Today's Small-Cap Winners and Losers

Playboy Enterprises (PLA) missed Wall Street's fourth-quarter earnings estimates, but the publishing concern's shares rose after it provided an upbeat forecast for fiscal-year earnings. The company, which produces Playboy magazine, said it earned $4.6 million, or 14 cents a share, in the fourth quarter, down from $14.5 million, or 43 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 2% to $91 million. Analysts were looking for earnings of 18 cents and revenue of $90.5 million.

For the full year, even after stock-option expenses of 10 cents a share, Playboy projected earnings of 67 cents to 70 cents a share. The consensus forecast is a profit of 67 cents. Shares of Playboy were up 91 cents, or 6.5%, to $14.91.

China Finance Online (JRJC) was sinking a day after the company said fourth-quarter revenue fell 8% from last year to $1.9 million while earnings slid 43% to $1.06 million. Earnings per American depositary share dropped to 5 cents from 9 cents in the same period a year ago, the provider of online financial information said.

Following the report, Jefferies & Co. downgraded the stock to underperform from hold. China Finance was losing $1.59, or 20.2%, to $6.30.

Genesee & Wyoming (GWR) saw its shares jump 12% after its fourth-quarter earnings rose to $10.8 million, or 39 cents a share, from $7.2 million and 26 cents a share in the year-ago period. Revenue climbed to $103.3 million in the fourth quarter from $80.1 million last year, the freight-railroad operator said.

Genesee recorded items that together reduced its earnings in the most recent quarter by about 13 cents. Analysts expected a profit of 42 cents in the quarter, excluding items. Additionally, the company's board approved a 3-for-2 split of its Class A and Class B common stock. Shares of Genesee were up $4.89 to $43.63.