Republic Services, which just recently finished the company’s merger with Allied Waste to create the second-largest domestic waste collection service, operates with almost 40,000 employees serving 40 domestic states and Puerto Rico. For the full-year 2009, Republic now expects earnings of $1.70 per share to $1.75 per share, which is slightly below Wall Street’s estimates for $1.93 per share for the full-year 2009. Interestingly enough, Republic is forecasting full-year 2009 net revenue of $8.45 billion dollars, which represents a 129% increase from their 2008 net revenue of just $3.69 billion. The merger between Republic Services and Allied Waste is expected to create at least $150 million dollars in synergistic cost savings for the newly combined company, with EBITDA as a percent of revenue of 350 basis points higher to 28.1% for the combined corporation. With shares of Republic Services sitting right on their 52-week low Bill Gates used the opportunity to pick up additional shares of America’s second largest waste removal company

Lions Gate’s principal source of revenue comes from the firms lease-back sales coming from their proprietary film library of 12,000+ titles. Revenue for 2008 was $1.60 billion dollars with gross margins of 13.4% across all brands. According to Nielsen and Rentrak, Lions Gate’s DVD market share has grown from 4.9% in 2005 to 6.7% in 2008, as DVD revenue went from $516 million dollars for the full-year 2007 to $618 million dollars for the full-year 2008. Icahn through his various affiliates own approxamentaly16.54% of Lions Gate Entertainment.

Last week Ditech Networks (DITC) a tell communications firm focused on improving the quality of wireless voice conversations rejected an unsolicited, nonbinding proposal from Lamassu Holdings to be acquired for $1.25 per share, or a 19% premium to its current price. The board of directors for Ditech Networks said “that the offer isn't in the best interests of its shareholders since it doesn't reflect the current value of assets or the potential of initiatives Ditech plans” For the third quarter of 2009, which ended January 31st 2009 for Ditech Networks, revenues were $4.90 million, a decrease of $1.80 million, or 27%, from revenues of $6.70 million in the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. Shares of Ditech Networks are down 85% over the past two-years versus a decline in the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index of 40%.

Private investor Eduardo Baviera Sabater announced his intention to purchase up to 10% of LCA-Vision (LCAV) stock. LCA-Vision Inc. is a leading provider of laser vision correction services under the LasikPlus brand—having preformed over 1,000,000 laser vision correction procedures since 1991. LCA-Vision has a market capitalization of $51.02 million, with $56.33 million in cash, and $21 million in debt, equating to an enterprise value of just $15.8 million dollars. In mid-January one of LCA-Vision’s fiercest competitors, Advanced Medical Optics (EYE) was bought out by Abbott Laboratories (ABT) for a 144% premium to Advanced Medical Optics previous closing price.