Tag - RICK

Delta Apparel Inc. (Nasdaq:DLA), Champion Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq:CHB) and Staar Surgical Co. (Nasdaq:STAA) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.    

Also included among the results: Lithia Motors Inc. (Nasdaq:LAD), QCR Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:QCRH), Tween Brands Inc. (Nasdaq:TWB), Deltek Inc. (Nasdaq:PROJ), Oplink Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:OPLK) and Ricks Cabaret International Inc. (Nasdaq:RICK).        

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Synchronoss Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:SNCR), DrdGold ADR (Nasdaq:DROOY) and Ricks Cabaret International Inc (Nasdaq:RICK) are among the most actively traded companies in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

True Religion Apparel Inc (Nasdaq:TRLG), China Technology Development Group Corp (Nasdaq:CTDC) and EMCORE Corp (Nasdaq:EMKR) are also among the most actively traded companies.

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Vice is nice. Sin is in.

Maybe that’s the philosophy driving investors to the stock of Rick’s Cabaret International, Inc. (Nasdaq:RICK). While shares hit an all-time high of $29.79 on Dec. 26, newcomers wonder if there still are profits to be made from this R-rated company charting a path in the mostly G-rated Nasdaq marketplace.

“Everybody comes to Rick’s,” goes the oft-quoted line about the nightclub in the classic Bogart film “Casablanca.” Label this Rick’s a little more risqué rather than wartime risky — and its entertainers wear a bit less clothing than what they did at Bogie’s place.

Shares of this self-labeled “premier operator of upscale gentlemen's clubs” could be had for under $2 in 2003; and under $3 in 2005. Just last August, Rick’s Cabaret traded as low as $7.51. But even after sinking in January into the $19 range, and back there again earlier this month, Rick’s could be gaining strength. The stock closed at $20.30 on Thursday.

The sole analyst who covers Houston, Texas-based Rick’s Cabaret, Eric Wold of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co., rates the stock a “buy,” and recently boosted his earnings outlook to $2 per share for fiscal 2009. Last month, the company raised its guidance for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 to net income of $8.4 million, or $1.10 earnings per share, up from $7.7 million, or $1.03 a share. The company is looking for $55 million in sales, up $1 million from its December guidance.

Rick’s Cabaret, which runs 16 adult clubs under three brands, has few competitors as a U.S. public company. There’s Denver, Colo.-based VCG Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:VCGH), which operates 19 clubs and an upscale dance club under various names; and the much-smaller Scores Holding Co. Inc. (OTC:SCRH.OB), which has seven Scores clubs.

Rick’s Cabaret goes beyond the look-but-don’t-touch club scene. The company also operates adult websites, including a personals site for, let’s say, open-minded individuals, and an auction site where consumers can sell adult-oriented goods.

Fonar Corp. (Nasdaq: FONR), WSI Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: WSCI) and A. Schulman, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLM) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

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Superconductor Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCON), Carolina National Corp. (Nasdaq: CNCP) and I.D. Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDSY) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

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