Thursday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers

Leading Brands (LBIX) soared more than 26% on news that the Canada-based company's TrueBlue Blueberry Juice line will be sold by Cincinnati-based grocery-store chain Kroger. The products should hit store shelves within 30 days. Shares were rising 56 cents to $2.70.

PRG-Schultz International, (PRGX) an Atlanta-based audit-services firm, sharply narrowed its fourth-quarter losses to $2.9 million, or 43 cents a share, from last year's $175.8 million, or $28.32 a share. Revenue slipped 2.6% to $70.5 million, but this tops the only analyst's estimate of $68 million, according to Thomson Financial. Shares were gaining $1.21, or 11.9%, to $11.35.

PharmaNet Development (PDGI) said it earned $6.8 million, excluding items, or 36 cents a share in the fourth quarter, topping the 20-cent estimates sought by analysts. Last year the company, which sells clinical drug development services, posted income of $9.5 million, or 51 cents a share. Revenue, at $103.6 million, was slightly higher than last year and handily bested the $73.9 million consensus.

Looking ahead, the Princeton, N.J.-based firm expects 2007 adjusted income of $1.06 to $1.21 a share on sales of between $334 million and $339 million. Analysts are looking for $1.08 a share on $313.4 million in revenue. Shares were adding $3.05, or 15%, to $23.37.

Sun-Times Media, (SVN) which publishes The Chicago Sun-Times, among other newspapers, got a lift after announcing an unspecified foreign taxing authority had given it a "favorable review" regarding whether its international-tax liability should be adjusted as of year-end 2006. Shares were up 71 cents, or 17.8%, to $4.70.

Biosante Pharma (BPA) was higher on favorable results from a study of its Elestrin product, which treats menopausal hot flashes, published by the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Shares of the Lincolnshire, Ill., company were up 22 cents, or 5%, to $4.59.

Hana Biosciences (HNAB) shares climbed after an analyst with Cantor Fitzgerald upped its rating to buy from hold, citing the fact that four of Hana's drugs are on the brink of advanced-phase testing. Shares were adding 19 cents, or 5%, to $4.

TOR Minerals International (TORM) was falling after the Texas-based maker of pigments and flame retardants had a fourth-quarter loss of $275,000, or 4 cents a share, on sales of $5.4 million. Last year the company broke even on $10.1 million revenue. Shares were losing 60 cents, or 18.6%, to $2.62.

Restore Medical (REST) plummeted on lower-than-expected revenue. The company, which makes medical devices for sleep breathing disorders, said sales dropped 29% from last year to $1.1 million -- about $200,000 under two analysts' targets. Its loss widened to $4.1 million, or 26 cents a share, from $1.7 million, or $1.39 a share, a year ago, beating estimates by 2 cents. Still, shares of the St. Paul, Minn., company were falling 79 cents, or 19.2%, to $3.35.

Credit-services firm Intersections (INTX) dropped on lower fourth-quarter profits. The Chantilly, Va., company said it earned only $639,000, or 4 cents a share, compared with $4 million, or 23 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue, at $54.7 million, is 27% higher than last year and squares with Street estimates. The company said it faced $1.2 million in severence payments to former executives, and also faced a large number of credit card declines at one of its clients, hitting it for another $1.4 million. Shares were down $1.55, or 13.4%, to $10.

Drugmaker Icagen (ICGN) broadened its fourth-quarter losses by 4 cents from last year to 28 cents a share, or $6.2 million, on revenue that sank 36% to $1.3 million. Shares of the North Carolina-based company were off 29 cents, or 12.4%, to $2.05.

Pico Holdings (PICO) stumbled after announcing it will sell about 2.8 million newly minted company shares at $37 a share to institutional investors. Net proceeds are expected at bring in around $100.2 million. Shares were dropping $3.32, or 7.9%, to $38.78.

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