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On the air

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 15, 2006

Clergy join latest ad attack on Wal-Mart

A new television ad by the union-backed group WakeUpWalMart.com features a pastor asking, "Would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart? Should you?" Accompanying the ad is a letter to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. CEO Lee Scott that was signed by more than 130 clergy members. The letter asks Wal-Mart to provide a "higher standard for its employees and their families," which the letter says would reflect "the best of Christian values." The spot is to run in 43 media markets. Pastor Joe Phelps of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., asks in the ad, "Can we continue to shop at Wal-Mart without insulting God?" He lists allegations that Wal-Mart has violated child labor laws and engaged in gender-based discrimination, and says half the company's 1.3-million U.S. employees aren't covered under the company health plan. Dave Tovar of Wal-Mart said the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is backing negative attacks while Wal-Mart is creating jobs. "The fact is, union leadership is wasting millions of its members' dollars on a failing campaign against a company that is good for working families," Tovar said.

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Jim Cramer suggested these stocks on his CNBC show this week:

IPG Photonics Corp. (IPGP) and Guidance Software Inc. (GUID): IPG Photonics, a fiber-optic laser manufacturer in Oxford, Mass., has filed to sell as much as $139.5-million in stock. The offering price range of $13.50 to $15.50 a share is "expensive," Cramer said. "This is clearly not just another laser company, IPG deserves the valuation and investors know it," Cramer said. Guidance Software helps investigate hacking incidents and electronic crime. "Guidance sells its software to law enforcement agencies and big companies," Cramer said. "I call them the Man. Guidance's software lets investigators gather all kinds of evidence off computer networks for use in criminal and civil trials." The Pasadena, Calif., company, which has more than 20,000 customers worldwide, is pricing its offering at $12.50 to $14.50 a share, which Cramer said is "just fine."

Daktronics Inc. (DAKT): The company made the 30-ton Coca-Cola display in New York's Times Square. "The oldest of the old media - outdoor advertising and billboards - are coming back with a vengeance," Cramer said. They could be the only type of "old media to survive the Darwinian winnowing out of weaker species like radio and print. Why? Outdoor media adapted and started going digital," he said.

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 22:38:02]