Tag - Unfi

The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) rallied nearly 5% today after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession may end in 2009. Some of today’s small-cap gainers were Hifn, Inc. (Nasdaq:HIFN), Rambus (Nasdaq:RMBS) and United Natural Foods (Nasdaq:UNFI).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• The Consumer Confidence Index plunged more than 12 points in February to 25, from 37.4 last month, and far below the predicted 35.5 level.
• The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index released horrid data today showing a plung of more than 18% during the quarter from the prior-year period. This is the largest drop in its 21-year history.
• The Federal Housing Finance Agency also said today that home prices dropped more than 8 percent in the quarter from a year earlier, its largest annual decline on record since 1991.
• Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke to Congress, pledged to use all available tools to lift the country out of the recession.
• Bernanke said the U.S. economy will probably keep shrinking in the first six months of the 2009, but is hopeful that the recession will end this year. 
• The Russell 2000 closed up 17.90, or 4.54%, to 412.48.
• The Dow rose more than 230 points, or 3.3%, to 7,350.94; S&P 500 closed about 4% to 773.14.
• For the year, the Russell is now down 17.41%, while the Dow has is down 16.24% and the S&P 500 is down 14.4%.

Small Cap Gainers:

• Exar Corporation signs definitive agreement to acquire Hifn, Inc. Shares of HIFN rocket 62% at closing. See (Nasdaq:HIFN).
• High Court denies FTC antitrust review of Rambus, sending shares 40% higher. See (Nasdaq:RMBS).
• United Natural Foods climbed 20% after posting higher Q2 earnings, updating FY09 forecast. See (Nasdaq:UNFI).

Small Cap Losers:

• Heartland Payment Systems guided below estimates, shares tumbled 30%. See (NYSE:HPY).
• RadioShack fell 24% today after seeing a 39% Q4 net drop on falling margins, sales. See (NYSE:RSH).
• Apparel small-cap Hanesbrands was down 7% after announcing it will review its long-term growth strategies, capital structure and the 2009 business environment. See (NYSE:HBI).

Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq:RMBS), Euronet Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:EEFT) and Catapult Communications Corp. (Nasdaq:CATT) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: United Natural Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:UNFI), Taleo Corp. (Nasdaq:TLEO), TeleTech Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:TTEC), IXYS Corp. (Nasdaq:IXYS), Zion Oil and Gas Inc. (Nasdaq:ZN) and NutriSystem Inc. (Nasdaq:NTRI).

Central European Distribution Corp. (Nasdaq:CEDC), Signet Jewelers (Nasdaq:SIG) and Astoria Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:AF) are among the new 52-week lows in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Alliance Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:ALNC), WSFS Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:WSFS), Methanex Corp. (Nasdaq:MEOH), Penn Virginia Corp. (Nasdaq:PVA), United Natural Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:UNFI) and First Busey Corp. (Nasdaq:BUSE).

Delta Petroleum Corp. (Nasdaq:DPTR), DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS) and United Natural Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:UNFI) are among the most actively traded companies in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Finish Line Inc. (Nasdaq:FINL), True Religion Apparel Inc. (Nasdaq:TRLG), Iconix Brand Group Inc. (Nasdaq:ICON), Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (Nasdaq:GMCR), Hibbett Sports Inc. (Nasdaq:HIBB) and i2 Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO).

Small-cap stocks pushed higher on the opening but slipped briefly into negative territory as optimism over a new government plan to open credit facilities for mortgage assets and “consumer” loan assets was countered by soft economic reports. The credit news helped the market strive to look past a predictably weak GDP report and a report that said home price declines posted a record decline from year-ago levels. Some of today’s small-cap gainers are Life Time Fitness Inc. (NYSE:LTM), Futures Canada China Environment Inc. (Nasdaq:FCCE) and Nuance Communications (Nasdaq:NUAN).

