Tag - Acet

Brooks Automation Inc. (Nasdaq:BRKS), Knot Inc. (Nasdaq:KNOT) and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc. (Nasdaq:BAGL) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Horsehead Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:ZINC), Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET), Diedrich Coffee Inc. (Nasdaq:DDRX), Diodes Inc. (Nasdaq:DIOD), Luminex Corp. (Nasdaq:LMNX) and Colfax Corp. (Nasdaq:CFX).

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (Nasdaq:LULU), Pain Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:PTIE) and Integral System Inc. (Nasdaq:ISYS) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Ciena Corp. (Nasdaq:CIEN), Tempur Pedic. International Inc. (Nasdaq:TPX), Merchants Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq:MBVT), Digi International Inc. (Nasdaq:DGII), Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET) and American Greetings Corp. (Nasdaq:AM).

Solarfun Power Holdings Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:SOLF), Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq:CLNE) and Hoku Scientific Inc. (Nasdaq:HOKU) are among the most actively traded companies in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET), Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq:CSIQ), Medallion Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:TAXI), TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. (Nasdaq:TQNT), Jos A Bank Clothiers Inc. (Nasdaq:JOSB) and National Coal Corp. (Nasdaq:NCOC).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Shares of Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET) popped 9% in pre-market trading after the maker of chemically derived pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals posted robust fiscal fourth-quarter results.

For the three months ended June 20, 2008, the company posted a 90% increase in net income, as sales surged 20% in the quarter. Operating income soared 104.3%.

Shares gained 9%, or $0.75, to $9.26 in pre-market trading. For detailed price information and news stories on Aceto, click ACET.

Aceto Corporation (Nasdaq:ACET) reported ahead of the opening today that its fourth quarter fiscal 2008 sales had soared past $100 million, a new quarterly record for the company. The Lake Success, N.Y.-based chemically derived pharmaceutical provider said sales grew despite the difficult economic environment. Aceto will report its earnings for the full fiscal year and the fourth quarter ended June 30 sometime in early September.

In today’s pre-market trading, shares of Aceto are at $7.25, up $0.27 or 4% from Monday’s close. The stock has ranged from $5.79 to $9.82 during the past 52 weeks.

Despite increasing crude oil prices, small-cap stocks are on a timid rise in afternoon trading after being pummeled during last week’s trading. A better-than-expected Chicago Purchasing survey on manufacturing provided encouragement to bullish investors. At 1:48 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 1.79, or 0.26%, at 696.35.

The Chicago Purchasing Manager’s Survey, which tracks economic conditions in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, clocked in at 49.6, which topped the forecast for a figure of 48. Despite the bullish surprise on the report, it still marked a fifth consecutive month below 50, which indicates contraction in the Midwest business sector.

Crude oil prices gushed to $141.11 a barrel in afternoon trading. The U.S. dollar was up against both the yen and euro.

Small caps on the rise Monday afternoon include Alto Palermo S.A. (Nasdaq:APSA), which is up 23% despite no fresh news. Aceto Corp. (NYSE:ACET), which was up 13.55%, reversing a steep slide from last week amid oversold conditions. Rediff.com India Ltd. (Nasdaq:REDF) is up 16% despite no announcements from the India-based online company.

Small caps attracting sellers this afternoon include Security Bank Corp. (Nasdaq:SBKC) is down 23% despite no announcements from the Macon, Ga.-based firm. MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG) is falling some 21% after shareholders on Friday gave the mortgage insurer approval to increase its share base to raise capital. Life Partners Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:LPHI) is down 13% despite an announcement that the firm was added to the Russell 3000 Index. Investors on Internet message boards speculated that Life Partner was recommended as a stock to sell . . .

Alto Palermo SA (Nasdaq:APSA), NDS GROUP PLC (Nasdaq:NNDS) and Red Lion Hotels Corp (Nasdaq:RLH) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: PowerSecure International Inc (Nasdaq:POWR), Rediff.com India Ltd (Nasdaq:REDF), Aceto Corp (Nasdaq:ACET), Stratus Properties Inc (Nasdaq:STRS), GTSI Corp (Nasdaq:GTSI) and E Com Ventures Inc (Nasdaq:ECMV).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Small-cap stocks hovered near steady levels in early trading, with pressure from higher crude oil prices offset by a better-than-forecast figure for the Chicago Purchasing survey. At 9:54 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 0.42, or 0.06%, at 698.56.

The Chicago Purchasing Manager’s Survey headline figure came in at 49.6, which was well above the forecast for a figure of 48. Despite the bullish surprise on the report, it still marked a fifth consecutive month below 50, which indicates contraction in the Midwest business sector.

Crude oil prices climbed to a fresh record high ahead of the U.S. stock market opening, and remained solidly higher in early U.S. trading. The U.S. dollar pushed to three-week highs against the euro overnight, but backed off those highs and was up about 0.1% versus the euro at the time of the stock market open today. The dollar was down against the yen, sinking about 0.3%, which is supportive to the commodity markets.

Large-cap stocks of note this morning include MBIA Inc. (NYSE:MBI), which was off at 52-week lows amid credit rating downgrades. MBI shares were off 0.7% shortly after the open. Meanwhile, H&R Block Inc. (NYSE:HRB) was up 9.7% after topping analyst estimates for quarterly results.

Broad market sectors on the rise this morning included coal, oil exploration and production, diversified metals and mining, oil and gas storage and transportation and steel stocks. On the downside, food distribution, airlines, specialty stores and food retail stocks were all in the red.

Small caps of note included Aceto Corp. (NYSE:ACET), which was up about 13%, reversing a steep slide from last week amid oversold conditions. Orbotech Ltd. (Nasdaq:ORBK) was up about 14%, recovering from a big slide Friday in . . .

After opening sharply lower, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM), along with other major indices, remains besieged midday Friday after the credit crisis continued to ravage Wall Street.

At 1:45 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 was down 1.91, or 0.27%, at 717.64, while the Dow sunk 136.54, or 1.06%, to 12,730.24

Credit concerns were reignited after insurance juggernaut AIG (NYSE:AIG) reported a record loss after Thursday’s close, signaling that outside of Wall Street credit conditions have tightened further and the credit tempest isn’t showing signs of letting up.

“[AIG’s earnings] underscore that the credit crunch is ongoing,” said Andy Busch, foreign exchange strategist for BMO Capital Markets, in an interview. “I think we had gone through a period in which the earnings didn’t seem so bad and [now] we are getting earnings that are much larger as far as write downs go. People get nervous … when you have an earnings shock to any company.”

Compounding concerns, oil continued its skyward climb, hitting $126 a barrel midmorning on concerns that Venezuela could cut oil exports. Since then, oil has pulled back slightly to roughly $125 a barrel midday. Over the course of the . . .

Sun Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:SNBC), Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET) and Pegasystems Inc. (Nasdaq:PEGA) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Presstek Inc. (Nasdaq:PRST), TierOne Corp. (Nasdaq:TONE) and First Community Bank Corp. of America (Nasdaq:FCFL) are also among the biggest percentage gainers.

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Small-cap stocks opened sharply lower, pressured by a renewal of the credit crisis fears and reeling from a dramatic surge in crude oil that could crimp consumer spending habits and weigh on sentiment. At 9:52 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 4.43, or 0.62%, at 715.12.

Financial shares sparked a wave of overnight selling after American International Group (NYSE:AIG) released earnings that disappointed investors and renewed concerns about debt write-downs among financial institutions. AIG tumbled 5% on the regular opening (which was better than the overnight showing), and the largest bank Citigroup (NYSE:C) was basically flat — also not as bad as overnight action — as the CEO spoke at an investor meeting.

There also was talk of asset allocation plays being back in vogue this morning, with investors shifting money away from equities and into treasury products. The old stock market adage “sell in May and go away” appeared to have a life this first full week of May trading.

In a Goldman Sachs research report released overnight, analysts say that the underlying shock of mortgage credit defaults is large and “still has a ways to go.” Although they say that some of the markets that have been beaten down will normalize and create positive spillover on sentiment in the broader economy, they said that excess housing supply, acceleration of home price declines and over leverage in the U.S. housing market will not go away anytime soon.
 
“We believe that such losses (from over leverage) imply further adverse surprises for balance sheets in parts of the financial sector, with correspondingly adverse effects on lending and economic activity. The focus of the pain is likely to shift away from subprime mortgages, where the markets are already discounting very large losses, to other residential mortgage debt, including prime mortgages. This is one reason why we are expecting a renewed slowdown in economic activity after the stimulus-fueled bounce in mid- to late 2008. In turn, it makes us fairly confident that . . .

Here are the biggest percentage gainers and losers in pre-market trading among companies with a market cap between $50 million and $750 million:

Biggest percentage gainers:

• Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET), up 13% after the distributor of chemically derived pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals and crop protection products posted fiscal third-quarter earnings Friday morning that trumped the consensus on Wall Street and posted sales that increased 29.5% from the year-ago quarter.
• Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI), up 9%.
• True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRLG), up 8%, after first-quarter results trumped the consensus on Wall Street and the designer jean manufacturer raised its 2008 guidance.

Biggest percentage losers:

• NGAS Resources, Inc. (Nasdaq:NGAS), down 8% after the natural gas exploration and production company reported first-quarter revenues after Thursday’s close that fell below the Street’s view.
• Vision-Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq:VSCI), down 6%.
• Exactech Inc. (Nasdaq:EXAC), down 5% after the producer of bone and joint restoration products said this morning that it has gone back to the equity markets and sold 877,391 shares of its stock at $23.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $20.2 million.

Shares of Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET) popped up in pre-market trading after the distributor of chemically derived pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals and crop protection products posted fiscal third-quarter earnings Friday morning that trumped the consensus on Wall Street and posted sales that increased 29.5% from the year-ago quarter.

Shares gained 13%, or $0.91, to $7.81 in pre-market trading. For detailed price information and recent news stories about Aceto, click ACET.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) managed a small rise on news of mixed economic reports. The small-cap index climbed 1.30 points, or 0.18%, to 713.57, its fourth consecutive rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 20.20 points, or 0.16%, to 12,626.03.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 has shed 6.85%, while the Dow is down 4.82% and the S&P 500 has retreated 6.75%.

Small-cap stocks spent the morning in negative territory on news before the opening that jobless claims for the week ended March 29 unexpectedly increased 38,000 to 407,000, according to the U.S. Labor Department. That’s the highest level in more than two years and a sign that economic growth has stalled.

The small-cap index recovered and almost touched the flat line at about 10 a.m. ET on news that the U.S. service sector contracted less than expected in March.

But stocks quickly lost their footing again, falling to a session low of nearly 706 at 11 a.m. ET, before beginning a slow climb upward. The bullish sentiment, which . . .