Tag - Ompi

Media General Inc. (Nasdaq:MEG), Crocs Inc. (Nasdaq:CROX) and FBL Financial Group Inc. (Nasdaq:FFG) are among the  lead small-cap percentage gainers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Brooks Automation Inc. (Nasdaq:BRKS), 51Job Inc. (Nasdaq:JOBS), Knot Inc. (Nasdaq:KNOT), Saga Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:SGA), Obagi Medical Products Inc (Nasdaq:OMPI) and AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (Nasdaq:AHS).

Syniverse Hldg Inc. (Nasdaq:SVR), AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (Nasdaq:ANN) and Warnaco Group Inc. (Nasdaq:WRC) are among the new 52-week lows in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: SRA International Inc. (Nasdaq:SRX), Merrill Lynch Canada Canadian Pacific  (Nasdaq:HCH), Crosstex Energy Inc. (Nasdaq:XTXI), i2 Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO), Obagi Medical Products Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI) and NACCO Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:NC).

Orient Express Hotels Ltd. (Nasdaq:OEH), Bridge Capital Holdings (Nasdaq:BBNK) and Obagi Medical Products Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI) are among the new 52-week lows in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: I-Flow Corp. (Nasdaq:IFLO), Perry Ellis International Inc. (Nasdaq:PERY), Stoneridge Inc. (Nasdaq:SRI), DealerTrack Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:TRAK), OneBeacon Insurance Group Ltd. (Nasdaq:OB) and Pharmaxis Depository Receipt (Nasdaq:PXSL).

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

Here are the biggest percentage gainers and losers in pre-market trading among companies with a market cap between $50 million and $750 million:

Biggest percentage gainers:

• Aceto Corp. (Nasdaq:ACET), up 13% after the distributor of chemically derived pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals and crop protection products posted fiscal third-quarter earnings Friday morning that trumped the consensus on Wall Street and posted sales that increased 29.5% from the year-ago quarter.
• Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI), up 9%.
• True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRLG), up 8%, after first-quarter results trumped the consensus on Wall Street and the designer jean manufacturer raised its 2008 guidance.

Biggest percentage losers:

• NGAS Resources, Inc. (Nasdaq:NGAS), down 8% after the natural gas exploration and production company reported first-quarter revenues after Thursday’s close that fell below the Street’s view.
• Vision-Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq:VSCI), down 6%.
• Exactech Inc. (Nasdaq:EXAC), down 5% after the producer of bone and joint restoration products said this morning that it has gone back to the equity markets and sold 877,391 shares of its stock at $23.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $20.2 million.

Small-cap stocks posted a solid gain Tuesday, erasing morning losses to climb to the highest daily close since early February. By the close, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 5.44, or 0.75%, at 729.79.

The impressive recovery move off morning lows generated a bullish outside reversal on daily charts, which helps offset some of the topping pattern formed by Friday’s lower close after making new move highs. It should be noted that downside action on Monday was forged on extremely light volume, which took some of the edge off the lower price action coming into today’s session.

Looking ahead to Wednesday’s session, the market still needs to establish the ability to hold above the 731 zone, which formed a double top back in early February. Clearly, sellers emerged in that area late Tuesday, pulling the index back off the highs. Above that 731 point, resistance is at 735 and 743. If the market starts to struggle, then support is at 726, 720.50 and 715.

Much of the bearish morning tone was linked to overnight losses in Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM), which tumbled 8% after investors were cool to earnings results and a downgrade in the company’s credit rating. However, Fannie Mae reversed course after a conference call with company officials, and ended up climbing more than 8%. Without that bearish impetus to stir jitters about the mortgage market, credit crunch and banking worries, the bears quickly lost favor. By late mid-morning, . . .

After declining in morning trading, small-cap stocks began a rally around 10 a.m. ET, surging to more than 729. Better-than-expected earnings from several small-cap companies helped to act as a catalyst for the market rally. At 1:24 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 5.60, or 0.77%, at 729.95.

Despite the rally, several bearish indicators gave investors pause early in the session. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said late Monday that increasing home foreclosures might harm the economy. Adding to investors’ concerns was mortgage firm Fannie Mae’s (NYSE:FNM) reported a $2.2 billion loss on credit-associated costs, which enabled the company to post a wider-than-expected quarterly loss of $2.5 billion. Swiss banking giant UBS AG (NYSE:UBS) reported early Tuesday that it will cut 5,500 employees and sell $15 billion in risky debt to BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) at 25% off its face value.

Among sectors, the big losers include airlines, water utilities, fabricated plastic and rubber materials producers and personal services firms. On the flip side, companies associated with oil and gas operations, coal, motion picture services, gold and silver were gaining ground.

Some of the firms that have broken out in Tuesday’s trading include China Finance Online Co. (Nasdaq:JRJC), which broke through $23 resistance and is now up about 9% at $23.94. After experiencing a sell-off at $56.75, vacuum and . . .

Obagi Medical Products Inc (Nasdaq:OMPI), Interline Brands Inc (NYSE:IBI) and Collective Brands Inc (NYSE:PSS) are among the biggest percentage losers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Atlantic Tele-Network Inc (NYSE:ATNI), Cheniere Energy Inc (Nasdaq:LNG) and Patrick Industries Inc (AMEX:PATK) are also among the biggest percentage losers.

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Small-cap shares opened in the red Tuesday, and continue to recoil in the shadow of the highs set after last week’s employment report pushed the market to a four-month peak. At 9:50 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was off 3.97, or 0.55%, at 720.37. Renewed jitters about the housing market and credit crunch appear to be in play, especially after Countrywide Financial Corp. (NYSE:CFC) took a big hit Monday and then Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) tumbled 3.2% on the opening after soft earnings.

Another factor weighing on the market is a firm tone in crude oil prices, which hit record highs Monday and then topped that record again this morning. Crude prices have been bid up on supply issues out of Africa and concern that conflict in Northern Iraq could endanger the pipeline in that area, but Nigeria is back to normal production after a multi-day strike and Iraq is old news. However, a prominent analyst firm reportedly raised its outlook for crude oil prices, which may have driven buyers back into the fray. It should be noted that any supply side bullish issues are being played out against a backdrop of softer demand as consumers shy away from record high pump prices ahead of the key summer driving season in the United States.

The political arena seems to have retreated a tad in recent weeks even though the Democratic race for a candidate is still up in the air. However, there are two big Democratic primaries on tap today in Indiana and North Carolina, which . . .

Sigma Designs, Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGM), Koss Corp. (Nasdaq:KOSS) and Cheniere Energy, Inc. (AMEX:LNG) were among the new 52-week lows established during Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

CoBiz Financial Inc. (Nasdaq:COBZ), Silver State Bancorp (Nasdaq:SSBX) and Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI) were also among the 52-week small-cap lows.

Here are Tuesday's 52-week small-cap lows:

Genesis Lease Ltd. (NYSE:GLS), Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMPI) and Johnson Outdoors Inc. (Nasdaq:JOUT) were among the new 52-week lows established during Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations or values under $750 million.

WebMD Health Corp. (Nasdaq:WBMD), Shanghai Century Acquisition Corp. (AMEX:SHA) and Merrimac Industries (AMEX:MRM) were also among the 52-week small-cap lows.

Here are today's 52-week small-cap lows:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures are higher and the small-cap index will likely open with an increase.

Small-cap stocks are poised for a modestly bullish opening on news that U.S. productivity for the fourth-quarter of 2007 was revised up. The U.S. Commerce Department reported this morning that business productivity added 1.9% at an annualized rate, above the initial estimate of 1.8%. Economists were not expecting an upward revision.

Small-cap stocks embarked on a similar journey Tuesday to what took place during Monday’s activity – a morning slump erased by a solid afternoon recovery. In the end, the Russell 2000 closed down 3.24, or 0.47% at 680.98. Despite the lower close, it had to feel like a victory for jittery bulls who endured a morning slide down to 670.59. Looking ahead to today’s action, support is pegged just below the market at 680, then at 675 and 670. Meanwhile resistance comes in at 693 and 701.

Wednesday is a busy session for event risk, with the ISM Non-Manufacturing Survey and Factory Orders at 10:00 a.m. ET. In the afternoon, the Beige Book report at 2:00 p.m. ET also could stir up some market volatility.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) closed lower for the fifth consecutive session on news of more subprime fallout and tech sector woes. The small-cap index declined 3.24 points, or 0.47%, to 680.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) lost 45.10 points, or 0.37%, to 12,213.80.

On a year-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 is missing 11.10%, while the Dow is down 7.92% and the S&P 500 has retreated 9.64%.

The bears dominated trading and small-cap stocks spent the entire session in negative territory. With no major economic releases scheduled, investors focused on corporate news.

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) reported before the opening that it may have to cut as many as 30,000 jobs over the next year and a half due to writedowns related to the subprime mortgage mess. Additionally, Citigroup might need to raise more capital to get over the credit crunch.

Contributing to the bearish sentiment was Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), which announced after the close on Monday that it has lowered its first-quarter gross margin forecast to 54% from 56% earlier.

Small-cap stocks declined, with Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE: JTX) being one of the biggest losers. Before the opening the Parsippany, N.J.-based company posted third-quarter net income of $18.2 million, or $0.61 per share, a 34% decline from a year earlier.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures are down and the small-cap index will open in negative territory.

Stocks small and large are set for a bearish opening following news after the close on Monday that chip maker Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) lowered its first-quarter gross margin forecast to 54% from 56% earlier. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company blamed lower than expected prices for some flash memory chips.

The Russell 2000 closed down 1.96, or 0.29% at 684.22. Although the price action was primarily bearish in nature, the market generated a nice afternoon recovery off important chart support and has the potential to kick-start higher Tuesday if immediate support holds up along the 680-683 area. Below there, small caps need to hold 675 or risk a sudden freefall back down to the 650 low. On the upside, resistance comes in Tuesday at 694, 701 and 712.

There are no economic reports to whipsaw the market Tuesday, but there are several Federal Reserve speakers on tap, including Chairman Bernanke. It’s always wise to be cautious whenever the chairman speaks, but his topic is expected to be about foreclosures, so it might not be all that market-moving in nature. In addition, traders might be preoccupied watching coverage of the voting in the Ohio and Texas primaries.

This year hasn’t exactly been a banner year for specialty pharmaceutical companies that analysts might have forecasted. Year-to-date, the overall sector has seen a measly 2.2% return, compared with 9% in 2006. Small-cap specialty pharmaceuticals returned just 10.1% year-to-date, compared with a ripe 34.4% return in 2006. The last 30 days in particular have shown considerable underperformance, clocking in at -4.1%.

Despite a disappointing 2007, analyst Angela Larson with Susquehanna Financial said that “[a] robust calendar leaves us room for optimism for 2008.” Looking at 2007, the analyst concedes that the low base incurred this year may mean greater room for growth in the coming year.

Larson says the key catalysts for moving valuation going forward (in order of priority) include, successful FDA approval and launch of new products, successful completion of Phase 3 studies, successful completion of Phase 2 studies that can lead to Phase 3 and partnership discussions, the acquisition of products and the clarity in funds to achieve outlined goals.

Among the companies she covers, Larson says all but two companies are hitting one or more of these milestones in 2008. Small caps Anesiva and POZEN are both expected to launch products that should bring a new market opportunities to their respective companies, Larson says. Additionally, ISTA Pharmaceuticals and Salix have products on tap for 2008 that could, according to Larson, expand or protect the companies’ existing franchises.

Significant news flow on the Phase 3 data release is also expected in 2008, according to Larson, from companies including Allergan, Barrier Therapeutics, Cadence, DURECT, Endo, Inspire, ISTA, NeurogesX, Obagi, POZEN, Salix, Sciele and Shire.

“News events in 2007 have tended to carry greater risk than reward due to the market offering a negative bias on performance and expectations on good news being priced in early,” Larson wrote in a research note today. “However, we believe the news flow is more robust and varied this year, which may help re-cast the group sentiment.”

The small-cap specialty pharmaceuticals Larson has a positive rating on include Barrier Therapeutics (BTRX), Barrier Therapeutics (CADX), ISTA Pharmaceuticals (ISTA), NeurogesX (NGSX), Obagi Medical Products (OMPI) and POZEN (POZN).

Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMPI) wants to keep you looking young even though you are old. The skin care industry thrives mainly on faith and fantasy, or at least the softening of mean facts: a wrinkle becomes a soft tissue deficit. Obagi says it can repair these epidermal shortcomings even as the rest of you falls apart.

The company counts on customers similar to 1950's Sunset Boulevard’s Norma Desmond, who couldn’t bear her tissue deficits, or her age, which was fifty; it drove her mad. Apparently, there are plenty of Normas (and a few Normans) still around. The global skin-care market was at $36.2 billion in 2005, and 62% of that was for facial skin care, according to industry data.

Customers are increasingly turning away from over-the-counter anti-aging products toward physician-dispensed products, such as Obagi’s. They also are leaving behind old-fashioned plastic surgery for less-invasive cosmetic procedures, including Botox injections, laser hair removal and microdermabrasion.

These procedures, and the use of attendant lotions that calm inflammatory responses, are gaining wider and wider acceptance. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says minimally-invasive cosmetic office procedures increased 72% to 8.4 million in 2005, and some estimate these have now reached 10 million. Facial procedures, such as Botox, were up 242% and injectable fillers 990%. From 2005 to 2010, more than 70 million people in the United States are expected to receive cosmetic facial procedures for which they will collectively pay over $60 billion.

So much for those bullheaded crow’s feet. Long Beach, Calif.-based Obagi is a pharmaceutical company that develops and markets prescription-based skin health systems. It sells them primarily in the United States; international sales were 18% of the total in 2006. Products include those for premature aging, photo-damage, hyperpigmentation, acne and wrinkles, and soft tissue deficits.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the other major U.S. indices are higher following news of stronger-than-expected September retail sales.

At 10:16 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had added 5.15 points, or 0.62%, to 840.13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) had advanced 47.64 points, or 0.34%, to 14,062.72.

Retail sales for September increased 0.6% to $380.2 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau before the opening. That’s more than the projected 0.2% and a sign that the American consumer is alive and well despite the ongoing slump in the housing sector.

The gains were led by sales of autos, electronics and groceries.

On a year-over-year basis, retail sales have increased 5%.

Retail sales excluding motor vehicles and parts added 0.4% to $301.6 billion, outpacing analysts’ forecasts of a rise of 0.3%.

In other economic news, the U.S. Labor Department reported that producer prices for September increased 1.1%, the largest gain since February. That’s above the projected rise of 0.5%. The producer price index declined 1.4% in August.

City Telecom (H.K.) Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTEL), Origin Agritech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SEED) and Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE) are the most actively traded companies in Friday pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $750 million:

This week, we look at two small-cap plays in the health care sector, both of which could be considered “vanity plays,” as each addresses the desire of individuals to look and feel better.

The first, Obagi Medical Products Inc. (Nasdaq: OMPI), is an aesthetic selection; the company, with a market cap of $380 million, is a play on cosmetic surgery. The second, Gaiam Inc. (Nasdaq: GAIA), is more esoteric. The multi-media company, with a market cap of $526 million, focuses on fitness and health-conscious lifestyles.

"I have long favored medical and health care stocks due to their reduced sensitivity to the economic cycle and favorable demographic drivers," says growth expert Tom Bishop, editor of BI Research. “Few parts of a person's body are more important than their face. It is not surprising people will spend a considerable sum making the old mug look its best, or the young one with pimples.”

According to Bishop, Obagi's dermatology products are carried only in physicians' offices. Its products treat a range of skin conditions, including premature aging, acne, fine lines and wrinkles. Other topicals, he says, help the skin better recover from surgical and laser procedures, or optimize results for those using Botox.

“The company's niche is to focus its R&D on improving the efficacy of skin care products on the market by enhancing the penetration of these agents across the skin barrier, he said. “Obagi's workhorse product line, accounting for 60% of revenues, is its Nu-Derm System, which has been around for 18 years, and still grew 22% in Q2. This system consists of a regimen using six products that penetrate below the skin's surface to correct damage in all layers of the skin."

Obagi also launched its Obagi-C RX System in 2004, which is the only prescription based system that reduces the early effects of sun damage.

Obagi Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMPI) reported this morning that it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed offering of up to $100 million of its common stock.

The specialty pharmaceutical company said a majority of the shares sold in the offering will be sold by selling stockholders and the remainder of the shares sold will be done so by Obagi.

Shares of Obagi were halted in pre-market trading.

Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. (Nasdaq: LEND), Local.com Corp. (Nasdaq: LOCM) and Rock of Ages Corp. (Nasdaq: ROAC) are among the most actively traded companies in Tuesday pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Jim Oberweis, Jr. -- through both his Oberweis Funds and his The Oberweis Report financial newsletter -- is a long-standing specialist in small cap stocks.

Well known for his Oberweis Microcap Fund, which recently re-opened to new investors, the advisor has also stepped into the global investing arena – last year launching the Oberweis China Opportunity and just recently unveiling the Oberweis International Opportunities Fund.

Whether domestic or global, his stocks are chosen based on one enduring strategy, which focuses exclusively on seeking high growth at a reasonable valuation. Indeed, he explains, “Our investment approach, which we call the Octagon Strategy, hasn’t changed one iota in 20 years.”

In addition to several technical and financial criteria, the advisor has three basic fundamental requirements for all of the stocks he considers. First, Oberweis notes, companies must be growing revenues at 30% or faster—“These are turbo-charged companies,” he says.” In addition, they must be prosperous and growing earnings at 30% or better. Finally, he adds, they must be cheap in relation to their rate of growth.

Oberweis points out that the stock’s p/e can’t be greater than half the rate of growth. As a result, he observes, a company growing at 50% a year, has to have a p/e multiple of 25 or less.

In his latest The Oberweis Report, he uncovers a trio of intriguing medical plays that are paving new ground in developing markets -- robotic surgery, molecular prediction, and dermatology. All three stocks, he notes, are only appropriate for risk-oriented investors.