Tag - Bkr

Schawk Inc. (Nasdaq:SGK), Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. (Nasdaq:MRX) and Cardiovascular Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSII) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Michael Baker Corp. (Nasdaq:BKR), Renaissance Learning Inc. (Nasdaq:RLRN), First United Corp Maryland (Nasdaq:FUNC), Norwood Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:NWFL), Gencor Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:GENC) and Sigma Designs Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGM).

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (Nasdaq:CMTL), AeroVironment Inc. (Nasdaq:AVAV) and United States Lime & Minerals Inc. (Nasdaq:USLM) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Silver Standard Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:SSRI), Minefinders Corp Ltd. (Nasdaq:MFN), Michael Baker Corp. (Nasdaq:BKR), Isramco Inc. (Nasdaq:ISRL), DrdGold ADR (Nasdaq:DROOY) and Axsys Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:AXYS).

Small-cap stocks turned in their best performance of the New Year today, as investors decided that a dreary picture of the current economic environment would simply make it that much easier for incoming President-elect Obama to push through a big fiscal stimulus package. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE:BKR), Repros Therapeutics (Nasdaq:RPRX) and China Sky One Medical (Nasdaq:CSKI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Advancers are leading decliners on the Russell 2000 by more than three to one.
• Worst performers: food retailers, brewers, chemical companies, finance firms, biotechs and footwear firms.  
• Homebuilder, energy and retailer stocks were solid performers so far today, and surprisingly, airline stocks were doing well despite a rise to five-week highs in crude oil prices.  
• Small-cap stocks remained higher into midday trading.  

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Worst performers: food retailers, brewers, chemical companies, finance firms, biotechs and footwear firms.  
• Homebuilder, energy and retailer stocks were solid performers so far today, and surprisingly, airline stocks were doing well despite a rise to five-week highs in crude oil prices.  
• Small-cap stocks remained higher into midday trading.  
• Advancers are leading decliners on the Russell 2000 by 1,402 to 372. 
 

Small Cap Gainers:

• New 52-wk highs: Michael Baker Corporation, Repros Therapeutics, China Sky One Medical, Transmeta Corporation and Amerisafe, Inc. (See NYSE:BKR, Nasdaq:RPRX, Nasdaq:CSKI, Nasdaq:TMTA, Nasdaq:AMSF)  
• Home-nursing company Amedisys Inc. is up 16.4% to $46.93 after issuing FY09 guidance above concensus. (See Nasdaq:AMED)  

Small Cap Losers:

• LSI Industries is down 14% to $6.03 after lowering FY09 earnings and sales guidance below consensus. (See Nasdaq:LYTS)  
• VASCO Data Security International Inc. is 12% lower at $9.10 in pre-market trading after issuing downward guidance for FY2008. (See Nasdaq:VDSI) 
• Vignette Corporation is down 8.8% to $8.24 after issuing preliminary Q4 2008 results late Monday. (See Nasdaq:VIGN) 

Repros Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:RPRX), China Sky One Medical Inc. (Nasdaq:CSKI) and Orchids Paper Products Co. (Nasdaq:TIS) are among the new 52-week highs in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: VSE Corp. (Nasdaq:VSEC), Maxygen Inc. (Nasdaq:MAXY), American Italian Pasta Co. (Nasdaq:AIPC), Transmeta Corp. (Nasdaq:TMTA), Michael Baker Corp. (Nasdaq:BKR) and Answers Corp. (Nasdaq:ANSW).

Small-cap stocks remained higher into midday trading, surviving a choppy response to economic data this morning that served up better-than-expected numbers on services sector activity, but slumping factory orders and sinking pending home sales. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE:BKR), Repros Therapeutics (Nasdaq:RPRX) and China Sky One Medical (Nasdaq:CSKI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Worst performers: food retailers, brewers, chemical companies, finance firms, biotechs and footwear firms.  
• Homebuilder, energy and retailer stocks were solid performers so far today, and surprisingly, airline stocks were doing well despite a rise to five-week highs in crude oil prices.  
• Small-cap stocks remained higher into midday trading.  
• Advancers are leading decliners on the Russell 2000 by 1,402 to 372. 
 

