How to catch a falling star?

Shares in Hughes Electronics, operator of the DirecTV home satellite service, plunged 6.9 percent to $19.05 Monday following a company sales forecast that reported lower-than-expected results for the second quarter. The company also reduced its annual sales estimate 5.3 percent, blaming slow subscriber sign-ups and an increasing “churn” rate (the number of customers who opt out of the service). In an interview with Bloomberg News, Vick Khoboyan, an analyst at Financial Management Advisors, which owns Hughes shares, commented that the company’s forecast “encourages a potential suitor, since News Corp believes they will be able to better manage the company.” There have been persistent reports recently that News Corp is close to signing a deal to buy Hughes from its parent, General Motors, but the London Financial Times indicated Tuesday that Hughes’ sinking share price could delay the merger.