Friday's Small-Cap Winners & Losers

Updated from 2:18 p.m. EDT with new stock prices

Small-cap stocks took a hit along with the broader market Friday. The Russell 2000 lost 2.2% to 663.17, and the S&P SmallCap 600 dropped 2.2% to 353.44.

Among the losers, ICx Technologies (ICXT), a Washington, D.C., maker of sensor and surveillance technologies, saw shares plummet 29.7% to $4.39. Thursday after the close, ICx announced a fourth-quarter loss of $6.6 million, or 32 cents a share, vs. a loss of $89.7 million, or $9.91 a share, a year ago. However, the company guided for first-quarter 2008 revenue between $30 million and $32 million, shy of the consensus estimate of $37.5 million. This morning, Morgan Keegan downgraded the stock to market perform from outperform.

Dot Hill Systems (HILL) fell 30.6% to $2.40 on last night's fourth-quarter earnings. The Carlsbad, Calif., provider of network storage and data management systems posted a charge-excluded loss of $5.7 million, or 12 cents a share, compared with a loss of $8.6 million, or 19 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. The Street was looking for a loss of a dime a share.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Anworth Mortgage Asset (ANH) shed 13.3% to $4.83. Credit Suisse initiated the stock with a neutral rating.

Among the down day's gainers was action-sports apparel retailer Zumiez (ZUMZ). Shares of the Everett, Wa., company climbed 8.1% to $15.24 on fourth-quarter earnings announced Thursday evening. The company posted profit of $12.4 million, or 42 cents a share, up from $11.3 million, or 39 cents a share, in 2006. Analysts were looking for EPS of 38 cents. Same-store sales, or sales from stores open at least a year, rose 4% year over year.

Quanta Capital (QNTA), a Bermuda-based insurer, announced a special cash dividend of $1.75 a share, payable on March 28 to shareholders of record as of March 25. The stock jumped 11.3% to $3.05.

Meanwhile, Skillsoft (SKIL), a provider of e-learning and performance support solutions, ticked up 13.4% to $9.84. The company announced a fourth-quarter fiscal 2008 profit of $34.3 million, or 31 cents a share, up from $8.2 million, or 8 cents a share, a year ago. William Blair initiated coverage on the stock with an outperform rating.

Gatehouse Media (GHS) shares added 8.4% to $6.35. The publisher of phone books announced a fourth-quarter loss of $214.6 million, or $3.78 a share, compared with a profit of $7.8 million, or 23 cents a share, a year ago. The loss included one-time charges, without which EPS would have been 33 cents. Revenue increased 76% year over year to $172.2 million. The company announced a first-quarter dividend of 20 cents a share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 31.

>To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints