Online brokerage TD Ameritrade said its third-quarter profit soared 67 percent on higher fee-based revenue and its acquisition of TD Waterhouse.

National City Corp., a large Midwest U.S. bank, said second-quarter profit fell 24 percent because of hedging losses from mortgages. Still, this was better than expectations.

KeyCorp, a large U.S. Midwest bank, said second-quarter profit rose 6 percent, topping analyst forecasts, helped by growth in fee income and commercial lending.