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Stocks in Motion: ManTech

Mark Martinez

Shares of ManTech(MANT Quote - Cramer on MANT - Stock Picks) were among the Nasdaq's winners Friday, rising 13.1% after the defense contractor posted in-line fourth-quarter earnings but said that first-quarter earnings would be better than expected.

The company earned $10.7 million, or 33 cents a share, on sales of $229.8 million during the fourth quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of 33 cents a share on sales of $226.2 million. A year ago, the company earned $10.1 million, or 31 cents a share, on sales of $194.8 million. Looking ahead, ManTech forecast first-quarter earnings of 38 cents to 40 cents a share on sales of $214 million to $218 million. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 31 cents a share on sales of $227.7 million. For all of 2005, the company expects earnings of $1.40 to $1.50 a share on sales of $930 million to $950 million. Analysts are expecting earnings of $1.35 a share on sales of $938.3 million. Shares traded up $2.65 to $22.92.

Featherlite(FTHR Quote - Cramer on FTHR - Stock Picks) rose 23.9% after the maker of trailers and luxury motorcoaches posted solid fourth-quarter results. The company earned $1.2 million, or 16 cents a share, on sales of $56.6 million. The one-analyst estimate called for earnings of 7 cents a share on sales of $49.4 million. A year ago, the company earned $16,000 on sales of $45.2 million. Looking ahead, Featherlite said it remains "cautiously optimistic" and expects strong first-quarter sales. Shares traded up $1.21 to $6.27.

Shares of Kohl's(KSS Quote - Cramer on KSS - Stock Picks) rose 4.1% after the retailer posted fourth-quarter earnings that were better than expected. The company earned $324.9 million, or 94 cents a share, on sales of $4.08 billion. Analysts were expecting earnings of 93 cents a share on sales of $4.1 billion. A year ago, the company earned $244.8 million, or 71 cents a share, on sales of $3.56 billion. For the full year, the company earned $730.4 million, or $2.12 a share, on sales of $11.7 billion, which compares with earnings of $580.9 million, or $1.69 a share, on sales of $10.28 billion a year ago. Shares traded up $1.90 to $47.80.

Heidrick & Struggles(HSII Quote - Cramer on HSII - Stock Picks) rose 4.5% after the executive search and consulting firm posted solid fourth-quarter results. The company earned $9 million, or 44 cents a share, on sales of $98.7 million. The company said that it benefited from a lower-than-expected tax rate, which contributed 13 cents a share in earnings. Without the tax benefit, the company would have earned 31 cents a share during the quarter. Analysts were expecting earnings of 18 cents a share on sales of $92.5 million. Looking ahead, Heidrick & Struggles forecast first-quarter earnings of 25 cents to 30 cents a share on sales of $93 million to $98 million. Analysts are expecting earnings of 30 cents a share on sales of $95.8 million. Shares traded up $1.52 to $35.15.

Shares of Westwood One(WON Quote - Cramer on WON - Stock Picks) fell 8.5% after the radio programming company posted fourth-quarter earnings that fell below expectations. The company earned $29.6 million, or 31 cents a share, on sales of $151.6 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of 33 cents a share on sales of $153.1 million. A year ago, the company earned $31.1 million, or 31 cents a share, on sales of $146.1 million. Looking ahead, Westwood One expects 2005 earnings before depreciation and amortization to grow by a midsingle-digit percentage. The company expects sales growth of low-to-midsingle digits. Analysts are expecting 2005 earnings of $1.13 a share on sales of $582.1 million, or sales growth of about 4%. Shares traded down $2.02 to $21.71.

NYSE volume leaders included ExxonMobil(XOM Quote - Cramer on XOM - Stock Picks), up $2.13 to $63.26; Time Warner(TWX Quote - Cramer on TWX - Stock Picks), down 24 cents to $17.14; Lucent (LU Quote - Cramer on LU - Stock Picks), down 5 cents to $3.14; Pfizer (PFE Quote - Cramer on PFE - Stock Picks), up 46 cents to $26.86; Nortel(NT Quote - Cramer on NT - Stock Picks), down 3 cents to $2.81; and Qwest(Q Quote - Cramer on Q - Stock Picks), down 34 cents to $3.86.

Nasdaq volume leaders included Sirius Satellite Radio(SIRI Quote - Cramer on SIRI - Stock Picks), down 43 cents to $5.15; Intel (INTC Quote - Cramer on INTC - Stock Picks), up 39 cents to $24.09; Microsoft(MSFT Quote - Cramer on MSFT - Stock Picks), down 12 cents to $25.25; Cisco(CSCO Quote - Cramer on CSCO - Stock Picks), up 2 cents to $17.20; Sun Microsystems(SUNW Quote - Cramer on SUNW - Stock Picks), down 4 cents to $4.18; Applied Materials(AMAT Quote - Cramer on AMAT - Stock Picks), up 34 cents to $17.92; and MCI(MCIP Quote - Cramer on MCIP - Stock Picks), down 21 cents to $22.60.