Tag - SHLO

Oxford Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:OXM), Zumiez Inc. (Nasdaq:ZUMZ) and China Natural Gas Inc. (Nasdaq:CHNG) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Shiloh Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:SHLO), Methode Electronics Inc. (Nasdaq:MEI), Calavo Growers Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW), CryoLife Inc. (Nasdaq:CRY), DrdGold ADR (Nasdaq:DROOY) and Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:ORN).

Shiloh Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:SHLO), Domino's Pizza Inc. (Nasdaq:DPZ) and Unitil Corp. (Nasdaq:UTL) are among the new 52-week lows in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: California First National Bancorp (Nasdaq:CFNB), Teche Holdings Company (Nasdaq:TSH), Reading International Inc. (Nasdaq:RDI), Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), TM Entertainment and Media Inc. (Nasdaq:TMI) and GHL Acquisition Units (Nasdaq:GHQ.U).

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

Spectranetics Corp. (Nasdaq:SPNC), Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania Inc. (Nasdaq:RBPAA) and Hoku Scientific Inc. (Nasdaq:HOKU) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Atlantic Southern Financial Group Inc. (Nasdaq:ASFN), Chemgenex Pharm Depository Receipt (Nasdaq:CXSP), Shiloh Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:SHLO), Marlin Business Services Corp. (Nasdaq:MRLN), Website Pros Inc. (Nasdaq:WWWW) and Material Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq:MSC).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures are lower and the small-cap index will open with a decline.

Small-cap stocks are set for a bearish opening following news that insurance giant American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) suffered the biggest quarterly loss in its history. The New York-based company had to write down over $11 billion in losses related to subprime mortgages, contributing to a net loss of $5.29 billion, or $2.08 per share.

Elsewhere, the U.S. Commerce Department reported this morning that spending increased 0.4% in January, while personal income added 0.3%. Economists were expecting smaller increases.

The same report showed that a measure of inflation is just above the U.S. Federal Reserve’s preferred year-over-year range.

In what has become a familiar refrain, small cap stocks retreated in the shadow of a double top formation on daily charts Thursday – the third time this has happened during the month of February, which is quite unusual. The Russell 2000 closed down 10.72, or 1.50% at 705.72.

The market faces some mild economic data risk this morning. The Chicago Purchasing Manager’s information is out at 9:45 a.m. ET and Michigan sentiment figures at 10:00 a.m. ET. The market needs to stabilize above 700 ahead of the weekend, with initial support just below at 702, then at 694 and 688. Meanwhile, resistance is at 712, but the big test is up at 723.50.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is posting big gains on news that a major bond insurer will maintain its rating. At 3:23 p.m. ET, the small-cap index was up10.61 points, or 1.53%, to 706.04. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had advanced 132.61 points, or 1.07%, to 12,513.63.

Stocks small and large rose sharply shortly after 2 p.m. ET on news that rating agency Standard & Poor’s will maintain its triple-A rating on bond insurer MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBIA).

The past couple of weeks had seen speculation that the Armonk, N.Y.-based company will be downgraded, a move that will create problems for banks that hold bonds insured by MBIA and probably lead to additional writedowns.

There were reports earlier today that several banks will put together a $3 billion bailout plan for rival bond insurer Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK), also with the intent of preventing a damaging downgrade.

Bond insurers made a mistake when they decided to insure subprime-mortgage debt.

Small-caps are up but shares of DivX, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIVX) are falling on news that the maker of video compression software will shut down one of its websites.

Similarly, Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based Smith Micro Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMSI) is seeing its stock decline in news the developer of wireless communications software products got downgraded by an analyst.

Elsewhere, shares of Shiloh Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLO) are flat on news the manufacturer of engineered products plans on sticking to its current business model in 2008.

“Moving forward, we continue to maintain our focus on cash flow optimization, capital asset utilization and debt reduction while we pursue opportunities for profitable growth,” CEO Theodore Zampeti said in a conference call.

Shiloh Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLO) CEO Theodore Zampetis said the maker of steel blanks and metal parts for automakers expects that the second- and third-quarter results in its heavy-duty trucking segment will be similar to results in 2007. Zampetis said Shiloh projects its lawn and garden segment to be a bit stronger than a year earlier. The chief executive made the comments during a midday conference call.

“Our forecast for the year is carefully prudently advised. We are not looking for the pie in the sky, we are conservative,” Zampetis said. “We believe that at the end of the day, based on what we saw in the first quarter, it is fair to say that this situation will continue in the foreseeable future into 2008.”

In response to an analyst’s question, the CEO told him Shiloh is advising investors to maintain a close look into the variable cost structure and “not to anticipate anything until we see the orders flowing in.”

