Tag - Kbalb

Elizabeth Arden Inc. (Nasdaq:RDEN), Belden Inc. (Nasdaq:BDC) and Webster Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:WBS) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Tecumseh Products Co. (Nasdaq:TECUA), LSI Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:LYTS), BancTrust Financial Group Inc. (Nasdaq:BTFG), Communications Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:JCS), Kimball International Inc. (Nasdaq:KBALB) and Rochester Medical Corp.(Nasdaq:ROCM).

Intersections Inc (Nasdaq:INTX), QC Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:QCCO) and Polypore International Inc (Nasdaq:PPO) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: CPI International Inc (Nasdaq:CPII), Grey Wolf Inc (Nasdaq:GW), America's Car-Mart Inc (Nasdaq:CRMT), Vitran Corp Inc (Nasdaq:VTNC), Insulet Corp (Nasdaq:PODD) and Kimball International Inc (Nasdaq:KBALB).

The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) is in negative territory as investors react to news of a jump in weekly jobless claims.

At 12:19 p.m. ET, the small-cap index had let go 1.65 points, or 0.23%, to 710.62. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 7.32 points, or 0.06%, to 12,598.51.

The bears have been running the show since the start of trading on news before the opening that jobless claims for the week ended March 29 increased 38,000 to 407,000, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Economists were expecting a smaller increase from the preceding week’s upwardly revised figure of 369,000.

Small-cap stocks stumbled but recovered and almost broke into positive territory at about 10 a.m. ET on news that the U.S. service sector contracted less than expected in March.

Kimball International (Nasdaq: KBALB) shares are up after the furniture provider reported third-quarter net sales of $333.9 million, above analyst estimates of $331.9 million and up 8% from $309.8 million a year earlier.

The Jasper, Ind.-based company’s quarterly net income rose 73% to $6.4 million, or $0.17 per share, beating Wall Street projections of $0.09 per share and from $3.7 million, or $0.10 per share, last year.

Kimball’s third-quarter gross profit grew 5% to $67.8 million, from $64.7 million a year earlier. The company’s selling, general and administrative expenses increased 6% to $59.5 million, from $56.2 million during the same period of 2006.

“Our operating income in the first quarter improved compared to the most recent fourth quarter on the expected decline in our SG&A costs from the elevated level in the fourth quarter,” CEO James Thyen said in a statement. “We have new products in the pipeline and are regularly evaluating potential acquisitions to aggressively grow our sales. We are working on improving our profits by reducing our total operating costs through targeted lean and other productivity initiatives.”

In afternoon trading, KBALB shares are up 8.18%, or $1.02, at $13.49. Over the last 52 weeks, shares have ranged from $10.94 to $25.95.

Infinera Corp.’s (Nasdaq: INFN) IPO priced 14 million shares at $13.00.

Books-A-Million, Inc. (Nasdaq: BAMM) announced that its board has declared a special one-time dividend of $3 per share, to be paid on July 5 to shareholders of record on June 20. About $50.4 million will be paid to the Birmingham, Ala.-based company’s 16.8 million outstanding shares.

Connect Holdings boosted the price it is willing to pay – now $11 a share, up from $10 - for the Pacific Internet Ltd. (Nasdaq: PCNTF). The new offer is an 11% premium over Pacific’s closing price on Wednesday. Connect Holdings said the new offer is final.

NovaStar Financial Inc. (NYSE: NFI) completed a $1.4 billion securitization of home loans. The securitization was underwritten by RBS Greenwich Capital, Wachovia Securities and Deutsche Bank Securities.

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

The following are the most actively traded companies in Friday's trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million: