Thursday's Financial Winners & Losers

AG Edwards (AGE Quote) climbed Thursday after the St. Louis-based broker sprinted past Wall Street views for the quarter ended Feb. 28. Adjusted per-share earnings surged 45.5% to $1.44, or $109.2 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were seeking $1.06 a share. AG Edwards stock was up $1.91, or 2.9%, to $68.33.

UCBH (UCBH Quote) gained after an analyst with BMO Capital Markets raised the San Francisco-based bank's rating to outperform from market perform, citing its planned buyout of Shanghai's Business Development Bank. The analyst projected that UCBH will reap profits from the proposed merger, given currently heavy trade flows between China and the U.S. Shares were rising 60 cents, or 3.3%, to $18.96.

Advanta (ADVNB Quote) rose on a Matrix Research upgrade to strong buy from buy. Shares of the credit-card issuer were adding $1.23, or 2.9%, to $43.80.

IntercontinentalExchange (ICE Quote) was higher on news it had struck a deal with Natural Gas Exchange, a subsidiary of TSX Group (parent of the Toronto Stock Exchange), for North American natural gas and Canadian power to trade on ICE's electronic commodities trading platform. Natural Gas will serve as the clearinghouse for the products. Financial terms weren't disclosed. ICE shares were up 94 cents, or 0.8%, to $122.90.

BankAtlantic Bancorp (BBX Quote) sank on news it had laid off 225 of its employees, or about 8% of its workforce. Shares were off 23 cents, or 2%, to $10.91.