Credit Research News - August, 2007

Protecting Your Credit Score

You signed up for that in-store credit card to save ten percent, but wound up paying twenty percent extra in interest

Kansas City-area business briefs: Westar plans Kansas plant cleanup

Westar Energy Inc. has filed plans with the state of Kansas to make changes at its largest power station, the Jeffrey Energy Center northeast of Manhattan.

Insiders Snap Up Long-Term Care Shares

Shares of long-term care facilities have fallen to 52-week lows in recent months, driven by the soft housing market

Fitch Raises Halliburton Credit Ratings

Fitch Ratings on Friday raised its credit ratings on Halliburton Co. and revised its outlook on the oil services company to stable

S&P Names Sharma President Amid Ratings Criticism

Standard & Poor's named Deven Sharma to replace Kathleen Corbet as president after lawmakers and investors criticized the credit-rating company

S&P Lowers H&R Block Credit Rating

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Friday lowered its credit rating on H&R Block Inc. because of concerns over the tax preparer's

Newspaper ad revenues to drop by low- to mid-single digits in 2007 - S&P

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said total advertising revenue for the newspaper industry is expected to drop by low- to mid-single digits in 2007

Travel Troubleshooter: New name, no credit

Gena Welsh and her husband each receive a $150 certificate when their flight is delayed.

Dresser-Rand Amends Revolving Credit Facility

Dresser-Rand Group Inc. ("Dresser-Rand" or the "Company") , reported today that it has amended its Senior Secured Credit Facility

US power sector refinancing needs manageable despite credit market issues - S&P

Standard and Poor's Ratings Services said that US power sector companies will be able to refinance pending maturities

State Street Dogged By Concerns Over Conduits' Commercial Paper

State Street Corp.'s stock has come under pressure this week with credit markets gyrating as investors try to ascertain the financial services

Lawmakers to Mull Credit Agency Changes

Lawmakers this fall will consider stricter rules for credit-rating agencies amid criticism that they failed to accurately assess

DORT Federal Credit Union Furthers Leadership Position With Diebold ImageWay(R) Solutions

Global leader in imaging services provides ATM and branch capture for lower costs, expanded footprint

U.S. Fed sends strong signal of support

The U.S. Federal Reserve has offered its strongest signal yet that it is prepared to cut its key lending rate to ensure the subprime mortgage crisis

Investor Advisers Endorse TXU Sale

The pending sale of TXU Corp. got a boost Tuesday as two investor-advising services endorsed a record-setting $32 billion

Dean Foods outlook cut to negative as high milk prices hit opg performance - S&P

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services revised its outlook to negative from stable on Dean Foods Co and its wholly owned unit, Dean Holding Co

That e-mail from the IRS? It’s not from the IRS

Scams to get your personal information often use agency’s logo

Kroll Factual Data’s Mortgage Credit Services Now Available through eMagic’s Platform

Kroll Factual Data, a subsidiary of Kroll Inc. and a leading provider of customized mortgage services, and eMagic, a leader in mortgage technology

RadNet Boosts Credit Facility

RadNet Inc., which operates medical imaging centers, increased the size of its credit facility by $35 million

The Joys of Credit Unions

I've made no secret of this in the past: I love my credit union. Their great rates, low fees, friendly personal service, and flexibility

BBB warns of credit, grantwriting scam

A Hickory-based grantwriting and credit repair company may be scamming customers out of thousands of dollars, the Better Business Bureau warned Monday

Investors seeing a 'credit bubble burst'

The outgoing chief executive of financial services group AMP Ltd, Andrew Mohl, says investors are now seeing "a credit bubble burst"

Stock rally to be tested by economy this week

A newfound level of stability in U.S. stocks will be tested this week, with inflation, housing prices and consumer sentiment figures

Three big credit unions expand into area

Buffalo’s credit union industry is being invaded

USAF Gets Too Little Credit For Role In Iraq

The U.S. Air Force's eyes seem to be everywhere. My July 29 Sun Media column about how the air force is the supreme instrument of U.S. global power

As access to credit tightens, having high credit score increasingly important

With sub-prime mortgage lending in a crisis, financial institutions are tightening the rules of credit.

Credit cards can be a tempting trap for college students

Issuers are keen for extravagant spenders, parents' bailouts.

