Tag - Valu

Jacksonville Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:JXSB), Value Line Inc (Nasdaq:VALU), First Pactrust Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:FPTB) and McClatchy Co (Nasdaq:MNI) are among the biggest percentage losers in Thursday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $1 billion.

Also included among the results: Allied Defense Group Inc (Nasdaq:ADG), First Franklin Corp (Nasdaq:FFHS), Pathfinder Bancorp Inc (Nasdaq:PBHC), Southwest Georgia Financial Corp (Nasdaq:SGB) and Medicines Co (Nasdaq:MDCO).

Small-cap stocks remained sharply lower into mid-session, pressured by fresh worries about the health of the banking sector as we enter into earnings season and by dreadful retail sales numbers this morning. The Russell 2000 (NYSE:IWM) pulled off the morning lows, but was still down 17.56, or 3.71%, at 456.23, slipping to the lowest level since mid-December.

The sell-off today was broad based, with financials, commodities, retailers and manufacturer companies all taking a hit, but the slide in bank stocks clearly was the major spot of bother.

Bank stocks took a hit in European trading ahead of today’s opening and those concerns continued to play out during the U.S. session. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) has been pelted today, losing nearly 19% as the embattled bank sales off assets to raise cash and announced plans to release earnings figures early. In Europe, major banks like HSBC, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank all suffered losses of 8% or more as investors fret about the possibility for another wave of debt write-downs.

In addition, snags in the appointment of Wall Street alum Timothy Geithner to the Treasury Secretary post have worried investors about bank stocks and the bailout plans. Recently, Federal Reserve officials have pushed for the next release of TARP funds to target toxic assets, but with the Geithner appointment issues and a Congress that isn’t happy with how the first batch of money was allocated, it could hold up distribution of $350 billion in TARP funding.

This morning’s retail sales report suggested that the recession that was started by the housing crisis has now seeped into a general consumer recession as well, . . .

A management-led team of truckload carrier U.S. Xpress Enterprises (Nasdaq: XPRSA) announced it plans to initiate a $20 per share offer for all class A common stock.

The Associated Press reported on Sunday that General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is buying thin film products from DayStar Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: DSTI).

America First Apartment Investors, Inc. (Nasdaq: APRO) reported it has signed a contract with Sentinel Omaha LLC, an affiliate of the privately held Sentinel Real Estate Corp., for $25.30 per share, or about $532 million in cash.

Professional services company Versar Inc. (AMEX: VSR) announced it was awarded a design and build contract for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The contract is associated with the base realignment and closure program at Fort Lee, Va.

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX) announced its weight loss treatment Contrave showed a positive effect on visceral fat and insulin resistance in a mid-phase study.

European hedge fund firm GLG Partners announced its plan to go public though a transaction with Freedom Acquisition Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: FRH).

Citing a new management team and expansion outside its core denim business, CIBC World Markets upgraded True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRLG) to “sector outperformer” from “sector performer.”

These are the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies with market capitalizations under $500 million: