Tag - Athn

Last week, the Russell 2000 Index rose 1.6 percent, while the Standard & Poor's Small Cap 600 Index gained slightly less, 1.5 percent.

For the day, the Russell 2000 was flat and the S&P Small Cap 600 was down fractionally. Yet for the year, the Russell has gained 8.1 percent, with the S&P Small Cap rising 8.9 percent.

Fuel Systems Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq:FSYS), athenahealth Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN) and Allos Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:ALTH) are among the most actively traded companies in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq:RMBS), Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq:EMITF), Liberty Media Corp. (Nasdaq:LCAPA), Zoltek Companies Inc. (Nasdaq:ZOLT), Papa Johns International Inc. (Nasdaq:PZZA) and Papa Johns International Inc. (Nasdaq:PZZA).

CommScope Inc. (Nasdaq:CTV), athenahealth Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN) and Deckers Outdoor Corp. (Nasdaq:DECK) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Kaman Corp. (Nasdaq:KAMN), Penford Corp. (Nasdaq:PENX), Scientific Games Corp. (Nasdaq:SGMS), Hurco Cos Inc. (Nasdaq:HURC), UAL Corp. (Nasdaq:UAUA) and Stantec Inc. (Nasdaq:STN).

Today marked the third time in four days that stock market investors chose to dismiss dreary economic data as a non-event, and this time around they did it on the biggest report of them all – the monthly Labor Department report on employment. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) closed up nearly 5%. Some of today's small-cap gainers included BankAtlantic Bancorp (NYSE:BBX), DineEquity (NYSE:DIN) and . . .

Small-cap stocks took flight Friday, setting aside a historically bleak employment report amid hope that all those gloomy numbers are already priced into the market. If true, then bargain-hunters are snatching up equities relatively close to the lows, getting ahead of the curve on an impending turnaround in the global economic scene. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) closed up 21.56, or 4.91%, at 461.09, reversing course on a morning rout that saw small caps down 3.5% at the worst point of the day. For the year, the Russell is now down 40%, while the Dow is off 35% and the S&P 500 is down 40%.

This marked the third time in four days that stock market investors chose to dismiss dreary economic data as a non-event, and this time around they did it on the biggest report of them all – the monthly Labor Department report on employment. Looking at the guts of the jobs report, it’s not that easy to dive into stocks with abandon. Here are some ready-made frightening headlines from the report:

* Largest one-month drop in payrolls since December 1974
* Highest unemployment rate in 13 years
* Fifth largest monthly decline in jobs in history

What’s more, it is widely expected that the jobs picture will get worse – not better – over the next couple of months. So, why did the stock market treat all this bad news as a buying opportunity? Because there is a wide-spread belief that the market has already priced in all of these dreadful economic reports and that upside potential . . .

CastlePoint Holdings (Nasdaq:CPHL), Dixie Group Inc (Nasdaq:DXYN) and athenahealth Inc (Nasdaq:ATHN) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Chemgenex Pharm (Nasdaq:CXSP), Transcat Inc (Nasdaq:TRNS), Pilgrim's Pride Corp (Nasdaq:PPC), Cutera Inc (Nasdaq:CUTR), Maiden Holdings Ord Shs (Nasdaq:MHLD) and LandAmerica Financial Group Inc (Nasdaq:LFG).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

athenahealth Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN) is freeing physicians to focus on patients, smoothing operations by taking over back-office chores. The company’s business software and services are selling so fast that surgical precision will be needed to meet high expectations.

athenahealth’s software puts insurance rules and clinical processes into its practice management platform, taking over the administrative burdens of billing, reimbursement and handling of data. Its services have three parts: proprietary Internet-based software, a continually updated database of payer reimbursement process rules, and back-office billing and clinical data management.

The Watertown, Mass.-based company emphasizes the service aspect of its business, and this model has allowed it to grow sales organically. Sales reached $100.8 million in fiscal 2007 ending in December, from $75.8 million in 2006. That 33% gain is expected to be matched in 2008, when analysts expect sales of $134.4 million, and again in 2009, when projections average $180.5 million.

Although the company does not give specific guidance, it has targeted long-term annual sales growth at 30% or better. It has a 97% physician retention rate, which gives insight into future sales. athenahealth projects long-term gross margins at 57% to 59%, adjusted EBITDA margin of 27% to 32%, and operating margins at 23% to 27%.

Revenue expectations are heady as athenahealth readies to release its second-quarter results Tuesday. Analysts see demand for its services remaining strong as the company continues to sell into a wide range of practices and providers, both big and small. Just last week, the company announced it had signed up RediClinics, which runs in-store health-care facilities — including at 15 Wal-Mart stores — for its on-demand business services.

athenahealth has grown sales organically, developing in the past five years its Internet-based software services to extend its client base. In 2005, . . .