Stocks Wrap Up Big Quarter
03/31/06 - 04:36 PM EST
Business software maker Cognos(COGN Quote) said fourth-quarter earnings fell 19% from a year ago to $44 million, or 48 cents a share, while revenue edged down to $253.1 million. The results beat estimates, and Cognos finished higher by 75 cents, or 2%, to $38.90.
Prudential downgraded Dow Chemical(DOW Quote) to neutral from overweight, citing lower demand. Shares lost 50 cents, or 1.2%, to $40.60. Friedman Billings raised T. Rowe Price(TROW Quote) to outperform, citing growth momentum. T. Rowe Price was higher by $3.89, or 5.2%, to close at $78.21. Elsewhere, Credit Suisse raised its price target for video game retailer GameStop(GME Quote) to $52 from $47. The stock tacked on 7 cents, or 0.2%, to $47.07. Overseas markets were mostly weaker, with London's FTSE 100 down 0.8% to 5964 and Germany's Xetra DAX losing 0.2% to 5970. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.1% overnight to 17,060, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.5% to 15,805.