Local experts say Marin will fare better than most in credit crisis

Paul Financial Services of San Rafael was profitable in the first quarter of the year but business fell in the second quarter for the home mortgage lender

PSCU centralises credit and bill payment services with Sterling

US credit union services firm PSCU has centralised its credit and bill payment services onto Gentran Integration Suite from Sterling Commerce

Huntington Bancshares to Present at the Lehman Brothers Financial Services Conference

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (http://www.huntington.com) will be participating in the Lehman Brothers Financial Services Conference on Monday

S&P Boosts Embarq's Credit Outlook

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Friday boosted its credit outlook for Embarq Corp., citing the telecommunications company's

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: In Response to Intensifying Competition

BMW Financial Services Ranks Highest in Satisfying Dealers for Retail Leasing; Mercedes-Benz Financial Ranks Highest in Prime Retail Credit and Floor Planning Satisfaction

Credit: Freeze, ID Thief!

There's an easy way to protect yourself from identity theft without spending time and money on costly credit-monitoring services: just freeze your credit file.

Bad Credit Cash Advance Services - Rescue You When Facing Immediate Cash Problem

Bad credit cash advance services come to your rescue when you are facing an immediate cash problem

Con-way Completes Acquisition of Contract Freighters, Inc.

$750 Million Acquisition Expands Capabilities, Creates Unique Transportation and Logistics Enterprise

Moody's Places Builders on Credit Watch

Moody's Investors Services on Tuesday placed the credit ratings of three leading homebuilders under review for a possible downgrade

MTM Technologies Announces New Credit Facility with GE Capital Solution’s Commercial Distribution

MTM Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTMC), a leading national provider of innovative IT solutions and services to Global 2000

Stocks surge as credit-loosening efforts begin to take effect

Shares of Kansas City’s NovaStar Financial Inc. gained almost 20 percent Wednesday, even as the mortgage industry

Stocks Rise As Credit Worries Ease And M A Talk Soothes

Latin American markets closed higher Wednesday, buoyed by efforts to stabilize volatility in markets worldwide that have been rocked

Debt Markets Hamper ACS Buyout

Affiliated Computer Services shares dropped Wednesday after its buyout hopes were punctured by a lack of buyers on the corporate debt markets

H&R Tastes Credit Crunch

A storm is brewing at H&R Block (HRB - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr - Rating).

Countrywide Receives $2 Billion Strategic Equity Investment From Bank Of America

Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC), a diversified financial services provider and the leading mortgage lender

CRISIL assigns highest Broker Grading, Ratings and Opinions for Indiabulls Financial

Indiabulls Financial Services Ltd has announced that the CRISIL has assigned the highest broker grading "CRISIL BQ 1" to

Money markets rebound on rate cut hopes

Money markets on Tuesday staged a dramatic reversal of Monday’s flight to safety after an influential senator fuelled expectations

S&P Affirms Con-Way Credit Ratings

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Tuesday affirmed Con-Way Inc.'s credit ratings and took the trucking company off CreditWatch

WidePoint Signs $2 Million Line of Credit With Cardinal Bank

WidePoint Corporation (AMEX: WYY), a leading provider of information technology assurance and identity management services

66 Federal Credit Union Selects AT&T To Provide Network Services

AT&T Inc. has announced a new contract to provide network services to 66 Federal Credit Union, a cooperative financial institution

IT Firms Jittery Over Credit Crunch Fallout

Information technology firms found a cash cow in financial services companies with increasingly sophisticated communications

US lawmaker sets credit, mortgage hearing Sept 5

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on Sept. 5 to examine the current crises

PSCU Selects Sterling Commerce B2B Transaction Solution for Centralized Credit and Bill Payment

Gentran Integration Suite Offers Single, Secure Platform to Better Manage Sensitive Data Transactions and Optimize Business Process Integration for Better Service

Bank of America signs NFL sponsorship pact

Bank of America Corp. has inked a three-year sponsorship agreement to become the official bank of the National Football League.

Credit Card Veteran Targets Immigrants With Prepaid Cards

Credit card veteran Andy Phillips is going after those who deal in cash but want the benefits of plastic.

OSI Retains #2 Ranking on Collections & Credit Risk Top Collection Agencies List

Outsourcing Solutions Inc. (OSI) was recently ranked number two on the Collections & Credit Risk Top Collection Agencies list

Fear freezes payment system

Until recently, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was talking about a "global savings glut"

Hedge Funds In Flight To Quality

Prime brokers have seen a flight to quality by hedge fund clients, who have transferred up to $50 billion (EUR37 billion) of assets

What credit crunch?

From the headlines, you might think that lenders will never offer another mortgage.

Is Bear Stearns a Bargain?

The stock-market turmoil of the past two weeks has led to a selloff in financial stocks since many companies are exposed to the difficult mortgage

Wall Street feels the heat. No need to lose your cool

The subprime mortgage mess that roiled the nation's credit market is now threatening one of the longest uninterrupted bull markets

A "dangerous cycle of debt" is trapping too many credit-card holders

About one-third of cardholders pay interest rates in excess of 20 percent, according to a report from New York-based think tank Demos.

Credit coup

The big switch from state to federal regulation pays off for Utah credit unions

New Credit Standards Squeeze Buyers

The mortgage credit crunch is not only affecting interest rates that home buyers are quoted, but it is also triggering changes

Credit worries won't vanish despite moves, analysts say

The Federal Reserve swept into the market this past week to offer a calming hand, but that's still no panacea for the fundamental problems Wall Street faces

YRC Worldwide Enters Into New Revolving Credit Facility and Expands Asset-Backed Securitization

YRC Worldwide Inc. today announced that it has entered into a new revolving credit agreement

Faith in credit fading during crunch

In this climate, more and more people aren't willing to believe in promises to pay.

Countrywide Leads Finance Stocks Up After Rate Cut

U.S. financial-services shares rose for a second day, led by mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., after the Federal Reserve

Faith in credit fading during crunch

Until recently, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke was talking about a "global savings glut"

American Home May Be Stopped From Servicing Loans

American Home Mortgage Investment Corp., the second-biggest U.S. residential lender in bankruptcy

How to work out a problem mortgage with your lender

Question: During the loss mitigation process, how can the lender lose contact with the borrower

S&P Lowers Countrywide Rating

Credit-ratings agency Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Thursday lowered its counterparty credit rating

Farm Credit quarterly net takes a drop

In the second quarter of 2006, however, the Spokane-based, federally chartered ag-lending cooperative’s net income was boosted

Western Federal Credit Union Selects Symitar(TM) to Provide Enterprise-Wide Automation

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.(R) , a leading provider of integrated technology solutions and data processing services

Fred's Sags; Small Caps Fall Sharply

Small stocks fell sharply after more investment-management firms were snarled in unraveling credit markets

ADR REPORT: ADRs Fall On Renewed Credit Woes; Financials Trade Lower

U.S.-listed shares of overseas companies fell on Tuesday, pushing the benchmark index

Wall St drops on Wal-Mart, more credit troubles

Stocks fell on Tuesday after disappointing earnings and outlook from Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Members Choice Credit Union Chooses AT&T for Network Services Upgrade

AT&T Inc. has announced that Members Choice Credit Union, which serves employee groups, associations and community

United Way groups stop at Citicorp

Organizations that get money from United Way of Washington County went Tuesday to Citicorp Credit Services

Credit Crisis Hurts Rating Agencies

The fallout from the collapse of the subprime lending sector has highlighted deficiencies in the performance

Why Avoid Credit Repair Services That Offer Suspicious Solutions?

There are many credit repair services out there offering magic solutions.

Credit Tightens for All Mortgages

It takes more than good credit to get a mortgage these days.

Wolters Kluwer Financial Services and NAFCU Services Offer Credit Unions Free Webcast

Wolters Kluwer Financial Services and NAFCU Services Corporation today announced the availability of a free webcast

Ocwen Announces Renewal and Increase of JPMorgan Chase Credit Line

Ocwen Financial Corporation (NYSE:OCN) announced today that its secured line of credit arranged by J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.

Is Productivity Growth Back

Named for economist William Baumol, the theory argues that the labor-intensive nature of some services acts as a constraint

Citigroup seen taking $700 million in credit losses

Citigroup Inc. has reportedly lost more than $700 million in credit business in recent weeks, placing the world's biggest financial services firm high on the list of casualties from the market-roiling credit crunch.

Stocks will be volatile next week as Fed battles credit woes

Stocks are expected to remain volatile next week, as investors weigh the interventions by global central banks to stabilize credit markets, analysts said.