After Friday’s closing, the Wilmington, Del.-based company posted first-quarter earnings of $1.6 million, or $0.10 per share, up from $1.5 million, or $0.09 per share, in the year-ago period.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) has extended its decline and remains the worst performing major U.S. index. At 2:03 p.m. ET, the small-cap index had dropped 10.73 points, or 1.54%, to 685.55. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had retreated 105.02 points, or 0.85%, to 12,179.28.

The bears are in control as investors respond to news of current and possible future downgrades in the financial sector.

There’s speculation that rating agencies Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch will move to downgrade major bond insurers MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) and Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK).

That will create problems for banks that hold bonds insured by MBIA and Ambac, possibly leading to billions in writedowns.

Elsewhere, brokerage house Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MER) downgraded government-sponsored mortgage lender Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) to “sell” from “hold.”

Small-cap stocks have fallen more than their bigger brothers, with Cbeyond, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBEY), a provider of Internet protocol-based (IP) communications services, being one of the biggest losers.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) are backpedaling after a poor report on housing prices and weaker-than-expected retail sales. Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) warned after Monday’s close that December sales may decline and are running below expectations.

At 10:46 a.m. ET, the small-cap index was down 5.2 points, or 0.65%, to 789.19. The Dow was down 41.78 points, or 0.31%, to 13,507.55.

Holiday spending increased 3.6% compared with a year earlier, according to MasterCard Advisors LLC. The increase was less than economists expected. Because gas prices increased during the period, actual sales were less than the reported total.

In economic news, home prices in 20 large U.S. cities dropped 6.1% compared with a year ago, according to a report by Stand & Poor/Case-Shiller. The report said only three areas — Charlotte, N.C., Portland, Ore. and Seattle, Wash.  — showed positive annual growth in home prices.

Separately, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., billionaire investor Warren Buffett's holding company, said it will acquire a $4.5 billion stake, or 60%, of industrial company Marmon Holdings Inc. Berkshire is said to purchase the remainder of the company in stages by 2014.

The price of crude oil rose on worries that shipments from Iraq could be disrupted after the Turkish military attacked bases of Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

Biggest percentage gainers:

• Ohio Legacy Corp. (Nasdaq: OLCB), up 23.5% to $6.20
• Shiloh Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLO), up 20.9% to $10.49.
• China Technology Development Group Corp. (Nasdaq: CTDC), up 20.5% to $6.99.

Biggest percentage losers:

• Immtech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: IMM), down 12.8% to $5.10.
• Carrollton Bancorp (Nasdaq: CRRB), down 11.5% to $11.50.
• Prospect Capital Corp. (Nasdaq: PSEC), down 9.1% to $13.76.

Developer and marketer of software solutions and services Smith Micro Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMSI), announced the availability of its new StuffIt Wireless Windows Mobile Edition today.

Shares of Cleveland BioLabs Inc. (Nasdaq: CBLI) were up on a report that the U.S. Department of Defense may be the first customer for the company’s radiation protection compound called Protectan or CBLB502.

These are the biggest percentage gainers in Friday’s trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Solar cell maker Amtech Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASYS) reported it has received $16.5 million in orders from Asia.

Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. (NYSE: UBA) declared quarterly dividends of $0.23 for class A common stock and $0.20 for regular common stock. The dividends are payable on July 20.

These are the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Technology company Infinera Corp. (Nasdaq: INFN) went public Thursday. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Infinera manufactures photonic chips that use light rather than silicon to transmit data for optical networking gear.

Herley Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRLY) third-quarter net income more than doubled to $3.9 million, or $0.27 a share, up from $1.7 million, or $0.11 per share, a year earlier. The military communications equipment maker beat Wall Street predictions of a $0.22 profit per share.

The Spectranetics Corp. (Nasdaq: SPNC) appointed Donald Fletcher as vice president of quality assurance and regulatory compliance. Fletcher replaces Adrian Elfe, who is retiring.

According to New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger, Dune Capital Management LP is considering making an offer for Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: TRMP) casinos.

These are the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

The Russell 2000 small cap index declined sharply as U.S. stocks erased early gains due to concerns that strong home sales will make a cut in interest rates unlikely.  The Russell 2000 fell 12.74 points, or 1.52%, to 823.80.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 84.52 points, or 0.62%, to close at 13,441.13.

Shares of Wilmington, Del.-based Shiloh Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLO) fell on news of a sharp drop in profit.  Net income for the second quarter ended April 30 was $2.0 million, or $0.12 per share, a 73% decline compared with a net income of $7.3 million, or $0.45 per share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2006, the manufacturer of equipment for the automotive industry said before the opening bell.