52-Week Low Club (ABK, AKAM, C, CPKI, EBAY, FFIV, FUL, NMX, PMI, ZQK, SGMS, STXS, TTI, XRX, ZBRA)

After the financial meltdown and after the new tech wreck, many of the same stocks and same REIT’s keep appearing over and over on the list of new 52-week lows.  Here are some others that might not have normally caught your eye:

• AMBAC Financial (ABK) was down big after it came clean and ran the gauntlet, but this one went from bad to worse by closing down a whopping 38% at $12.97.  Ouch!
• Akamai Tech (AKAM) closed down almost 4% at $25.88; prior 52-week range was $25.97 to $59.69….. so much for pushing out online video and media faster being a solid business.
• Citigroup (C) just cant catch a break with a new year low close of $26.24.  Maybe being a stronger manager might help Pandit.  Dear Vikram, Welcome to running a troubled public company.
• California Pizza Kitchen (CPKI) after its warnings closed down over 17% at $10.10; $12.20 to $25.23 prior range.
• eBay (EBAY) was a bit of a shock to see, although if you take the retail, tech, and internet angle it’s not a huge stretch.  The good news is that this was only intra-day with a low of $27.67 at the open.  It closed up 0.5% at $28.09 and the prior 52-week range was $27.85 to $40.73.
• F5 Networks (FFIV) took a downgrade to Hold from Buy at Jefferies; shares closed down 8% to $20.68; prior range $21.07 to $46.94.
• H B Fuller (FUL) manufactures and markets adhesives and specialty chemical products worldwide.  It fell 11.3% to $19.57; prior low $20.56; posted lower Q4 earnings
• NYMEX Holdings (NMX) closed down 7.5% at $103.98, 52-week range is $105 to $148; maybe that raised CEO bonus might not be the best idea.
• PMI Group (PMI) won’t find any sympathy anywhere, shares closed down 7.5% at $7.77.
• Quicksilver (ZQK) can’t be a big shock since it warned on earnings yesterday; -5.3% at $7.04.
• Scientific Games (SGMS) wasn’t just bad, it was a slaughter at -30% to $19.45; prior range $28.15 to $40.70.  It lost a contract and took a downgrade.
• Stereotaxis (STXS) received an additional approval from FDA but it warned on earnings in a significant manor that caused an investor and trader revolt in what was already down and out.  It fell down 22% to $8.84; prior range $9.66 to $16.88.
• Tetra Technologies (TTI) is a geographically diversified oil and gas services company that provides niche products and services focused on well completion and on late-life production enhancement and decommissioning.  Maybe that business isn’t great anymore?  It warned Monday about a shortfall and today was just as bad or worse. This one closed down 8% to $14.38, and its prior 52-week range was $14.38 to $30.20.
• Xerox (XRX) hit intra-day 52-week lows and if this isn’t an endorsement of a slowdown in the big business climate then what the hell is?  Shares hit a low of $13.59, but closed barely over the prior 52-week low at $13.88; 52-week range $13.84 to $20.18.
• Zebra Tech (ZBRA) can’t be too big of a shock with retail slowing and its bar code tech is retail dependent (sans-drugs); stock fell almost 3% to $30.17; prior range is $30.95 to $42.50.

Jon C. Ogg
January 16, 2008