Ethan Allen Warns Of Slow Sales

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) warned of slowing sales as consumers tighten their spending. Shares of the furniture retailer tumbled $1.60 to close at $33.75.

Royal Caribbean To Acquire Pullmantur

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) will acquire Spanish cruise company Pullmantur SA to expand its European and Latin American lines. Shares of the world's second largest cruise operator surged $2.66 to close at $36.48.

Earnings Rise For NCI Building

Earnings rose to $1 per share from 70 cents per share last year for NCI Building Systems Inc. (NCS), beating expectations. The stock price jumped $5.04 to close at $54.34.

Valassis Wants End To Merger With Advo

Valassis Communications Inc. (VCI) sued to end its $1.3 billion merger with Advo Inc. (AD) alleging that Advo misrepresented its financial health. Shares of Valassis tumbled $1.29 to close at $19.72 while Advo stock plummeted $8.21 to close at $28.59.

Joseph A. Bank Sales Tumble

August same store sales for Joseph A. Bank Clothiers Inc. (JOSB) tumbled 6.1% prompting a downgrade. Shares of the men's upscale retailer plunged $4.56 to close at $23.93.

Sales Surge For Gymboree

Gymboree Corp. (GYMB) lifted its third quarter outlook after reporting a healthy same store sales gain of 17% in August. Shares of the children's retailer climbed $2.02 to close at $33.55.

Cabot Price Target Lifted

Jefferies & Co. analyst David C. Adams lifted his price target for Cabot Oil & Gas after the company announced plans to sell its offshore and south Louisiana assets to Phoenix Exploration Co. for $340 million. The stock price tumbled $2.20 to close at $51.30.

VA Software Reverses Losses

While VA Software Corp. (LNUX) reversed losses with fourth quarter earnings of a penny per share compared with losses of 2 cents per share last year, revenue missed target sending shares of the software maker down 75 cents to close at $3.78.

Versant Swings To Profit

Versant Corp. (VSNT) swung to a third quarter profit of 28 cents per share compared with losses of $4.04 per share in the year ago period. The data management software company lifted its full year outlook sending the stock price surging $2.22 to close at $8.40.

Exelon's Acquisition Of Public Service In Jeopardy

Exelon Corp.'s (EXC) $18.5 billion acquisition of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PEG) may be in jeopardy as New Jersey regulators have yet to approve the deal. Shares of Exelon edged down 18 cents to close at $60.12 while Public Service stock tumbled $2.32 to close at $68.58.

Emulex To Buy Sierra Logic

Emulex Corp. (ELX) will acquire privately held Sierra Logic in a deal worth nearly $180 million sending shares of the storage networking solutions company up $1.15 to close at $17.35.

Micros Systems Upgraded

Micros Systems Inc. (MCRS) reported impressive fourth quarter earnings prompting an analyst to upgrade the stock. The stock price surged $7.95 to close at $46.41.

Kinetic Concepts To Repurchase Stock

Kinetic Concepts Inc. (KCI) will repurchase up to $200 million of common stock. The stock price gained $1.65 to close at $31.46.

Jackson Hewitt Downgraded

Concerned that Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.'s (JTX) earnings may disappoint, Credit Suisse downgraded the tax preparation firm sending the stock price tumbling $2.10 to close at $32.75.

EBay And Google Enter Advertising Agreement

Ebay Inc. (EBAY) stock rose $1.38 to close at $27.17 after announcing an advertising deal with Google Inc. (GOOG), whose shares lost $2.00 to close at $378.95.

Sanderson Beats Expectations

Third quarter earnings plunged to 16 cents per share from $1.19 per share for Sanderson Farms (SAFM) as expenses rose, but the results beat expectations sending shares of the poultry processor surging $3.43 to close at $29.53.

SGX Halts Clinical Trial

SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SGXP) halted a clinical trial for its leukemia drug Troxatyl sending the stock price plunging $1.89 to close at $2.71.

Positive Results For ViroPharma Drug Trial

ViroPharma Inc. (VPHM) reported positive results for its early stage trial of HCV-796, a hepatitis C treatment. The stock price surged $1.44 to close at $12.61.

Delek Wants Stake In Phoenix Holdings

Delek U. S. Holdings Inc. (DK) offered $48.7 million for a 28.5% stake in Phoenix Holdings. Delek stock dropped $1.16 to close at $20.46.

Woodside Makes Offer For Energy Partners

Energy Partners Ltd. (EPL) is reviewing an unsolicited acquisition offer from Woodside Petroleum Ltd. Woodside's offer is valid only if Energy Partners shareholders vote against its acquisition of Stone Energy Corp. (SGY). Shares of Energy Partners soared $5.74 to close at $24.14 while Stone Energy stock plunged $3.24 to close at $44.35.

Gtech Replaced By Charming Shoppes

Standard & Poor's will replace Gtech Holdings Corp. (GTK) with Charming Shoppes Inc. (CHRS) on its S&P MidCap 400 index. Shares of Charming Shoppes surged $1.22 to close at $13.06 while Gtech stock edged up 2 cents to close at $34.90.

Epix Appeal Denied

The FDA turned down an appeal by biotech drug maker Epix Pharmaceuticals (EPIXD) to approve its blood imaging agent. The stock price fell 93 cents to close at $6.28.

Corel Buys InterVideo

InterVideo Inc. (IVII) was snapped up Corel Corp. (CREL) for $196 million in cash sending shares of InterVideo surging $3.05 to close at $12.65. Corel stock edged up 16 cents to close at $10.04.

Kinder Morgan Acquired

Natural-gas pipeline operator Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) was acquired by a management-led investment group in a $15 billion cash deal with the assumption of $7 billion in debt. The stock price climbed $2.57 to close at $104.27.

Newfield Upgraded

Merrill Lynch analyst John Herrlin upgraded Newfield Exploration Co. (NFX) in anticipation of rising demand for gas. The stock price surged $2.05 to close at $45.07.

Centene's Medicaid Contract Ends

Centene Corp.'s (CNC) Medicaid contract with Kansas state will end on December 31. Shares of the healthcare company tumbled $1.38 to close at $16.51.

Hoku To Build Plant

Hoku Scientific Inc. (HOKU) announced plans to build a polysilicon production plant. The stock price jumped $1.24 to close at $4.68.

Ansoft Reports Impressive Results

Ansoft Corp. (ANST) reported first quarter earnings that nearly doubled to 9 cents per share from 5 cents per share in the year ago period prompting the maker of electronics development software to raise its fiscal 2007 guidance. The stock price surged $3.11 to close at $23.38.

Education Realty Lowers Outlook

Education Realty Trust Inc. (EDR) lowered its outlook for the rest of the year due to costs and higher interest rates. The stock price tumbled 98 cents to close at
$14.01.

Corcept's Drug Test Fails

Corcept Therapeutics Inc. (CORT) announced a failed late-stage trial for its depression drug treatment sending the stock price plummeting $1.96 to close at $1.54.

Dell Discontinues Ditty Player

SanDisk Corp. (SNDK) stock got a boost after Dell Inc. (DELL) announced that it will no longer sell its Ditty MP3 players which compete against a SanDisk product. Shares of SanDisk climbed $2.36 to close at $53.01 while Dell stock edged up 14 cents to close at $21.78.

EBay Downgraded

EBay Inc. (EBAY) was downgraded when a fee increase led to a mass exodus of its online stores. Shares of the online marketplace tumbled $1.22 to close at $25.78.

Slow Sales For Chico's

Chico's FAS Inc. (CHS) reported slowing sales and warned of earnings pressure due to costs and merchandising. The stock price plummeted $6.13 to close at $17.95.

Rite Aid Will Acquire Eckerd Chain

Rite Aid Corp. announced plans to acquire the U.S. Eckerd and Brooks operations of Canada's Jean Coutu Group Inc. for about $2.55 billion in cash and stock. Shares of the nation's third largest drugstore retailer chain eased 32 cents to close at $4.36.

