Starting off this Wednesday well are midday gainers dELiA*s, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLIA), Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE:CRI) and Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc (NASDAQ:SHOS). On the flip side are midday losers QEP Resources Inc (NYSE:QEP), Controladora Vuela Co Avcn SA CV (NYSE:VLRS) and Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK).
dELIA*s Keeps at it in Market Comeback
Up +11.18, dELiA*s, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLIA) continues to rally after experiencing some pretty tough lows. Since February 14th, its stock price has increased +42.44% as the retailer continues to recover from disappointing results and benefit from a strategy about-face. This is great news for Leon Cooperman as well as Tiger Global.
Next up is another retail brand, Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE:CRI), which surged +9.57%. Today, the firm reported FY2014 sales guidance up +8% over the same period in 2013 and authorized a quarterly cash dividend that will total $27.7 million. Tiger Global, George Soros and Richard Chilton have positions in Carter’s.
Last on today’s list of gainers is major Edward Lampert pick Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc (NASDAQ:SHOS), up +8.86%. The company has announced several store openings to strengthen its physical presence, which may finally be paying off. Unlike former parent company Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD), which is down -19.49% YTD, SHOS is only down -0.35% and has posted a +8.73% gain over the past five days.
Chesapeake and QEP Results Fail to Impress
Today’s biggest midday loser is QEP Resources Inc (NYSE:QEP). An independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, QEP fell -11.46%. The company posted Q4 earnings and revenues today, both of which missed Wall Street expectations by wide margins. An especially cold winter is also taking a toll on QEP’s production. The company is part of Jorge Lemann’s holdings.
Down -8.34%, Controladora Vuela Co Avcn SA CV (NYSE:VLRS) also had a tough Wednesday. The company provides aircraft transportation services, including cargo shipments and travel services, for individuals and groups. This Soros pick is down -23.69% YTD and has been downgraded by several analysts in recent weeks.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) rounds out today’s list of losers, its price having declined -6.79% midday. The Carl Icahn, Bruce Berkowitz, Ray Dalio and iBillionaire Index (NYSE:BILLION) pick released its earnings reports today for Q4 2013 and the full year, revealing severely narrowed profits. Although Chesapeake ensured investors results were the effect of one-time-only charges, investors don’t seem happy with how the firm handled matters in 2013.
