Tuesday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers

Updated from 1:23 p.m. EDT with new stock prices

Small-cap stocks surged out of the gate Tuesday, breaking a multiday losing streak. The Russell 2000 was up 4.6% at 673.78 and the S&P SmallCap 600 rose 3.8% to 357.84.

Valence Tech (VLNC), an Austin, Texas-based maker of phosphate-based lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology, jumped 19.3% to $3.83. The company announced it planned to expand manufacturing capacity to $35 million to $50 million per quarter by March 2009 so it can meet demand for its products. Valence also predicted gross profit margins of 30% of revenue and operating profit between 17% and 20% of revenue.

Shares of Port Washington, N.Y., direct marketing firm Systemax (SYX) climbed 31.5% to $11.85 after announcing fourth-quarter earnings Monday after the close. The company posted a 19% year-over-year increase in revenue to $769 million. Net income, which included a tax-related gain of $4.2 million, or 11 cents a share, leaped to $24 million, or 64 cents a share, from $8 million, or 22 cents a share, in 2006. The company will also pay a special dividend of $1 a share on April 2 to shareholders of record on March 21.

Global Sources (GSOL) climbed 34.2% after posting a fourth-quarter earnings beat and receiving a Wall Street upgrade. The China-based business-to-business media company posted adjusted earnings of $12.5 million, or 26 cents a share, up from $9.3 million, or 20 cents a share, in the prior-year quarter. The two analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected EPS of about 16 cents. Citigroup upgraded Global Sources from hold to buy. Shares traded $3.66 higher, to $14.36.

Capstead Mortgage (CMO) shares rose 23.7% to $12.41. The Dallas, Texas-based real estate investment trust last night declared a first-quarter dividend of 52 cents payable April 21 to shareholders of record as of March 31.

On the losing side, Superior Well Services (SWSI) fell 22.5% to $19.32. The Indiana, Pa.-based provider of well-site solutions to oil and natural gas companies posted fourth-quarter income of $7 million, or 30 cents a share, down from $9.8 million, or 49 cents a share, a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were looking for 52 cents a share. This morning, Keybanc Capital Markets downgraded the stock to hold from buy.

Jones Soda (JSDA) sank 34.1% after expenses hit fourth-quarter earnings. The Seattle-based beverage company posted a net loss of $10.2 million, or 39 cents a share, compared to a net profit of $2.1 million, or 8 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding items, the company lost 18 cents a share, but analysts were looking for a narrower loss of 3 cents a share. The stock traded down $1.48 to a new low of $2.86.

Finally, shares of Spartech (SEH) tumbled 19.3% to $11.06. Monday evening, the Clayton, Mo.-based intermediary processor of engineered thermoplastics announced a first-quarter loss of $3.5 million, or 12 cents a share, vs. a profit of $8.1 million, or 25 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenue shrank to $335.1 million from $347.3 million. Two analysts covering the stock were looking for a profit of 13 cents a share.

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