By Hilary Johnson
March 30 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names. All share prices are as of 1:10 p.m. New York time.
Shares of mining companies rose as gold, silver, metal and copper prices climbed. Gold and silver traded at the highest since the early 1980s in New York, on their appeal as an alternative investment to stocks and bonds. Copper touched a record.
Eldorado Gold Corp. (EGO US), which runs gold mines in Mexico and Brazil, rose 20 cents, or 4.4 percent, to $4.78. Phelps Dodge Corp., the world's third-biggest copper producer jumped $4.49, or 5.8 percent, to $81.51. Its shares also gained after Morgan Stanley upgraded them to ``overweight'' from ``equal-weight.''
Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM US) the world's second-biggest gold producer, rose $1.82 to $53.31. Gold producer Cambior Inc. (CBJ US) rose 14 cents to $3.33.
American Dairy Inc. (ADY US) gained $2, or 17 percent, to a high of $14. The producer and distributor of milk powder, soybean milk powder, and dairy products to China said it was exploring buying back some stock and that it sees $120 million in revenue this year.
Arrow International Inc. (ARRO US) fell $2, or 6 percent, to $31.10 and traded as low as $29.59. The maker of disposable catheters said full-year earnings would be $1.26 to $1.30 per share. Analysts on average expect $1.31 per share according to Thomson Financial. Thomson didn't disclose terms of its estimate.
ASM International NV (ASMI US) American depositary receipts, each representing 1 share, gained 49 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $19.95 and traded as high as $20.44. Investor Mellon HBV, owner of 6.2 percent of the stock, asked management to allow shareholders to vote on splitting up Europe's No. 2 maker of equipment to manufacture semiconductors.
ATI Technologies Inc. (ATYT US) rose $1.38, or 8.8 percent, to $17.11 and traded as high as $17.64. The world's second- biggest maker of computer-graphics chips said second-quarter revenue was $672 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected $648.4 million, the average of 27 estimates.
AVI BioPharma Inc. (AVII US) jumped 87 cents, or 13 percent, to $7.46 and traded as high as $7.62. The biotechnology company said its neugene treatment showed success in fighting all strains of influenza A, including H5N1, the avian influenza strain. AVI plans to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration later this year for the treatment of influenza A virus.
Bank of New York Co. (BK US) rose $1.44, or 4.2 percent, to $35.86 and traded as high as $36.05. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM US) is close to buying about 300 retail branches from the bank, financial news network CNBC reported, without citing where it got the information. The deal may have a value of as much as $4 billion, CNBC reported. Bank of New York plans to exit the retail banking business and focus on large institutional accounts, CNBC reported.
Beacon Power Corp. (BCON US) dropped 22 cents, or 12 percent, to $1.66 and traded as low as $1.62. The company, which makes products that support electric power grids, said in a statement that its fourth-quarter loss was 7 cents a share, compared with a profit of 2 cents a share in the same quarter a year ago.
CarMax Inc. (KMX US) fell $1.76, or 4.9 percent, to $33.98 and traded as low as $33.89. The largest U.S. used-car dealer said in a statement that earnings in the year ending in February 2007 are forecast to be $1.25 to $1.47 a share. Six analysts in a survey by Thomson Financial expect profit of $1.52 a share, on average.
Crown Media Holdings Inc. (CRWN US) rose 29 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $6.34 and traded as high as $6.99. The operator of the Hallmark Channel was upgraded to ``buy'' from ``hold'' by analyst Robert Routh at Jefferies & Co., who wrote in a note to clients that shares declined ``unreasonably'' after he cut the company to ``hold'' on March 16. Crown represents an ``opportunity'' whether it sells itself or gains capital another way, he said.
General Motors Corp. (GM US) dropped 78 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $21.37 and traded as low as $21.27. The world's largest automaker said it's in talks to sell shares of Japan's Isuzu Motors Ltd. It's also closer to an agreement to sell 51 percent of its finance unit, General Motors Acceptance Corp., to a group led by Cerberus Capital Management LP for $11 billion or more, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.
Google Inc. (GOOG US) declined $9.50, or 2.4 percent, to $385.48 and traded as low as $383.61. The most-used Internet search engine plans to sell 5.3 million more shares to satisfy demand for the stock as the company joins the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
Hercules Inc. (HPC US) rose 75 cents, or 5.6 percent, to $14.05 and traded as high as $14.34. The world's largest producer of paper-making chemicals was raised to ``buy'' from ``hold'' by analyst Laurence Alexander at Jefferies & Co., who wrote in a note that earnings growth may double to 20 percent from 2006 to 2008 due to ``tax refunds, lower pension costs, and asset sales.''
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE US) rose $2.19, or 3.2 percent, to $69.94 and traded as high as $71.81. The owner of Europe's largest energy market was rated in ``overweight'' in new coverage by Morgan Stanley.
Kosan Biosciences Inc. (KOSN US) slid 56 cents, or 9.5 percent, to $5.32 and traded as low as $5.06. The maker of cancer drugs said it may sell 5 million shares of stock at $5 per share.
Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc. (MFLX US) fell $4.73, or 7.1 percent, to $61.55 and traded as low as $61.47. The maker of components for Motorola Inc. (MOT US) said in a statement distributed by PR Newswire that it is acquiring Singapore's MFS Technology Ltd. (MFS SP) for S$1.15 per share (71 cents), the same as yesterday's closing price. The price would rise to S$1.20 a share if Multi-Fineline gets at least 90 percent of MFS, the company said. The deal will create the world's second- biggest maker of so-called flexible printed-circuit boards.
Nokia Oyj (NOK US) ADRs, each of which represents 1 share, jumped 73 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $20.95 and traded as high as $21.36. The world's biggest cell-phone maker raised its forecast for growth in the global handset market to 15 percent. The company had previously predicted growth of 10 percent or more.
ADRs of Ericsson AB (ERICY US), the world's biggest maker of mobile-phone equipment, added 88 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $39.08. Motorola Inc. (MOT US), the world's No. 2 maker of mobile phones, rose 36 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $23.13.
Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (PTEN US) rose $1.87, or 6.2 percent, to $32.22 and traded as high as $33.29. The second- largest onshore oil and natural-gas driller in North America said in a statement that fourth-quarter profit was 77 cents a share on $531.2 million in revenue. Analysts in a survey by Thomson Financial expected profit of 73 cents, on average, on revenue of $510.4 million.
Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. (PPCO US) added 99 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $22.09 and traded as high as $22.94. The maker of controlled-release tablets and other drug-delivery systems was recommended by CNBC host Jim Cramer on his ``Mad Money'' show because he said Penwest is ``the new best-of-breed pain- pill company'' and that analyst estimates of $400 million in annual sales from its oxymorphone pain medication are conservative.
Pharmacopeia Drug Discovery Inc. (PCOP US) jumped 92 cents, or 19 percent, to $5.74 and traded as high as $6.31. The company, which finds molecules and makes compounds for drugs, announced an alliance with London-based GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK LN), Europe's largest drugmaker. Under the agreement, the company will get $15 million in cash from Glaxo, Pharmacopeia's chief financial officer, Michio Soga, said. In addition, Glaxo would pay Pharmacopeia as much as $83 million for each drug that's developed, as well as royalties based on drug sales.
Resources Connection Inc. (RECN US) dropped $2.53, or 9.4 percent, to $24.37 and traded as low as $24.49. The provider of professional legal, accounting and other services said in a regulatory filing third-quarter net income was 27 cents a share. That compares with an average estimate of 28 cents from analysts polled by Thomson Financial.
Ruby Tuesday Inc. (RI US) jumped $1.71, or 5.6 percent, to $32.23 and traded as high as $32.98. The operator of 619 casual dining restaurants worldwide said fiscal third-quarter earnings was 50 cents a share, 4 cents higher than the average analyst estimate from Thomson Financial. The company also boosted its profit forecast for the fourth quarter.
Sanmina-SCI Corp. (SANM US) fell 12 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $4.16 and traded as low as $4.12. The world's No. 3 maker of electronics for other companies was cut to ``equal-weight'' from ``overweight'' by analyst Bernie Mahon at Morgan Stanley. Mahon said the stock won't rise until the company grows and improves margins in its component business.
Sigmatel Inc. (SGTL US) fell $1.36, or 13 percent, to $8.77 and traded as low as $8.50. The maker of chips for MP3 players said in a statement that it expects revenue of $30 million to $35 million for the first quarter. That's below the mean estimate of $54.5 million in a Thomson Financial survey of analysts.
SpatiaLight Inc. (HDTV US) rose 48 cents, or 20 percent, to $2.84 and traded as high as $2.94. The maker of chips for liquid-crystal displays said it recently increased shipments to LG Electronics, its largest customer.
SPSS Inc. (SPSS US) fell $2.83, or 8.4 percent, to $30.74 and traded as low as $30.34. The maker of data-analysis software was downgraded to ``neutral'' from ``outperform'' by SG Cowen & Co. analyst Peter Goldmacher, who wrote in a note to clients that the company faces ``near term headwinds in sales'' and that it trades at 29 times his 2006 profit estimate of $1.15 a share, ``an undeserved premium'' to its peers.
Symyx Technologies (SMMX US) fell $2.03, or 7 percent, to $26.79 and traded as low as $26.29. The software maker was downgraded to ``peerperform'' from ``outperform'' by analyst Paul Knight at Thomas Weisel Partners.
The9 Ltd. (NCTY US) American depositary receipts, each of which represents one unlisted ordinary shares, gained a second day, adding $1.50, or 5 percent, to $31.25. The China-based online game developer was rated ``strong buy'' in new coverage by analyst Michael H. V. Tieu at Brean Murray Carret & Co., who wrote in a note that the company's game ``World of Warcraft'' has over 4 million users since it came on the market in June, and that the online gaming market will grow more than four-fold over the next five years.
Viropharma (VPHM US) rose 99 cents, or 8.5 percent, to $12.68 and traded as high as $13.20. The maker of the antibiotic vancomycin said a clinical trial of its new antiviral drug, maribavir, kept patients receiving bone marrow transplants from contracting deadly cytomegalovirus, a virus that is common among people taking anti-rejection drugs.
Tickers: GM, PCOP, BCOP, SPSS
To contact the reporter on this story: Hilary Johnson in New York at hjohnson10@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: March 30, 2006 14:55 EST
