Morning Movers 2/18: MBIA Up On Municipal Bond Co Split; Deere (DE) Lower on Results/Lack of Guidance

February 18, 2009 10:04 AM EST

StreetInsider.com Morning Movers:

MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) 33% HIGHER; established a new U.S. public finance financial guarantee insurance company within the MBIA Inc. group by restructuring its principal insurance subsidiary, MBIA Insurance Corporation

La-Z-Boy Inc. (NYSE: LZB) 16% HIGHER; reports Q3 loss of $1.25, versus the analyst estimate of ($0.10). Revenue for the quarter was $288.6 million, versus the consensus of $325.48 million. Given the continued challenges of the business environment coupled with limited visibility as to when the economy will improve, the company believes it prudent to conserve cash and increase its financial flexibility. Accordingly, it made the decision to suspend the quarterly dividend to shareholders.

Meadowbrook Insurance (NYSE: MIG) 15% HIGHER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.21, 3 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.18. Re-affirms forecast.

CardioNet, Inc. (Nasdaq: BEAT) 13% HIGHER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.16, ex-NOLS, versus the analyst estimate of $0.15. Revenue for the quarter was $34.4 million, versus the consensus of $33.90 million.

SPSS (Nasdaq: SPSS) 12% LOWER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.58 adjusted, 13 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.45. Revenue for the quarter was $74.1 million, versus the consensus of $75.74 million. Spss sees Q1 EPS 37c to 51c versus consensus 46 cents. Sees Q1 revenue $68M-$74M versus consensus $72.85 million.

Rubicon Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: RBCN) 12% LOWER; reports Q4 loss of $0.09, 3 cents worse than the analyst estimate of ($0.06). Revenue for the quarter was $4 million, versus the consensus of $4.82 million. Sees Q1 sales of $2-$3 million, versus the consensus of $4.83 million.

Xyratex Ltd (Nasdaq: XRTX) 9% HIGHER; reports Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.02, versus the analyst estimate of ($0.24) and compared to $0.44 in the same quarter last year. Revenue for the quarter was $285.4 million, versus the consensus of $215.79 million.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) 8% LOWER; reports Q1 EPS of $0.20, 8 cents lower than the analyst estimate of $0.28. Revenue for the quarter was $1.17 billion, versus the consensus of $1.26 billion. Sees Q2 EPS roughly $0.20, versus the consensus of $0.34 and revs of about $1.17 billion, versus the consensus of $1.26 billion. Cutting 600 jobs.

American Medical Systems (Nasdaq: AMMD) 6.5% HIGHER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.20, 3 cents lower than the analyst estimate of $0.23. Revenue for the quarter was $134 million, versus the consensus of $132.56 million. Sees Q1 EPS of $0.15-$0.19, versus the consensus of $0.19 and FY09 EPS of $0.86-$0.99, versus the Street estimate of $0.76.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) 6% LOWER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.55, versus the analyst estimate of $1.05. Revenue for the quarter was $269.3 million, versus the consensus of $278.91 million. Sees Q1 sales of $105-$115 million, versus the consensus of $138.24 million, with a loss of $0.29-$0.36, versus the Street estimate of a $0.02 gain. Sees FY09 sales above $920 million, with EPS of $2.25. The Street is currently looking for FY09 sales of $960.09 million and EPS of $2.85.

Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOA) 6% HIGHER; reports Q4 adj-EPS of $0.12, versus the analyst estimate of $0.01. Revenue for the quarter was $429 million, versus the consensus of $588 million.

Nalco Holding Co. (NYSE: NLC) 6% HIGHER; Buffett shows new stake

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) 6% LOWER; Reports of mishap with stem cell transplant

StemCells Inc. (Nasdaq: STEM) 6% LOWER; Reports of mishap with stem cell transplant

Tidewater Inc. (NYSE: TDW) 6% LOWER; Goldman ads to Sell List

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) 5.6% LOWER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.73 adjusted, versus the analyst estimate of $0.74.

Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) 5% HIGHER; Friedman Billings upgrades

Nalco Holding (NYSE: NLC) 5% HIGHER; Buffett shows new 8,739,100 share stake in Nalco.

Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTIV) 5% HIGHER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.44, 5 cents better than estimates. Revenues were $282.9 million vs. $272.99 million consensus. Gentiva also announced that it has raised its outlook for fiscal 2009, which was previewed in the Company's third quarter earnings release issued October 30, 2008. Full-year net revenues are expected to be in a range of $1.14 billion to $1.18 billion, as compared to the preview of $1.12 billion to $1.17 billion. (Consensus is $1.15 billion). Diluted earnings per share is expected to be in a range between $1.72 and $1.80, up from the $1.62 to $1.72 range provided in October, based on an estimated 30.5 million average outstanding shares. (Consensus is $1.65).

Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) 4% LOWER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.03, compared to $1.48 in the same quarter last year. Sees FY09 EPS of $2.90-$3.20, versus the consensus of $2.83 EPS for FY10 are expected to be $3.05-$3.45. Announced quarterly dividend equivalent to $0.96 per share annually, reduced from $1.91 per share, resulting in annual cash savings of approximately $190 million

Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV) 4% LOWER; Suspends dividend

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) 3.7% HIGHER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.74, 6 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.68. Sees FY09 FFO $2.73 to $2.83 versus $2.80.

Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) 3.7% LOWER; reports Q4 earnings of $0.27 per share, above the consensus of $0.22. Revenues came in at $8.77 billion, versus the consensus of $8.64 billion. Comcast also raised their dividend 8% to $0.0675 per share quarterly.

Axsys Technologies (Nasdaq: AXYS) 3% LOWER; reports Q4 EPS of $0.59, 2 cents lower than the analyst estimate of $0.61. Revenue for the quarter was $63.9 million, versus the consensus of $62.11 million. Reaffirms FY09 outlook.

NYSE Euronext, Inc. (NYSE: NYX) 3% HIGHER; Goldman upgrades

Ford (NYSE: F) 3% HIGHER; seeing upside on the back of news that the UAW has reached a tentative agreements with Chrysler, Ford and GM (NYSE: GM).

Medifast Inc. (NYSE: MED) 2% HIGHER; Bounces after yesterday's 30% after defending itself against claims by Barry Minkow

Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) 2% LOWER; reports Q1 EPS of $0.48, below the consensus of $0.63. Revenues came in at $5.15 billion, versus the consensus of $4.64 billion. Deere's net income is expected to be about $1.5 billion for 2009, with more risk on the downside at this time. The company is suspending its practice of providing a quarterly net income forecast in light of highly uncertain conditions in the global economy, including volatility in foreign exchange rates.

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