Topsy-turvy Wall Street fears end to easy street

Until a few weeks ago, life on Wall Street was as good as it gets, with a nearly five-year bull market, takeover deals galore

Hartford raises credit facility to $2B

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE:HIG PRC) (NYSE:HIG) , an insurer and investment manager, raised its $1.6 billion revolving credit facility

Nasdaq Gains 1.3% in Volatile Week

The Nasdaq Composite Index finished lower Friday, but gained ground in a volatile week where stocks zigzagged on earnings news and credit market concerns.

Plane Leasing Cos Say Business Unharmed By Credit-Market Woes

Aircraft-leasing companies have come under scrutiny from shareholders amid concerns about the potential impact of recent credit-market troubles

Capital One Lifts Credit Card Rates

Consumers who got low-rate credit cards during recent years of cheap cash may be about to see their borrowing costs spike.

S&P Lifts PerkinElmer's Credit Rating

Standard & Poor's Rating Services on Friday raised PerkinElmer Inc.'s investment grade corporate credit rating

DaimlerChrysler upped to 'BBB+' after Chrysler stake sale - S&P

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its long-term corporate credit rating on DaimlerChrysler AG and related entities

Credit crunch spawns worries on Wall Street

Wall Street's deepening fears about a spreading credit crunch sent stocks plunging again Thursday,

Vital patient info stolen from Legacy Mt. Hood clinic

A doctor at Legacy Clinic Mount Hood recently discovered a theft of $13,000 in addition to missing patient receipts, credit card transaction slips and checks

Newtek Business Services Reports Second Quarter 2007

Outperforms Second Quarter GuidanceHighlights for Second Quarter 2007:- Three key Business Segments (Electronic Payment Processing, Web Hosting, and SBA Lending) met or beat our Q2 2007 earnings guidance

United Technologies Corp. Reaffirms 2007 Outlook at Credit Suisse Electrical Equipment

United Technologies Corp. Vice President, Accounting and Finance, Greg Hayes met with investors today at the Credit Suisse 2007 Electrical Equipment

Our Community Credit Union Selects Lending Solutions to Expand Services

Lending Solutions Inc. (LSI), a provider of lending center services and consulting programs for financial institutions across North America

Brooke Corporation Reports Second Quarter Earnings

Brooke Corporation today reported its second quarter financial results.

State Employees’Credit Union and Local Government Federal Credit Union Partner With Internal Revenue

State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU), Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced SECU’s 215 statewide branches

comScore Reports Rapid Growth in Use of U.S. Online Credit Card Services

comScore , a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the results of a study of online credit card services

MicroBilt and Equifax Help Businesses Make Informed Credit Decisions

Equifax Inc. today announced that MicroBilt Corporation is linking customers with a portfolio of commercial information solutions from Equifax.

Bank of America Names Susan Walker to Succeed Robb Hilson as Florida Market President

Bank of America today named Susan Walker, Premier Banking & Investments Regional executive for Northern Florida and Georgia

Asian stocks may rise on Fed's optimism, U.S. rally

Asian stocks are expected to open mostly higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve Board eased worries that credit woes will cripple the U.S. economy, causing a late rally on Wall Street.

Marlin Business Services Corp. Reports EPS of $0.42 for the Second Quarter 2007

Marlin Business Services Corp. (Nasdaq:MRLN) today reported net income of $5.2 million for the second quarter ended June 30

Radian Provides Update on Status of MGIC Merger

Radian Group Inc. today issued the following statement in response to a press release issued by MGIC Investment Corporation

Fed Leaves Key Interest Rate Unchanged

Wall Street turbulence, Main Street credit problems and a nationwide housing slump pose increasing risks to the economy

Nuance Communications 'B+' corporate credit rating affirmed - S&P

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services affirmed its 'B+' corporate credit rating on Nuance Communications Inc with a positive outlook

Standard & Poor's Selects BQuotes' BestData(TM) for Same-Day Corporate Credit and Credit Derivative

Standard & Poor's Securities Evaluations Inc., a leading provider of independent fixed-income evaluations of nearly 3 million securities

Debt Consolidation Solutions For People With Good Credit Rating

Borrowing against your home equity is one of the best ways to consolidate your debts and I’ll not argue against it.

