William Blair

William Blair upgrades Family Dollar (NYSE ...

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- William Blair & Company today announced that Mike Balkin is returning to the firm as co-manager of the Small-Cap Growth strategy rejoining Karl Brewer, CFA, and Colin Williams, CFA, both principals and co-managers. Concurrently, both the institutional small-cap product and the William Blair Small-Cap Growth Fund will re-open to new investors. Michelle R. Seitz, CFA, head of Investment Management and a member of the firm's executive committee, made the announcement and said, "We are delighted to welcome Mike back to our firm and remain very positive about the long-term investment opportunities in the small-cap growth asset class. We believe it is an opportune time to re-open this strategy to new investors." Mr. Balkin joined William Blair & Company in 1990 and was one of the co-managers, along with Karl Brewer, of the Small-Cap Growth product since its inception in 1999. In 2005 ...

HARBIN, China, June 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harbin Electric, Inc., ("Harbin Electric" or the "Company", Nasdaq: HRBN), a market leader in customized linear motors, motor/controller automation systems, automobile specialty micro-motors, and other special motors, today announced that it has successfully placed 3,500,000 of its common stock at a price of $14.13 per share with certain institutional investors pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement dated June 24, 2008. The gross proceeds from this private placement amounts to $49,455,000. The funds are expected to be used by the Company for working capital and general corporate purposes, including the financing of the recently announced acquisition of an industrial rotary motor business. The Company expects to sign the definitive acquisition agreement within the next 10 business days and complete the acquisition as soon as practically possible. William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and ROTH Capital Partners, L.L.C. acted as the Company's placement agents. "We are ...

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of The Knot, Inc. (Nasdaq: KNOT) ($10.40), a leading life-stage media company providing relevant content and planning tools for to-be-weds, newlyweds, and expectant parents through its online and offline brands, with an Outperform rating and Aggressive Growth company profile. Associate Analyst Meggan Friedman and analyst Troy Mastin estimated that the company, whose brands include The Knot, WeddingChannel, The Nest, and The Nest Baby, would earn $0.22 per share in 2008 and $0.46 per share in 2009. "In addition to a strong competitive position and a comparatively economically insensitive and expansive ...

BOSTON, June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced winners of the 2008 Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Innovation Awards, honoring companies that have made the most innovative use of Microsoft-based solutions for breakthroughs in business processes and practices throughout the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO) Announced at the Drug Information Association's (DIA) 44th Annual Meeting, the awards were presented in the categories of discovery and product innovation, sales and marketing, and clinical development. "The companies recognized are examples of true innovators in their approaches to solving some of the major challenges facing the global life sciences industry," said Michael Naimoli, director of U.S. life sciences industry solutions at Microsoft. "Building on the Microsoft software platform, the winners demonstrated solutions that help streamline clinical trial and discovery processes and improve collaboration, bridging the gap between research, discovery and drug delivery." Award Winners ...