Stocks in Motion: SunOpta

Updated from 11:41 a.m.

Shares of SunOpta(STKL Quote) were among the Nasdaq's losers Wednesday, falling 12.4% even though the distributor of organic food products posted in-line fourth-quarter earnings and forecast better-than-expected 2005 sales.

Excluding items, the company earned 6 cents a share on sales of $82.7 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of 6 cents a share on sales of $80.9 million. A year ago the company earned $3.2 million, or 6 cents a share, on sales of $54.7 million. Looking ahead, SunOpta forecast 2005 sales of $385 million. Analysts had been expecting sales of $366.2 million. SunOpta said its 2005 results would be helped by internal growth of 15% to 17% and by acquisitions that occurred during 2004. Shares traded down 86 cents to $6.09.

Fleetwood Enterprises(FLE Quote) rose 9.3% after the company announced the resignation of its CEO Edward Caudill. Elden Smith, who retired from the company in 1997, will replace Caudill. Smith previously served as senior vice president of Fleetwood's RV group. Caudill's departure comes less than a week after Fleetwood posted miserable third-quarter results and warned that it wouldn't be profitable during the fourth quarter. Shares traded up 83 cents to $9.74.

Shares of Blockbuster(BBI Quote) rose 8.3% after the company posted fourth-quarter results that were better than expected. Excluding items, the company earned $12.3 million, or 7 cents a share, on sales of $1.72 billion. Analysts were expecting earnings of 4 cents a share on sales of $1.63 billion. A year ago the company earned $58 million, or 32 cents a share, on sales of $1.62 billion. Blockbuster said that it was particularly pleased with its online business, which has reached a base of more than 750,000 subscribers. Based on its initial success with the online business, it is stepping up its investment in Blockbuster Online, with hopes of achieving more than 2 million subscribers by the first quarter of 2006. Looking ahead, Blockbuster said that 2005 operating income would be flat with 2004 results and that sales would increase by a low-single-digit percentage. Analysts are expecting earnings of 48 cents a share on sales of $6.09 billion, or sales growth of about 1%. Shares traded up 72 cents to $9.44.