Co-op Services Credit Union Partners with Cyveillance to Protect Customers Against Phishing Attacks

Cyveillance, a global leader in cyber intelligence, today announced a partnership with Co-op Services Credit Union (CSCU)

JK Harris encourages parents to take advantage of ‘Day Camp’ credit

JK Harris representative encourages taxpayers to take advantage of the Child and Dependent Care Credit for children's day camp this summer.

Credit union bank alternative

Consumers have a plethora of borrowing and saving options, from traditional banks to online-only banks to credit unions and investment brokerages.

Shortcut to good credit will end

You're a recent college graduate, and unlike many of your classmates, you have no credit card debt.

Been there, done that? Earn credit

Heading back to school can be daunting for an adult already familiar with the rhythms and demands of working life.

Fed to weigh hit of credit crunch

U.S. Federal Reserve officials meeting on Tuesday will grapple with how turmoil in financial markets and tighter credit

Computer with personal info. stolen from credit union vendor

A computer containing personal information of some Kellogg Community Federal Credit Union members has been stolen.

Many misunderstand credit scores

Money has been tight this year and you were a month late on a couple of credit card payments.

Lenders cut back, tighten terms

Once seemingly confined to subprime lending, problems in the mortgage industry showed signs of spreading to more-creditworthy borrowers Friday

European stocks tumble on tame data, credit woes

European shares tumbled on Friday as weaker than expected U.S jobs figures and data showing that the U.S. service sector grew

Treasury 2-Year Yields Drop to 18-Month Low on Jobs, Growth

Treasuries rose, pushing yields on two-year notes to the lowest since January 2006, after weaker- than-forecast reports

Stocks Fall Sharply Amid Credit Fears

Wall Street plunged anew Friday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 280 points after comments

Lawmaker Takes Steps to Reform Credit-Card Industry

As more small firms turn to credit cards as a means to finance their businesses, lawmakers and others are more closely examining

Understanding Debt Management Services

When some people become overwhelmed with debt and find it hard to pay their bills, they often turn to a debt management service.

S&P May Downgrade Bear Stearns Credit

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said Friday it may downgrade Bear Stearns Cos.' credit rating because of the investment bank's exposure

S&P: Boston Scientific Rating Lowered To 'BB+'; Ratings Placed On CreditWatch Negative

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said it lowered its corporate credit rating on Boston Scientific Corp. to 'BB+' from 'BBB-'

Repair Your Past Mistakes - Go For Credit Card Debt Services

It is time to redeem your mistakes. You might have gone on a shopping spree in the past, and are paying for it now with high interest on your credit cards.

No credit impact on Minneapolis from bridge collapse - S&P

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said the bridge collapse in downtown Minneapolis is not expected to have an impact on the credit quality

SCA Selected by Advance Auto to Administer Private Label Credit Card Program for 35 Stores

Advance Auto Parts has selected Shoppers Charge Accounts Co. (SCA) to administer the private label credit card program

Credit Card Regulations Getting Mixed Reviews

The payment card industry's latest data security standard is protecting customer records, but some enterprise IT leaders aren't happy with it.

Stakeholders credit food security meeting with laying important groundwork

It was one of the best two-hour meetings Interfaith Food Bank Director Kathleen Harmon has ever attended.

Group Imagines 'Ideal' Credit Card

Imagine a credit card that lets consumers set restrictions for its use - for example disallowing cash advances.

Cardholders caught in credit 'trap': report

A "dangerous cycle of debt" is trapping too many credit-card holders, making it increasingly difficult to protect their financial security, according to a report released Wednesday.

Hudson Highland Group Extends Wells Fargo Foothill Credit Facility

Hudson Highland Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HHGP) today announced that on July 31, 2007 it entered into an amended and restated senior secured

U.S. Stock Prices Mostly Higher Amid Indecisive Action

U.S. stocks edged up Wednesday as an indecisive market weighed a hike in pending home sales and the price of oil

Kinecta Federal Credit Union Announces Expansion into Alternative Financial Services

Kinecta Federal Credit Union of Manhattan Beach, Calif., and Navicert Financial Inc. dba Nix Check Cashing of Carson, Calif.,

Futures fall as credit worry plagues banks

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday, suggesting Wall Street may add to steep declines from late in Tuesday's session

American Capital Completes the Syndication of Over $1 Billion in Credit Facilities for 10 Companies

American Capital Strategies Ltd. announced today that since the beginning of 2007 it has syndicated over $1 billion in credit facilities