Tag - Ddup

TBS International Ltd. (Nasdaq:TBSI), Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (Nasdaq:ENER) and Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (Nasdaq:CETV) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Palm Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM), Herman Miller Inc. (Nasdaq:MLHR), Silver Standard Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:SSRI), Imperial Sugar Co. (Nasdaq:IPSU), Mellanox Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq:MLNX) and Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP).

Quidel Corp. (Nasdaq:QDEL), Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP) and Kensey Nash Corp. (Nasdaq:KNSY) are among the new 52-week lows in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Quidel Corp. (Nasdaq:QDEL), StoneMor Partners LP (Nasdaq:STON) and Crawford Ord Shs Class B (Nasdaq:CRD.B) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Valhi Inc. (Nasdaq:VHI), Capella Education Co. (Nasdaq:CPLA), Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), Auburn National Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:AUBN), Eagle Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:EGBN) and IntegraMed America Inc. (Nasdaq:INMD).

The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) gave up early gains today to slip for the fourth consecutive week, finishing off the first month of the year with a sizable loss of 11.2%. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Horizon Lines (Nasdaq:HRZN), Accuray (Nasdaq:ARAY) and Clearwater Paper (NYSE:CLW).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The GDP report headline figure came in at minus 3.8%, which was much better than expected.
• Even though the number beat the projection, it was still the worst showing for the U.S. economy since 1982.
• The Chicago headline figure came in at 33.3, which was below the forecast of 34.9.
• The Goldman Sachs Analyst Index, a survey of Goldman’s equity analysts across a range of sectors, fell to an all-time low in January.
• The Dow fell 8.8% in January, while the S&P 500 was off 8.5%. This marked the worst start to the year in history for the stock market.
• Looking ahead to next week, we’ll see another full slate of reports starting out with the ISM Manufacturing Survey on Monday and then heading into the main event – Friday’s big monthly employment release.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Horizon Lines posted a surprise adjusted Q4 profit; shares rocketed 19%. See (NYSE:HRZ).
• Accuray climbed 26% after Q2 profit met estimates. See (Nasdaq:ARAY). 
• Clearwater Paper closed up over 11% after announcing Q4 and . . .

Small-cap stocks finished out the week with a whimper, as talk that a delay in the whole “bad bank” concept was in the mix as lawmakers struggle to define the concept. An upside surprise on GDP provided a brief bullish spark, but details within the report tainted any bullish interpretation of the news. And since GDP was still the worst showing since 1982, maybe any bullish slant on the number would have just been market spin anyhow.

For the day, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) lost 9.72, or 2.14%, to 443.53 and for the week, the Russell gave up early gains to slip for the fourth consecutive week and finished off the first month of the year with a sizable loss of 11.2%. Meanwhile, the Dow fell 8.8% in January, while the S&P 500 was off 8.5%. This marked the worst start to the year in history for the stock market.

The market started out the day with a modest upside surprise when the quarterly GDP report showed a smaller-than-expected contraction in the U.S. economy in the fourth quarter. The GDP headline figure came in at minus 3.8%, which was quite a bit better than the consensus forecast for a decline of 5.3% and some of the whisper numbers approaching 6%. The upside surprise on GDP helped provide a brief bid for stocks into the opening today, but news didn’t have legs. According to Northern Trust economist Asha Bangalore, some of that was likely due to the devil in the details.

“The minus sign for GDP growth was not a surprise but a larger decline was widely expected,” Bangalore said in an email. “The increase in inventories (+$6.2 billion vs. -$29.6 billion in Q3), which was largely unexpected, offset the weakness in demand and trimmed down the headline reading.” 

In other economic news today, the market seemed to recoil off a reading on Midwest manufacturing activity as the Chicago Purchasing Manager’s survey set a new cycle low at 33.3, which was below the forecast of 34.9. Data on the employment cost index was basically in line with expectations and tends to grab more attention . . .

Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), State Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:STBC) and Lindsay Corp. (Nasdaq:LNN) are among the new 52-week lows in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Financial Institutions Inc. (Nasdaq:FISI), MI Developments Inc. (Nasdaq:MIM), Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:YAVY), Primeenergy Corp. (Nasdaq:PNRG), Methanex Corp. (Nasdaq:MEOH) and Sierra Bancorp (Nasdaq:BSRR).

Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), Key Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:KTEC) and Lindsay Corp. (Nasdaq:LNN) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: BreitBurn Energy Partners L P (Nasdaq:BBEP), DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS), AMCOL International Corp. (Nasdaq:ACO), Zion Oil and Gas Inc. (Nasdaq:ZN), Infinera Corp. (Nasdaq:INFN) and Heritage Commerce Corp (Nasdaq:HTBK).

Small-cap stocks edged higher on the opening, underpinned by a GDP report that wasn’t as bad as feared and by a smattering of decent earnings reports on the small-cap front that lifted the Russell relative to the large-cap indices. But those early gains were trimmed as the market remains concerned about the economy and corporate profits. At 10:03 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 0.17, or 0.04%, at 453.07.

