Tag - Aepi

China TransInfo Technology Corp (Nasdaq:CTFO), ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:ACAD) and CNinsure Inc (Nasdaq:CISG) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI), SmartHeat Inc (Nasdaq:HEAT), Innodata Isogen Inc (Nasdaq:INOD), Credit Acceptance Corp (Nasdaq:CACC), Shamir Optical Industry Ltd (Nasdaq:SHMR) and First of Long Island Corp (Nasdaq:FLIC).

China Automotive Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CAAS), HFF Inc. (Nasdaq:HF) and China TransInfo Technology Corp. (Nasdaq:CTFO) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: AEP Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:AEPI), i2 Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO), John Bean Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq:JBT), Horsehead Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:ZINC), IEC Electronics Corp. (Nasdaq:IEC) and Crocs Inc. (Nasdaq:CROX).

<strong>West Marine Inc.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/wmar">WMAR</a>), <strong>Patni Computer Systems&nbsp;</strong>(Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/pti">PTI</a>) and <strong>Sourcefire Inc.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/fire">FIRE</a>) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.<br /> <br /> Also included among the results: <strong>GHL Acquisition Units</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/ghq.u">GHQ.U</a>),<strong> AEP</strong> <strong>Industries Inc.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/aepi">AEPI</a>), <strong>Dynamics Research Corp.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/drco">DRCO</a>), <strong>Steven Madden Ltd.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/shoo">SHOO</a>) and &nbsp;<strong>Destination Maternity Corp.</strong> (Nasdaq:<a href="/ticker/dest">DEST</a>).

Movado Group Inc (Nasdaq:MOV), Alliance One International Inc (Nasdaq:AOI) and Pep Boys-Manny Moe & Jack (Nasdaq:PBY) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Globecomm Systems Inc (Nasdaq:GCOM), JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd (Nasdaq:JASO), China Sunergy Co Ltd (Nasdaq:CSUN), Spartan Stores Inc (Nasdaq:SPTN), AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI) and Patni Computer Systems ADR (Nasdaq:PTI).

DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS), Palm Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) and Formula Systems Depository Receipt (Nasdaq:FORTY) are among the most actively traded companies in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:QCOR), Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:EGLE), AEP Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:AEPI), James River Coal Co. (Nasdaq:JRCC), Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq:ALDN) and Paragon Shipping Inc. (Nasdaq:PRGN).

Audiovox Corp. (Nasdaq:VOXX), A Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq:APWR) and ICT Group Inc. (Nasdaq:ICTG) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq:ALDN), AEP Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:AEPI), InterMune Inc. (Nasdaq:ITMN), Cooper Companies Inc. (Nasdaq:COO), Telefonica de Argentina (Nasdaq:TAR) and Coleman Cable Inc. (Nasdaq:CCIX).

Otelco Inc (Nasdaq:OTT), TBS International Ltd (Nasdaq:TBSI) and Zoran Corp (Nasdaq:ZRAN) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Oceanfreight Inc (Nasdaq:OCNF), II VI Inc (Nasdaq:IIVI), AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI), Fred's Inc (Nasdaq:FRED), Ares Capital Corp (Nasdaq:ARCC) and Pain Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:PTIE).

Rimage Corp (Nasdaq:RIMG), AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI) and Heritage Commerce Corp (Nasdaq:HTBK) are among the new 52-week lows in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

TASER International Inc (Nasdaq:TASR), Benihana Inc (Nasdaq:BNHNA) and Community Bancorp (Nevada) (Nasdaq:CBON) are also among the new 52-week lows

City Bank (Nasdaq:CTBK), Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:JAZZ) and Banner Corp (Nasdaq:BANR) were additionally included among the results.

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

Rimage Corp (Nasdaq:RIMG), AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI) and Spreadtrum Communications Inc (Nasdaq:SPRD) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

TASER International Inc (Nasdaq:TASR), Astro-Med Inc (Nasdaq:ALOT) and PAM Transportation Services Inc (Nasdaq:PTSI) are also among the biggest percentage losers.

Pier 1 Imports Inc (Nasdaq:PIR), Southern Community Financial Corp (Nasdaq:SCMF) and UFP Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:UFPT) were additionally included among the results.

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Washington Banking Co (Nasdaq:WBCO), Cogent Communications Group Inc (Nasdaq:CCOI) and Gaming Partners International Corp (Nasdaq:GPIC) are among the new 52-week lows in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Colonial Bancgroup Inc (Nasdaq:CNB), Timberland Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:TSBK) and AEP Industries Inc (Nasdaq:AEPI) are also among the new 52-week lows.

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

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) began the session in the red amid speculation of future interest rate cuts.

At 10:03 a.m. ET, the small-cap index was down 1.16 points, or 0.18%, to 658.95. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had declined 2.85 points, or 0.02%, to 11,890.84.

The U.S. Federal Reserve will drop its target federal funds rate to 2% by late April, according to a report by investment bank The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) before the start of trading.

An analyst with the New York-based company thinks the Fed will lower its target interest rate 0.5% during its next two regularly scheduled meetings, the first of which is on March 18. However, the report claims that an emergency rate cut as early as Monday can’t be ruled out.

The federal funds rate, the rate commercial banks charge each other for overnight loans, currently stands at 3%.

During a morning conference call, plastic packaging maker AEP Industries (Nasdaq: AEPI) CEO Brendan Barba said the company continues to expand in North America, battle rising resin prices, and evaluating acquisition opportunities.

During the third quarter ended July 31, Barba said the company installed a new line in its PVC plant in Griffin, Ga.. It will also have a new manufacturing line in place by February 2008 at its plant in Matthews, N.C.. The North Carolina line will make “high-margin products that we didn’t have before,” Barba said.

Additionally, AEP is installing a 10-color press at its Bowling Green, Ky., plant and expanding its Wright Township, Pa., plant by 50,000 square feet. The Pennsylvania expansion should be ready by October, he said.

South Hackensack, N.J.-based AEP sold its Australian land and buildings for about $8.5 million during the quarter, Barba said. AEP also liquidated its Spain operations and should realize $1 million by the end of the calendar year from the liquidation. The company is also selling its Holland operations through an ongoing auction process.

The proceeds from the asset sales will be used for either an acquisition, to pay back debt, or buy shares. Barba said the firm won’t make a decision until the operations in Holland are completely sold.

The chief executive said AEP is looking at acquisition targets each month. He said it’s “not easy” for the company to do an acquisition either due to cost factors or the redundancy of a nearby plant already owned by AEP.

“We’re looking at a number of things. So far, nothing has made sense to us,” Barba said. “We will never do an acquisition just to say we’re doing an acquisition. We look hard at each of them.”

In response to an analyst’s question, he said AEP is looking both at big and small deals.

Paul Feeney, AEP’s chief financial officer, said the company is “unhappy” with its stock price. Over the past 13 months, he said the company has bought back about 2 million shares, or about 23% of total shares outstanding. He hinted the company may buy back more shares in the near future.

“We certainly have demonstrated our willingness to invest in ourselves,” Feeney said. “We haven’t been able to do that in the past month but in a couple of days, we might very well be back in there doing that. That’s not a promise we’re going to do it but we have the latitude to do it and we may end up deciding to do that.”

Before Monday’s opening bell, AEP announced third quarter net income of $4.8 million, or $0.63 a share, down 75% from $20.1 million, or $2.28 per share, a year earlier. Net income during the third quarter of 2006 included $12.5 million in income tax benefits. Thomson Financial does not list any analysts that cover AEP.

“We saw fierce competitions,” Barba said. “We struggled to maintain a 2% increase in volume and had difficulty passing on price increases.”

During the most recent three-month period, AEP’s net sales decreased 2% to $205 million, from $208.9 million in the year-ago quarter. The company said in a press release that the decrease was primarily the result of a 5% decrease in average selling prices.

Barba said the company believes the price of resin has peaked for calendar 2007, will continue to be tight in 2008 and will free up in 2009. The price of resin is being driven up primarily by strong international demand, he said, but also has been impacted by rising oil prices. Barba said on Sept. 1, the price of resin increased and it will increase again on Sept. 15.

The Russell 2000 index has narrowed its morning losses but continues to trade in the red, while the Dow is flat. At 1:58 p.m. ET the Russell 2000 had lost 3.61 points, or 0.43%, to 829.57. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 2.84 points, or 0.02%, to 13,427.80.

Shares of FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCSE) are in negative territory following news the Campbell, Calif.-based company has reaffirmed second-quarter revenue guidance below Wall Street’s expectations. Revenue for the second quarter is projected between $8.5 million and $9.5 million, the designer of wireless video technologies announced before the opening bell. Two analysts polled by Thomson Financial were looking for revenues of $11.67 million.