OTCPicks.com: OTCPicks.com Stocks to Watch for Monday, November 24th IDAR, DISK, LGND

Mon. November 24, 2008; Posted: 05:00 AM

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IDEARC INCORPORATED (OTC: IDAR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) "Up 300.0% on Friday"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/IDAR.php

Idearc Inc. delivers products on multiple platforms to help consumers find the information they want, wherever they are. Idearc's multi-platform of advertising solutions includes Superpages.com , Superpages MobileSM, Superpages MobileSM for BlackBerry , Switchboard.com, LocalSearch.comSM, Verizon Yellow Pages, Verizon White Pages, smaller-sized portable Verizon Yellow Pages Companion Directories, FairPoint Yellow Pages, FairPoint White Pages, FairPoint Yellow Pages Companion Directories, and Solutions on the Move and Solutions Direct direct mail packages.

IDAR News:

November 21 - Idearc Announces Common Stock Trading over the Counter with New Symbol IDAR

Idearc Inc. (OTC: IDAR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) announced that its common stock is now trading over the counter under the trading symbol of IDAR. As previously announced, Idearc Inc.'s common stock (trading symbol IAR) stopped trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at market close on Nov. 20.

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT INCORPORATED (NASDAQ: DISK | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) "Up 124.64% on Friday"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/DISK.php

Image Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America, with approximately 3,500 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 370 exclusive CD titles in domestic release and approximately 600 programs internationally via sublicense agreements. For many of its titles, the Company has exclusive audio and broadcast rights and, through its subsidiary Egami Media, Inc., has digital download rights to approximately 2,000 video programs and over 300 audio programs containing more than 4,500 tracks. The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth, California.

DISK News:

November 20 - Image Entertainment Signs Definitive Merger Agreement to Sell Company for Approximately $100 Million

Image Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISK), a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of entertainment programming in North America, announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Nyx Acquisitions, Inc. to sell Image in a transaction valued at approximately $100 million, including the assumption of the company's outstanding debt under its credit facility, replication advance obligation and convertible note.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, Image stockholders will receive $2.75 per share in cash. The agreed-upon acquisition price represents a 299% premium to Image's closing share price of $0.69 on November 20, 2008, and a 267% premium to the 30-day average closing price of $0.75 ended November 20, 2008.

Stockholders owning a total of approximately 38% of Image's outstanding shares of common stock have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the transaction.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review and the approval of the transaction by Image stockholders. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition and is expected to close during the first quarter of 2009.

Nyx Acquisitions, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Q Black, LLC, led by co-founder and CEO Joe Q. Bretz. Q Black operates under the name Q Black Media. Q Black is chaired by Chris Luu, with co-founder David Blackford serving as its COO and Brian Lillquist as its Vice President of Business Development. CIO Richard Verdoni heads Q Black's offices in Mexico City.

David Borshell, President of Image Entertainment, stated, "Executive management and the company's Board of Directors never gave up on finding a way to maximize shareholder value, even during a challenging financial environment. We have been successfully executing the business plan we put in place about a year ago and by doing so developed a strong and healthy business which obviously kept potential suitors interested.

"This deal allows Image to expand its overall business and grow as a vertically-integrated entertainment company. By combining Image's established infrastructure and highly regarded home video, digital and television distribution capabilities with Q Black's content creation and digital technology expertise, the parties create a much larger and exciting organization, one very much focused on feature films and well prepared to take advantage of evolving distribution strategies," concluded Borshell.

Martin W. Greenwald, Image Entertainment's Chairman of the Board, stated, "I've been fortunate over the past three decades to be part of Image as it has grown to become a dominant player in the entertainment industry. We have a very supportive shareholder base, great content partnerships, an extraordinary group of retailers who support our efforts and an incredible group of employees who acted as the lightening rod that made it all come together.

"I am elated that the company will further grow in the very capable hands of Joe Bretz. Joe is committed to keep Image Entertainment a well-respected content and distribution entity and has designed an exciting and aggressive roadmap to expand Image's reach into new and growing technologies. I feel blessed to have been part of this great company and will be on the sidelines, proudly smiling, as Image continues to mature," concluded Greenwald.

Joe Q. Bretz, CEO of Q Black Media, stated, "Image is one of those companies that gets stronger in the face of adversity. The accomplishments of its senior management team over the past several months are undeniably impressive - they've built a solidly growing revenue base by leveraging their distribution capabilities across all formats and platforms. Our international reach and digital expertise in conjunction with the drive and vision of the current management team makes Image a force to be reckoned with. Image will continue to acquire high profile programming, develop new and exciting original content from concept to completion and, of course, utilize its vast library.

"I'm both proud and excited to be part of this company and look forward to the future as we take Image to new levels," concluded Bretz.

The Board of Directors of Image unanimously approved the merger agreement and has recommended that Image stockholders vote in favor of the transaction.

In connection with the transaction, Gordon Bava and David Grinberg of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP acted as legal advisor to Image, Joshua A. Ridless of Ridless Law Offices acted as legal advisor to Q Black, LLC and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. provided a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Image.

ABOUT INVESTOR GROUP

Nyx Acquisitions, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Q Black Media, which is a privately-held, San Francisco-based new media and global investment group with a central mission of advancing the convergence of digital technologies with traditional media. Q Black Media places an emphasis in creating original content, improving production efficiency, and innovating content delivery. It has a multi-purpose entertainment platform comprised of diverse subsidiaries including its film production, nightclub development, real estate, and technology incubation divisions. Q Black has built a library of original content that includes reality television series, documentaries, and concert footage. In 2007, Q Black Media forged a collaborative venture with John and Rob Schneider (Deuce Bigalow, The Hot Chick, The Animal), and have since completed their first of three feature films together. In 2008, Q Black Media partnered with Deviant Films (This Girl's Life, Dirty, The Last Word, Spun) to form a new entity, Q Black Deviant, which produces independent feature films.

LIGAND PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED (NASDAQ: LGND | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) "Up 50.38% on Friday"

Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/LGND.php

Ligand discovers and develops new drugs that address critical unmet medical needs of patients with thrombocytopenia, hepatitis C, hormone-related diseases, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and anemia. Ligand's proprietary drug discovery and development programs are based on its leadership position in gene transcription technology.

LGND News:

November 20 - Ligand Collaborator GlaxoSmithKline Receives FDA Approval for PROMACTA

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: LGND | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval of GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) PROMACTA (eltrombopag) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins or splenectomy. PROMACTA is the first oral thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist therapy for the treatment of adult patients with chronic ITP.

Chronic ITP is a disorder marked by increased platelet destruction and/or inadequate platelet production in the blood, which causes an increased risk of bruising and bleeding. PROMACTA has been shown in pre-clinical research and clinical trials to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of cells in the bone marrow to produce platelets.

"Today marks an important milestone for Ligand as this is the first NDA approval stemming from one of our collaborator programs," said John L. Higgins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ligand Pharmaceuticals. "We are very pleased with the FDA approval of PROMACTA as it validates Ligand's success contributing to the discovery of novel, innovative therapies, and demonstrates our ability to create valuable financial assets and potential cash flows by entering into collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. I commend GSK for its dedication and commitment to creating a new treatment option for this potentially life-threatening disease."

As a result of the FDA's approval of PROMACTA, Ligand will be entitled to receive a $2 million milestone payment from GSK. In addition, Ligand will earn tiered royalties in the range of 5%-10% on annual net sales of PROMACTA.

In addition to ITP, GSK reported positive Phase II data in patients with thrombocytopenia associated with hepatitis C and initiated two Phase III trials in patients with hepatitis C in the fourth quarter of 2007. A Phase II study in patients with chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia has been completed, a Phase III study is ongoing in chronic liver disease and a Phase I study is ongoing in patients with sarcoma receiving the adriamycin and ifosfamide regimen. GSK also expects an MAA submission for the long-term treatment of ITP by year-end.

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