Last Week’s Top Stock Movers: Flags Flew, Floors Went Down
Filed under: Company News, Technology, Earnings, Industry News, Investing
Plenty of stocks go up and down in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets.
Let’s go over some of last week’s best and worst performers.
Regulus Therapeutics (RGLS) — Up 161 percent last week
Last week’s biggest winner was a biotech upstart that got welcome news on a potential hepatitis C treatment. Regulus Therapeutics is showing that patients receiving a single injection of its drug are reporting lower viral loads a month later. There are still plenty of regulatory hurdles to clear, but it’s certainly encouraging.
Select Comfort (SCSS) — Up 21 percent last week
Shares of Select Comfort moved higher after it announced blowout quarterly results. The company behind the Sleep Number air-chambered mattresses saw net sales and earnings per share climb 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
Select Comfort’s strong performance was fueled by an impressive 16 percent spike in comparable-store sales. The favorable momentum is going to linger: Select Comfort is boosting its guidance for the entire year.
Six Flags (SIX) — Up 16 percent last week
It was a summer of thrills at Six Flags. Shares of the regional amusement park operator rose like a coaster on a chain lift after it announced better-than-expected revenue growth. Revenue increased 7 percent on a combination of a slight uptick in attendance, higher admission prices, and guests spending more once inside the park.
The report was encouraging enough for Six Flags to boost its dividend. The stock is now yielding a hearty 5.3 percent.
Boulder Brands (BDBD) — Down 31 percent last week
Shares of Boulder Brands lost nearly a third of their value after the food company behind Smart Balance buttery spreads and EVOL frozen entrees warned of a soft holiday quarter. It now foresees net sales of $132 million to $137 million for the fourth quarter. We would be looking at a sequential dip from the third quarter’s $133.9 million if it ultimately clocks in at the low end of its range. Boulder Brands also sees an adjusted profit of 4 cents a share to 6 cents a share for the quarter. It had previously expected to earn at least 18 cents a share.
Boulder Brands was riding high as a play on the gluten-free trend. Its brands include Udi’s and Glutino, two providers of gluten-free foods. The bleaker outlook is leading some on Wall Street to wonder if the gluten-free fad has started to wane.
Angie’s List (ANGI) — Down 22 percent last week
Angie’s List has had a wild October. The stock soared earlier this month after London’s Financial Times reported that the online service referral specialist was in talks with investment bankers to put itself up for sale.
Now it’s going the other way after posting a wider quarterly loss than Wall Street was modeling. Wunderlich Securities and Needham downgraded Angie’s List following the report. Subscriber growth is slowing as Angie’s List competes with a growing number of outlets for free reviews of local service providers.
Lumber Liquidators (LL) — Down 17 percent last week
We’re not doing up our floors in stylish hardwood planks the way we used to, and Lumber Liquidators is feeling the pain. The chain of 350 stores that specialize in discounted wood flooring tumbled after posting a profit that fell short of analyst targets. This is the third quarter in a row that Lumber Liquidators has fallen short on the bottom line.
Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Lumber Liquidators. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. To read about our favorite high-yielding dividend stocks for any investor, check out our free report.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/10/27/last-week-top-stock-movers-Regulus-six-flags-lumber-liquidators/