Tag - Cot

Cott Corp. (Nasdaq:COT), DSP Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DSPG) and Middleburg Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:MBRG) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Intellon Corp. (Nasdaq:ITLN), Smart Balance Inc. (Nasdaq:SMBL), Cal Maine Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:CALM), Changyou.com Ltd. (Nasdaq:CYOU), Ampco Pittsburgh Corp. (Nasdaq:AP) and Health Fitness Corp. (Nasdaq:FIT).

Books-A-Million Inc. (Nasdaq:BAMM), CNinsure Inc. (Nasdaq:CISG) and Biocryst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:BCRX) are among the new 52-week highs in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: NeurogesX Inc. (Nasdaq:NGSX), Cott Corp. (Nasdaq:COT), ImmunoGen Inc. (Nasdaq:IMGN), DSP Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DSPG), J&J Snack Foods Corp. (Nasdaq:JJSF) and SonicWALL Inc. (Nasdaq:SNWL).

Force Protection Inc. (Nasdaq:FRPT), Kirklands Inc. (Nasdaq:KIRK) and Cott Corp. (Nasdaq:COT) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Calavo Growers Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW), Fuqi International Inc. (Nasdaq:FUQI), SIGA Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGA), Carmike Cinemas Inc. (Nasdaq:CKEC), Gander Mountain Co. (Nasdaq:GMTN) and Orion Marine Group Inc. (Nasdaq:ORN).

Calavo Growers Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW), Hawkins Inc. (Nasdaq:HWKN) and KongZhong Corp. (Nasdaq:KONG) are among the new 52-week highs in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: ImmunoGen Inc. (Nasdaq:IMGN), SIGA Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGA), Diedrich Coffee Inc. (Nasdaq:DDRX), Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (Nasdaq:FRS), Carmike Cinemas Inc. (Nasdaq:CKEC) and Cott Corp. (Nasdaq:COT).

Stein Mart, Inc. (Nasdaq:SMRT), Bank of Kentucky Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:BKYF) and Kirklands Inc. (Nasdaq:KIRK) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Bridge Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:BDGE), ESB Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:ESBF) and NeurogesX Inc. (Nasdaq:NGSX) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: MYR Group Inc. (Nasdaq:MYRG), Central Garden & Pet Co (Nasdaq:CENTA), Cubic Corp (Nasdaq:CUB), Cott Corp (Nasdaq:COT), Bank of Kentucky Financial Corp (Nasdaq:BKYF) and China Holdings Acquisition Corp (Nasdaq:HOL).

Stocks are higher this afternoon despite mixed data on manufacturing and lackluster earnings reports.

At 2:34 pm ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) is up 0.31% at 489.08, while the Dow is up 0.32% and the S&P 500 is up 0.5%.

New data out today showed the manufacturing industry contracted slower in April than in March, but the government said orders to U.S. factories in March fell more than expected. Also, disappointing earnings from large-cap benchmark MasterCard Inc. and two major insurance companies also weighed on the market.

In small-cap stock news, beverage producer Cott Corp. (NYSE:COT) is up over 77% today on heavy volume after the company posted strong quarterly results this morning. The small-cap company is the world's largest maker of private-label soft drinks. Year-to-date, the company is up a whopping 184%.

*****On Wednesday, the Taiwan stock market posted its biggest gain in 17 years after China Mobile (NYSE:CHL) bought 12% of Taiwanese telecom Far EasTone. The deal was worth $529 million, but the ramifications are much bigger.

That’s because China and Taiwan just signed trade deals that allow Chinese institutional investors to buy Taiwanese stocks for the first time in 60 years.

China Mobile is a state-run company. That Taiwan has allowed it to buy into one of Taiwan’s largest telecom companies represents a dramatic shift in China-Taiwanese relations. And this new relationship could prove to be an economic powerhouse in the making.

*****The latest manufacturing data from China is showing improvement. That’s in part due to China’s stimulus efforts, which are more direct and immediate . . .

Shares of Cott Corp. (NYSE:COT) are losing ground after the producer and distributor of retailer branded soft drinks said this morning that it is lowering its full-year 2008 operating profit outlook, as the company suffers from a higher-than-anticipated decline in volume. Cott reduced its operating profit target of between 28% below and 5% above its 2007 adjusted operating profit of $36.3 million. The company also withdrew its previously adjusted operating profit target for 2009.

Shares lost 16%, or $0.39, to $2.08 ahead of the opening bell. For detailed price information and news stories on Cott Corp., click COT.

Small-cap shares are expected to open modestly higher Monday after tame overnight gains. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) rose about 0.3% in after-hours trading, which would equate to a cash opening near 723.50.

Stocks are expected to find an early bid in line with gains in overseas stock index products. Japan’s Nikkei was up 0.2%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 0.59%, the Aussie market was up 0.2% and the European DJ Stoxx 50 was up about 0.85%. European shares were lifted by talk that some analysts were saying that the worst of the credit issue was in the past for big European banks.

A psychological lift this morning could be tied to news of a $22-billion takeover of Wrigley (NYSE:WWY) by Mars Inc. and Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK). Buffet said on CNBC this morning that he was a “financing partner” in the deal, accounting for about $6.5 billion of the acquisition. Seeing merger and acquisition activity in the current market environment could ease some of the ongoing concerns about the credit crunch. Wrigley shares were up a whopping 28% in after-hours trading.

Also, Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda Corp. said it would make a cash offer for 20 million shares of Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) at $8.50 a share, which is a . . .