Tag - Iivi

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).

Hot Topic, Inc (Nasdaq:HOTT), Central European Media Enterprises Ltd (Nasdaq:CETV) and Diamond Foods Inc (Nasdaq:DMND) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: AeroVironment Inc (Nasdaq:AVAV), ATP Oil & Gas Corporation (Nasdaq:ATPG), II VI Inc (Nasdaq:IIVI), Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:QCOR), ViroPharma Inc (Nasdaq:VPHM) and Silver Standard Resources Inc (Nasdaq:SSRI).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Small caps closed up about 2% today, outperforming the Dow for the day yet still lagging the big-cap index for 2008, with the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) off 41%, the Dow down 35% and the S&P 500 down 41%. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are QC Holdings (Nasdaq:QCCO), Polypore International (NYSE:PPO) and Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The ADP headline figure suggested the nation lost 250,000 payroll jobs in November, which was below the forecast for a decline of 200,000.
• The ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, with the headline figure at 37.3%, which was way below the forecast of 42.8%.
• The ability to rally after a bad reading on the ADP Employment Survey ahead of Friday’s big monthly employment report was a positive sign. 
• Yields on Treasury products were higher as demand clearly was more focused on riskier fare today.
• The weekly MBA Mortgage Application index jumped 112% today to the highest level since mid-February, encouraging the rally.
• The ISE Homebuilders Index jumped 10% and small-cap homebuilders were among the best performers in the group.
• Crude slipped $0.17 a barrel to $46.79 and notched 3-1/2-year lows during the U.S. trading session despite a drop in inventory levels.
• Banks, brokerages and other financial firms were clearly a source of strength for stocks today.
• Energy stocks were a drag on stocks for most of the day, and the Energy Select Sector SPDR was basically flat right before the close. 

Small Cap Gainers:

• QC Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:QCCO) jumped 54% on a volume spike without any apparent fresh news from the payday loan firm.
• Polypore International Inc. (NYSE:PPO) jumped 31% as the lithium-ion battery company announced that one of their subsidiaries received a $2.3 million contract.
• Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN) closed up about 26% . . .

 II VI Inc. (Nasdaq:IIVI) and Penns Woods Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:PWOD) are the new 52-week lows among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion. 

II VI Inc. (Nasdaq:IIVI), Gladstone Commercial (Nasdaq:GOODO) and Heritage Commerce Corp. (Nasdaq:HTBK) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Financial Institutions Inc. (Nasdaq:FISI), First Defiance Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:FDEF), Isramco Inc. (Nasdaq:ISRL), Tecumseh Products Co. (Nasdaq:TECUA), John Bean Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq:JBT) and First Financial Service Corp. (Nasdaq:FFKY).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Small-cap stocks reversed course, putting a brief but sharp morning slide on awful economic data in the rear-view mirror as investors gobbled up homebuilding, retail and financial shares and set aside any economic worries stirred by sobering private employment and services sector activity reports.  Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Forest City Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq:FCE.B), Grey Wolf Inc (NYSE:GW) and Orthofix Intl. (Nasdaq:OFIX).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Crude oil prices stabilized after weekly inventory reports showed a decline in crude oil stockpiles and a drop in refined products.  
• Obama: Automakers appear to be formulating “more serious” business models to help justify a government bailout of the ailing sector.  
• The ISE Homebuilders Index jumped 10% and small-cap homebuilders were among the best performers in the group.  
• The ability to rally after a bad reading on the ADP Employment Survey ahead of Friday’s big monthly employment report was a positive sign.


Small Cap Gainers:

• Forest City Enterprises Inc. jumped 26% as the commercial property firm benefited from the bounce in homebuilder and REITS. See (Nasdaq:FCE.B).  
• Grey Wolf Inc. rose 23% as the oil and gas driller announced a merger deal with Precision Drilling Trust. See (NYSE:GW).  
• Orthofix Intl. climbed 21% on news that a large owner in the firm is pushing for it to call a special shareholder meeting and sell a medical business unit, reduce corporate overhead. See (Nasdaq:OFIX).  
• Other small-cap homebuilders rallying today were Lennar Corp., which was up 8%, and KB Home, which soared 16%. See (NYSE:LEN) and (NYSE:KBH).