Earnings Rise For Coldwater Creek

Coldwater Creek Inc. (CWTR) posted earnings that doubled and raised its outlook for high-end women's clothing sales sending the stock price up $1.94 to close at $27.07.

Apple Settles Patent Dispute

Creative Technology Ltd. (CREAF) enjoyed a bounce after settling a patent dispute with Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL). Shares of Creative surged 89 cents to close at $6.90 while Apple stock rose 50 cents to close at $67.81.

Sales Rise For Wendy's

New menu items boosted same-store sales for Wendy's International Inc. (WEN) in both June and July sending the stock price up $1.76 to close at $63.46.

Dress Barn Downgraded

Weak sales prompted Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. analyst Erin Moloney to downgrade Dress Barn Inc. (DBRN). The stock price fell $1.71 to close at $18.41.

Project Delay For Esco

An Esco Technologies Inc. (ESE) client postponed a project for at least a year sending the stock price plunging $5.14 to close at $52.50.

Pres., COO and CFO Of Digene Leaves

Charles M. Fleischman, co-founder of Digene Corp. (DIGE), resigned his positions as president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. The stock price plunged $4.75 to close at $42.68.

IBM To Buy Internet Security

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) will acquire Internet Security Systems Inc. (ISSX) in $1.3 billion cash deal. Shares of IBM eased 28 cents to close at $78.67 while Internet Security stock surged $1.62 to close at $27.62.

Court Stays Rambus-Hynix Trial

A court conditionally stayed the final stage of a patent-infringement battle between Rambus Inc. (RMBS) and Hynix, a maker of memory chips. Shares of Rambus climbed $1.98 to close at $13.19.

Public Storage Completes Acquisition

Public Storage Inc. (PSA) completed its acquisition of rival Shurgard Storage. The stock price dropped $2.60 to close at $85.50.

FDA Approves Timing Feature

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new programmable feature for St. Jude Medical Inc.'s (STJ) implantable heart devices. However, the stock price tumbled $1.18 to close at $35.77.

Delta Petroleum Sells Fields

Delta Petroleum Corp. (DPTR) sold two fields for $31.3 million sending the stock price up $2.06 to close at $19.99.

Candela Misses

Candela Corp. (CLZR) posted lower earnings and revenues and faced substantial lawsuit costs. The stock price plummeted $4.16 to close at $10.33.

XM Satellite Upgraded

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (XMSR) was upgraded by analysts which lifted the stock price $2.28 to close at $13.52.

Toll Bros. Beats Expectations

Luxury home builder Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL) posted lower profits and revenues, but beat expectations sending the stock price up 43 cents to close at $25.20.

Profit Drops For Kensey Nash

Kensey Nash Corp. (KNSY) reported a 4th quarter profit decline as operating costs and expenses rose. The stock price plunged $2.88 to close at $26.72.

Strong Results For OraLabs

OraLabs Holding Corp. (OLAB) posted strong 2nd quarter results on sharply higher revenues due to high demand for its breath freshening products. Shares of the oral and lip care products company surged $3.31 to close at $6.63.

Pilgrim's Pride To Acquire Gold Kist

Gold Kist Inc. (GKIS) announced that it would be acquired by chicken processor Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (PPC) for $20 a share. Gold Kist stock jumped $6.09 to close at $19.02 while shares of Pilgrim's Pride climbed $1.32 to close at $24.97.

Ford Slashes Production

Ford Motor Co. (F) announced plans to halt production at 10 assembly plants between now and the end of the year. Shares of the nation's second largest automaker eased 40 cents to $7.60.

Lowe's Lowers Outlook

Lowe's Companies (LOW) posted higher earnings, but lowered its outlook for the rest of the year due to higher energy costs and falling home sales. Shares of the home repair retailer tumbled $1.16 to $28.36.

Dollar General Cuts Forecast

Dollar General Corp. (DG) cut its second quarter earnings forecast over lower margins. The stock price dropped $1.37 to $12.72.

Earnings Rise For Aeropostale

Increased sales lifted second quarter earnings for Aeropostale Inc. (ARO) to 16 cents per share from 13 cents per share last year. Shares of the teen apparel retailer jumped $3.06 to close at $26.00.

Foot Locker Hires Advisory Firm

Although earnings plunged for Foot Locker Inc. (FL) to 9 cents per share from 28 cents per share in the year ago period due to charges, the results met expectations. The athletic footwear retailer retained the services of restructuring services firm Evercore Partners. The stock price climbed $1.99 to close at $24.78.

Altria Up On Ruling

While a federal judge ruled that cigarette companies deceived the public about smoking hazards, she rejected fines against tobacco companies sending shares of Altria Group Inc. (MO) soaring $3.22 to close at $83.97.

Microsoft Increases Buyback Programs

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) increased its stock repurchase program to buyback up to $36.2 billion worth of stock by June 30, 2011. The stock price rose $1.09 to close at $25.79.

Dell's Earnings Plunge

Dell Inc. (DELL) reported earnings that plunged to 22 cents per share from 41 cents per share last year. The computer maker also announced that regulators were reviewing its accounting practices. The stock price dropped 64 cents to close at $22.16.

Bebe's Earnings Rise

Bebe Stores Inc. (BEBE) reported fourth quarter earnings that rose to 24 cents per share from 21 cents per share in the year ago period and raised guidance for the rest of the year sending shares of the women's apparel retailer soaring $3.76 to close at $22.21.

Income Surges For Men's Wearhouse

Income surged to 65 cents per share from 43 cents per share last year for Men's Wearhouse Inc. (MW) as production costs declined. The stock price soared $3.21 to close at $37.93.

Profits Rise For Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) posted higher profits as cost-cutting offset lagging sales. Shares of the nation's largest bookseller rose $1.91 to close at $37.26.

Salesforce.com Narrows Losses

Salesforce.com Inc. (CRM) posted a smaller loss along with sharply higher revenues sending the stock price soaring $5.38 to close at $33.70.

HP Beats Estimates

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) posted earnings that beat estimates and raised its guidance for the year while authorizing a $6 billion stock buyback. The stock price rose 72 cents to close at $35.15.

Citi Trends Lowers Outlook

Citi Trends (CTRN) which markets youth-oriented fashions posted higher profits, but lowered its outlook for the rest of the year. The stock price plunged $1.10 to close at $31.24.

Revenue Drops For Sears

Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) posted better than expected earnings while overall revenues fell as the owner of Sears and Kmart shut down underperforming stores. The stock price tumbled $8.71 to close at $141.29.

Qualcomm Recommended By Merrill Lynch

Merill Lynch added Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) to its Focus 1 list of recommended stocks. The stock price gained $2.38 to close at $37.83.

Mills Fires President

Mills Corp. (MLS) fired president Mark Ettenger. No explanation for the termination was provided. Shares of the real estate investment trust plunged $3.20 to close at $12.94.

Xilinx Finds No Fraud

Xilinx Inc. (XLNX) completed its internal review and concluded that there was no evidence of stock option fraud sending shares of the programmable chip maker soaring $2.06 to close at $22.71.

Earnings Rise For Tween Brands

Although Tween Brands Inc. (TWB) met expectations with second quarter earnings that grew to 18 cents per share from 12 cents per share last year, investors were disappointed that the tween retailer did not lift its full year forecast. The stock price tumbled $2.02 to close at $36.00.

Daktronics Disappoints

Daktronics Inc. (DAKT) fell four cents short of expectations to report first quarter earnings of 12 cents per share compared with 11 cents per share in the year ago period. The stock price of one of the world's largest suppliers of electronic scoreboards plummeted $8.57 to $22.40.

Abercrombie Profit Climbs

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) posted higher profits on strong sales of its surfer-related clothes. The stock price surged $6.97 to $62.49.

Chiquita Beats Expectations

Although second quarter income for Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB) dropped to 54 cents per share from $1.36 per share last year, the results beat expectations prompting an upgrade. The stock price surged $2.54 to $15.94.

Icagen Slashes Trial Enrollment

Icagen Inc. (ICGN) slashed the enrollment in a key study of its sickle cell anemia treatment ICA-17043 by nearly one-half sending shares of the biopharmaceutical plummeting $3.13 to $1.11.

Career Education Swings To Loss

Career Education Corp. (CECO) swung to a second quarter loss of 49 cents per share compared with earnings of 50 cents per share in the year ago period. Shares of the for profit educator plummeted $7.43 to $20.15.

Weak Outlook For Eclipsys

Although Eclipsys Corp. (ECLP) reversed losses to report earnings of 2 cents per share compared with losses of 5 cents per share a year earlier, soft sales and a weak outlook weighed down the healthcare information technology company. The stock price plummeted $4.88 to close at $14.74.

Bebe Sales Rise

July sales for Bebe Stores Inc. (BEBE) surged 10% lifting the stock price $2.02 to close at $17.61.

Visteon May Sell Itself

News that Visteon Corp. (VC) hired J. P. Morgan to explore a possible sale of the company sent shares of the auto parts maker surging $1.92 to close at $8.75.

Medtronic Warns Of Shortfall

Medtronic Inc. (MDT) warned that first quarter results will fall short of expectations sending the stock price tumbling $6.61 to close at $44.32.

OfficeMax Reverses Losses

OfficeMax Inc. (OMX) reversed losses to report second quarter earnings of 35 cents per share compared with losses of 28 cents per share in the year ago period. The stock price surged $5.10 to close at $44.42.

MRO To Be Bought By IBM

MRO Software Inc. (MROI) will be purchased for $740 million by International Business Machines Corp. (IBM). Shares of MRO leaped $3.86 to close at $25.46 while IBM stock edged up a penny to close at $76.33.

Electronic Arts Widens Losses

Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS) widened first quarter losses to 26 cents per share from losses of 19 cents per share last year as sales dropped. However, the results beat expectations sending shares of the world's largest vdeo game publisher soaring $3.79 to $50.31.

Court Allows Generic Wellbutrin

A U. S. District Court ruling that allows Anchen Pharmaceutical Inc. to manufacture a generic version of Biovail Corp.'s (BVF) depression drug Wellbutrin XL sent shares of Biovail plunging $4.45 to $16.50.

CheckFree Falls Short

Although CheckFree Corp. (CKFR) reported fourth quarter earnings that nearly tripled to 31 cents per share from 13 cents per share in the year ago period, the results fell 2 cents short of expectations. Shares of the online payment services provider plummeted $6.81 to $36.32.

Hot Topic Warns Of Losses

Hot Topic Inc. (HOTT) warned of losses following a sharp drop in sales. Shares of the teen retailer plunged $2.48 to $12.22.

United Therapeutics' Income Falls

Shares of United Therapeutics Corp. (UTHR) plummeted $6.91 to close at $52.40 after reporting third quarter income that dropped to 30 cents per share from 49 cents per share in the year ago period. The biotechnology firm also announced the departure of chief financial officer Fred Hadeed.

Tagging System Approved

Department of Agriculture approved a livestock tagging system developed by Digital Angel Corp. Applied Digital Solutions Inc. (ADSX) owns majority stake in Digital Angel. Shares of Applied Digital surged 40 cents to close at $1.88.

Oshkosh Truck Raises Forecast

Oshkosh Truck Corp. (OSK) beat expectations by 5 cents to report third quarter earnings of 72 cents per share compared with 52 cents per share last year. The impressive results prompted the truck manufacturer to lift its full year forecast sending the stock price surging $3.51 to close at $46.39.

Affymetrix Swings To Loss

Affymetrix Inc. (AFFX) swung to a second quarter loss of 15 cents per share compared with earnings of 12 cents per share in the year ago period. The stock price dropped $2.09 to close at $19.48.

Whole Foods' Sales Miss

While earnings for Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI) beat expectations by three cents, sales fell short of expectations. The stock price plunged $6.76 to close at $50.75.