Stocks in Motion: CarMax

Updated from 11:22 a.m. EST

Shares of U.S. Concrete(RMIX Quote) were among the Nasdaq's losers Thursday, falling 24.1% after the company lowered its fourth-quarter earnings guidance and warned that 2005 earnings would fall short of expectations.

The provider of ready-mixed concrete now expects to break even or be slightly profitable in the fourth quarter. Previously, the company said that it would earn 9 cents to 14 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had been expecting earnings of 12 cents a share on sales of $122.8 million. Results were hurt by poor weather in December, which prevented the company from making up ground on its backlog of business. Ready-mixed concrete volume was down by 7.8% in the fourth quarter compared with a year ago, the company said. Looking ahead, U.S. Concrete expects 2005 earnings of 36 cents to 43 cents a share on sales of $530 million to $545 million. Analysts are looking for 2005 earnings of 60 cents a share on sales of $529.3 million. Shares traded down $2.10 to $6.60.

CarMax(KMX Quote) rose 12.9% after the company lifted its fourth-quarter earnings guidance. The used-car seller now expects earnings of 23 cents to 25 cents a share, up from previous guidance of 19 cents to 23 cents a share. CarMax also said that comparable-store sales would now be up 7% to 9%, an increase from previous guidance of 2% to 7%. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 21 cents a share on sales of $1.28 billion. "The strengthening in used-car sales trends that we experienced during the third quarter has continued thus far in our fourth quarter," the company said. Shares traded up $3.82 to $33.35. ...