Tag - SWIM

Small-cap stocks pushed higher in a relatively tame session, with morning pressure from concerns about sloppy sales at Wal-Mart countered by optimism for massive infrastructure spending projects in the months ahead. Perhaps the story lines simply balanced out each other, or perhaps the market was taking a little “breather” ahead of Friday’s big jobs report. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) closed up 4.91, or 0.99% at 502.01 and is now up 0.5% for the year; meanwhile the Dow is off 0.3% for 2009 and the S&P 500 is up 0.7%.

The day started off with a thud as the Wal-Mart worries ignited fears that if consumer spending is slack at discounters, then how bad might it be for higher-end fare? Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) reported same-store sales were up 1.7% in December, which missed the forecast for a rise of 2.8%. WMT was a drag on large-cap index products throughout the day, and eventually lost more than 7%.

There actually was plenty of movement today in the retail arena, with most stores now coming out with monthly same-store results. However, for every Wal-Mart, Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE:LTD) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF), all of which fell on weak numbers, there was a Sears Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq:SHLD), which jumped 23%. If you owned stock in any retailers, chances are you experienced ...

thinkorswim Group Inc. (Nasdaq:SWIM), Conn's Inc. (Nasdaq:CONN) and United Community Bancorp (Nasdaq:UCBA) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Spectrum Control Inc. (Nasdaq:SPEC), Emergent Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LZR), EnerNOC Inc.(Nasdaq:ENOC), Crosstex Energy Inc. (Nasdaq:XTXI), Stewardship Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:SSFN) and Palm Harbor Homes Inc. (Nasdaq:PHHM).

Small-cap stocks pushed lower this morning, pulled down by renewed worries about consumer spending after the world’s largest retailer posted disappointing December sales. In addition, tech stocks and commodities were on the defensive this morning following losses in overseas trading. At 9:57 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 3.82, or 0.77% at 493.28.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) reported December same-store sales were up just 1.7%, which was below the projection for a rise of 2.8%. Still, this was a rare increase in sales when many retailers were actually down for the month. Wal-Mart officials also lowered fourth-quarter earnings projections, a familiar trend early this New Year. WMT shares were off about 8% in early trading.

Investors got another glimpse of employment data this morning ahead of Friday’s key monthly jobs report. The weekly unemployment claims release came out at 467,000 which was quite a bit better than feared. The forecast called for about 540,000 ...

thinkorswim Group Inc. (Nasdaq:SWIM), DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS) and Solarfun Power Holdings Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:SOLF) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Ciena Corp. (Nasdaq:CIEN), Sonic Corp. (Nasdaq:SONC), Indevus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:IDEV), Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLE), NetScout Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:NTCT) and Exide Technologies (Nasdaq:XIDE).

Solarfun Power Holdings Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:SOLF), Bare Escentuals Inc. (Nasdaq:BARE) and DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS) are among the most actively traded companies in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq:CSIQ), InterDigital Inc. (Nasdaq:IDCC), VisionChina Media Inc. (Nasdaq:VISN), Pan American Silver Corp. (Nasdaq:PAAS), Crosstex Energy L.P (Nasdaq:XTEX) and thinkorswim Group Inc. (Nasdaq:SWIM).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Astronics (Nasdaq:ATRO), Innophos Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:IPHS) and USA Mobility Inc (Nasdaq:USMO) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc (Nasdaq:PEET), Nautilus Inc (Nasdaq:NLS), thinkorswim Group Inc (Nasdaq:SWIM), Universal American Corp (Nasdaq:UAM), Innovative Solutions and Support Inc (Nasdaq:ISSC) and RehabCare Group, Inc (Nasdaq:RHB).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Shares of thinkorswim Group Inc. (Nasdaq:SWIM) are up 23% in pre-market trading today after the New York-based company reported record revenues that beat Wall Street views after Thursday’s close. For the quarter ended June 30, the company reported revenues of $97 million, up from $79.7 million from a year ago. Net income was $18.6 million, or $0.27 per share, up from $6 million, or $0.09 a share, for the same period a year earlier. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $0.17 per share on revenues of $88.05 million.

“Management made intra-quarter marketing, scheduling and customer acquisition adjustments to achieve a $490 cost per funded account, which is expected to realize $2,300 of annualized revenue per account. We believe that the education levels and derivative-based trading activity of the customers acquired through these strategies provide the strongest growth model in the online brokerage industry,” said Lee K. Barba, chairman and CEO, in a statement.

