Tag - Lhcg

Computer Programs And Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CPSI), Zhongpin Inc. (Nasdaq:HOGS) and Sequenom Inc. (Nasdaq:SQNM) are among the most actively traded companies in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq:RMBS), TBS International Ltd. (Nasdaq:TBSI), LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), Hot Topic, Inc. (Nasdaq:HOTT), GMX Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:GMXR) and Zions Bancorp (Nasdaq:ZION).

LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG) and Hot Topic Inc. (Nasdaq:HOTT) are the new 52-week highs on Monday's session.

LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), Almost Family Inc. (Nasdaq:AFAM) and Allegiant Travel Co. (Nasdaq:ALGT) are among the new 52-week highs in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

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

NL Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:NL), Vascular Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq:VASC) and 99 Cents Only Stores (Nasdaq:NDN) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

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

Conceptus Inc. (Nasdaq:CPTS), OfficeMax Inc. (Nasdaq:OMX) and Federal Mogul Corp. (Nasdaq:FDML) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: DSP Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DSPG), Genco Shipping & Trading Ltd. (Nasdaq:GNK), CAI International Inc. (Nasdaq:CAP), LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), TierOne Corp. (Nasdaq:TONE) and RehabCare Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHB).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Small-cap stocks stormed out of the gate with a flourish this morning, as buyers were enamored with yet another rally in overseas markets and happy that a sobering GDP report in the United States wasn’t even worse. Today’s small-cap gainers are LHC Group (Nasdaq:LHCG), Freightcar (Nasdaq:RAIL) and BioMimetic Therapeutics (Nasdaq:BMTI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Norway also joined in on the rate cut fervor as countries around the world toss cheap money at businesses in a drive to thaw frozen credit lines.  
• Hong Kong shot up some 10% and Taiwan was up 6%, as those countries announced rate cuts following the Fed’s rate cut Thursday.  
• Stock markets around the world were in rally mode overnight, with the world stock index up 2.5%, powered by steep gains in some Asian markets.
• Crude oil futures trimmed overnight gains and were hovering near steady levels on the stock market opening.  
• The energy sector should be a focal point today following Exxon Mobil Corp.’s quarterly earnings figure, which topped the forecast.

Small Cap Gainers:

• LHC Group shares jumped 29% as the home nursing services provider reported a quarterly increase in revenue. See (Nasdaq:LHCG).  
• Freightcar reported robust third-quarter results that crushed analysts’ estimates. Results were owed to cost controls. Shares up 27%. See (Nasdaq:RAIL).  
• BioMimetic Therapeutics reports promising clinical results using injectable bone graft. Shares up over 27%. See (Nasdaq:BMTI).
• Brush Engineered Materials Inc. got an earnings lift this morning, climbing 13%. See (NYSE:BW).  

Small Cap Losers:

• Polypore International beats on Q3 results, guides full year revenues below the Street, EPS straddle consensus. See (NYSE:PPO).  
• Iris International Q3 results miss Street, guides full year below consensus. See (Nasdaq:IRIS).  
• JDS Uniphase Q1 EPS beat Street: $0.11 vs. $0.09. On GAAP basis, narrows loss. (Nasdaq:JDSU).  
• Brocade and Foundry Networks to amend merger terms: Foundry's shareholders to receive $16.50 in cash for each share. See (Nasdaq:FDRY).  

It doesn’t take a CAT scan to figure out the U.S. health-care system is sick. Companies such as LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG) might be the prescription to help make it better.

Anyone who’s trekked off to the hospital for treatment knows that patients are going to be quickly whisked out the door afterwards. Home-health care demand is rising to a fever pitch, especially since more than 37 million Americans are aged 65 or older, and perhaps 10% need health-related assistance. That’s where LHC Group, a 14-year-old company in Lafayette, La., comes into play.

The home-health industry is highly fragmented, with many of the services coming from small, privately run operations — which account for roughly 90% of the business. Public companies like LHC Group and its competitors can shave costs from follow-up treatment after hospitalization for acute conditions — and better deal with insurance paperwork.

The Bayou Country base of operations should provide a hint to LHC Group’s niche: it focuses on rural-area geriatric care. LHC operates in 13 states, mostly in the South, and has 198 service locations (doubling since 2005). The 4,500 employees visit more than 60,000 patients annually.

LHC Group estimates its in-home care costs at $50 daily, compared to several hundred dollars in a nursing home or thousands during a hospital stay. With an aging population, Medicare enrollment is expected to double around 2030, from 42.5 million in 2005...

It doesn’t take a CAT scan to figure out the U.S. health-care system is sick. Companies such as LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG) might be the prescription to help make it better.

Anyone who’s trekked off to the hospital for treatment knows that patients are going to be quickly whisked out the door afterwards. Home-health care demand is rising to a fever pitch, especially since more than 37 million Americans are aged 65 or older, and perhaps 10% need health-related assistance. That’s where LHC Group, a 14-year-old company in Lafayette, La., comes into play.

The home-health industry is highly fragmented, with many of the services coming from small, privately run operations — which account for roughly 90% of the business. Public companies like LHC Group and its competitors can shave costs from follow-up treatment after hospitalization for acute conditions — and better deal with insurance paperwork.

The Bayou Country base of operations should provide a hint to LHC Group’s niche: it focuses on rural-area geriatric care. LHC operates in 13 states, mostly in the South, and has 198 service locations (doubling since 2005). The 4,500 employees visit more than 60,000 patients annually.

LHC Group estimates its in-home care costs at $50 daily, compared to several hundred dollars in a nursing home or thousands during a hospital stay. With an aging population, Medicare enrollment is expected to double around 2030, from 42.5 million in 2005...

Almost Family Inc (Nasdaq:AFAM), Vivus Inc (Nasdaq:VVUS) and TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Nasdaq:TSYS) are among the new 52-week highs in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: National Presto Industries Inc (Nasdaq:NPK), LHC Group Inc (Nasdaq:LHCG), Interwoven Inc (Nasdaq:IWOV), National Research Corp (Nasdaq:NRCI), Safety Insurance Group Inc (Nasdaq:SAFT) and Herley Industries Inc (Nasdaq:HRLY).

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

Cougar Biotechnology Inc (Nasdaq:CGRB), LHC Group Inc (Nasdaq:LHCG) and National Research Corp (Nasdaq:NRCI) are among the new 52-week highs in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: FPIC Insurance Group Inc (Nasdaq:FPIC), National Presto Industries Inc (Nasdaq:NPK), Peerless Manufacturing Co (Nasdaq:PMFG), Emergent BioSolutions Inc (Nasdaq:EBS), Republic Banc KY Ord Shs (Nasdaq:RBCAA) and Herley Industries Inc (Nasdaq:HRLY).

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

Nursing home service provider LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG) hit a 52-week high today after announcing ahead of the opening it had acquired all assets of Morristown-Hamblen Home Health and Hospice in Morristown, Tenn. Morristown-Hamblen's primary service population is around 1.2 million people, with about 15% over age 65. Lafayette, La.-based LHC Group said the acquisition is not expected to add materially to earnings this year.

At 11:35 a.m. ET, shares are at $29.20, up about $1.29, or 4.6%, from Friday’s close. The stock hit a 52-week high of $29.29 shortly after the opening bell.

Gentiva Health Services Inc (Nasdaq:GTIV), CryoLife Inc (Nasdaq:CRY) and Computer Task Group Inc (Nasdaq:CTGX) are among the new 52-week highs in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: LHC Group Inc (Nasdaq:LHCG), Overhill Farms Inc (Nasdaq:OFI), Ness Technologies Inc (Nasdaq:NSTC), Allos Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:ALTH), Parlux Fragrances Inc (Nasdaq:PARL) and National Research Corp (Nasdaq:NRCI).

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

Shares of LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG) are up 20% today to a 52-week high after the company announced higher second-quarter earnings after Wednesday’s close. For the quarter ended June 30, net income was $6.3 million, or $0.35 per share, compared with $5 million, or $0.28 a share, for the same period a year earlier. Net service revenues jumped 27.7% from a year ago to $90.1 million.

“The second quarter of 2008 was a breakout quarter for the LHC Group family and the first quarter in which the company experienced the full impact of the Medicare reimbursement changes. We also see these results as confirmation of the ability of our management team to successfully adapt to changes in the reimbursement environment. I believe our performance by every measure should be an indicator of what lies ahead,” said CEO Keith G. Myers, in a statement.

Shares of the Lafayette, La.-based post-acute health care services provider hit a 52-week high of $28.37 early in the trading session. At 1:24 p.m. ET, shares are at $28.18, up $4.78 from Wednesday’s close. Trading volume has soared to nearly 900,000 shares.

Cadence Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:CADX), Zones Inc (Nasdaq:ZONS) and PharmaNet Development Group Inc (Nasdaq:PDGI) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Famous Daves of America Inc (Nasdaq:DAVE), MasTec Inc (Nasdaq:MTZ), Richardson Electronics (Nasdaq:RELL), LHC Group Inc (Nasdaq:LHCG), iStar Financial (Nasdaq:SFI) and Dawson Geophysical Co (Nasdaq:DWSN).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Someone once said “There’s no place like home,” which doesn’t only ring true for wanderers far from Kansas. Many of today’s elderly, disabled or ailing may not choose to spend countless months in hospitals or clinics, and they now they have the option of in-home care by companies including Almost Family Inc. (Nasdaq:AFAM), Gentiva Health Services Inc. (Nasdaq:GTIV) and LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG).

Home health-care providers will benefit from expanding Medicare enrollments, which are forecast to increase to 76.8 million by 2030 from 39.6 million in 2000. Rising home health-care spending, which is expected to grow nearly five-fold to $155 billion by 2017, reflects America’s patient preferences for care delivered at home, and the cost advantages of home health care. Costs for a day in a hospital or at a skilled nursing facility, for example, are estimated at $3,800 and $490, respectively, whereas a typical homecare visit costs around $100.

Almost Family, Inc. provides home health-care services in the Mid-West, East Coast and South. The company’s visiting nurse division supplies Medicare-certified home health nursing services to patients in need of recuperative care, while the personal care division provides in-home patient care on an as-needed, hourly or in-live basis. At year-end 2007, Almost Family operated 33 Medicare-certified home health agencies with 51 locations and 22 personal care locations.

The market reacted favorably to Almost Family’s June announcement that it was acquiring East Coast competitor Patient Care in a move that expanded the company’s presence in the Northeast with eight new locations; shares hit a 52-week high. The deal enables Almost Family to expand its footprint via new start-ups and will be . . .

Small-cap stocks surged midday buoyed by a rallying U.S. dollar, falling oil prices and better-than-expected economic data.

At 1:41 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 12.26, or 1.71%, to 728.44, while the Dow spiked 183.03, or 1.43%, to 13,003.16.

The greenback has been charging higher today. Midday, the dollar had rallied more than 1% against the euro to $1.5451 — its highest point since late March. The dollar’s rally comes on the heels of Wednesday’s 25 basis point cut in the fed funds rate.

“[The] market is indicating to the Fed that the Fed has done enough,” Andy Busch, Global foreign exchange strategist for BMO Capital Markets said in an email. “Sometimes it is more important to see how the market reacts to data/event rather than the data/event themselves. This is the case today, as we had relatively weak jobless claims coupled with as expected personal income/personal spending and the U.S. dollar rallied hard. To me, this signals a clear break in the downtrend for the U.S. dollar.”

As the dollar rallied, crude oil dipped $2.58 to $110 a barrel, after tumbling hard yesterday on a jump in inventories.

In economic news, better-than-expected numbers from the ISM Manufacturing Survey and consumer spending helped lift stocks.

The ISM Manufacturing Survey — released at 10:00 a.m. ET — came in at 48.6%, slightly above the forecasted 48%. While, anything below 50 signifies contraction, the index has not fallen far enough to signal a broader recession. Skittish traders were also calmed after the Commerce Department reported this morning that consumer spending rose a more-than-predicted 0.4% in March. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the GDP. 

On a cloudier economic note, investors shrugged off worse-than-expected economic data. The Construction Spending report, which came out this morning, was down 1.1%, which was below the forecasted loss of 0.6%.

Weekly Jobless Claims data reported this morning before the opening also clocked in worse than anticipated. For the week ended April 26, jobless claims jumped to 380,000, above the forecasted 360,000.

LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:LHCG), Volcom, Inc. (Nasdaq:VLCM) and PC Connection Inc. (Nasdaq:PCCC) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Encore Capital Group (Nasdaq:ECPG), O2MICRO Intl Ltd. (Nasdaq:OIIM) and Comsys IT Partners (Nasdaq:CITP) are also among the top small-cap percentage gainers.

Here are Thursday's biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Small-cap shares pushed higher after a soft opening, lifted by a firm U.S. dollar and ideas that Wednesday afternoon’s dramatic downturn after the rate cut announcement may have been overdone. At 10:02 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 2.82, or 0.39%, at 719.00.

The ISM Manufacturing Survey — released at 10:00 a.m. ET — came in at 48.6%, which was up just slightly from the forecast at 48.0% . The market was little changed immediately after the report. The Construction Spending report also came out in tandem with ISM, and was down 1.1%, which was below the forecast for a loss of 0.6%.

Weekly Claims data this morning came out before the opening, and showed a jump to 380,000, which was above the forecast. The rise in jobless claims keeps concern about the economy and the employment picture on the front burner ahead of Friday’s big monthly jobs report. Given relatively soft price action since FOMC, investors appear to be in the mood to either book profits on winning longs ahead of that jobs event risk, or else sit on the sidelines and wait for the number before diving back into the fray.

The dollar was on a charge this morning, jumping well over 100 bps, or nearly 0.9%, versus the euro to the highest point since late March. Crude oil was down . . .

LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) shares are down after the health-care services company’s price target was reduced to $21 from $27 by equity research firm Avondale Partners. Avondale maintained its “market outperform” rating on the stock.

“After a 20% sell-off, we feel that the company’s valuation in relation to their guidance remains attractive and we believe that the guidance could be conservative,” Derrick Dagnan, who covers LHC Group for Avondale Partners, said. “Rather than toss the baby out with the bath water, we will maintain our rating.”

Investment bank Deutsche Bank Securities maintained its “hold” rating on LHC but also reduced its target price to $21.

In afternoon trading, LHCG shares are down 2.25%, or $0.39, at $16.91. Over the last 52 weeks, shares have ranged from $15.04 to $33.14.

LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) COO John Indest said the health-care services company adjusted its management and staffing, sharpened its reporting methods and educated its sales force to improve results. Indest made the comments during a midday conference call.

For 2008, LHC expects revenue in the range of $325 million to $350 million and earning of between $1.25 and $1.35 per share.

“As it relates to guidance, we have been listening to our investors and believe it is appropriate to provide guidance for 2008,” CEO Keith Myers said. “Our purpose is to enable investors to more clearly understand the short-term impact of CMS Final Rule [governing prescription drug prices] and help manage expectation.”

After Wednesday’s closing, LHC posted fourth-quarter earnings of $2.7 million, or $0.15 per share, compared with $6.9 million, or $0.40 per share, a year earlier. Analysts expected earnings of $0.37 per share. The firm’s profits were damaged by a one-time charge related to bad debt of $3.9 million, or $0.14 per share.

Quarterly revenue rose 26% to $81.2 million, from $64.7 million during the prior-year period. Analysts predicted revenue of $80.3 million.

The Russell 2000 is down but closer to the flat line as investors react to media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s $5 billion bid for Dow Jones & Co.  In specific small cap action, news of a rise in quarterly profit lifted shares of LHC Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG), while news of a net loss dropped shares of Cardica, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRDC).

At 2:29 p.m. ET the Russell 2000 had lost 0.72 points, or 0.09 percent, to 813.85.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 40.39 points, or 0.31 percent, to 13,103.30.