The quarterly GDP report came in at minus 3.8%, which was quite a bit better than feared: the pre-release forecast called for a slide of 5.3%. Even though the report showed less contraction than expected in the economy, this still marked the worst showing for the U.S. since 1982. In addition, consumer spending dropped for two consecutive quarters for the first time since 1990-1991 as people struggle with sinking home values, mounting job losses and stock market devaluation. There was some concern that the “upside” surprise on GDP only delays the pain, especially as corporate layoffs have escalated in January.

While the GDP report was the primary target on everyone’s radar this morning, there were also economic releases on the employment cost index (it rose 0.6%, about what was expected); the Chicago Purchasing Manager’s Survey; and the Michigan sentiment survey. The Chicago headline figure came in at 33.3, which was below the forecast of 34.9 and which marked a new cycle low for the reading on Midwest manufacturing. The market appeared to slide after the Chicago number came out. Meanwhile, the Michigan figure was at 61.2, relatively close to the projection of 61.9.

One measure of just how ugly things have become, the Goldman Sachs Analyst Index (GSAI), a survey of Goldman’s equity analysts across a range of sectors, . . .

Small-cap stocks edged higher on the opening, underpinned by a GDP report that wasn’t as bad as feared and by a smattering of decent earnings reports on the small-cap front that lifted the Russell relative to the large-cap indices. But those early gains were trimmed as the market remains concerned about the economy and corporate profits. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Saia Inc. (Nasdaq:SAIA), CyberSource Corp. (Nasdaq:CYBS) and Digital River (Nasdaq:DRIV).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• In Asian trading, bank and tech stocks paced the declines, although shares in Hong Kong were up modestly hoping for rate cuts out of China.  
• In overseas trading last night, Asian stocks took a hit, breaking a string of four consecutive winning days.  
• The Goldman Sachs Analyst Index, a survey of Goldman’s equity analysts across a range of sectors, fell to an all-time low in January.  
• The Chicago headline figure came in at 33.3, which was below the forecast of 34.9.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Saia Inc. gapped higher after reporting quarterly profits, with the trucking firm climbing 18%. See (Nasdaq:SAIA).
• CyberSource Corp. gapped higher and jumped 20% as the electronic payment provider posted solid earnings results. See (Nasdaq:CYBS).  
• Digital River announces Q4 and full-year 2008 financial results; shares pop 16%. See (Nasdaq:DRIV).
• Overstock.com got an earnings lift today, with the online retailer climbing 15%. See (Nasdaq:OSTK).  

Small Cap Losers

• Data Domain tops Q4 EPS by $0.06, issues mixed guidance; shares fall 16% in pre-market. See (DDUP). 

Shiloh Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:SHLO), Domino's Pizza Inc. (Nasdaq:DPZ) and Unitil Corp. (Nasdaq:UTL) are among the new 52-week lows in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: California First National Bancorp (Nasdaq:CFNB), Teche Holdings Company (Nasdaq:TSH), Reading International Inc. (Nasdaq:RDI), Data Domain Inc. (Nasdaq:DDUP), TM Entertainment and Media Inc. (Nasdaq:TMI) and GHL Acquisition Units (Nasdaq:GHQ.U).

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

The amount of data that corporations must store, back up and protect from prying eyes these days is growing like federal deficits in the midst of a recession. Data storage needs are currently expanding by some 60% annually (although decreasing prices and increasing efficiencies mean costs rise at a fraction of that rate). That provides significant opportunity for companies such as Datalink Corp. (Nasdaq:DTLK), a tightly-run small cap that designs, installs and services customized storage systems that keep corporations running.

Datalink, based in Chanhassen, Minn., is one of the few IT companies enjoying a strong run in a weak market. It beat Wall Street estimates in the last two quarters, and guidance for the coming quarter is strong. In the first quarter this year, reported on April 16, revenue was up 17% to $47.7 million, a record increase for a first quarter, which tends to be a weak one. Net income was $769,000, compared with a $153,000 loss a year ago, and at $0.06 per share beat Street estimates by a penny. Its gross margin of 26.5% was the highest since the fourth quarter of 2004, its backlog of $30 million was only slightly off the previous quarter's record $31 million, and the company's second-quarter guidance is for EPS between $0.07 and $0.11 on revenue of $48 million to $52 million — and this is a company that tends to hit the high end of its guidance. Datalink's current growth rate is about twice that of the overall industry rate of about 6%.

But Datalink doesn't seem to be getting much love from investors. At Tuesday’s closing, the stock was at $4.85, well below its 52-week high of $7.17, reached last June as it was suffering through its second consecutive quarter of losses. The stock has barely rebounded from its 52-week low of $3.54 just before earnings were announced. Its market cap is $61 million.

In his April 17 report, analyst Clinton Morrison with Feltl & Co. wrote: "We have a hard time understanding why DTLK should be trading close to the bottom of a two-year range." Morrison rates DTLK a "strong buy" with a target price of $7, based on . . .

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNTA) reported the FDA’s review of its blood clotting drug M-Enoxaparin is probably going to be lengthier than previously projected.

These are the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million: