Stockpickr Lists: Dawson Geophysical Soaring

Editor's Note: In this feature from Stockpickr, we highlight lists of stocks that have made new highs, lows or seen other unusual activity.

52-Week Highs: Dawson Geophysical(DWSN) soared 23% to a 52-week high after the company reported outstanding third-quarter earnings. Profits rose to $7.6 million, or 98 cents a share, compared with last year's 56 cents a share. The company, which collects seismic data for oil and gas companies, also reported $68.6 million in revenue, beating Thomson Financial's estimate of $56.9 million. Shares closed higher by $12.99 to $67.60.

Biggest % Gainers: American Home Mortgage(AHM) soared 42.3%, recouping some of the losses from Tuesday's 90% nosedive following its announcement it was considering liquidating its assets after being beset by margin calls. Shares added 44 cents Wednesday, climbing to $1.48.

Rising on Unusual Volume: Capital Product Partners(CPLP) dropped 7.9% Wednesday, on trading volume three times its three-month average. The international tanker company lost $2.55, closing at $29.77.

Biggest % Losers: NovaStar Financial(NFI) sunk 27%, following rumors that homebuilder Beazer Homes(BZH) would be forced into bankruptcy. Lenders across the board took a beating, particularly those that have dealt heavily in riskier subprime and Alt-A mortgages, which cater to borrowers with poor credit. The stock lost $2.65 Wednesday, closing at $6.99.

52-Week Lows: Radian Group(RDN) plunged 18% to a 52-week low, as anxious investors awaited the drop of the next subprime mortgage shoe. The mortgage insurers closed down $6.20 Wednesday, to $27.51.

Stocks with Unusual Option Activity: Crown Castle International(CCI) was experiencing unusual option activity Wednesday. The stock was down 54 cents to $35.71.

Latest Activist Situations: Robert Chapman's Chapman Capital disclosed a 9.9% stake in Packeteer(PKTR) and demanded the company hire an investment bank to maximize shareholder value. Chapman noted that attempts to communicate with top executives were unsuccessful. Shares closed up 3 cents to $6.91.

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