Featuring GERN’s partnership with GE; DE’s $75M savings plan; GLW’s upbeat Q2 forecast; RTN’s $166.9M contract; PLD’s $840M asset sale; and CACI’s multi-million dollar Army contract.

Today’s Stock Alerts include: Geron Corp. (Nasdaq: GERN), Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE), Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW), Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN), ProLogis (NYSE: PLD) and CACI International Inc. (Nasdaq: CACI).

Geron Corp. (Nasdaq: GERN) Stock Alert – GERN and GE Healthcare Join Forces in a Stem Cell Deal

Menlo Park-based Geron Corp. (Nasdaq: GERN) and General Electric unit GE Healthcare recently announced a stem cell deal to develop cellular evaluation technology derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), pushing Geron’s stock higher on the news and the Stem Cell Stocks Index ahead by 7.5%.

The alliance is aimed at discovering new drugs, as well as the development and safety of existing ones, the report said. According to Geron senior VP of business development David J. Earp, the expertise that they have developed in scalable manufacturing and differentiation of hESCs to specific cell types is directly applicable to the production of these cells for drug discover.

Geron sees GE Healthcare as an ideal partner, according to Earp, saying that the company looks forward to working closely with the GE Healthcare to deliver promising products amid anticipation of the availability of hESC-derived cells for drug discovery applications within the pharmaceutical industry.

Under this exclusive deal, GE Healthcare is entitled to a license under Geron’s extensive intellectual property portfolio covering the growth and differentiation of hESCs, as well as a sublicense under Geron’s rights to the foundational hESC patents held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. GE Healthcare will fund the R&D program and will be responsible for manufacturing, sales and distribution of products developed under the agreement.

In a separate report, Konstantin Fiedler, general manager of cell technologies at GE Healthcare made the following statement, “This will be the first real economic application of stem cells. We’ll not be the only one out there but we’re very confident we will be one of the main players. We see a significant market opportunity.”

Geron is developing therapeutic products for the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases, including spinal cord injury, heart failure and diabetes. The company is advancing telomerase targeted therapies, including an anti-cancer drug and a cancer vaccine, through multiple clinical trials. Geron also develops human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapeutics.

The company is developing anti-cancer therapies based on telomerase inhibitors and telomerase therapeutic vaccines. Geron is also researching compounds that transiently activate telomerase in senescent cells to restore cell function for the treatment of injuries and chronic diseases. In August 2008, Geron and Exeter Life Sciences Inc. announced the merger of Start Licensing Inc. joint venture between Geron and Exeter Life Sciences, and ViaGen Inc., a subsidiary of Exeter Life Sciences.

In today’s daily chart, GERN’s Bollinger Bands indicate greater than normal volatility as reflected by an increase in distance between the upper and lower bands. Trading at its upper Bollinger Band, the stock reflects high price relative to its recent price action. MACD reflects a strong bullish signal, with the indicator above the 9-day moving average signal line, and also above the 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending higher. Trading above its upper Bollinger Band, the stock reflects an overextended condition relative to its recent price action and is due for either a pause or retracement.

Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) Stock Alert – DE Expects $75M Annual Savings from Voluntary Separation Program for Salaried Employee

In a move to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, agriculture-equipment giant Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) (John Deere) announced in April it would combine its agricultural and commercial and consumer equipment divisions. With this initiative, the company reported job cuts to eliminate about 200 salaried jobs.

However, the company announced its buyout offer gained strong response, with nearly 800 salaried workers deciding to leave the company under a voluntary separation program.

The company now expects pretax costs for the buyout effort to increase from $50 million to nearly $100 million, which will be recorded in the fiscal fourth quarter. Meanwhile, it expects to realize $75 million savings in the first year following the fourth quarter results.

According to company spokesman Ken Golden, more employees — many with more than 20 years experience — took the offer to leave. Golden said he did not know what the terms of eligibility were.

Deere’s strong sales of farming machinery were reportedly outweighed by a decline in construction equipment orders. Earlier this year, the company slashed its 2009 earnings outlook and suspended quarterly forecasts, against the backdrop of the global credit crisis and lower crop prices.

Deere, through its subsidiaries, operates in four business segments. The agricultural equipment segment manufactures and distributes a full line of farm equipment and related service parts. The commercial and consumer equipment segment manufactures and distributes equipment, products and service parts for commercial and residential uses. The construction and forestry segment manufactures, distributes to dealers and sells at retail a range of machines and service parts used in construction, earthmoving, material handling and timber harvesting. The credit segment primarily finances sales and leases by John Deere dealers of new and used agricultural, commercial and consumer, and construction and forestry equipment. In May 2008, the company acquired T-Systems International, Inc. In June 2008, it acquired a 50 % equity investment in Xuzhou Xuwa Excavator Machinery Co., Ltd.

In today’s daily chart, DE’s Bollinger Bands indicate a relatively stable condition as reflected by tighter than normal band width. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower.

Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) Stock Alert – GLW Offers Upbeat Q2 Sales for its LCD Glass

Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) recently upped its LCD glass sales forecast for the second quarter amid encouraging sales of LCD television in the United States.

“Second-quarter glass demand is much stronger than we anticipated even a few weeks ago. As a result, we now expect second-quarter sequential volume to be up approximately 100% at our wholly owned business,” CFO James Flaws stated in the press release. “While retail LCD TV sales growth in the United States had slowed somewhat in April after a very strong first quarter, reports that we have received indicate a significant upward spike in domestic LCD TV sales in late May and the first three weeks of June.”

The Corning, N.Y.-based company now expects a 75% volume increase at the end of May after originally forecasting a volume increase of more than 50%. Meanwhile, it expects second-quarter volume at Samsung Corning Precision Glass Co. Ltd., its venture with Samsung Electronics, to be up about 50% sequentially compared with its previous expectation for an increase of 40%.

With strong volume demand ahead, the company said it anticipates third-quarter capacity constraints, leaving the company to prioritize supplies for its long-term supply agreement customers.

Corning is a global, technology-based company that operates in five business segments: Display Technologies, Telecommunications, Environmental Technologies, Specialty Materials and Life Sciences.

Display Technologies segment manufactures glass substrates for use in liquid crystal flat panel displays. Telecommunications segment manufactures optical fiber and cable, and hardware and equipment components for the telecommunications industry. Environmental Technologies segment manufactures ceramic substrates and filters for automobile and diesel applications. Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide more than 150 material formulations for glass, glass ceramics and fluoride crystals to meet demand for customer needs. Life Sciences segment manufactures glass and plastic consumables for pharmaceutical and scientific applications.

In today’s daily chart, GLW’s is trading within its Bollinger Bands, a normal condition signaling that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold relative to the recent price action. MACD reflects a strong bullish signal, with the indicator above the 9-day moving average signal line, and also above the 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending higher. With share prices currently above the stock’s 13-day moving average, a bullish trend is indicated. Also, a rising moving average signals that there has been buying interest in this stock.

Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) Stock Alert – RTN Secures $166.9M Navy Contract for Air-to-Air Missiles

Waltham, Massachusetts-based defense contractor Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) announced it has been awarded a $166.9 million contract for Lot 9 production and delivery of the AIM-9X infrared-guided air-to-air missile by the U.S. Navy.

As per firm-fixed-price contract, Raytheon will provide the U.S. military and its allies with AIM-9X Block I missiles and introduce into the inventory the new AIM-9X Block II captive air training missile. The contract is expected to provide more than 250 jobs for Raytheon employees in Tucson, Ariz.; Andover, Mass.; and Goleta, California, as well as create work for more than 10 suppliers in eight states, Raytheon said.

“By leveraging our experience building the AIM-9X Block I, we plan to begin production of AIM-9X Block II in late 2010,” said Raytheon’s AIM-9X program director Dave Adams in a statement. “Test after test has demonstrated the reliability of the AIM-9X Block I, and we intend to continue delivering this level of performance to the warfighter with AIM-9X Block II.”

The company has reportedly has delivered more than 3,600 AIM-9X Block I missiles to eight countries and is on contract to deliver missiles to two additional countries.

Raytheon designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, supports and provides a range of products, services and solutions for principally governmental customers in the United States and worldwide.

The company operates in six business segments: Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), Intelligence and Information Systems (ibis’), Missile Systems (MS), Network Centric Systems (NCS), Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) and Technical Services (TS). In April 2008, the company acquired SI Government Solutions. In July 2008, Raytheon acquired Telemus Solutions Inc., a provider of information security, intelligence and technical services to defense, intelligence and other federal customers.

