Tag - Lqdt

Bowne & Co Inc. (Nasdaq:BNE), Albany Molecular Research Inc. (Nasdaq:AMRI) and Dolan Media Co. (Nasdaq:DM) are among the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Multi Color Corp. (Nasdaq:LABL), LSI Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:LYTS), Mercury Computer Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:MRCY), Liquidity Services Inc. (Nasdaq:LQDT), Dorman Products Inc. (Nasdaq:DORM) and Molina Healthcare Inc. (Nasdaq:MOH).

Clearwater Paper Corp. (Nasdaq:CLW), Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq:CSIQ) and Liz Claiborne Inc. (Nasdaq:LIZ) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Century Aluminum Co. (Nasdaq:CENX), Patriot Coal Corp. (Nasdaq:PCX), McMoRan Exploration Co. (Nasdaq:MMR), Venoco Inc. (Nasdaq:VQ), Mercury Computer Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:MRCY) and Liquidity Services Inc. (Nasdaq:LQDT).

Small-cap stocks took flight Friday, as investors gambled that a terrible report on employment would be just the tonic needed to ignite a decisive push forward on a bank bailout plan and an aggressive fiscal stimulus package. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Omniture, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMTR), Skyworks Solutions (Nasdaq:SWKS) and TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:TSYS).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• However, there were some thoughts that the dismal reading will simply prod lawmakers to be more aggressive in agreeing to a big stimulus package.  
• By any measure, the jobs report presented a bleak picture of the U.S. economy.  
• Small-cap stocks pushed higher early Friday as investors chose a “glass half full” approach to this morning’s dreary employment.  
• The chart structure for the Russell 2000 has eased into a mini-trading range within the elongated extended trading range.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Business optimization software provider Omniture, Inc. is up 17% after reporting big revenue jumps in Q4 earnings Thursday. (See Nasdaq:OMTR)  
• Chip maker Skyworks Solutions is up 17% to $5.88 on stronger-than-expected Q1 earnings released after Thursday's close. (See Nasdaq:SWKS)  
• Wireless communications technology company TeleCommunication Systems Inc. is up 17.2% to $8.50 after reporting positive Q4 earnings late Thursday.(See Nasdaq:TSYS)
• Air freight company Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. is up nearly 13% to $15.04 after this morning announcing it will trim freighter fleet and cut staff. (See Nasdaq:AAWW)  

Small Cap Losers:

• Skechers USA Inc. is down 27% to $7.37 after an analyst downgrade. (See NYSE:SKX)
• Liquidity Services, Inc. is down 21.3% to $5.88 after a downgrade this morning by Oppenheimer. Liquidity operates an online auction marketplace for wholesale, surplus, and salvage assets. (See Nasdaq:LQDT)  
• Consultant SRA International Inc. is down 20% to $13.40 after issuing lowered guidance late Thursday. (See NYSE:SRX)  
• Convention- and event-marketing group Viad Corp. is down 14.8% to $18.12 after announcing before the opening that it swing to a Q4 loss. (See NYSE:VVI)

Small-cap stocks extended the morning rally into mid-session, with battered bank and financial stocks leading the way amid hope for a bank bailout plan to be rolled out early next week. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Omniture, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMTR), Skyworks Solutions (Nasdaq:SWKS) and TeleCommunication Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:TSYS).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• However, there were some thoughts that the dismal reading will simply prod lawmakers to be more aggressive in agreeing to a big stimulus package.  
• By any measure, the jobs report presented a bleak picture of the U.S. economy.  
• Small-cap stocks pushed higher early Friday as investors chose a “glass half full” approach to this morning’s dreary employment.  
• The chart structure for the Russell 2000 has eased into a mini-trading range within the elongated extended trading range.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Business optimization software provider Omniture, Inc. is up 17% after reporting big revenue jumps in Q4 earnings Thursday. (See Nasdaq:OMTR)  
• Chip maker Skyworks Solutions is up 17% to $5.88 on stronger-than-expected Q1 earnings released after Thursday's close. (See Nasdaq:SWKS)  
• Wireless communications technology company TeleCommunication Systems Inc. is up 17.2% to $8.50 after reporting positive Q4 earnings late Thursday.(See Nasdaq:TSYS)
• Air freight company Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. is up nearly 13% to $15.04 after this morning announcing it will trim freighter fleet and cut staff. (See Nasdaq:AAWW)  

Small Cap Losers:

• Skechers USA Inc. is down 27% to $7.37 after an analyst downgrade. (See NYSE:SKX)
• Liquidity Services, Inc. is down 21.3% to $5.88 after a downgrade this morning by Oppenheimer. Liquidity operates an online auction marketplace for wholesale, surplus, and salvage assets. (See Nasdaq:LQDT)  
• Consultant SRA International Inc. is down 20% to $13.40 after issuing lowered guidance late Thursday. (See NYSE:SRX)  
• Convention- and event-marketing group Viad Corp. is down 14.8% to $18.12 after announcing before the opening that it swing to a Q4 loss. (See NYSE:VVI)  

Skechers USA Inc. (Nasdaq:SKX), SRA International Inc. (Nasdaq:SRX) and Healthways Inc. (Nasdaq:HWAY) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Liquidity Services Inc. (Nasdaq:LQDT), Apartment Investment and Management Co. (Nasdaq:AIV), American Pacific Corp. (Nasdaq:APFC), Viad Corp. (Nasdaq:VVI), Intermec Inc. (Nasdaq:IN) and Knightsbridge Tankers Ltd. (Nasdaq:VLCCF).

Small-cap stocks opened lower, tugged down by a sobering picture of the jobs situation in the United States after the monthly employment report showed a staggering number of jobs have been lost in November. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Liquidity Services Inc.  (Nasdaq:LQDT), Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE:ABG) and FairPoint Communications (Nasdaq:FRP).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• With crude oil prices wobbling and the jobs picture darkening, energy shares were in retreat mode early today.  
• Overnight, India, the second-largest country on the planet in terms of population, announced their first price reduction for gas prices in two years.  
• Worries about demand destruction amid a global recession continue to pummel energy prices.
• Data this morning revealed that job losses in Canada climbed to the highest point in 26 years.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Liquidity Services Inc. rose 11% as the online auction company received an earnings-tied boost. See (Nasdaq:LQDT).   
• Asbury Automotive Group up 10% on very light volume. See (NYSE:ABG).  
• FairPoint Communications up 5% after declaring fourth-quarter dividend. See (NYSE:FRP).
• Hersha Hospitality Trust announces fourth-quarter dividends. See (NYSE:HT).  

Small Cap Losers:

• Movado shares drop 14% after Q3 earnings drop 41%. See (NYSE:MOV).  
• Berry Petroleum Company down 25% as energy is getting pummeled today. See (NYSE:BRY). 
•  International Coal Group also feeling the heat today with other energy stocks; shares are down 20% near a 52-week low of $1.50. See (NYSE:ICO).  
• Orbitz Worldwide falls 13% as online travel sites slump on lower traffic. See (NYSE:OWW).  

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures are rising and the small-cap index will probably open in the green following news of employment data.

Private sector employment in the United States increased by 40,000 in the month of December, according to a report by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE: ADP). Employment in the service-providing sector of the economy grew 71,000, while employment in the goods-producing sector declined 31,000, the Roseland, N.J.-based provider of business outsourcing solutions said.

However, December’s increase of 40,000 shows a slowing of nonfarm private employment growth that averaged 118,000 during the three-month period from September through November.

That’s consistent with a slowing economy.

Separately, the U.S. Labor Department reported that jobless claims for the week ended Dec. 29 fell 21,000 to 336,000 from the previous week’s upwardly revised figure of 357,000.

Investors will also be waiting to see data on factory orders for November, set to be released by the U.S. Census Bureau at 10 a.m. ET. Statistics released on Wednesday showed a surprise decline in U.S. manufacturing in December, the news of which sent stocks tumbling.

Here are the biggest percentage gainers and losers in pre-market trading among companies with a market cap between $100 million and $750 million:

Biggest percentage gainers:

• KongZhong Corp. (KONG), up 13% on news it has signed a strategic alliance agreement with China Sports Industry Group Co.
• Sciele Pharma Inc. (SCRX), up 10% on news it has received approval to sell a new version of its high blood pressure drug.
• NightHawk Radiology Holdings, Inc. (NHWK), up 9%.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) ended the day in negative territory on news of economic data confirming a slowdown in growth. The small-cap index fell 1.43 points, or 0.18%, to 785.52. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) moved up 5.69 points, or 0.04%, to 13,625.58.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 is off 0.24%, while the Dow has added 9.23% and the S&P 500 has advanced 6.22%.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased 94,000 in November, the U.S. Labor Department reported. That’s below October’s slightly upwardly revised total of 170,000 but just above economists’ projections.

The employment gains were led by the service sector, while manufacturing and construction shed jobs. Overall, the unemployment rate stayed put at 4.7%.

“Employment is a lagging indicator,” said Arun Raha, vice president of Economic Research and Consulting for the North American operations of reinsurance company Swiss Re, in an email. “The November increase in jobs growth, far less than in October, is consistent with slowing growth.”

The same report also showed that average hourly earnings climbed 0.5% to $17.63. That’s an increase of 3.8% from a year earlier, suggesting that the tight labor market is not putting much pressure on wages.

Small-cap stocks opened in the green but fell soon after. Trading was choppy from that point on, with the Russell 2000 index generally staying in the red.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) are losing ground after the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers hit its lowest level since 1992. December sentiment hit 74.5, below last month’s 76.1. Wall Street economists had predicted December sentiment to hit 75.0.

The Labor Department’s jobs report for November contributed to positive news. For the month of November, non-farm payrolls grew by a better-than-expected 94,000 fueled by growth in the areas of  professional and technical services, health-care and food services, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Economists were projecting jobs to grow by 70,000 from 166,000 jobs created in the month of October. Employment continues to languish in manufacturing and in several housing-related industries, including construction, credit intermediation and real estate.

The unemployment rate held at 4.7% percent, while the average hourly earnings rose by $0.08 over the month, the Labor Department reported as well.

At 10:46 a.m. ET, the small-cap index dropped 3 points, or 0.83%, to 783.95. The Dow dropped 10.48 points, or 0.08%, to 13,609.41.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures are gaining ground again this morning as investors are cheering the Labor Department’s sanguine jobs report for the month of November.

For the month of November, Nonfarm payrolls grew by a better-than-expected 94,000 fueled by growth in the areas of  professional and technical services, health care and food services, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Economists were projecting jobs to grow by 70,000 from 166,000 jobs created in the month of October.

Employment, however, continued to languish in manufacturing and in several housing-related industries, including construction, credit intermediation and real estate.

The unemployment rate held at 4.7% percent, while the average hourly earnings rose by $0.08 over the month, the Labor Department reported as well.

Separately, investors brushed off downgrades by Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MER) to "sell" from "neutral" on American Express Company (NYSE: AXP), Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF) and Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS), noting that “deterioration in consumer credit and spending will continue to undermine the fundamentals of each and lead to share price declines.”