Health Stocks in Motion

Updated from 3:29 p.m. EDT

Shares of Decode Genetics(DCGN Quote) were among the best-performing health and pharmaceutical stocks Friday after the company appointed a new auditor.

Deloitte & Touche will act as Decode's independent auditor, effective immediately. In August, PricewaterhouseCoopers resigned after an eight-year stint as the company's auditor. The resignation sent shares down almost 10%, to $5.70. On Friday shares of Decode Genetics traded up 74 cents, or 11.9%, to $6.98.

Safeguard Scientifics(SFE Quote) rose after its shareholders approved the sale of CompuCom Systems(CMPC Quote). Safeguard, which holds 51% voting power in the entity, said that it would receive about $128 million in gross cash proceeds from the sale of CompuCom. The transaction is expected to close at the end of third quarter. Shares of Safeguard Scientifics traded up 18 cents, or 9.1%, to $2.17.

Shares of ID Biomedical(IDBE Quote) rose after the company received regulatory approval from Health Canada to begin marketing its flu vaccine. The biotechnology company expects to ship 7 million to 8 million doses of its Fluviral vaccine this year as part of Canada's vaccination program. ID Biomedical already serves some 75% of the Canadian public market. Shares traded up 67 cents, or 5.4%, to $13.03.

Despite posting a 47% drop in fourth-quarter income, shares of Compex Technologies(CMPX Quote) rose Friday. Sales of $22.7 million, meanwhile, were 14% higher than a year ago when the company posted revenue of $19.8 million. Looking ahead, Compex said that it expects to post 2005 earnings of 28 cents to 32 cents a share on sales of $94 million to $100 million. Shares of Compex Technologies traded up 25 cents, or 4.4%, to $6.