Revisiting Some Fast Movers

Editor's Note: This was originally published as an alert at 8:55 a.m. EST on Dec. 15 to subscribers of TheStreet.com's Stocks Under $10. The stock prices and returns have been updated to reflect today's levels.

It has been one week since we put together a basket of low-dollar stocks that we believed could soar into year-end. We want to give you readers an update on how those stocks have performed and what action we would be taking here if we had added the stocks to our model portfolio. (We didn't take action, because we had 16 positions at the time.)

Here is how the five stocks have done since we wrote on them last Wednesday:

StemCells (STEM) has climbed 10% to $3.28.

Aphton (APHT) is 10 cents lower at $3.12.

E-Loan (EELN) has climbed 20% to a recent $3.41.

Tut Systems (TUTS) is up more than 9% at $4.09.

OpenTV (OPTV), a model portfolio stock, has stayed about even.

If you bought one share of each stock, you would be up 6% on your investment. As we noted in an alert last Friday afternoon, we would urge readers to be prudent and take some gains off the table when the opportunity presents itself.

We already suggested moving out of some E-Loan for a 27% gain, and would take more off the table into today's strength. The 17% gain last Wednesday was driven by news that Capital One (COF) is making yet another acquisition in the online mortgage space. As we said initially, E-Loan is still cheap relative to the recent takeout prices, and the stock could trade closer to $4.50 a share before this run is over.

While it may seem counterintuitive to sell speculative, volatile stocks like these into the first round of strength, look no further than our biotech pick Aphton for validation of this method. We suggested trimming positions in this name on Dec. 10, when the stock was closer to $3.90 a share. The stock has pulled all the way back since then, but the risk to performance was reduced with the smaller position.

We continue to believe catalysts loom for interactive TV play OpenTV, digital video enabler Tut Systems and regenerative stem-cell play StemCells. We would continue holding these names, because investors still feel the need to chase small-cap stocks.

P.S. Remember, stocks priced under $10 have the potential to move quickly. So, you might want to get our current recommendations now with a free trial to TheStreet.com Stocks Under $10.

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