In today’s daily chart, RTN’s Bollinger Bands indicate a relatively stable condition as reflected by tighter than normal band width. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend. MACD reflects strong bearish signal, with the indicator below the 9-day moving average signal line, and also below the critical 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending lower.

ProLogis (NYSE: PLD) Stock Alert – PLD Generates $840M in Asset Sales; Reduces Debt

ProLogis (NYSE: PLD) recently announced it has generated approximately $840 million of gross proceeds from the sale of industrial assets as well as contributions to property funds in the second quarter of 2009.

According to the report, the Denver-headquartered warehouse operator obtained $561 million from sales of North American assets, $151 million from contributions to a European property fund and $128 million from an asset sale in Japan.

“We are pleased to announce the successful execution of this important element of the action plan we outlined last fall,” CEO Walter C. Rakowich stated in the press release. “Our focus on reducing the level of debt and risk in our business included generating proceeds from the sale of some of our industrial assets and continued contributions of development assets into our property funds.”

With these proceeds, CFO William Sullivan said the company has addressed all of its 2009 balance sheet debt maturities. Determined to boost liquidity, the company said it will further reduce the outstanding balance on it global lines of credit.

ProLogis is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, operates and develops real estate properties, primarily industrial properties, in North America, Europe and Asia (directly and through its unconsolidated investees). It operates in two business segments: Direct Owned and Investment Management. The direct owned segment represents the long-term ownership of industrial properties. The investment management segment represents the investment management of unconsolidated property funds and certain joint ventures and the properties they own.

In February 2009, it closed the sale of its operations in China and property fund interests in Japan to affiliates of GIC Real Estate. Its direct owned segment focuses primarily on the ownership and leasing of industrial and retail properties in key distribution markets. As of December 31, 2008, the company had investments in and advances to 17 property funds with ownership interests ranging from 20 % to 50 %.

In today’s daily chart, PLD’s Bollinger Bands indicate a relatively stable condition as reflected by tighter than normal band width. Trading within its Bollinger Bands, the stock reflects neither an overbought nor oversold condition relative to its recent price trend.

CACI International Inc. (Nasdaq: CACI) Stock Alert – CACI announces Multi-million Contract from the U.S. Army

CACI International Inc. (Nasdaq: CACI) recently said it secured a $125 million prime contract to support the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Command’s Fires Software Engineering Division. As per agreement, CACI will provide software engineering support for fire support systems for the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Command’s Fires Software Engineering Division.

Bill Fairl, CACI’s president of U.S. Operations, commented in the press release, “We are pleased to work with a new client, the Fires Software Engineering Division, and continue the support that our partners have provided for some three decades. In addition, providing tactical software support for this award enhances our C4ISR footprint in the market.”

“This new S3 task order indicates the high level of confidence the Army has in CACI’s abilities to support the U.S. Armed Forces’ most critical in-theater missions. We’re gratified that the expertise our team provides will directly help the nation’s warfighters operate worldwide with greater effectiveness and safety, said CACI president and CEO Paul Cofoni.

Separately, the company also announced a $30 million contract to support the U.S. Army Ammunition Management System.

Under this five-year prime contract, which is valued at $30 million if all options are exercised, CACI will provide program management and technical services in support of munitions management modernization efforts for both the Army and U.S. Marine Corps.

The work includes engineering and consolidating existing capabilities, extending TAMIS with new capabilities and reporting mechanisms, delivering user training and help desk support for the system, and providing ongoing software maintenance and development, the report said.

CACI, along with its wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures, is an international information systems, high technology services, and professional services company. It delivers professional services and information technology solutions, to its clients, primarily the United States government. Other customers include agencies of foreign governments, state and local governments, and commercial enterprises.

In today’s daily chart, CACI is trading within its Bollinger Bands, a normal condition signaling that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold relative to the recent price action. MACD reflects a strong bullish signal, with the indicator above the 9-day moving average signal line, and also above the 0 level, indicating that moving averages are trending higher. With share prices currently above the stock’s 13-day moving average, a bullish trend is indicated. Also, a rising moving average signals that there has been buying interest in this stock.

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