Small-Cap Winners & Losers: AIG

The Russell 2000 and the S&P 600 gained ground today as the Russell 2000 is trading at 696.63, up 0.51%, and the S&P 600 Small Cap at 364.84, up 0.37%.

Shares of American International Group(AIG Quote) shot up 8.38% to 27.31 as Bank of America upgraded the stock to buy from neutral.

Alain Karaoglan, analyst for Bank of America(BAC Quote), noted the overall risk/reward in the company has come into balance as the new CEO Robert Willumstad promises to de-leverage, reduce risk and simplify the overall company.

Shares of Badger Meter(BMI Quote)surged 10.87% to $56.88 as the company reported a 29% increase in their second quarter income.

High demand for their automatic meter reading (AMR) devices bolstered profit as net income in the second quarter reached 48 cents per share on $7 million in revenues compared to 38 cents on $5.5 million from the same quarter last year.

Shares of Astec Industries(ASTE Quote), a road construction equipment maker, fell by $4.05 as the company posted second quarter profits that missed Street estimates.

The company noted that rising steel prices cut profits sending the stock reeling 11.55% to $30.96. However, management confirmed their $2.80 to $2.95 EPS for 2008.

Shares of Nautilus(NLS Quote) plummeted 18.95% to $4.86 on news that Wedbush Morgan downgraded the stock from buy to hold. Nautilus is a Vancouver, Wash.-based company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets branded fitness and apparel products sold under brand names, such as Nautilus, Bowflex, Schwinn Fitness and StairMaster.

Shares of LaBrance(LAB Quote) lost 8.13% to $6.67 as the company missed Wall Streets expectations. LAB lost 34 cents per share, or $21.3 million, including $33.2 million in pretax loss. LAB is a New York, N.Y.-based company and is the parent company of LaBranche Structured Holdings (LSHI), the holding company for a group of entities that are specialists and market-makers in options, futures and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) traded on various exchanges.