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Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q) is moving lower today after the telecom firm pulled its long-distance phone network off the auction block. The company was attempting to sell its long-distance assets to help generate cash, but reports indicate that bids for the unit were unacceptably low.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that bids for the unit came in below $1 billion, citing sources familiar with the matter. Qwest, which has a debt load of $560 million maturing in 2009, was seeking $2 billion to $3 billion for the business.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) posted a Q1 loss and announced a workforce reduction.
• ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) swung to it's first ever quarterly loss due to lower demand and a big write-down.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. (NASDAQ: BWLD) shares surged after it posted strong Q4 results.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) posted better-than-expected Q4 earnings as revenue surged.
• Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ: GENZ) topped Q4 earnings estimates, sending shares higher.
• Global Traffic Network Inc. (NASDAQ: GNET) weaker-than-expected Q2 results led to a downgrade.
• Level 3 Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) shares fell despite its upside surprise for Q4.
• Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF) posted a bigger-than-expected Q3 loss despite revenue growth.

Fiber-optic entity Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q), whose colleagues include Verizon (NYSE: VZ), AT&T (NYSE: T), and Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), reported Q4 numbers on Tuesday. Revenues declined by 3%, and adjusted income came in at 12 cents per share, which, according to this article, beat estimates by two pennies.

Well, I have to say, I've been wrong about Qwest. When I last wrote about the tech company, I had a very bearish view. I think Qwest's stock gained a buck since that piece, which is like a huge percentage gain when you consider that the shares closed yesterday at $3.45. The market seems to be liking Qwest's prospects. Going back to that article I cited concerning the earnings beat, I see some positive opinion on Qwest's quarter. I'll agree, it wasn't bad, especially when the economy is considered. The company did well in terms of cash flow: cash from operations for the year was roughly flat while adjusted free cash flow came in at $1.4 billion.

UBS AG (NYSE: UBS) missed analyst estimates when it reported Tuesday it lost a larger-than-expected 8.1 billion Swiss francs ($7.57 billion) in the fourth quarter. Estimates put the loss at 6.2 billion francs ($5.79 billion). It also announced it would cut another 2,000 jobs. Apparently, this could have been far worse as UBS benefited from an accounting adjustment. UBS shares gained nearly 7% in premarket trading as Switzerland's largest bank also reported an "encouraging" start to the year. UBS shares soared over 10% by 10 am.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) joined the last few financial institutions to move, cancel or change their meeting and conference plans. It has moved a three-day conference from the Las Vegas Strip to San Francisco as many scrutinize bank activities these days following them taking bailout funds. Still, according to anonymous sources, the cancellation itself will cost Goldman $600,000. GS shares opened lower.

This week was saved today as the White House finally approved a $17.4 billion auto bailout package using TARP money. Stocks were stable after two days of decline, but all-in-all the week wasn't bad. It's the third week now that stocks, while perhaps having big swings daily, end up not so bad.

Once again, this stagnant time could be exactly the time investors may want to look for long-term deals. They may have to hold on to them for a while as the markets continue their up and down swings. But eventually, if it's a few months or a year from now, stocks will start to recover and cheap deals bought today may be big gainers.

But where are the deals? BloggingStocks contributors added some ideas this week:

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is one of Jamie Dlugosch's favorite blue-chip names. Analysts expect the company to make $2.12 per share in the current fiscal year ending in September. If the company earns $3 per share down the road with a 15 multiple, Disney shares could double. In the meantime, it pays 1.5% dividend yield.

Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q) has many shortcomings to be sure, but "the company also has very valuable assets and strong cash flow" and the stock "would command a good premium in a takeover." according to George Putnam.

"Investors have been focusing on the shortcomings at Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q), and to be sure, it has plenty," observes turnaround specialist George Putnam.

In his The Turnaround Letter, he adds, "But the company also has very valuable assets and strong cash flow. In addition, we believe the stock would command a good premium in a takeover." Here's his bullish review.

"Following its IPO in 1995, Qwest expanded via acquisitions and partnerships, and participated in the telecom bubble of the late 1990's.

"Unlike many of the other high-flying telecoms of that era, however, Qwest realized that in addition to a story you needed customers. In 2000, it went out and acquired US West, which gave Qwest the revenue base to survive the bursting of the telecom bubble

"Although the company survived, the shareholders have had a rocky ride during the current decade. The stock peaked around 60 in 2000, dropped to just above 1 in 2002, rebounded to 10 in 2007 and then declined to its present level.

"Management's challenge is too maximize the value of its assets. One of Qwest's greatest assets, and biggest challenges, is its huge traditional landline telephone business. The landline business is in a slow but steady decline as customers move to wireless or Internet telephony.

This post is part of a feature in which we wonder whatever happened to some notorious financial figures. See the other 17.

As Wall Street implodes around us, the word "hubris" is getting tossed around quite a bit. Hubris -- also known as excessive, overweening pride -- has become the catchall explanation for most of the market's ills. Our financial system has gone up in flames, we're told, simply because so many CEOs and regulators thought they were too smart to fail, no matter how highly leveraged their subprime mortgage portfolios may have been.

Assuming this is true, let's call Joseph Nacchio a trendsetter. As the chief executive of Qwest Communications International (NYSE: Q), Nacchio was determined to construct the world's biggest, best, and most totally awesome fiber-optic network. (Mind you, this was back in the late '90s, when the telecom bubble was just a glimmer in the market's eye.) However, the plucky CEO was driven not by a personal commitment to excellence, but rather by spite.

Nacchio left his old job at AT&T (NYSE: T) because he wasn't granted a plum promotion to president, which he felt he so richly deserved. What better way to show up his former employer than to build a superior network and steal away market share?

Unfortunately, Nacchio's impure motivations were not the best recipe for success. To give you some idea as to how his plans for world telecom domination played out, check out this blog entry I wrote about Qwest and Joseph Nacchio as part of our series on the worst S&P 500 stocks of the past 25 years.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) reported a narrower Q3 net loss and reaffirmed its outlook.
• Barclays (NYSE: BCS) earnings and dividend prospects resulted in an analyst's downgrade.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) posted its 19th straight quarter of positive growth.
• Choice Hotels International Inc. (NYSE: CHH) better-than-expected Q3 report led to an upgrade.
• Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA) reported strong Q3 numbers and maintained its revenue outlook.
• DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA) better-than-expected Q3 results driven by Kung Fu Panda.
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) reported another record profit in Q3 driven by record high fuel prices.
• Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) reported a better-than-expected Q3 profit and offered guidance.
• Hercules Inc. (NYSE: HPC) posted lower Q3 earnings and anounced [regulatory] approval of its buyout.
• Janus Capital Group Inc. (NYSE: JNS) weaker-than-expected results led to an analyst's downgrade.
• Legg Mason Inc. (NYSE: LM) swung to a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares soared.
• Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) dismal Q3 results managed to beat low earnings expectations.
• Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) Q3 results included lower revenue and a net loss due to economic conditions.
• Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) unimpressive Q3 numbers fell short of estimates.
• Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: JAVA) swung to a greater-than-expected net loss due in part to competition.
• Texas Roadhouse Inc. (NASDAQ: TXRH) missed Q3 estimates and warned of flat full-year earnings.
• Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO) strong Q3 results included a gain from a sale of a refinery.
• Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) beat Q4 earnings expectations after adjustment for litigation-related charges.
• Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR) fell short of revenue estimates and announced job cuts.

Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q), a telecommunication concern which counts Verizon (NYSE: VZ), AT&T (NYSE: T) and Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) as esteemed colleagues, issued its Q3 numbers on Wednesday. What do they tell us? Well, for the most part, the numbers, and perhaps more importantly to some extent, the price action, tell us that we should stay away from this low single-digit stock.

Revenues went down roughly 2%. Earnings per diluted share, which came in at $0.09, took a huge dive of 93% on a GAAP basis, but this was driven by a significant tax benefit booked in Q3 2007. Looking at adjusted EBITDA, we see that the drop wasn't so large: Qwest posted $1.08 billion for this metric versus $1.15 billion in the year-ago period. Management didn't see fit to beat expectations, as the call was for $0.10 per share.

However, the company delivered $330 million in adjusted free cash flow, which is representative of a flat growth rate. Hey, the fact that free-cash generation didn't really go down is pretty cool in this case. Management promoted its shareholder-friendly initiatives of dividends and share buybacks in the release. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to bring me to the table where this stock is concerned.

U.S. stock futures declined Wednesday morning but then turned positive seesawed Wednesday morning, a day after one of the biggest day of gains on Wall Street that saw the Dow industrials end up 889 points and close above 9,000 again, as investors awaited the Federal Reserve decision on interest rates to be announced at 2:15 pm. Most are expecting the Fed to cut rates by at least half a point to 1%. Meanwhile, oil rebounded from a 17-month low to above $64 per barrel ahead of the weekly inventory report due out later today. Also, September durable goods orders will be released ahead of the opening bell.

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) reported adjusted earnings of 44 cents per share, inline with estimates. Kraft also raised expectations for 2008 earnings.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) reported a 9% rise in both earnings and revenue, beating analyst estimates on both counts. P&G kept the same outlook.

Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) reported that quarterly profit plunged 72% due to a surging yen that wiped out profits from flat-panel TV and PlayStation 3 sales and revenue from the movie Hancock. This shouldn't have come as a surprise as last year the company slashed full year outlook.

Telecommunication concern Verizon (NYSE: VZ), whose competitors include AT&T (NYSE: T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), and Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q), reported earnings for the third quarter on Monday, and investors could not have been happier. As Wall Street continued its painful bearish slide, shareholders of Verizon were bragging about the 10% rise in the company's stock price. Question is, should you be a buyer of Verizon's stock at this point?

The numbers were decent enough. According to the press release, earnings per share were $0.66. Management only succeeded at matching expectations for Q3, according to this earnings-preview piece by Brent Archer. Honestly, I was surprised at the big pop in the stock yesterday. Considering how badly the markets have been doing, and the fact that we're facing a global recession, I would have figured on a more muted response to Verizon's numbers. After all, if we are facing a tough recession (and I'm fully on board with that sentiment), what's going to happen to the growth rate of the FiOS product? That product is doing well, as are other parts of the Verizon portfolio, but I wouldn't have been a buyer into the stock's strength today. And I say that without a doubt.

But, with Verizon, there is that great dividend yield and cash-flow growth. Operational cash flow from continuing operations was up almost 6%, and capital expenditures decreased. That's great news for dividend investors, as more free cash was left over. I think the market looked at Verizon as being oversold and decided to buy in. The company seemed to have a good Q3, and I think long-term investors will definitely do well with the stock; in fact, the press release mentioned that management saw fit to increase its dividend 7% during the quarter, expressing confidence in the company's current business models. But I believe even longer-term thinkers would do well to wait for a pullback in the share price before either initiating a new position or adding to an existing holding. I simply think there was too much excitement around the stock after its report.

Disclosure: I don't own any company mentioned; positions can change at any time.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says without the Paulson plan, every component is in trouble. Let's take a look.

Without the Paulson plan, or if the plan is so watered down and delayed, I have been saying all bets are off and we could be in for a huge swoon. How huge?

I like to sit down and noodle on the actual components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average to give you a real sense of what can go wrong. And there is so much going wrong. The credit markets are vanishing, the earnings are vanishing and the only hope is a plan that ignites credit markets, forces money off the sidelines and gets this economy and the worldwide economy moving again.

Not long ago, I postulated that this market is literally repealing all of the moves since the Brazil-Russia-India-China emergence that gave us better markets to sell into than just the U.S. With the collapse of Chinese growth -- they have simply ceased to be importers since the summer -- the inflation in India, the war in Russia and a U.S.-led slowdown in Brazil (although that remains a robust market) BRIC is more like having a brick around your neck than a wind at your back.

Meanwhile, the peak in energy and the collapse of the financial system have left both of those groups in disarray with valuations simply too difficult to pin down, so you retreat to worst-case scenarios where you can at least find some terra firma -- mainly where stocks were last time things were this bad.

U.S. stock futures turned higher Monday morning despite a dip in the dollar and oil prices rising somewhat. Investors may focus on the financial sector again following some news while they await housing data later today. More inflation data is due Tuesday.

UnionBanCal (NYSE: UB) accepted a sweetened bid from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE: MTU). After rejecting two previous offers, UB accepted MTU's offer to pay $3.5 billion, or $73.50 a share, for the remaining 35% portion of the California bank that it doesn't already own. UB shares are trading 11.85% higher in premarket action.

Staying in financials, Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) may see some action after The Wall Street Journal said some analysts believe it could lose $1.8 billion during the quarter. LEH shares are 2% lower in premarket trading. Meanwhile, Barron's said a government recapitalization of Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) is almost inevitable, wiping out investors -- and management. Shares are 2% and 6% lower respectively in premarket trading.

Lowe's (NYSE: LOW), the home improvement retail chain, reported results this morning. Lowe's profit fell for the fourth straight quarter as the biggest U.S. housing slump since the Great Depression slowed spending. Net income declined 7.9% to $938 million, or 64 cents a share, exceeding analysts' estimates by 8 cents. Sales rose to $14.5 billion from $14.2 billion. Lowe's raised guidance, but stayed within estimates.

U.S. stock futures were a little higher this morning following Friday's rally. Oil futures have been rising again due to the Russian-Georgian conflict and the dollar retracted from the five-month high set Friday. Global markets were mostly higher although China's hit a 19-month low.

Waste Management (NYSE: WMI) is expected to raise its unsolicited cash offer for rival Republic Services (NYSE: RSG) by nearly 10% to $6.73 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and two unions agreed on a new three-year contract Sunday, averting a possible strike of 65,000 workers. The new contract provides 10.5% wage increases and changes in retirement benefits.

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) reported an 8% decline in second-quarter profit after the market close Friday. The investment group attributed the decline to fewer insurance premiums and $1 billion in unrealized derivative losses.

UBS downgraded SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWR) to Neutral from Buy, according to Briefing.com. The news service also reports that Citigroup upgraded Qwest (NYSE:Q) to Buy from Hold and Morgan Keegan upgraded Ciena (NASDAQ:CIEN) to Outperform from Market Perform.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) was raised to Neutral at HSBC, according to 24/7 Wall St. The financial site also reports that American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP) was cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.