NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Two biotechs who deal in stem cell research and development saw their regular day gains catapult in the after-hours. The stocks were active on news that the U.S. National Institutes of Health issued guidelines that allow government funding of research on stem cells.
After-the-bell quarterly earnings news also influenced investor interest. Narrower-than-expected losses helped boosts shares of e-business solutions provider Firepond and Linux leader VA Linux. Yet, a better-than-expected profit only served to set back shares of J.D. Edwards.
Meanwhile, IPO star of the day -- O2Micro International -- was still heavily active although nearly unchanging after its regular day 131 percent rise.
Wednesday's after-hours winners
StemCells Inc. (STEM: Research, Estimates) up 2-1/16 to 9-7/16. Aastrom Biosciences Inc. (ASTM: Research, Estimates) up 3/4 to 3-7/16. The shares of the two stem cell research companies built on their considerable gains in the regular day with heavy after-hours activity, following a U.S. National Institutes of Health report allowing government funding of research on stem cells derived from human embryos and fetal tissue.
Firepond (FIRE: Research, Estimates) up 4-3/8 to 24-1/4. The leading global provider of integrated e-business solutions for multi-channel selling reported after the bell Wednesday a third-quarter pro forma net loss -- including stock-based compensation expense and other non-recurring charges -- of $2.7 million, or 8 cents per share, compared with a loss of $8.7 million, or 32 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Total revenue increased to $17.3 million versus $8.7 million in the year-ago quarter. Analysts polled by First Call were expecting a loss of 14 cents a share.
VA Linux Systems (LNUX: Research, Estimates) up 3-5/8 to 40-3/4. The Linux leader reported after the bell Wednesday a fiscal fourth-quarter pro forma loss of $4.1 million, or 10 cents per share, compared with $7.9 million, or 34 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Five analysts surveyed by First Call expected VA Linux to post a loss of 15 cents for the quarter.
ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT: Research, Estimates) up 13/16 to 37-15/16. Shares of the telecommunications maker have been volatile since last Thursday's earnings news: fiscal third-quarter net income more than doubled on strong sales of its high-speed connection products; however, in the conference call that followed, company officials were slightly vague about their plans for further acquisitions. After slipping during the regular trading day, the stock was a good bargain after-hours.
Vicinity Corp. (VCNT: Research, Estimates) up 1 to 15. The Internet-based marketing-infrastructure-services provider reported after the bell Wednesday a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $15.4 million, or 1.08 per share, compared with a loss of $5.5 million, or $1.67 per share, in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue was $15.2 million, an increase of 136 percent from $6.4 million in the year-earlier quarter.
Multiple Zones International (MZON: Research, Estimates) up 2-7/8 to 6-3/4. The direct marketer of computer products and services said late Tuesday it has signed a multiyear agreement to be Microsoft's primary seller and distributor.
DoubleClick (DCLK: Research, Estimates) up 3/8 to 38-1/4. The Internet advertising company announced the addition of three new Web sites to its network: Cybergrrl, Atomz.com, and Programmers Heaven.
Visual Networks (VNWK: Research, Estimates) up 5/32 to 7. The Internet traffic management firm warned late Tuesday that third-quarter revenue will be half earlier projections and that losses will widen, hurt by its earlier acquisition of privately held Avesta Technologies. Following a regular day 37 percent slide, the stock was a bargain.
Wednesday's after-hours losers
J. D. Edwards (JDEC: Research, Estimates) down 4-1/2 to 19. The enterprise and supply chain software maker recorded a profit -- before amortization, restructuring and other one-time items -- of $2.3 million, or 2 cents a share, compared with a loss of $7.2 million, or 7 cents a share, for the same period one year ago. Analysts polled by First Call had expected a profit of a penny a share.
Crossroads Systems (CRDS: Research, Estimates) down 17/32 to 12-3/32. The company, which makes storage routers for storage area networks, has demonstrated server-free data-backup capabilities using its InfiniBand technology at the Intel Developer Forum. The stock slipped following considerable regular day gains.
Quokka Sports (QKKA: Research, Estimates) down 3/32 to 8-1/32. NBC agreed late Tuesday to take a more than 22 percent stake in the online provider of sports entertainment in a deal pegged at $140.8 million. The stock suffered a little profit taking following a regular day 20 percent rise.
Wednesday's after-hours newsmakers
Intuit (INTU: Research, Estimates) unchanged at 54-5/8. The maker of Quicken and TurboTax personal finance software reported a fourth-quarter loss from operations late Tuesday that was narrower than forecast, but profit rose 35 percent for the entire fiscal year.
O2Micro International (OIIM: Research, Estimates) up 1/8 to 20-7/8. Four million shares of O2Micro International -- which makes electronic devices used in computers made by such companies as Apple (AAPL: Research, Estimates), Compaq (CPQ: Research, Estimates), Dell (DELL: Research, Estimates) and IBM (IBM: Research, Estimates) -- were priced at $9 a share in its initial public offering Monday, at the high end of the company's estimated price range. The stock surged 131 percent by the close of regular trading.
DSL.net (DSLN: Research, Estimates) up 1/16 to 8-25/32. DSL.net's stock price more than doubled Tuesday and continued to surge Wednesday on news that the digital subscriber line (DSL) company will become a bandwidth provider to IBM (IBM: Research, Estimates), offering DSL access and services to IBM's small-business customers. 
-- compiled by Antoinette Coulton, Mark Gongloff and Alexandra Twin from staff and wire reports
|
