Here is today’s summary of U.S. financial market activities – Losers, Winners, Advances, Declines.
Stock Market Headline
Today, stocks ended at their highest levels in five years with the Dow (DJIA) ending above 14,000. The last time the Dow passed this level was on its way down at the beginning of the 2007-2010 financial crises.
Today’s rally was largely due to better than expected nonfarm payroll numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payroll increased by 157,000 in January, with the unemployment rate virtually unchanged at 7.9%.
Most Active Stocks – Top Gainers By Percentage (NYSE & NASDAQ)
- Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (BBW) was the highest gainer across NYSE and Nasdaq traded stocks. The stock is soaring today as the company announced “unaudited” Q4 financial numbers which showed an improved financial and operational picture. As reported by the company’s management: "consolidated comparable store sales are expected to decline 1.7%, representing a marked improvement from the 11.1% decline in third quarter fiscal 2012".
- BBW also announced that "e-commerce sales are expected to increase 14.0%, excluding the impact of foreign exchange”. Formed in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is the only international firm providing a “make your own stuffed animal” interactive retail-entertainment experience.
- Zoetis (ZTS) was the next highest advancer across the NYSE and Nasdaq today. The company’s stock price surged 19.27%. As reported by StreetInsider, “Bloomberg notes that Pfizer's animal health spin-off, Zoetis will unload 86.1 million shares today with an expected range of $22 to $25 apiece. That gives Zoetis an initial market cap of $11.8 billion at the midpoint. Zoetis would be the largest, publicly-traded animal health-focused company, competing with the likes of Sanofi-Aventis, Lilly, and Merck”.
Most Active Stocks – Top Losers By Percentage (NYSE & NASDAQ)
- Shares of Brightcove, Inc. (BCOV) plunged today after the company reported disappointing earnings guidance. On Thursday, the stock closed at $8.42 a share. On Friday, it started trading at $7.12 a share. By the end of trading, it was down to $6.11, a 27.43% decline from yesterday’s closing price.
- The firm also announced that its CEO, Jeremy Allaire, was stepping down effective immediately.
- Life Time Fitness (LTM) was the next highest decliner. The stock declined on disappointing Q4 forecast. As reported by Bloomberg news, "Life Time Fitness fell the most since its market debut in 2004 after the sports-center operator forecast annual sales and profit that trailed analysts’ estimates amid expenses for opening new locations".
Financial Market Data powered by Quotemedia.com. All rights reserved. Quote data delayed 15 minutes unless otherwise indicated. View the Terms of Use. Data was also obtained from The Wall Street Journal