Small Cap Losers:

• Infineon Technologies sees a widened Q4 loss; shares careen 38%. See (NYSE:IFX).  
• IIVI Inc. was off 15% as the electronics and telecommunications manufacturing company revised guidance downward. See (Nasdaq:IIVI).  
• Alpha Natural Resources Inc. fell 14% as the coal miner revised guidance. See (NYSE:ANR).  
• Bucyrus sinks 7.4% in pre-market after completing its purchase of Czech firm, OKD Bastro. See (Nasdaq:BUCY). 

Small-cap stocks took a dive on the opening, pulled down by slumping technology shares in Europe and in the United States and by a bruising private report on employment which sent shivers through the market ahead of Friday’s big monthly jobs report.  Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Del Monte Foods Co. (NYSE:DLM), RC2 Corporation (Nasdaq:RCRC) and POZEN (Nasdaq:POZN).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Physical commodity markets were taking a beating early today, including cocoa and sugar, which were both down more than 3%.  
• Crude oil prices were relatively stable early this morning, hovering near Tuesday’s closing levels.  
• The ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, with the headline figure at 37.3%, which was way below the forecast of 42.8%.  
• Retail sales missed the forecast in the eurozone and a report on services sector activity also disappointed.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Del Monte Foods Co. rallied 15% after the firm topped the earnings forecast and raised guidance. See (NYSE:DLM).  
• RC2 Corporation rallied 9% as the toy and collectibles maker pushed back above the 20-day moving average. See (Nasdaq:RCRC).  
• POZEN announces positive top line results for its PN 400 Phase 3 trials; shares up 5.5% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:POZN).
• Geron announces initiation of Phase I clinical trial of vaccine candidate; shares climb 3% in pre-market. See (Nasdaq:GERN).

Small Cap Losers:
 
• IIVI Inc. was off 15% as the electronics and telecommunications manufacturing company revised guidance downward. See (Nasdaq:IIVI).  
• Hawaiian Electric prices 5 million shares at $23/share; down 11% in pre-market. See (NYSE:HE).  
• Bucyrus sinks 7.4% in pre-market after completing its purchase of Czech firm, OKD Bastro. See (Nasdaq:BUCY).  
• Crocs, Skechers settle patent litigation; CROX down 6% in pre-market, no early matches in SKX. See (Nasdaq:CROX).

Small-cap stocks took a dive on the opening, pulled down by slumping technology shares in Europe and in the United States and by a bruising private report on employment which sent shivers through the market ahead of Friday’s big monthly jobs report. At 10:01 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 8.93, or 2.02%, at 432.89.

Shares in Europe were pressured by sloppy earnings for Infineon, the second-largest semiconductor maker across the pond. Here in the United States, tech bellwether Research in Motion Ltd. (Nasdaq:RIMM), makers of those nifty Blackberry units, tumbled 5% early today after revealing preliminary profit results that were disappointing. RIMM set fresh 52-week lows this morning and the stock is down 75% from the June peak.

In addition, retail sales missed the forecast in the eurozone and a report on services sector activity also disappointed. Speaking of services sector numbers, the ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey came out at 10:00 a.m. ET, with the headline figure at 37.3%, which was way below the forecast of 42.8%.

Elsewhere on the data front, the productivity report came in better than expected this morning, but was overshadowed by the ADP survey and the ISM release. Also, the weekly MBA Mortgage Application survey jumped 11% as prospective home buyers were enticed by a slide in mortgage rates (was this report part of the “story” behind Tuesday’s big rise in homebuilder stocks)?
 
Crude oil prices were relatively stable early this morning, hovering near Tuesday’s closing levels. The downside of that story (at least for energy companies) is that Tuesday’s close was at three-year lows. Big-cap energy firm Slumberger Ltd. (NYSE:SLB) issued a warning right before the opening that 2008 results will miss analyst expectations, which could ripple throughout the energy spectrum today. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund was off 2.6% shortly after the open, . . .

The Dow gained despite news of disappointing economic data, while the Russell 2000 fell for the second day.  Among small caps, shares of II-VI Incorporated (Nasdaq: IIVI) dropped due to an earnings forecast that missed expectations, while news of a partnership with Boeing raised shares of iRobot Corporation (Nasdaq: IRBT).

The Russell 2000 lost 1.19 points, or 0.14 percent, to 826.36.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new record close, adding 34.54 points, or 0.27 percent, to 12,953.94.