Tag - IVAC

Virtual Radiologic Corp. (Nasdaq:VRAD), Heartland Financial USA Inc. (Nasdaq:HTLF) and Meritage Homes Corp. (Nasdaq:MTH) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Destination Maternity Corp. (Nasdaq:DEST), Parexel International Corporation (Nasdaq:PRXL), Hexcel Corp. (Nasdaq:HXL), ev3 Inc. (Nasdaq:EVVV), Quaker Chemical Corp. (Nasdaq:KWR) and Intevac Inc. (Nasdaq:IVAC).

Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq:IVAC), Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq:DGII) and Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. (Nasdaq:RBPAA) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

LCA-Vision Inc. (Nasdaq:LCAV), G&K Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:GKSR) and TheStreet.com, Inc. (Nasdaq:TSCM) are also among the top small-cap percentage losers.

Here are Tuesday's biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Here are Tuesday’s biggest percentage gainers and losers in midday trading, along with top volume leaders, among companies with a market cap between $50 million and $750 million:

Biggest percentage gainers:

• Allegiant Travel Co. (Nasdaq:ALGT), up 25.4% to $26.08 after the leisure travel company reported first-quarter operating revenue of $133.1 million, up 58% from $84.3 million a year earlier.
• TranS1 Inc. (Nasdaq:TSON), up 19.9% to $12.79 after news that the FDA has cleared one of their minimally evasive surgery procedures for marketing.
• Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida (Nasdaq:SBCF), up 13.1% to $10.71 after the bank holding company announced first-quarter net income of $1.8 million, or $0.09 per share, compared with $2.8 million, or $0.14 per share, a year earlier. Wall Street analysts expected earnings of $0.10 per share.

Biggest percentage losers:

• Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq:IVAC), down 23.4% to $12.63 after the maker hard drive equipment said it expects 2008 revenue in the range of $120 million to $150 million and earning of between a loss of $0.25 per share and a profit of $0.15 per share. Analysts expect revenue of $143.9 million and a profit of $0.09 per share.
 • Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq:DGII), down 20.8% to $8.12 after the Minnetonka, Minn.-based company reported early Tuesday that its second-quarter revenue totaled $43.1 million, which fell short of Wall Street’s expectation of $51.1 million.

Small-cap stocks opened lower after the opening bell, experienced a slight bump after the Consumer Confidence report was released at 10 a.m., but are continuing to slide in midday Tuesday trading. At 12:37 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 8.19, or 1.13%, to 717.18.

The Conference Board reported that April’s Consumer Confidence Index slumped to 62.3, the lowest level in five years, from a revised 65.9 in March. Economists expected the index, which has declined fourth months in a row, to decline to 61.

During a morning press conference, President Bush said Congress should allow more domestic energy production. Higher production would lower record-high gas prices, he said. Bush said gas prices have risen $1.40 per gallon since the Democrats won a majority in Congress, and pointed to stalled efforts to open drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which would “likely mean lower gas prices.” The president will consider proposals by Sen. John McCain and Sen. Hillary Clinton to suspend the federal gas tax, but did not provide backing for the proposal. The President also noted that the economic stimulus package is in on the way.

Large-cap movers this morning included drug company Merck & Co. (NYSE:MRK), which was down 8% on news that the FDA rejected a new cholesterol drug. From an overall stock market picture, the news had a somewhat muted impact, because it lifted Merck competitor Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) by 3%. In addition, Visa (NYSE:V) posted decent earnings ahead of the opening, and the financial firm is up 1% in midday trading after dipping in earlier action.

Within the small-cap spectrum, LCA Vision Inc. (Nasdaq:LCAV) is down 17%, gapping lower on weak earnings. Intevac Inc. (Nasdaq:IVAC) was down 23% as well, also on earnings news, and TheStreet.com Inc. (Nasdaq:TSCM) was off 13% on soft earnings. Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq:DGII) shares are slumping more than 19% after the Minnetonka, Minn.-based company reported early Tuesday that its second-quarter revenue totaled $43.1 million, which fell short of Wall Street’s expectation of $51.1 million.

Small-cap stocks opened lower, slightly trimmed losses after the Consumer Confidence report came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, but then retreated right back to pre-release levels. The report showed an upward revision to the March report, which provided a brief bid to the market, but it was not enough to catch hold (at least immediately). At 10:01 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 1.84, or 0.25%, at 723.53.

The Consumer Confidence report was pegged at 62.3 in April, which was in line with the forecast of 62, but the March number was revised upward to 65.9 versus 64.5. Still, the April figure was the lowest in five years.

Next on line … President Bush is slated to hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. ET, where he is expected to talk about the economy.

The opening action was soft in line with overnight declines on a dip in European shares as Deutsche Bank posted its first quarterly loss in five years, and French tire company Michelin tumbled 9% on sloppy earnings.

Large-cap companies influencing trade this morning included drug company Merck & Co. (NYSE:MRK), which was down 7% on news that the FDA rejected a new cholesterol drug. From an overall stock market picture, the news had a somewhat muted impact, because it lifted Merck competitor Abbott Labs (NYSE:ABT) by 4%. In addition, Visa (NYSE:V) posted decent earnings ahead of the opening, but the financial firm was down 3% in early action.

