Tag - ANN

Recession be damned, Americans appear determined to spend what they can this holiday season.

MarketWatch reports that the National Retail Federation survey indicated that the number of shoppers jumped 8.7 percent over the four day holiday weekend, and that average spending rose 6.4 percent.

Energy Services of America Corp. (Nasdaq:ESA), Hallwood Group Inc. (Nasdaq:HWG) and American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:AXL) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Perry Ellis International Inc. (Nasdaq:PERY), United Community Bancorp (Nasdaq:UCBA), Builders FirstSource Inc. (Nasdaq:BLDR), Dana Corp. (Nasdaq:DAN), Primeenergy Corp. (Nasdaq:PNRG) and AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN).

ARCA biopharma Inc. (Nasdaq:ABIO), Hot Topic Inc. (Nasdaq:HOTT) and Drew Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:DW) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Patriot Coal Corp. (Nasdaq:PCX), Providence Service Corp. (Nasdaq:PRSC), Texas Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:TXI), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN), Heritage Commerce Corp. (Nasdaq:HTBK) and BPZ Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:BPZ).

Global Crossing Ltd. (Nasdaq:GLBC), Inter Parfums Inc. (Nasdaq:IPAR) and American Woodmark Corp. (Nasdaq:AMWD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: WNS Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq:WNS), Barnes Group Inc. (Nasdaq:B), USANA Health Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq:USNA), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN), Tollgrade Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:TLGD) and NACCO Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:NC).

Macerich REIT (Nasdaq:MAC), Fisher Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:FSCI) and AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: AngioDynamics Inc. (Nasdaq:CBAN), Blyth Inc. (Nasdaq:BTH), Penn Virginia Corp. (Nasdaq:PVA), Winnebago Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:WGO) and Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. (Nasdaq:MCRI).

ICT Group Inc (Nasdaq:ICTG), SI Financial Group Inc (Nasdaq:SIFI) and Omniture Inc (Nasdaq:OMTR) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: AnnTaylor Stores Corp (Nasdaq:ANN), Volt Information Sciences Inc (Nasdaq:VOL), Westwood Holdings Group Inc (Nasdaq:WHG), Signet Jewelers (Nasdaq:SIG), Brooks Automation Inc (Nasdaq:BRKS) and DineEquity Inc (Nasdaq:DIN).

VistaPrint Ltd. (Nasdaq:VPRT), Webster Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:WBS) and Wintrust Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:WTFC) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Dolan Media Co. (Nasdaq:DM), Switch & Data Facilities Co Inc. (Nasdaq:SDXC), CoBiz Financial Inc. (Nasdaq:COBZ), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN), World Acceptance Corp. (Nasdaq:WRLD) and Maidenform Brands Inc. (Nasdaq:MFB).

The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) pushed 2.3% higher on Wednesday and is now down 38% for the year, while the Dow is down 34% for 2008 and the S&P 500 is down 39%. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are American Land Lease (NYSE:ANL), Atlas Pipeline Holding (NYSE:AHD) and Ann Taylor Stores (NYSE:ANN).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The MBA Mortgage Application Index came out this morning, and showed a mild dip off last week’s record advance when the index doubled.
• The wholesale inventory report came out at minus 1.1%, which was quite a bit worse than the forecast for a drop of 0.1%.
• The top-performing sectors were dominated by commodities: coal, gold, oil and gas drillers, aluminum, metal and mining shares were all up.
• The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund rallied 5%, far outpacing the rest of the market.
• Financial shares were a drag on the bullish party, as concerns about the credit crisis and tight lending continue to be in play.
• Today’s three-year note auction came in at a higher-than-expected yield, which provided some relief to stocks overall.

Small Cap Gainers:

• American Land Lease Inc. (NYSE:ANL) gapped higher on news that the real estate investment trust was being bought at a huge premium to previous capitalization. ANL shares stormed 221% higher on the news.
• Atlas Pipeline Holding LP (NYSE:AHD) rallied 45% to close above the 20-day moving average for the first time since late September.
• Ann Taylor Stores Corp. (NYSE:ANN) jumped 20% and itself closed above . . .

Small-cap stocks pushed higher Wednesday, powered by gains in commodity stocks, but the move briefly lost steam in mid-afternoon as worries surrounding a proposed bailout for U.S. automakers came back into play amid Republican opposition to the $15 billion plan. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) closed up 10.69, or 2.30% at 476.40, and is now down 38% for the year. The Dow closed up 0.81% and is down 34% for 2008, while the S&P 500 was up 1.19% Wednesday and down 39% for the year.

Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama called the bailout a “travesty” and threatened to implement procedural roadblocks to stall the bill, which sent a shudder through automaker stocks and widened corporate bond spreads. General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) closed down about 2.1%, while Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) was up 0.6%.

Commodity markets have been pummeled mercilessly for months, but were in vogue again today, with the Commodity Research Bureau Index rising 2.6%. Crude oil futures were up 3.4% or $1.45 a barrel to $43.52, which provided a lift to energy stocks. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund rallied 5%, far outpacing the rest of the market.

And even though energy always grabs the lion’s share of attention, other commodity markets contributed to equities today, with mining, metals and gold stock among the best percentage performers today. Some of the rise in mining stocks likely stemmed from news overnight that Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RTP) decided to slash 14,000 jobs, cut costs and raise capital, which sent which sent the world’s third-largest miner into rally mode. RTP shares jumped 27% today in U.S. trading.

Once again today, financial shares were a drag on the bullish party, as concerns about the credit crisis and tight lending continue to be in play. Also, early declines in Treasury products were whittled away in the afternoon, which keeps concerns about money flow in the mix. That said, today’s three-year note auction came in at a higher-than-expected yield, which provided some relief to stocks overall.

