Tag - Spar

TomoTherapy Inc (Nasdaq:TOMO), Winn Dixie Stores Inc (Nasdaq:WINN) and eHealth Inc (Nasdaq:EHTH) are among the new 52-week lows in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Transition Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq:TTHI), Radiant Systems Inc (Nasdaq:RADS), Spartan Motors Inc (Nasdaq:SPAR), AuthenTec Inc (Nasdaq:AUTH), Entegris Inc (Nasdaq:ENTG) and EW Scripps Co (Nasdaq:SSP).

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

Small-cap shares pushed lower early Thursday, unable to sustain a mild opening bump when weekly claims numbers came in better than expected. At 10:03 a.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was down 6.46, or 0.91%, at 701.65.

The New Home Sales report, which came out at 10:00 a.m. ET were weak, which was no surprise, and took some of the supportive edge off the weekly claims data. New home sales were at an annual rate of 526,000 last month, which was below the forecast of 585,000, and was the lowest rate since October 1991.

It should be noted that durable goods orders, which also came out ahead of the opening this morning, were softer than expected. In addition, the weekly claims figures are often volatile, and even though today’s headline number was better than the forecast, the claims numbers still point to extensive layoffs and a rise in the unemployment rate.

Even though the market was able to sink its teeth into some fresh economic data this morning for the first time since Tuesday, the focus point remains fixed on earnings, which served up mixed signals into today’s action.

Among large-cap headline companies, Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq:SBUX) missed the forecast and was pummeled early today, trading down 10% just after the cash U.S. opening. In addition, Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq:AMZN) had sloppy results and was down 4% early today. On the upside, Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) had a surprising . . .

Shares of Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) are treading higher out of the gate after the manufacturer of custom chassis and emergency-rescue vehicles reported first-quarter earnings that beat the consensus on Wall Street. The Charlotte, Mich.-based company said it was able to buff the languishing demand trend in the motorhome chassis space through re-focusing its product line on military and emergency-rescue customers.

Spartan Motors also reported it is extending its first dividend payment of $0.05 per share payable on June 16, 2008.

Shares jumped 13%, or $0.96, to $8.52 after the opening bell. For detailed price information and recent news stories about Spartan Motors, click SPAR.

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:

• Encore Wire Corp. (Nasdaq:WIRE), up 20% after swinging to a first-quarter profit that substantially beat the Street.

• Spartan Motors Inc. (Nasdaq:SPAR), up 15% on first-quarter earnings and revenue that substantially beat the Street.

• Pozen, Inc. (Nasdaq:POZN), up 8%.

Biggest percentage losers:

• Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (Nasdaq:MCRI), down 11% after reporting first-quarter results that declined from the year-ago period and missed analysts’ estimates.

• L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq:FSTR), down 9% after reporting first-quarter revenues that missed the consensus on Wall Street.

• LSI Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:LYTS), down 8%, after reporting first-quarter earnings declined 70% from the year ago period and missed analysts’ estimates.

TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), China Finance Online Co. (Nasdaq:JRJC) and Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq:SPAR) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday's pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Encore Wire Corp. (Nasdaq:WIRE), Comverge, Inc. (Nasdaq:COMV) and AsiaInfo Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASIA) are also among the most actively traded small-cap companies in pre-market trading.

Here are the most actively traded small-cap companies in Thursday's pre-market trading:

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is sagging as investors look to the economy and await the words of key policymakers.

At 10:09 p.m. ET, the small-cap index had dropped 3.65 points, or 0.51%, to 718.28. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was missing 60.72 points, or 0.48%, to 12,491.52.

Stocks are posting small declines as investors look ahead to the testimonies of policy makers appearing before the U.S. Congress. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is expected to tell lawmakers that the economy will slow but avoid recession.

Also appearing before a Senate committee on banking and housing at 10 a.m. ET is U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.

In economic news, the U.S. Labor Department reported before the opening that initial jobless claims for the weak ended Feb. 9 fell 9,000 to 348,000 from the preceding week’s downwardly revised total of 357,000.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) futures have moved up and the small-cap index will likely open in the green.

The economy will come into focus today as policy makers head to the U.S. Congress. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is expected to tell lawmakers that the economy will slow but avoid recession.

Also appearing before a Senate committee on banking and housing at 10 a.m. ET is U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.

In economic news, the U.S. Labor Department reported that initial jobless claims for the weak ended Feb. 9 fell 9,000 to 348,000. However, the four-week moving average rose.

Small-cap stocks staged a solid rally Wednesday, with the Russell 2000 climbing 16.45, or 2.33% to 721.93. The rise lifted the index through the recent consolidation rectangle, and the breakout carries a target move to 735. The only convincing resistance along the way is at the recent double top at 731, although we might encounter mild selling interest today in the 726 zone. Look for support at 712 and 701.

Shares of Spartan Motors Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) have sputtered and shifted into reverse on news before the start of trading that third-quarter profit declined and missed Wall Street’s projections.

The maker of custom vehicle chassis and emergency-rescue vehicles reported that net income for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 was $2.6 million, or $0.08 per share, short of the $0.23 per share expected by analysts. A year earlier the Charlotte, Mich.-based company had earnings of $4.1 million, or $0.13 per share.

However, net sales raced ahead 36.8% to $148.9 million, from $108.9 million in the third quarter of 2006.

“As we look forward, the third quarter should be an anomaly in our 2007 results,” said president and CEO John Sztykiel in a statement. “We are anticipating the fourth quarter will be more in line with our results in the first two quarters of the year.”

Spartan Motors reported that gross margin declined to 11.8% from 15.8% a year ago, reflecting an increase in capacity and production inefficiencies.

“Based upon the urgent need and future opportunity, the decision was made to accelerate the process of increasing production capacity for our military and specialty vehicle business,” CEO Sztykiel said.

The increase, which raised production capacity 300% from the level six months ago, negatively affected earnings and caused a 32% jump in backlog compared with the second quarter.

At 3:41 p.m. ET, Spartan Motors (SPAR) shares had let go $2.93 or 17%, to $14.19. The 52-week low is $7.79, set on Oct. 26, 2006. The 52-week high is $25.04, reached on June 4.

Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE: RGR), Triad Guaranty Inc. (Nasdaq: TGIC) and Barrett Business Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: BBSI) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage losers:

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

The earnings season continues to march on, with attention this morning focused on Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT). The Schaumburg, Ill.-based telecommunications giant reported a third-quarter profit, its first in 2007, and announced a better-than-expected outlook for the fourth quarter.

In other news, orders for durable goods, which are intended to last at least three years, fell 1.7% in September, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Economists were expecting a rise of 1.5% following a revised decline of 5.3% in August.

Silver lining came in the form of a 0.4% increase in orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, after a rise of 1.8% in August. That measure is a key barometer of business spending.

At 10 a.m. ET, the U.S. Commerce Department will release the numbers on new homes sales in September. Economists are expecting to see a decline.

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:

• Transcend Services Inc. (TRCR), up 17% on news of record third-quarter earnings.
• iRobot Corp. (IRBT), up 14% on news of a higher 2007 revenue outlook.
• ZOLL Medical Corp. (PLCE), up 12%.

Biggest percentage losers:

• Spartan Motors Inc. (SPAR), down 19% on news of a decline in third-quarter profit.
• Heelys Inc. (HLYS), down 11% on news of a lower third-quarter outlook.
• Triad Guaranty Inc. (TGIC) down 10% on news of a third-quarter loss.

Spartan Chassis, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR), a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. reported today that it secured a $52 million subcontract order with Force Protection, Inc. to support the production of Cougar series advanced tactical wheeled vehicles.

The Michigan-based firm said it will supply and incorporate chassis components for the vehicles, which are scheduled for use by the U.S. military, by March 2008.

