Tuesday's Financial Winners & Losers

H&R Block (HRB) rose 5.3% after the tax preparation firm said it might sell its mortgage business. An analyst with Soleil Securities raised his rating on the stock to a buy. Meanwhile, the company lowered its full-year earnings guidance to between $1.20 and $1.45 a share. The stock was trading up $1.27, or 5.8%, to $23.16.

Anthracite Capital (AHR) plummeted after the real estate investment trust posted third-quarter results that missed Wall Street expectations. The REIT earned $12.6 million, or 22 cents a share, compared with $15.1 million, or 28 cents a share, a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were looking for earnings of 33 cents a share. Shares were down $2.25, or 16%, to $11.75.

Charter Financial (CHFN) gained after posting a 16.6% gain in third-quarter profit. The bank earned $13.3 million, or 69 cents a share, up from $11.4 million, or 58 cents a share, a year ago. The lender's bottom line included a $1.8 million reduction in income tax expense. Shares were up $1.43, or 3%, to $48.74.

BioMed Realty Trust (BMR) dropped on a downgrade by Wachovia (WB) to market perform from outperform. On Monday, the REIT gave 2007 earnings guidance that came in lower than Wall Street's expectations. Shares were down $1.19, or 4%, to $29.53.

Homebanc (HMB) shares tumbled following a disappointing third-quarter earnings report and the mortgage banker said it would no longer operate as a REIT next year. The lender's decision to abandon the REIT structure likely means it will not pay as big a dividend to investors next year. In light of that decision, an analyst with A.G. Edwards downgraded the stock to hold from buy. Shares were down 86 cents, or 17.8%, to $3.97.

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