Tag - Twp

American Greetings Corp. (Nasdaq:AM), Central Pacific Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CPF) and Chart Industries Inc. (Nasdaq:GTLS) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Tennant Co. (Nasdaq:TNC), Trex Co Inc. (Nasdaq:TWP), PDL BioPharma Inc. (Nasdaq:PDLI), Epoch Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:EPHC), Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq:EMITF) and Meritage Homes Corp. (Nasdaq:MTH).

Green Bankshares Inc (Nasdaq:GRNB), Trex Co Inc. (Nasdaq:TWP) and Signet Group PLC (Nasdaq:SIG) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Omega Flex Inc. (Nasdaq:OFLX), E House China Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq:EJ), East West Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:EWBC), TBS International Ltd. (Nasdaq:TBSI), First M&F Corp. (Nasdaq:FMFC) and Consolidated Water Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:CWCO).

GMX Resources Inc. (Nasdaq:GMXR), K12 Inc. (Nasdaq:LRN) and Penn Virginia Corp. (Nasdaq:PVA) are among the new 52-week lows in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: National Western Life Insurance Co. (Nasdaq:NWLI), Integral System Inc. (Nasdaq:ISYS), Ladish Co Inc. (Nasdaq:LDSH), Trex Co Inc. (Nasdaq:TWP), Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:SASR) and Woodward Governor Co. (Nasdaq:WGOV).

Pike Electric Corp. (Nasdaq:PEC), Cascade Corp. (Nasdaq:CAE) and BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:BXC) are among the biggest percentage losers in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Bridge Capital Holdings (Nasdaq:BBNK), Trex Co In (Nasdaq:TWP), B&H Ocean Carriers Ltd. (Nasdaq:BHO), Logility Inc. (Nasdaq:LGTY), China Direct Inc. (Nasdaq:CDS) and Calavo Growers Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW).

Here are the biggest percentage losers among small caps:

Medivation Inc. (Nasdaq:MDVN), First Financial Corp.(Nasdaq:THFF) and Trex Co. (Nasdaq:TWP) are among the new 52-week highs in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Ciber Inc. (Nasdaq:CBR), Republic First Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:FRBK), Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:IDIX), American CareSource Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:XSI), CombiMatrix Corp. (Nasdaq:CBMX) and NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:NPSP).

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

Better-than-expected payrolls data and the Federal Reserve’s extension of credit to Wall Street banks buoyed small caps for the morning and early afternoon; however, they have since succumbed to the red tide, as oil has reversed course and marched higher.

At 1:40 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) had slipped 3.19, or 0.45%, to 711.36. While the Dow remained in green territory, up 68.64, or 0.60%, to 11, 466, it is sliding from intra-session highs.

A positive surprise from the ADP Employment Report this morning bolstered investors’ expectations for the Labor Department’s monthly employment report due out Friday.

The ADP report showed an uptick of 9,000 in non-farm payroll jobs, substantially above the forecast for a decline of 58,000 non-farm payroll jobs. Historically, the ADP report carried muster, as it used to correlate with the Labor Department’s employment report; however that correlation has broken down over the last year and the ADP figure has tended to only be a good predictor when it falls near the consensus estimate. “It seems to be too optimistic in relation to the data coming from the BLS,” Bill Greiner, chief investment officer for UMB Asset Management and UMB Bank, and chief economist for Scout Investment Advisors, said. “This has been the case for some time.” Economists are expecting a slide of 75,000 jobs in Friday’s employment report from the Labor Department.

In other economic news, the weekly MBA Mortgage Applications Survey clocked in this morning at minus 14.1, the lowest level since December 2001. The combination of weak home sales and slumping home equity continue to take a toll on mortgage applications, despite moderating mortgage rates.

Better-than-expected payrolls data and the Federal Reserve’s extension of credit to Wall Street banks buoyed investors’ moods, boosting small caps on the open and keeping them afloat in the green midday.

At 12:34 p.m. ET, the Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) was up 2.28, or 0.32%, at 716.83, while the Dow was up 81.5, or 0.72%, at 11,479.06.

A positive surprise from the ADP Employment Report this morning bolstered investors’ expectations for the Labor Department’s monthly employment report due out Friday.

The ADP report showed an uptick of 9,000 in non-farm payroll jobs, substantially above the forecast for a decline of 58,000 non-farm payroll jobs. Historically, the ADP report has carried muster, as it used to correlation with the Labor Department’s employment report; however that correlation has broken down over the last year and the ADP figure has tended to only be a good predictor when it falls near the consensus estimate. Economists are expecting a slide of 75,000 jobs in Friday’s employment report and were skeptical about the ADP data this morning.

In other economic news, the weekly MBA Mortgage Applications Survey clocked in this morning at minus 14.1, the lowest level since December 2001. The combination of weak home sales and slumping home equity continue to take a toll on mortgage applications, despite moderating mortgage rates.

Barrett Business Services Inc (Nasdaq:BBSI), Trex Co In (Nasdaq:TWP) and American Commercial Lines Inc (Nasdaq:ACLI) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Image Sensing Systems Inc (Nasdaq:ISNS), SAVVIS Inc (Nasdaq:SVVS), Starent Networks Corp (Nasdaq:STAR), Wright Express Corp (Nasdaq:WXS), Hutchinson Technology Inc (Nasdaq:HTCH) and Eagle Test Systems Inc (Nasdaq:EGLT).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Decking and fencing manufacturer Trex Company Inc. (NYSE:TWP) said ahead of today’s opening that its second-quarter earnings had more than tripled from the previous year. The earnings sent shares up more than 22% today. Net income for the quarter ended June 30 was $7.9 million, or $0.52 per share, compared with $2.6 million, or $0.17 per share, for the same period a year ago. Net sales were $95 million, compared to $118.8 million for the year-ago quarter.

“We continued to improve our productivity and reduce costs. These improvements helped boost our gross margin by 500 basis points over last year’s same period. In addition, we continued to manage liquidity well, ending the 2008 second quarter with a net cash balance of $17.7 million,” said Ronald W. Kaplan, president and CEO, in a statement.

Shares of the Winchester, Va.-based company are at $14.09 at 10:17 a.m. ET, up $2.59 from Tuesday’s close. The stock has ranged from $5.34 to $20.25 during the past year.

Small-cap stocks edged lower Monday, pulled down by nagging concerns linked to the ongoing credit crunch, which weigh on small-cap financial institutions and by a record high crude oil prices. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) dipped 8.48, or 1.21%, to 689.66, generating the lowest daily close for the Russell since April 15.

Despite 10-week closing lows, price action today in small caps was relatively sleepy, with the Russell 2000 contained to an eight-handle range, compared with a 20-handle range last Thursday.

When the market opened this morning, equities were alarmed at a new record high in crude oil prices, which rose above $143 dollars a barrel overnight amid tensions between Israel and Iraq. However, crude oil was unable to sustain those new highs and actually dipped briefly into negative territory in the afternoon, leaving a potential bearish topping signal on daily charts that allowed stock market investors a little breathing room. Also on the commodities scene, gold prices pulled back today, and corn futures plunged down the daily trading limit.

Earlier this morning, the Chicago PMI headline figure came in at 49.6, which was a much better showing than the median forecast for a reading of 48. Still, the number was below the 50 contraction line for the fifth consecutive month, which underscores a soft picture in the Midwest manufacturing scene. The Chicago data was just the first of several manufacturing-oriented reports this week, but the big economic report comes Thursday morning with the monthly employment release.

For the first time in quite awhile, the Dow rallied in the face of declines in small-cap stocks. The Dow has been in collapse mode of late, sinking to 2-year lows even though the Russell 2000 was still well above the March 2008 bottom. The Dow benefited today from gains in a couple of oil company shares and from a rise in Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), which stands to hold up better than high-end retailers . . .

Shares of Trex Co., Inc. (NYSE: TWP) bolted this morning in pre-market trading after the nation’s largest manufacturer of composite decking, railing and fencing raised its revenue guidance for 2007.

The Winchester, Va.-based company said it now expects net sales to be in the range of $335 million to $345 million ($350 million to $360 million before taking into account its product replacement reserve). The revised guidance is up from the previously forecasted range of $315 million to $335 million.

Trex attributed its upwardly revised guidance to stronger-than-anticipated performance in the first two months of the company’s traditionally seasonally slow fourth quarter—particularly at a time when the homebuilding and remodeling markets continue to exhibit weakness.

The small cap pointed out that a key to its positive results is a favorable market response to quality improvement initiatives Trex implemented for the past 18 months and the company’s line-up of decking, railing and fencing products

Trex also noted that it is receiving a positive response to its 2008 products and programs, including Trex Escapes, an ultra low-maintenance deck board; Trex Trim, a new exterior trim product for house molding, fascia and soffits; and greatly expanded design options for Trex Artisan and Designer Railing.

Shares of Trex (TWP) jumped 11.28%, or $0.76, to $7.50 in pre-market trading. Shares of Trex have been trading in the range of $5.34 to $27.70 for the past 52 weeks. 

Simulations Plus, Inc. (AMEX: SLP), Santander BanCorp (NYSE: SBP) and Medivation, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDVN) are among the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $750 million.

Here are today's biggest percentage losers:

Shares of Trex Company, Inc. (NYSE: TWP) have set a new 52-week low on news that the maker of wood-alternative decking, railing and fencing products is closing one of its production facilities and cutting 115 jobs.

Operations at a facility in Olive Branch, Miss., will be suspended for an indeterminate amount of time due to softness in the homebuilding and remodeling sectors, the Winchester, Va.-based company announced after the close on Thursday. The plant had two production lines which represented about 10% of Trex’s manufacturing capacity.

“Our decision to suspend operations at the Olive Branch facility until further capacity is needed was very difficult,” said CEO Andrew Ferrari in a press release. The company said that it will provide outplacement services for the laid-off employees and pay benefits through Nov. 12, 2007.

Brokerage firm Morgan Keegan & Co. responded today by lowering its fiscal 2007 earnings estimates for Trex to between a loss of $0.03 per share and a loss of $0.16 per share. Nine analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting the company to post a profit of $0.18 per share. Morgan Keegan reiterated its “market outperform” rating.

At 12:50 p.m. ET, shares of Trex were down $0.61, or 5%, to $11.58. That’s below the previous 52-week low of $12.10, set on September 11.

Shares of Trex Co. Inc. (NYSE: TWP) are falling this morning after the company reported its chief financial officer, Paul Fletcher, resigned to take a job with a privately-held technology company.

Trex makes composite decking and railing.

Shares of Trex fell 6.32%, or $0.89, to $13.20 at 11:04 a.m. ET.

U.S. stocks are trading in positive territory, poised for a second consecutive day of record high closes.  At 14:26 p.m. ET the Russell 2000 was up 3.69 points, or 0.44%, to 847.04.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average had gained 17.39 points, or 0.13%, to 13,650.47.

Shares of Layne Christensen Co. (Nasdaq: LAYN), which provides drilling and construction services, are trading above their 52-week high on news of a record first quarter.