Bank of America, POT, IPI, SVU, BWEN, AMLN, ANN, CTRN Popular Stocks
U.S. stocks trade mixed Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 11 points to 10623, the S&P 500 jumped less than one point to 1151 but the Nasdaq Composite slid less than one point to 2368.
Bank of America (NYSE:BAC, $17.01, -$0.11, -0.64%) has completed nearly 21,000 mortgage modifications under the federal government’s Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), according to the bank’s latest monthly progress report to the Department of Treasury.
Shares in Canada’s potash (NYSE:POT, $126.18, +$9.25, 7.91%) companies soared on Friday after the country’s biggest producer forecast a record quarter for North American sales volume. Earnings will be $1.30 to $1.50 a share, higher than a January forecast of as much as $1, the company said in a statement yesterday after the close of regular trading and Intrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI, $31.74, +$3.32, 11.68%) also gained.
Shares of Supervalu Inc (NYSE:SVU, $16.99, +$0.92, 5.72%) gained as much as 11 percent in heavy trading Friday morning as rumors circulated that the supermarket operator could be poised for a leveraged buyout. “The rumor making the rounds is that Supervalu could be the target of a leveraged buyout. Rumor is they could fetch $22.50 a share.”
Broadwind Energy Inc.’s (NASDAQ:BWEN, $4.53, -$1.15, -20.25%) reported fourth-quarter loss widened sharply, hurt primarily by lower revenues and a significant rise in goodwill and intangible impairment charges. For the fourth quarter, the Naperville, Illinois-based company’s net loss was $92.60 million or $0.96 per share as compared with a loss of $12.37 million or $0.13 per share in the prior-year period.
Shares of Amylin Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLN, $20.70, -$0.49, -2.31%) fell after that US FDA releases inspection report ahead of an expected decision on the company’s key drug.
Women’s clothing retailer, AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (NYSE:ANN, $19.08, -$0.37, -1.90%) posted surprise profit in its fiscal fourth quarter as it recorded reduced expenses and lower charges. The retailer posted fourth-quarter net income of $41 thousand or breakeven per share, compared to a net loss of $375.61 million or $6.66 per share in the same quarter last year.
Clothing retailer, Citi Trends Inc.’s (NASDAQ:CTRN, $30.71, +$0.77, 2.57%) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 12% on continued sales growth. Earnings rose 12 percent to $11.3 million, or 78 cents per share, for the three months ended Jan. 30 compared with $10.1 million, or 69 cents per share, a year earlier.