Today's Winners and Losers: NCR

The ATM maker raises its fourth-quarter earnings projections.

Author:: Mark Martinez
Publish date:: Jan 17, 2006 11:45 AM EST

Shares of

LSI Industries

were among the

Nasdaq's

losers Tuesday, slumping 21% after the graphics company warned that second-quarter earnings and sales would be below Wall Street forecasts.

The company expects to report earnings of 18 cents to 19 cents a share for the quarter ended Dec. 31, with sales of $73 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call project earnings of 28 cents a share and sales of about $81 million. In the year-earlier second quarter, the company earned 24 cents a share on sales of $74.3 million.

For fiscal 2006, LSI sees earnings of 64 cents to 70 cents a share, well below analysts' mean estimate of 94 cents. The company predicts fiscal-year sales of $265 million to $275 million, compared with Wall Street's target of $305.8 million.

"Our highly profitable graphics business, which achieved record profits in fiscal year 2005, is experiencing lower sales volume as a result of certain new customers with major re-imaging needs delaying their programs from what had been previously expected," the company said, calling the problem a "temporary timing issue." During fiscal 2005, LSI earned 73 cents a share on sales of $282.4 million. Shares were recently trading down $3.33 to $12.81.

Sherwin-Williams

(SHW) - Get Report

rose 3% after the paint maker lifted its fourth-quarter earnings projection. The company now sees earnings of 53 cents to 55 cents a share, up from an earlier view of 41 cents to 49 cents a share. Sales, meanwhile, are estimated to have jumped 14.1%, above the company's expectations of mid-single-digit growth. Sherwin-Williams said results were boosted by a better-than-expected operating performance. Analysts expected earnings of 48 cents a share during the fourth quarter. Shares were trading up $1.49 to $47.50.

Shares of

Lamson & Sessions

(LMS)

fell modestly even after the maker of enclosures, fittings and conduits for the electrical and telecom markets lifted its fourth-quarter earnings guidance for the second time in less than two months. The company now sees earnings of $13.7 million to $14.2 million, or 88 cents to 91 cents a share, up from a November forecast of $10.5 million to $11.3 million, or 70 cents to 75 cents a share. Lamson & Sessions boosted its sales projection to $143 million from its earlier forecast of $125 million to $130 million. Shares were trading down 59 cents to $27.40.

NCR

(NCR) - Get Report

rose 2% after the maker of automated teller machines raised its fourth-quarter earnings estimate. The company projects earnings of 67 cents a share, well above the 52 cents to 57 cents a share that it previously forecast. Analysts expected earnings of 58 cents a share. NCR expects to report fourth-quarter sales of $1.71 billion, in line with analysts' forecasts.

For 2006, the company forecast earnings of $1.85 to $1.90 a share. Excluding stock-based compensation expense, the company sees earnings of $1.95 to $2 a share. Analysts expect earnings of $1.90 a share. Shares were trading up 85 cents to $37.85.

Shares of

Quanex

(NX) - Get Report

jumped 11% after the maker of auto parts and building products increased its first-quarter earnings projection. The company now sees earnings of $1 to $1.05 a share for the quarter ending this month, up from an earlier view of 70 cents to 80 cents a share. Analysts projected earnings of 84 cents a share. The company attributed the higher guidance to stronger-than-expected seasonal results in its building products segment and lower-than-expected scrap costs in its vehicular products business. Quanex plans to post first-quarter results on Feb. 23. Shares were trading up $5.99 to $59.79.

NYSE

volume leaders included

Lucent Technologies

(LU)

, down 9 cents to $2.56;

Tyco

(TYC)

, down $1.10 to $26.02;

Guidant

(GDT)

, up $5.37 to $76.21;

Advanced Micro Devices