Ahead of today’s opening, shares of the online brokerage and investor education company are at $9.85, up $1.82 from Thursday’s close. The stock has ranged from $6.41 to $18.23 during the past 52 weeks.

BGC Partners Inc (Nasdaq:BGCP), Innophos Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:IPHS) and INVESTools Inc (Nasdaq:SWIM) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Fuelcell Energy Inc (Nasdaq:FCEL), Royale Energy Inc (Nasdaq:ROYL) and China Precision Steel Inc (Nasdaq:CPSL) are also among the most actively traded companies.

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Asta Funding, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASFI), INVESTools Inc. (Nasdaq:SWIM) and Magma Design Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq:LAVA) were among the new 52-week lows established during Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

Secure Computing Corp. (Nasdaq:SCUR), General Finance Corp. (AMEX:GFN) and Protection One, Inc. (Nasdaq:PONE) were also among the 52-week small-cap lows.

Here are Friday's 52-week small-cap lows:

Small-cap stocks edged lower Friday, unable to ride out a morning wave of bullish enthusiasm after the monthly employment report showed the U.S. labor market was struggling, but not nearly as bad as feared. In the initial glow of the jobs release, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) surged to the highest level since early January, but was unable to thunder home on the stretch Friday afternoon, dipping 4.01, or 0.55%, to 725.74.

Although the sloppy close in equities may have taken some of the excitement out of this week’s advance, it should still be noted that the Russell finished out Friday at the highest weekly level since early February. There are very few shorts holding index profits in this market, and if the Russell can sustain upward momentum, those shorts will be forced to buy their way out of losing trades in the weeks ahead.

Back to the actual employment report this morning, the headline figures — the unemployment rate and the payroll number — were both much better than forecast, with the unemployment rate coming in at 5%, compared with the average guess of 5.2%, while the payroll loss for April was reported at 20,000 jobs, compared with the median estimate of an 80,000-job decline.

“The unemployment rate dropped in April because of a temporary surge in household jobs,” Steven Wood, chief economist with Insight Economics, said in an email. “However, the unemployment rate will climb further over the next several quarters as the economy continues to slowly deteriorate.”

Wood clearly believes that the U.S. economy is not exactly free and clear of further downside risk and with consumers struggling against sinking home values, rising energy and food costs, caution seems quite reasonable looking forward. Looking ahead . . .

Small-cap stocks roared out of the gate in morning trading, but a widespread sell-off began around 10 a.m. ET and erased gains. A rallying attempt shortly before noon was met with resistance and small caps have continued to decline in Friday afternoon trading. At 1:34 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) slipped 4.01, or 0.55%, at 725.74.

At 10:08 a.m. ET, the small-cap index peaked at 735.78, its highest point since early January. Bullish investors were encouraged by a better-than-expected monthly employment report, which showed a decline of 20,000 payroll jobs in April — much better than the median forecast for a loss of 80,000 jobs. In addition, the headline unemployment figure came in at 5%, which was down from 5.1% last month and well above the number cruncher’s pre-release figure of 5.2%.

Just ahead of the employment release, the Federal Reserve added liquidity into the system, which sparked a brief flurry of conspiracy theorists that perhaps the credit crunch was rearing its head again, or that the employment report would be a bearish surprise. Clearly, the latter wasn’t the case, and it’s most likely that the . . .

Small-cap stocks shot out of the gate this morning amid a wave of buying enthusiasm, with the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) up 2.74, or 0.37%, at 732.48 at 9:57 a.m. ET. The early peak was at 734.84, which marks the highest point since early January. Bullish investor psychology was powered by a better-than-expected monthly employment report, which showed a decline of 20,000 payroll jobs in April — much better than the median forecast for a loss of 80,000 jobs. In addition, the headline unemployment figure came in at 5%, which was down from 5.1% last month and well above the number cruncher’s pre-release figure of 5.2%.

It should be noted that the labor market is still contracting, which is a troubling sign for the economy. Still, markets tend to trade on expectations, and when the news isn’t as bad as feared, it clears the way for buying interest to emerge. However, before March lows were carved out, the market had an unsettling way of trading higher on jobs day in recent months, only to resume the downward swing in the days following the initial reaction.

Just ahead of the employment release, the Federal Reserve added liquidity into the system, which sparked a brief flurry of conspiracy theorists that perhaps the credit crunch was rearing its head again, or that the employment report would be a bearish surprise. Clearly, the latter wasn’t the case, and it’s most likely that . . .