Individual small caps on the move today included American Land Lease Inc. (NYSE:ANL), which gapped higher on news that the real estate investment trust was being bought at a huge premium to previous capitalization. ANL shares stormed 221% higher on the news. Atlas Pipeline Holding LP (NYSE:AHD) rallied 45% to close above the 20-day moving average for the first time since late September. Ann Taylor Stores Corp. (NYSE:ANN) jumped 20% and itself closed above . . .

American Land Lease Inc. (Nasdaq:ANL), Oceanfreight Inc. (Nasdaq:OCNF) and ArcSight Inc. (Nasdaq:ARST) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLE), PC Connection, Inc. (Nasdaq:PCCC), Century Aluminum Co. (Nasdaq:CENX), AnnTaylor Stores Corp (Nasdaq:ANN), Safe Bulkers Inc. (Nasdaq:SB) and Capital Bank Corp . (Nasdaq:CBKN).

Small-cap stocks soared into mid-session trading, with financial, energy and gold stocks driving an impressive rally to provide confirmation of Friday’s big rally. The market continues to find bullish inspiration on economic advisor appointments by President-elect Obama, who announced his team today in just the second major press conference since he won the presidential vote earlier this month. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (NYSE:WBD), General Cable Corp. (NYSE:BGC) and SL Green Realty Corp.  (NYSE:SLG).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Investment banks, brokerage firms, diverse financial instruments, wireless telecoms, homebuilders, coal, real estate services all higher.  
• Gold stocks were seeing huge gains today, boosted by safe haven flows.  
• Commodities in general were a big factor in the stock market rise today, supported by a slide in the U.S. dollar against the euro.  
• Crude oil prices extended the morning rally into midday, rising some $4 a barrel, which stoked a 5% surge in energy stocks. 

Small Cap Gainers:

• Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC jumped 39% as Russia’s largest dairy company generated a huge bounce off 52-week lows set last week. See (NYSE:WBD).  
• General Cable Corp. rallied 36% as the copper, aluminum and fiber optic cable manufacturer rose off last week’s lows with the overall bounce in commodity shares today. See (NYSE:BGC).  
• SL Green Realty Corp. jumped 35% as the real estate investment trust embraced the Citigroup bail out plan, as Citigroup is the firm’s biggest tenant. See (NYSE:SLG).  
• Dress Barn last week reports increase in Q1 sales, shares are up 10% today. See (Nasdaq:DBRN).

Small Cap Losers:

• Ann Taylor swings to Q3 loss, sees tough Q4. Shares are down 8.7% near a 52-week low of $4.21, down from a 52-week high of $32.82. See (NYSE:ANN).  
• China Eastern passenger throughput down 2.72% in October; shares tumble 12%. See (NYSE:CEA).  
• Life Time Fitness down another 10% today after the small cap announced last week that it would cute 100 jobs. See (NYSE:LTM).  
• Tween Brands is down 18% following last week's announcement of a Q3 sales, earnings drop in "challenging environment." See (NYSE:TWB).

Syniverse Hldg Inc. (Nasdaq:SVR), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN) and Warnaco Group Inc. (Nasdaq:WRC) are among the new 52-week lows in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: SRA International Inc. (Nasdaq:SRX), Merrill Lynch Canada Canadian Pacific  (Nasdaq:HCH), Crosstex Energy Inc. (Nasdaq:XTXI), i2 Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO), Obagi Medical Products Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI) and NACCO Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:NC).

Small-cap stocks extended the morning slide into midday trading, as pressure from a weak economy continues to take a toll on commodity, retail and financial stocks, overshadowing even aggressive rate cuts out of Europe overnight. At 12:04 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 10.28, or 2%, at 504.36.

There really was no safe place to park money today, with equities taking a big hit, Treasury products lower and even commodities in negative territory. The Brazilian president said that the worst of the global financial crisis has now passed, but the market didn’t seem to heed his remarks, with the Brazilian stock market sinking some 3.5% into their afternoon trading time frame. Brazil is a major commodities exporter, and has taken an extra hit as commodity prices collapsed along with stocks in recent weeks.

The economic malaise continued to bruise commodity markets, with crude oil prices tumbling toward $60 a barrel, or the lowest prices since March. The IMF said that developed economies were on track for a full-year contraction for the first time since World War II, and energy exporters that depend on demand from big consumers were taking a beating, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund down 5.5%.

Here in the United States a weak tone for the day was forged overnight when tech bellwether Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) beat the earnings forecast for the third quarter but warned that fourth quarter revenue could decline for the first time in years. CSCO was down about 2.2%, but now actually lagging overall declines in the Nasdaq 100 and in the Dow and S&P 500, so clearly there were other problems bigger than just CSCO.

Retailer shares were a mixed bag today as monthly same-store sales results were pouring in. However, the overall read was gloomy, with the S&P Retail Index down about 1.7%. While there were individual bright spots like small-cap firm Hot Topic Inc. (Nasdaq:HOTT), which was up 12% as sales climbed 8.3%, there were also plenty of disappointments such as Ann Taylor Stores Corp. (NYSE:ANN), which tumbled 25% as the women’s apparel specialist said it would slash jobs and cut costs . . .

Syniverse Hldg Inc. (Nasdaq:SVR), Warnaco Group Inc. (Nasdaq:WRC) and Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (Nasdaq:BKD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: SRA International Inc. (Nasdaq:SRX), Willbros Group Inc. (Nasdaq:WG), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN), Tecumseh Products Co. (Nasdaq:TECUA), TBS International Ltd. (Nasdaq:TBSI) and Delta Petroleum Corp. (Nasdaq:DPTR).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps: