Thursday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers

The broad market took small-cap stocks on a wild ride Thursday, but among the solid winners was WSI Industries (WSCI Quote).

The Monticello, Minn., metal-machining company soared 22.2% to $5.74 after bumping up its fiscal third-quarter profit by 2 cents a share from last year to 8 cents, or $229,000, while revenue surged 24.3% to $5.2 million.

Lindsay (LNN Quote), an irrigation-systems maker, also issued positive earnings for the May quarter. The Omaha, Neb., company earned 62 cents a share, up 12.7% from last year, on 24.2% higher operating revenue at $93.1 million. Shares jumped 12.9%, or $5.08, to $44.33.

California's Advanced Cell Technology (ACTC Quote) had a quick rise after announcing it successfully produced a human embryonic stem cell without destroying an embryo in the process. CEO William Caldwell said this development addresses the concerns of President Bush who, on Wednesday, again vetoed a bill to allow for federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research. ACT shares were up 9.9% to 73 cents in heavy trading.

Intevac (IVAC Quote), of Santa Clara, Calif., and Atlanta's Manhattan Associates (MANH Quote) both supported the Russell 2000 and the S&P SmallCap 600 indices, respectively up 0.2% and 0.1% lately, after getting a communal lift on positive analyst research.

Intevac, which makes disk-sputtering equipment for hard-disk drives, gained 2.5% to $20.05 after American Technology Research stamped on a buy rating. Analyst Bill Ong cited Intevac's development of a new plasma etch tool for the semiconductor industry, which he says could allow it to diversify away from the "ultra-competitive" hard-disk-drive market.