Thursday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers

Transmeridian Exploration (TMY Quote) surged Thursday after the Houston-based driller announced it's considering selling all or part of its primary oil field in Kazakhstan. The field represents "substantially all the assets of the company." Shares were up 55 cents, or 19%, to $3.45 in recent trading.

NationsHealth (NHRX Quote) gained after the company swung to a fourth-quarter profit of $1.2 million, or 4 cents a share, from a loss of 67 cents a share last year. The only analyst's estimate called for a loss of 2 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial. The company, which sells IT services for medical-product distribution, said revenue dwindled 9% to $22.8 million, but this tops the $19.4 million estimate. Shares of the Florida-based company were gaining 15 cents, or 10.6%, to $1.57.

Peerless Systems (PRLS Quote), which sells imaging and networking technologies, easily beat Street expectations for the quarter ended Jan. 31, posting profits of 9 cents a share, which is flat with last year. The analyst who follows the company called for income to fall 3 cents year over year. Revenue ebbed to $8.7 million from last year's $9.6 million, but this edges past the sole target by $400,000. Shares were climbing 32 cents, or 15.8%, to $2.34.

Shoe Carnival (SCVL Quote) issued solid fiscal 2007 guidance that leans to the higher end of Wall Street expectations, projecting per-share profits of between $1.90 and $2. The Indiana-based footwear retailer also said it earned $5.1 million, or 37 cents a share, in the quarter ended Feb. 3, up from $3 million, or 22 cents a share, a year ago. Shares were up $2.99, or 10.2%, to $32.25.