The new order brings Spartan’s custom chassis manufacturer's total 2007 subcontract awards for MRAP vehicles to approximately $317 million, more than triple its military subcontract orders in all of 2006.

Shares of Spartan Motors (SPAR) jumped $1.29, or 7.57%, to $18.32 in pre-market trading.

The Lamson & Sessions Co. (NYSE: LMS), Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) and Resource America, Inc. (Nasdaq: REXI) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage gainers:

Shares of Spartan Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) are trading higher ahead of the bell this morning after its subsidiary Spartan Chassis, Inc. reported it has been awarded new subcontract orders worth approximately $53 million from defense contractor BAE Systems.

The company said the contract will support the production of advanced tactical vehicles under the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) program.

Shares of Spartan Chassis edged up $0.30, or 2.38%, to $12.89 in pre-market trading.

Shares of Spartan Chassis, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAR) are climbing this morning after the subsidiary of custom vehicles manufacturing and engineering firm Spartan Motors, Inc. announced today it has received a $28 million subcontract order from General Dynamics Land Systems.

Under the terms of the contract, Spartan will supply and integrate chassis components in the production of advanced tactical vehicles under the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected program.

Shares of Spartan climbed 5.11%, or $0.62, to $12.75 in pre-market trading.

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) is the leading loser and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) is also down as stocks fall on news of a drop in new U.S. homes sales in June.

At 10:38 a.m. ET the Russell 2000 was down 13.62 points, or 1.68%, to 798.88. The Dow had lost 123.64 points, or 0.90%, to 13,661.43.

Investors are heading for the exits following the release of a report that shows the slump in the U.S. housing sector continues to get worse.

Sales of new one-family houses in June fell 6.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 834,000, the U.S Census Bureau said after the start of trading. Economists were anticipating a slight increase to 900,000 from May’s revised rate of 893,000.

On a year-over-year basis, new home sales are down 22.3%.

The bears first came out to play as soon as the opening bell rang, emboldened by news that orders for durable goods increased 1.4% in June, below the anticipated rise of 1.7%.

However, durable goods orders fell 0.7% when excluding the volatile transportation sector. Observers were forecasting a rise of 0.6%.

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

Wavecom S.A. (Nasdaq: WVCM), Flow International Corp. (Nasdaq: FLOW) and Fuwei Films Co., Ltd (Nasdaq: FFHL) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday pre-market trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million:

The Russell 2000 index and the Dow have opened in the green following news of the latest in corporate deal-making.

At 10:03 a.m. ET the Russell 2000 had added 2.33 points, or 0.28 percent, to 847.39. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 47.64 points, or 0.35 percent, to 13,583.07.

Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz is considering a bid for hamburger chain Wendy’s International Inc. (NYSE: WEN). Peltz’ Triarc Cos. investment company has requested information on Wendy’s financing, according to news reports this morning.

Elsewhere, French food group Danone is in exclusive talks to sell its biscuit and cereal unit for $7.2 billion in cash to Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT).

U.S. stock markets will close at 1 p.m. today and be closed tomorrow in celebration of the Fourth of July.

The following were the most actively traded companies in Tuesday's trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million.

Packeteer, Inc. (Nasdaq: PKTR) said the IRS claims the computer network company owes additional taxes and penalties of approximately $171 million.

These are the biggest percentage losers in Friday’s trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million:

Sacramento, Calif.-based Pacific Ethanol, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEIX) swung to a quarterly profit, in the first quarter ended March 31, the company said after Wednesday’s close.  The net income for the first three months of 2007 was $3.0 million, compared with a net loss of $0.6 million for the first quarter of 2006, primarily due to an increase of 160% in net sales, the company said.  That translates to earnings of $0.05, in line with expectations, compared with a loss of $0.02 per share during the same period of 2006.

Home Solutions of America, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSOA), a provider of construction and interior services, earned $5.7 million, or $0.12 per share, in the quarter ended March 31, compared with $2.3 million, or $0.06 per share in the same period a year earlier, the Dallas-based company said after Wednesday’s close.