Family Dollar, Monsanto, Worthington Rise

123jump.com Staff
06 Jan, 2010
New York City

Family Dollar Stores, Inc led gainers in the S&P 500 index. Zep Inc turns to profit in first quarter. The Mosaic Company second quarter net income falls 89%. Synnex Corp fourth quarter net up. The agrochemicals maker Monsanto posts first quarter loss on weak sales.

[R]1:45 PM New York – Family Dollar Stores, Inc led gainers in the S&P 500 index. Zep Inc turns to profit in first quarter. The Mosaic Company second quarter net income falls 89%. Synnex Corp fourth quarter net up. The agrochemicals maker Monsanto posts first quarter loss on weak sales.[/R]

Of the stocks in S&P 500 index, 209 increased, 278 declined and 13 were unchanged.

Expedia, Inc led the decliners in the S&P 500 index with a loss of 2.7% followed by losses in CenturyTel, Inc of 2.6% and in Monsanto Company of 2.5%, in The Chubb Corporation of 2.4% and in Verizon Communications Inc of 2.4%.

Family Dollar Stores, Inc led gainers in the S&P 500 index with a rise of 10.9% followed by gains in Fastenal Company 5.4%, in Robert Half International Inc of 5.3% and in JDS Uniphase Corporation of 3.6%.

Other Movers

AngioDynamics, Inc ((ANGO)) added 1.5% or 24 cents to $16.20 after the medical device maker said second quarter sales rose 10.3% to $53.5 million from $48.5 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 7% to $3.1 million or 13 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $2.9 million or 12 cents per share a year ago.

Acuity Brands, Inc ((AYI)) increased 2.3% or 84 cents to $37.26 after the lighting fixture maker reported first quarter sales fell 13.3% to $391.7 million from $452.0 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 20% to $23.3 million or 53 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $19.4 million or 47 cents per share a year ago.

Beazer Homes USA, Inc ((BZH)) plunged 10.7% or 58 cents to $4.84 after the homebuilder said that it is commencing concurrent underwritten public offerings of common stock and mandatory convertible subordinated notes. The offerings will include the issuance of 18 million shares of the company''s common stock and $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of mandatory convertible subordinated notes due 2013.

Boise Inc ((BZ)) gained 4.4% or 24 cents to $5.69 after the paper and packaging maker was upgraded to “buy” from “neutral” by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Brooks Automation, Inc ((BRKS)) climbed 8.1% or 75 cents to $9.97 after the supplier of equipment for microchip factories was upgraded to “overweight” from “equal-weight” at Barclays Capital.

Cepheid Inc ((CPHD)) increased 4.7% or 62 cents to $13.77 after the maker of a rapid test for drug-resistant staph infections today announced it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to market Xpert vanA, the test for the antimicrobial resistance gene.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp ((CLNE)) rose 5.2% or 89 cents to $17.54 after the provider of natural gas for transportation was upgraded to “buy” from “neutral” by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

The Dow Chemical Company ((DOW)) rose 2.2% or 67 cents to $31.15 after the chemicals maker was upgraded to “overweight” from “equal-weight” at Barclays Capital.

Family Dollar Stores, Inc ((FDO)) increased 7.7% or $2.13 to $29.62 after the discount retailer reported first quarter sales rose 4% to $1.82 billion from $1.75 billion a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 14% to $67.6 million or 49 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $59.3 million or 42 cents per share a year ago. Comparable same-stores sales rose 2.4%.

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation ((LPX)) fell 6.2% or 48 cents to $7.08 after the maker of pressed-wood panels was downgraded to “sell” from “neutral” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation ((LMT)) fell 1.4% or $1.14 to $76.51 after the defense company was downgraded to “conviction sell” from “neutral” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc ((MMC)) increased 2.7% or 59 cents to $21.93 after the insurance broker was upgraded to “outperform” from “market perform” at FBR Capital Markets.

The Mosaic Company ((MOS)) dropped 0.4% or 30 cents to $62.85 after the fertilizer producer said second quarter sales fell 43% to $1.71 billion from $3.01 billion a year ago. Net income in the quarter fell 89% to $107.8 million or 24 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $959.8 million or $2.15 per share a year ago.

Monsanto Company ((MON)) fell 2.8% or $2.33 to $85.27 after the seed maker reported first quarter sales fell 36% to $1.70 billion from $2.65 billion a year ago. Net loss in the quarter was $19 million or 3 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $556 million or $1.00 per share a year ago.

Robbins & Myers, Inc ((RBN)) dropped 4.3% or $1.11 to $24.20 after the supplier of engineered equipment and systems reported first quarter sales fell 27.3% to $129.4 million from $178 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter fell 65% to $6.0 million or 18 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $17.2 million or 50 cents per share a year ago.

RPM International Inc ((RPM)) climbed 3.8% or 80 cents to $21.49 after the provider of specialty chemical products reported second quarter sales fell 3.5% to $858.7 million from $890 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 34% to $55.9 million or 43 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $41.7 million or 33 cents per share a year ago.

Sonic Corp ((SONC)) fell 8.8% or 91 cents to $9.34 after the drive-in restaurant operator said first quarter revenues fell 26% to $136.5 million from $184.1 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter fell 13% to $6.2 million or 10 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $7.1 million or 12 cents per share a year ago.

Synnex Corporation ((SNX)) rose 0.8% or 28 cents to $32.09 after the business process services company said fourth quarter revenues rose 5% to $2.2 billion from $2.1 billion a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 15% to $30.3 million or 87 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $26.4 million or 80 cents per share a year ago.

Tenneco Inc ((TEN)) rose 3.0% or 62 cents to $20.88 after the maker of vehicle-exhaust systems was upgraded to “outperform” from “market perform” at Wells Fargo Securities.

UniFirst Corporation ((UNF)) added 2.8% or $1.51 to $49.98 after the provider of workplace uniforms reported first quarter revenues fell 2% to $256.2 million from $262.6 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter rose 25% to $23.6 million or $1.21 per diluted share compared to net income of $18.9 million or 97 cents per share a year ago.

Worthington Industries, Inc ((WOR)) surged 11.1% or $1.60 to $15.25 after the metal processor reported second quarter sales fell 40% to $448 million from $745.4 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter was $23.2 million or 29 cents per diluted share compared to net loss of $164.7 million or $2.09 per share a year ago.

Zep Inc ((ZEP)) increased 1.9% or 36 cents to $18.52 after the maintenance solutions provider said first quarter sales fell 2% to $126.8 million from $129.2 million a year ago. Net income in the quarter was $5.4 million or 25 cents per diluted share compared to net loss of $1.5 million or 7 cents per share a year ago.