Today's Early Winners and Losers

Conceptus(CPTS Quote), which makes a permanent birth-control device called Essure, posted better-than-anticipated fourth-quarter results, but the company offered a 2006 outlook that was weaker than Wall Street expected.

The company's fourth-quarter loss narrowed to $4.4 million, or 15 cents a share, from $6.4 million, or 25 cents a share, a year earlier. Fourth-quarter sales were $6.8 million, up 87% from a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting a loss of 18 cents a share and sales of $6.4 million.

For the first quarter, Conceptus sees sales of $7.2 million to $7.4 million. The company also expects increased expenses in the quarter, resulting in a loss 17 cents to 18 cents a share, before stock-based compensation costs. Wall Street was looking for a first-quarter loss of 15 cents a share and sales of $7.75 million, according to a Thomson First Call survey of analysts. For all of 2006, the company expects a loss of 58 cents to 60 cents a share, before items, on sales of $33 million to $35 million. Analysts, on average, had forecast a loss of 49 cents a share, with sales of $35 million.

Shares of Network Appliance(NTAP Quote) advanced after the computer data storage company posted a penny beat over Wall Street's EPS estimates. The company's third-quarter income rose to $76.4 million, or 20 cents a share, from $60.1 million, or 16 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company posted a profit of $84.7 million, or 22 cents a share. Analysts were looking for earnings of 21 cents a share, before items. Network Appliance's revenue increased 30% to $537 million, topping analysts' estimate of $524.5 million.

For the fourth quarter ending in April, the company expects revenue to grow by 28% to 30% -- implying a top line of $578 million to $587 million -- with earnings per share of 22 cents to 23 cents. Analysts had forecast earnings of 22 cents a share and sales of $573.5 million. Network Appliance rose $3.35, or 11%, to $34.50 in after-hours trading.