Company News for October 7, 2009

• Boeing (NYSE:BA - Analyst Report) announced it will take a third quarter charge of $1 billion due to higher production costs and difficult market conditions for its 747-8 program. The firm will also delay, until 2010, the initial flight of its 747-8 jumbo freighter

• Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT - Snapshot Report) released its new mobile-phone software to take on Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL - Analyst Report) iPhone

• Amazon.com (NYSE:AMZN - Analyst Report) announced the company will begin selling an international version of its e-reader in over 100 countries. The firm also lowered the price of its Kindle 2 from $299 to $259

• Yum Brands (NYSE:YUM - Analyst Report) reported mixed third quarter results of 70 cents adjusted, 12 cents better than estimated, on revenue of $2.778 billion versus estimates of $2.79 billion.  The firm boosted 2009 guidance to $2.14 from $2.10, versus consensus estimates of $2.13

• Costco (NASDAQ:COST - Snapshot Report) reported fourth quarter earnings ex-items of 83 cents, topping estimates of 77 cents as revenue of $22.38 billion exceeded projections of $22.34 billion. Comparable sales fell 6% in the US and dropped 3% abroad

• Family Dollar Stores (NYSE:FDO - Snapshot Report) reported fiscal fourth quarter earnings of 43 cents versus 38 cents a year ago, topping estimates of 41 cents and at the high end of the company's range of 39-43 cents. For the current year the company expected sales growth of 5-7% and earnings of $2.15-$2.35, versus Street estimates of $2.25

• Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS - Snapshot Report) upgraded Kohl's (NYSE:KSS - Snapshot Report) to "overweight"

• Morgan Stanley upgraded Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF - Analyst Report) to "equal weight"

• FBR upgraded Goodrich (NYSE:GR - Snapshot Report) and lifted the target price to $65 from $45