Cable service providers rely on Arris Group (ARRS) to engineer the equipment and software needed to deliver video, voice, and data over broadband networks. During the first half of 2009, 30.4% of ARRS’s revenues came from Comcast (CMCSA). Time Warner Cable (TWC) contributed 19.2% and international customers accounted for 26.5%.

The Broadband Communications Systems (BCS) segment produced 76.29% of first half revenues. It produces the company’s cable modem termination system (CMTS), which converts Internet protocol (IP) data into a form compatible with hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) networks. BCS also supplies cable modems and embedded multimedia terminal adapters.

As stocks bucked the trend by rallying in September, President Obama was out in force trying to sell healthcare reform. Unlike previous presidents who liked to keep a low profile, this one keeps popping up everywhere. He even appeared on just about every possible television program.

However, the talk among financial regulators focused on the short term versus the long term. They want less of the first and more of the second. Corporate directors apparently feel the same way. According to Agenda, a newsletter for corporate directors published by Financial Times, independent directors claim that pressure to focus on shortterm results is the biggest corporate governance issue they face.

ManTech International (MANT) provides innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programs. Federal government contracts were responsible for 98.1% of revenues during the first half of 2009. International customers accounted for just 1.1% of sales.

Core competencies in a number of relevant fields allow MANT to offer comprehensive solutions to support long-term programs. Its expertise includes systems engineering and integration, software development services, enterprise architecture, information operations and computer forensics, information assurance and security architecture, intelligence operations and analysis support, cyber security, network and critical infrastructure protection, communications integration and engineering support, and global logistics and supply chain management.

Everybody hates junk e-mails, a.k.a. spam. Yet facilitating their deployment can be profitable. Constant Contact (CTCT) provides e-mail marketing and online survey products to small businesses and non-profit organizations. Customers include retailers, restaurants, legal practices, consultancies, religious organizations, and alumni associations. About two-thirds of its customers have less than 10 employees. CTCT offers several tools.

Campaign Creation Wizard allows customers to create, edit, and send email campaigns. It includes an array of professionally designed templates. Contact List Management enables customers to manage address lists. E-mail Tracking and Reporting helps customers analyze performance. Customers pay $15-150 per month depending on the size and frequency of mailings. Services such as e-mail archiving and image hosting are available for additional fees.

Maidenform Brands (MFB) designs, sources, markets, and sells intimate apparel for women. The U.S. is its largest geographic market, responsible for 93.2% of first half sales. Products include bras, shapewear, and panties, which accounted for 65%, 29%, and 6% of first half sales, respectively. Brands include Maidenform, Flexees, Lilyette, Luleh, Control It!, Sweet Nothings, Inspirations, Rendezvous, Subtract, Bodymates, and Self Expressions.

Wholesale distribution channels were responsible for 89% of first half sales. They include department stores and national sales chains, mass merchandisers, and other wholesale venues such as specialty and off-price retailers. Macy’s, Belk, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Kmart, and Costco are customers. Retail operations generated the remaining 11% of sales. This includes sales generated through the company’s 75 stores and its website.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury produces a document called "The Budget in Brief." Don’t take the word "brief" literally. The one for fiscal year 2009 runs 100 pages long, yet the word "deficit" is nowhere to be found. The one for fiscal 2010 is 124 pages in length. It mentions the "d" word just once, but only to let us know that transactions with the International Monetary Fund do not affect the deficit.

Do the officials responsible for producing these documents think the deficit will disappear if they simply ignore it?

A growing number of economists apparently believe the recession is over. According to the Wall Street Journal, 27 of 47 economists surveyed say the recession, which began in December 2007, has already ended. Another 11 economists say the recession will end by September.

Well, Thursday's retail sales figures threw some cold water on that idea. At the very least, if the recession has ended, the retail sales numbers suggest a double-dip is in the works.

Campbell Soup Company (CPB) makes branded food products which are available in 120 countries around the world. Its largest markets are North America, France, Germany, Belgium, and Australia.

The U.S. Soup, Sauces and Beverages segment was responsible for 51.7% of fiscal 2009 year-to-date sales. Products include condensed and ready-to-eat soups, broth, canned poultry, pasta and pasta sauce, Mexicanstyle sauce, chili, gravy, beans, and vegetable and fruit juices. Brand names include Campbell’s, Swanson, Prego, Pace,V8, and Wolfgang Puck. The Baking and Snacking segment accounted for 22.8% of sales.

Inverness Medical Innovations (IMA) develops advanced professional and consumer medical diagnostic products focused on cardiology, women’s health, infectious disease, oncology and drugs of abuse. The company also provides specialized health management services in the areas of wellness, disease management, oncology, and women and children’s health.The U.S. is its largest geographic market responsible for 72.1% of 2008 revenues. Europe generated 17.2% of revenues.

IMA operates four segments. Professional diagnostics, which produced 62.6% of 2008 revenues, offers products for preventive and interventional care. These products focus on the pointof-care, rapid diagnostic testing, and the self-testing markets.

This morning's better-than-expected labor report was welcome news. Although non-farm payrolls continue to fall, job losses of 247,000 were better than expected. July marks the fourth month in a row that payrolls have fallen by less than 600,000. The employment picture is still ugly, but at least it's moving in the right direction.

Yet the strength of the recent rally in stocks already prices in a big improvement in the economy. While today's labor report is encouraging, it only provides further evidence that things are not getting better; they are simply getting worse at a slower rate.

The following commentary is from the August issue of the Forbes Growth Investor, which was released to subscribers on August 3.

Although I hate taxes, I like the fact that taxes affect behavior. In general, if you want less of something, tax it. If you want more, provide a tax subsidy.

Americans used to smoke a whole lot of cigarettes. Today, they smoke less than they used to. No doubt, some gave it up for health reasons. Others, however, decided it costs too much. We have taxed the hell out of tobacco products and we got less smoking as a result. That's good news for health, but bad news for politicians who thought higher taxes would create more revenue.

It is absolutely mind boggling how people continue to confuse higher tax rates with higher tax revenues. Numerous pundits continue to argue that we need to raise tax rates to fund the growing budget deficit. But raising tax rates is one sure way of making sure the budget deficit grows even larger.

There are only two ways to shrink a deficit: 1) Spend less money. 2) Generate more revenue. Spending less money is a great idea, but given all the promises the government has made to various constituents, this is not likely to happen in the near future. Therefore, we must raise more revenue, but that will not happen by raising tax rates.

Jack in the Box (JACK) is a fast-food restaurant company with 2,670 locations across the U.S. The vast majority (82%) operate under the Jack in the Box banner in 18 states primarily in the West and Midwest regions. About 60% of these stores are company-operated. JACK derives franchise fees and royalties from the remainder.

Jack in the Box restaurants offer burgers, fries, breakfast items, snacks, soft drinks, shakes, and smoothies. It offers a value menu as well as premium products such as entrée salads and specialty sandwiches. Most locations provide drive-thru service, which accounts for about 70% of companyowned store sales. The remaining 18% of stores operate under the Qdoba Mexican Grill banner. The Qdoba menu includes a broad selection of premium Mexican-inspired food items such as tacos, burritos, and nachos. Food is prepared in front of the customer and the focus is on fresh ingredients. Qdoba also provides professional catering services.

Last night I took time to watch The Madoff Affair, a video production by Frontline that aired on PBS not too long ago. The entire investment industry has been following events related to the world's largest stock fraud ever since news of it first broke in December 2008.

The Frontline production does an excellent job of covering Bernie Madoff's career from the time he graduated from Hofstra University in 1960 to his conviction. His fraud began soon after he married his high school sweetheart and took an office in her father's accounting firm. Madoff first started a market-making operation, which he grew by paying for order flow.

Jos. A. Bank designs and sells formal, business, business casual, and sports apparel for men. This 104-year old retailer has 463 stores across the U.S.

JOSB offers a full line of men’s attire including suits, tuxedos, shirts, vests, sport jackets, pants, overcoats, sweaters, ties, belts, socks, and underwear. It markets multiple tiers of clothing which vary in quality, price, material, design, and availability. Many clothes incorporate wrinkle-free and stain-resistant technologies. The Stores segment generated 89.5% of net sales in fiscal 2009, which ended Jan. 31. This segment includes the operations of 444 company-owned stores across 42 states and the District of Columbia. Most stores offer on sight tailoring services.

The following commentary appeared in the July issue of the Forbes Growth Investor, which was made available to subscribers on July 1.

June was a bad month for celebrities. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays all passed away. June was also a bad month for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke; although he presumably is still in good health.

What would you think if your boss said you are doing a "fine" job? Fine is satisfactory. It's not bad, but it's not good either. Fine means you should be doing better. Fine means your job is in jeopardy. Fine means you should be thinking about shopping your resume.

If you have a contract, you probably won't be fired and you probably won't be asked to resign. But when your term expires, you probably won't be asked to stay on. After all, there are plenty of other people out there who could do a fine job, too.

The following commentary was recently sent to subscribers of the Forbes Special Situation Survey.

Although the federal government now owns large chunks of formerly blue-chip companies, it seems investors have overcome their fear that capitalism is about to end. In fact, they now seem to believe that the worst of our financial and economic crisis is over. As a result, they are once again willing to put money at risk as evidenced by a number of factors. Spreads between yields on corporate bonds and Treasury securities have shrunk, the CBOE Volatility Index has declined significantly, and stock prices are up 40% from their March 9 lows. Yet despite this increased appetite for risk, we remain concerned that stocks will see another pullback. While there is plenty of evidence that the economy is deteriorating at a slower rate, we see nothing to suggest it is getting better.