Other Market Watch highlights today included:

• Crude oil prices were off about $2 a barrel shortly after the stock market opening, absorbing a mild pullback off the big 9% surge Monday.  
• Treasury yields were taking a big downside hit even while the stock market was pointing toward a strongly higher open.  
• The Case-Shiller Home Price Index tumbled a record 17.4% from last year and the index was down 1.9% in September from the previous month.  
• The Fed and Treasury announced a new TAL, which will be granted initial funding of $20B via the original $700B in TARP money. 

Small Cap Gainers:

• Life Time Fitness Inc. rose 33%, gapping higher after plunging to 52-week lows Monday. See (NYSE:LTM).  
• Futures Canada China Environment Inc. jumped 33% on extremely light volume (only 1,000 shares). See (Nasdaq:FCCE).  
• Nuance Communications Q4 earnings beats Street view, shares up 12%. See (Nasdaq:NUAN).  
• Brinker International climbs over 10% after analyst upgrade company to "strong buy" froM "market perform." See (NYSE:EAT).

Small Cap Losers:

• Zale Corp. was down 25% as the jeweler reported a larger-than-expected loss. See (NYSE:ZLC). 
• SkillSoft dips 13% after guiding below fourth-quarter estimates. See (Nasdaq:SKIL).  
• Penson Worldwide down 9% on light volume in pre-market, following news it will expand its senior managment team. See (Nasdaq:PNSN).  
• United Natural Foods down 2% in pre-market after reporting a drop in Q1 profit. See (Nasdaq:UNFI).

JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:JASO), Delta Petroleum Corp. (Nasdaq:DPTR) and DryShips Inc. (Nasdaq:DRYS) are among the most actively traded companies in Tuesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Solarfun Power Holdings Co Ltd. (Nasdaq:SOLF), United Natural Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:UNFI), Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq:CSIQ), Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq:CLNE), A Power Energy Generation Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq:APWR) and Osiris Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:OSIR).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Lincoln Bancorp (Nasdaq:LNCB), Western Refining Inc. (Nasdaq:WNR) and Medivation Inc. (Nasdaq:MDVN) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Wednesday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Newport Corp. (Nasdaq:NEWP), Timberland Co. (Nasdaq:TBL), Noble International Ltd. (Nasdaq:NOBL), Banner Corp. (Nasdaq:BANR), Chemgenex Pharm (Nasdaq:CXSP) and United Natural Foods Inc. (Nasdaq:UNFI).

Here are the biggest percentage gainers among small caps:

Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc (Nasdaq:TYPE), United Natural Foods Inc (Nasdaq:UNFI) and Tessera Technologies (Nasdaq:TSRA) are among the most actively traded companies in Friday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: American Commercial Lines Inc (Nasdaq:ACLI), Macrovision Corp (Nasdaq:MVSN), SiRF Technology Hldgs Inc (Nasdaq:SIRF), UAL Corp (Nasdaq:UAUA), Middleby Corp (Nasdaq:MIDD) and Origin Agritech Ltd (Nasdaq:SEED).

Here are the most actively traded companies among small caps:

Shares of United Natural Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: UNFI) have fallen to a new 52-week low on news after the close on Thursday that the distributor of natural and organic foods suffered a decline in fiscal second-quarter profit.

The Dayville, Conn.-based company reported that net income for the three months ended Jan. 26 declined 16.5% to $9.1 million, or $0.21 per share, compared with earnings of $10.9 million, or $0.25 per share, a year earlier.

Net sales jumped 24.2% to $830.7 million, from $668.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2007.

“In an increasingly tough economy, we are pleased to report strong sales growth in all of our channels,” said president and CEO Michael Funk in a statement. “As we look forward to the rest of fiscal 2008, we remain focused on expanding our presence in specialty foods, and driving synergies from our recent acquisition.”

On Nov. 5, 2007, United Natural announced that it has completed the acquisition of food and general merchandise distributor Millbrook Distribution Services, Inc. The deal allows United National to establish a foothold in the growing market for specialty foods. Financial details were not disclosed.