Tag - BGFV

Jos A Bank Clothiers Inc. (Nasdaq:JOSB) and Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) are the new 52-week highs on Thursday's session.

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Nasdaq:SVA), Nanometrics Inc. (Nasdaq:NANO) and Aspect Medical Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:ASPM) are among the new 52-week highs in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Internet Gold-Golden Lines Ltd. (Nasdaq:IGLD), Blue Nile Inc. (Nasdaq:NILE), Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV), Evercore Partners Inc. (Nasdaq:EVR), Radian Group Inc. (Nasdaq:RDN) and Broadpoint Gleacher Securities Group Inc. (Nasdaq:BPSG).

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:CRTX), Caribou Coffee Co Inc. (Nasdaq:CBOU) and Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) are among the new 52-week highs in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Anaren Inc. (Nasdaq:ANEN), Lancaster Colony Corp (Nasdaq:LANC), Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (Nasdaq:ISLE), Great Southern Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:GSBC), Diedrich Coffee Inc. (Nasdaq:DDRX) and Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:OMGI).

Changyou.com Ltd (Nasdaq:CYOU), Century Aluminum Co (Nasdaq:CENX) and Canadian Solar Inc (Nasdaq:CSIQ) are among the most actively traded companies in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc (Nasdaq:EGLE), UAL Corp (Nasdaq:UAUA), Mentor Graphics Corp (Nasdaq:MENT), Fushi Copperweld Inc (Nasdaq:FSIN), James River Coal Co (Nasdaq:JRCC) and Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp (Nasdaq:BGFV).

 

Tree.com Inc. (Nasdaq:TREE), GFI Group Inc. (Nasdaq:GFIG) and Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Par Technology Corp. (Nasdaq:PTC), James River Coal Co. (Nasdaq:JRCC), NetScout Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:NTCT), Chiquita Brands International Inc. (Nasdaq:CQB), Patriot Coal Corp. (Nasdaq:PCX) and Fushi Copperweld Inc. (Nasdaq:FSIN).

CRA International Inc. (Nasdaq:CRAI), Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) and UAL Corp. (Nasdaq:UAUA) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Pacific Capital Bancorp (Nasdaq:PCBC), FGX International Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq:FGXI), Graco Inc. (Nasdaq:GGG), Enterprise Financial Services Corp. (Nasdaq:EFSC), Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:YAVY) and Pharmasset Inc. (Nasdaq:VRUS).

US Airways Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LCC), Central Jersey Bancorp (Nasdaq:CJBK) and Insight Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq:NSIT) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Rubicon Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:RBCN), Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV), InterOil Corp. (Nasdaq:IOC), Palm Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM), Switch & Data Facilities Co Inc. (Nasdaq:SDXC) and Super Micro Computer Inc. (Nasdaq:SMCI).

Hooker Furniture Corp. (Nasdaq:HOFT), Casella Waste Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CWST) and Amer Land Lease  (Nasdaq:ANL) are among the new 52-week lows in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Hutchinson Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:HTCH), Vitran Corp Inc. (Nasdaq:VTNC), Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV), Avid Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:AVID), Gmarket Inc. (Nasdaq:GMKT) and Innerworkings Inc. (Nasdaq:INWK).

Here are the new 52-week lows among small caps:

Shares of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. (Nasdaq:BGFV) dipped by 8.25% this morning following an analyst’s downgrading of its stock.

UBS downgraded the El Segundo, Calif.-based sporting goods retailer’s stock to “sell” from “neutral," and said Big Five's stock price was inconsistent with a deteriorating fundamental outlook for the company.

By late morning, Big 5 is at $10.03, down $0.88 from Tuesday’s close. The stock has traded as low as $6.50 and as high as $22.62 during the past 52 weeks.

For detailed price information and news stories on Big 5, click BGFV.

Small-cap stocks resumed the downdraft Wednesday morning, pulled down by lingering worries about the health of the financial system and a bleak report on the U.S. housing market. At 10:01 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 12.51, or 1.76%, at 698.14.

Housing starts in August tumbled to a rate of 895,000 units, which was well below the forecast of 950,000 and represented the weakest level in more than 17 years. Single-family home sales were off 1.9% to 630,000 units, also the lowest level since 1991, and even permits for new homes were at 17-year lows. The market was already in retreat mode ahead of the data, but certainly didn’t find any ray of sunshine in the latest look at the housing market.

Even before this morning’s housing report came out, the market was in a selling mood, as investors fretted about the never-ending credit crunch and where the next ax would fall. The government bailout of American International Group (NYSE:AIG) might have been a welcome sign fueling Tuesday’s recovery bounce, but the news seemed to have a fairly short bullish shelf life. Arguments on the bearish side of things center around the fact that if the government had to produce the bailout then it wasn’t that attractive of a safety move and also on to concerns that regulators clearly won’t be able step in to and rescue every firm that is listing toward default amid a mountain of bad debt write downs and other failed investment strategies.

Investors were once again nervous about taking on equity risk and money was clearly flowing back into credit instruments. The interest rate on benchmark 10-year notes tumbled 0.64% and bond yields were off 1.40% as money moved into . . .

Small-cap stocks plunged early Friday as a downward spiral developed among government-sponsored mortgage firms and record high crude oil prices sent equity bears on a stampede. At 10:00 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 3.09, or 0.46%, at 667.35, an ugly start to the day, but well off the initial morning lows.

The Michigan sentiment survey came in better-than-expected, with the headline figure at 56.6, compared with the median forecast of 55.5. The stock market appeared to bounce mildly off the lows in conjunction with the Michigan figures, but the market was already trying to mount a recovery move even before the data came out.

Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) collapsed some 40% shortly after the open, and similar losses were pinned on Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) on huge trading volume. Selling fury was fueled overnight by an article in the New York Times suggesting the government was considering a takeover of the embattled mortgage lending giants as the housing slump and credit crisis wallop the firms.

The freefall in GSEs spilled over to the rest of the financial sector, with large caps such as Wachovia Corp. (NYSE:WB) down 9%, Merrill Lynch down 6% and Lehman Bros. (NYSE:LEH) off 17%. Small-cap index products are peppered with regional and small banks, and they often have even more trouble gaining access to credit than the bigger banks, so heightened fears on the credit crunch could slice into the outperformance seen in the Russell 2000 versus large-cap index products (although in early trade, losses in the Russell 2000 were on a slower pace than its big-cap brethren).

“Retail and credit issues sparked selling yesterday and remain a concern today. Volatility is high right now. I think FNM and FRE are vulnerable to further losses, but the market is thinking that the government will aid the GSEs in some way and keep the financial system whole,” Nick Kalivas, vice president of financial research with MF Global, told SmallCapInvestor.com in an email interview.

“I think earnings news should be the main focus and Thursday’s DOW/ROH deal was bullish, but the credit environment is so uncertain and the market does not see the financing available for a host of deals. The market is cheap based on the M&A, but there may not be the liquidity or money to actually push it higher. That . . .

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (Nasdaq:BGFV) is more than 7% lower today after analysts at Deutsche Securities downgraded the sporting goods retailer to “sell” from “hold.” The research firm also lowered its price target to $6 from $7. Shares of the El Segundo, Calif.-based company have ranged from $6.50 to $25.31 during the past year. Low consumer spending due to softness in the economy has impacted Big 5; shares are down more than 51% since January. In today’s trading, shares of Big 5 are down $0.53 at $6.93.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) posted a steep decline following news of weak economic reports. The small-cap index fell 19.54 points, or 2.77%, to 686.18, its third consecutive decrease. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) lost 315.79 points, or 2.51%, to 12,266.39.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 has let go 10.42%, while the Dow is down 7.53% and the S&P 500 is off 9.38%.

Small-cap stocks started the session down and extended their losses as the day wore on and investors digested bearish economic news.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported before the start of trading that spending increased 0.4% in January, while personal income added 0.3%. Economists were expecting smaller increases of 0.2%.

But the rise in consumption went to cover inflation. The same report showed that the price index for personal consumption expenditures rose 0.4%, while the core index, which excludes the costs of food and energy, climbed 0.3%.

In other economic news, the National Association of Purchasing Managers-Chicago reported after the opening that its index of regional business conditions fell to its lowest level since December 2001, while the University of Michigan’s final figures for February consumer confidence showed the worst result since 1992.

One of the biggest losers in today’s sell-off was general merchandise retailer Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUCK), which slumped to a new 52-week low on news of a disappointing 2008 earnings forecast.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is in negative territory despite news of an unexpectedly strong rise in consumer spending.

At 10:10 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had declined 8.95 points, or 1.27%, to 696.77. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was down 179.26 points, or 1.42%, to 12,402.92.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported before the start of trading that spending increased 0.4% in January, while personal income added 0.3%. Economists were expecting smaller increases of 0.2%.

The same report showed that the price index for personal consumption expenditures rose 0.4%, while the core index, which excludes the costs of food and energy, climbed 0.3%.

That makes a year-over-year increase of 3.7%, while the core index is at 2.2%. The U.S. Federal Reserve prefers the annual core index to stay within the range of between 1% and 2%.

The good news on consumption, though, was overshadowed by news that insurance giant American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) suffered the biggest quarterly loss in its history, largely due to losses related to subprime mortgages.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) are in negative territory despite news of a better-than-expected October jobs report.

At 10:28 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had lost 3.69 points, or 0.46%, to 791.49. The Dow was down 51.21 points, or 0.38%, to 13,516.66.

Non-farm payrolls increased 166,000 in October, compared with a downwardly adjusted increase of 96,000 in September, the U.S. Labor Department announced before the start of trading. That’s more than double the projected rise of 80,000 and a sign that the labor market remains tight and that the U.S. economy will most likely avoid recession.

The unemployment rate is unchanged at 4.7%.

The surprisingly strong jobs report makes it less likely that the U.S. Federal Reserve will move to lower the target interest rate during the remainder of 2007.

The jobs report also showed that average hourly earnings increased $0.03, or 0.2%, to $17.58 during October. That’s a rise of 3.8% from one year ago, suggesting that the tight labor market is not fueling inflation by putting too much upward pressure on wages.

The small-cap futures were logically higher and stocks opened in positive territory.

But the bullish sentiment did not last long, with the financial sector as the catalyst for the negative change.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX), Spherion Corp. (NYSE: SFN) and Hudson Highland Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: HHGP) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage losers:

The following small-cap companies were making news in after-hours trading Wednesday:

New York-based G-III Apparel Group, Ltd. (Nasdaq: GIII) said for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 ended April 30 that net sales were $35.1 million, compared with $14.4 million in the same quarter the previous year and above analysts' estimates at $28.17 million. The apparel manufacturer and distributor lost $0.42 per share, better than the loss of $0.72 in the same period last year and better than analysts' estimates for a loss of $0.51. The company also said its bookings were strong for the upcoming fall and holiday season, with the exception of a decline in outerwear private label programs. Shares were down $0.90, or about 4%, to $19.80 in after-hours trading. The 52-week range is $8.21 to $26.74.

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) said it expects to start a Phase 1 clinical trial on its HIV ZFP Therapeutic. The Richmond-Calif.-based bioscience company said it would hold the trial after it presented data on its efforts to develop a zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) Therapeutic(TM) for HIV/AIDS. Its program showed that ZFN-modified T-cells are protected from HIV infection. Sangamo was up 6% at $7.75 in after-hours trading.

SeaChange International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEAC) said it had a 17% increase in revenues to $38.8 million for the first quarter of 2008 ended April 30, compared with the prior year period, but those sales were below analysts' forecasts for $41.42 million. Net loss for the quarter was $0.12 per share, compared with a net loss of $0.15 per share a year ago and worse than the $0.10-per-share loss expected by analysts. Shares of SeaChange were down 10.5% at $8.15 in after-hours trading. The Acton, Mass.-based software company also guided investors to expect less from it than previously indicated. SeaChange said it was now unlikely that first-half fiscal 2008 revenue would exceed revenue for the second half of fiscal 2007.