The S&P 500 stalled approaching the 1,400 level on the latest push upward, and that key figure resistance will be closely watched through the rest of the week’s major economic events. In the Russell 2000, the market yesterday climbed . . .

Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq:IVAC), Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc. (Nasdaq:JOSB) and LCA-Vision Inc. (Nasdaq:LCAV) are among the most actively traded companies in Tuesday's pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Titan Machinery Inc. (Nasdaq:TITN), Origin Agritech Ltd. (Nasdaq:SEED) and eFuture Information Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:EFUT) are also among the most actively traded small-cap companies in pre-market trading.

Here are the most actively traded small-cap companies in Tuesday's pre-market trading:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) has jumped higher than the Dow following news of an unexpectedly robust increase in productivity.

At 12:49 p.m. ET, the small-cap index had added 5.01 points, or 0.71%, to 706.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had climbed 54.30 points, or 0.44%, to 12,319.43.

Small caps are leading the rally that followed news that U.S. worker productivity grew more than expected during the fourth quarter as employers cut working hours.

The U.S. Labor Department reported before the start of trading that productivity increased at an annual rate of 1.8% during the final three months of 2007, higher than the 0.5% rate expected by economists.

The total number of hours worked decreased 1.5% during the fourth quarter after declining 0.3% during the third quarter.

Unit labor costs, which are a key measure of inflation, rose 1.6% after falling 1.9% in the third quarter. Economists had forecasted a rise of 3.8%. The lower-than-expected increase is good news for the U.S. Federal Reserve, which has recently shifted its focus from fighting inflation to stimulating economic growth.

Increases in labor costs must be matched by productivity increases in order to keep inflation in check.

Separately, the Mortgage Bankers Association announced before the opening that its measure of mortgage loan application volume rose 3% for the week ended Feb. 1, while the our week moving average is up 10.4%.

Neurochem Inc. (Nasdaq: NRMX), PHAZAR CORP. (Nasdaq: ANTP) and Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC) are among the most actively traded companies in Monday pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million:

The Russell 2000 is falling on news of a sharp drop in pending sales of U.S. homes.  Shares of Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq: IVAC) are below the flat line on news of an analyst downgrade, while a rise in quarterly revenue boosted shares of Learning Tree International, Inc. (Nasdaq: LTRE).

At 11:33 a.m. ET the Russell 2000 had lost 2.03 points, or 0.25 percent, to 812.54.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 46.65 points, or 0.36 percent, to 13,109.56.

The following are the most actively traded companies in Tuesday's trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Shares of Intevac Inc. (Nasdaq: IVAC) were down in after-hours trading today after the company announced second-quarter earnings guidance below analysts’ estimates.

For the first quarter ended March 31, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based disk sputtering equipment supplier reported net income of $9.8 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, on revenue of $76.4 million.

Six analysts polled by Thomson First Call had estimated earnings per share of $0.38 on revenue of $73.5 million.

In a conference call today, according to Reuters, the company forecast second-quarter earnings per share of $0.33 cents to $0.40 cents, including $0.04 cents per share of stock-based compensation expense, on revenue of  $69 million to $75 million.

Analysts were expecting earnings per share of $0.43 on revenue of $72.9 million for the quarter ended June 30.

Syniverse Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SVR) got a boost of $0.96, or 9.3%, late today after the Tampa, Fla.-based technology services provider announced first-quarter net income of $7.6 million, or $0.21, on revenue of $82.7 million. Nine analysts polled by Thomson First Call estimated earnings per share of $0.18 on revenue of $79 million.

Rochester Medical Corp. (Nasdaq: ROCM) plunged $2.80, or nearly 12%, to $20.65 on heavy volume in after-hours trading today after the Stewartville, Minn.-based company announced second-quarter results. For the three months ended March 31, Rochester Medical reported net income of $1.04 million, or $0.08 per share, on revenue of $8.4 million, compared with a net loss of $244,000, or $0.02 per share, on revenue of $4.9  million for the second quarter of last year. Rochester Medical makes urinary continence and urine drainage care products for the extended care and acute care markets.

Shares of Intevac Inc. (Nasdaq: IVAC) were down $2.21, or 9%,to $22.10 in after-hours trading today when the company announced second-quarter earnings guidance below analysts’ estimates. For the first quarter ended March 31, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based disk sputtering equipment supplier reported net income of $9.8 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, on revenue of $76.4 million. Six analysts polled by Thomson First Call had estimated earnings per share of $0.38 on revenue of $73.5 million. In a conference call today, according to Reuters, the company forecast second-quarter earnings per share of $0.33 cents to $0.40 cents, including $0.04 cents per share of stock-based compensation expense, on revenue of $69 million to $75 million. Analysts were expecting earnings per share of $0.43 on revenue of $72.9 million.

April 18 (SmallCapInvestor.com) – The Russell 2000 stumbled, but the Dow closed at a new record high as news of strong results from the financial sector offset tech sector woes.  Among small caps, Avanir Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: AVNR) tripled on news of a successful drug trial, while shares of Intevac, Inc. (Nasdaq: IVAC) were downgraded.

The Russell 2000 lost for the second day, dropping 4.58 points, or 0.55 percent, to 824.38.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new record close, adding 30.80 points, or 0.24 percent, to 12,803.84.  The previous record was 12,786.64, set on Feb.20.