Small Cap Gainers:

• New 52-wk highs: Michael Baker Corporation, Repros Therapeutics, China Sky One Medical, Transmeta Corporation and Amerisafe, Inc. (See NYSE:BKR, Nasdaq:RPRX, Nasdaq:CSKI, Nasdaq:TMTA, Nasdaq:AMSF)  
• Home-nursing company Amedisys Inc. is up 16.4% to $46.93 after issuing FY09 guidance above concensus. (See Nasdaq:AMED)  

Small Cap Losers:

• LSI Industries is down 14% to $6.03 after lowering FY09 earnings and sales guidance below consensus. (See Nasdaq:LYTS)  
• VASCO Data Security International Inc. is 12% lower at $9.10 in pre-market trading after issuing downward guidance for FY2008. (See Nasdaq:VDSI) 
• Vignette Corporation is down 8.8% to $8.24 after issuing preliminary Q4 2008 results late Monday. (See Nasdaq:VIGN)  

Small-cap stocks pulled higher this morning and remained in positive ground after a mixed batch of economic reports buffeted the market. A firm tone in energy stocks, momentum from overseas gains and optimism about upcoming stimulus plans provided a lift. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE:BKR), Repros Therapeutics (Nasdaq:RPRX) and China Sky One Medical (Nasdaq:CSKI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Advancers are leading decliners on the Russell 2000 by 1,402 to 372.  
• Looking at the chart picture for small-caps, the market remains in an upward consolidation mode.  
• Pending home sales were also sour, sinking 4.0% versus the consensus for a decline of 1.0%.  
• Factory orders tumbled 4.6%, much worse than the projection for a decline of 2.5%.  
• The ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey came in at 40.6, which was better than the forecast of 37.0 and a nice bounce off record lows from the previous reading.  

Small Cap Gainers:

• New 52-wk highs: Michael Baker Corporation, Repros Therapeutics, China Sky One Medical, Transmeta Corporation and Amerisafe, Inc. (See NYSE:BKR, Nasdaq:RPRX, Nasdaq:CSKI, Nasdaq:TMTA, Nasdaq:AMSF)  
• Home-nursing company Amedisys Inc. is up 16.4% to $46.93 after issuing FY09 guidance above concensus. (See Nasdaq:AMED)  

Small Cap Losers:

• LSI Industries is down 14% to $6.03 after lowering FY09 earnings and sales guidance below consensus. (See Nasdaq:LYTS)  
• VASCO Data Security International Inc. is 12% lower at $9.10 in pre-market trading after issuing downward guidance for FY2008. (See Nasdaq:VDSI) 
• Vignette Corporation is down 8.8% to $8.24 after issuing preliminary Q4 2008 results late Monday. (See Nasdaq:VIGN)  

New Gold Inc (Nasdaq:NGD), AZZ inc (Nasdaq:AZZ) and Michael Baker Corp (Nasdaq:BKR) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Premier Financial Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:PFBI), First Security Group Inc (Nasdaq:FSGI), Sealy Corp (Nasdaq:ZZ), Modine Manufacturing Co (Nasdaq:MOD), Saga Communications Inc (Nasdaq:SGA) and C&F  Financial Corp (Nasdaq:CFFI).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) posted a large gain and outpaced the other major U.S. indices on good news from bond insurers. The small-cap index added 15.03 points, or 2.16%, to 710.46. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) climbed 189.20 points, or 1.53%, to 12,570.22.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 has retreated 7.25%, while the Dow is down 5.24% and the S&P 500 has declined 6.58%.

Stocks ended the session with a surge on news that rating agency Standard & Poor’s reaffirmed the Triple A rating of bond insurers MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBIA) and Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK).

The past couple of weeks had seen speculation that the companies will be downgraded, a move that will create problems for banks that have invested in bonds and probably lead to more losses due to writedowns on subprime mortgages.

Separately, several banks are planning a $3 bailout of Ambac Financial Group.

The two bond insurers had insured subprime-mortgage debt and are suffering the consequences of the ongoing stagnation in the U.S. housing sector.

Speaking of housing, the National Association of Realtors reported after the start of trading that sales fell 0.4% to an annualized rate of 4.89 million units, down from an upwardly revised 4.91 million units in December.

Investors actually took that as bullish news because economists were expecting to see a fall to an annual rate of 4.80 million units.

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant (Nasdaq: MSSR), Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: GPRE) and Golden Cycle Gold Corp. (Nasdaq: GCGC) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage losers: