Last Week’s Biggest Stock Movers: Tilly’s, Papa Murphy’s Up
Plenty of stocks go up and down in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets. Let’s go over some of last week’s best and worst performers.
Tilly’s (TLYS) — Up 27 percent last week
The biggest gainer on the New York Stock Exchange was Tilly’s, moving up after delivering better-than-expected financial results. Net sales climbed 9 percent when pitted against the prior fiscal year’s holiday quarter on the strength of expansion and store-level performance.
Earnings grew even faster at the retailer that stocks West Coast-themed apparel and footwear. Tilly’s came through with a quarterly profit of 25 cents a share. Analysts were only holding out for net income of 22 cents a share.
Papa Murphy’s (FRSH) — Up 22 percent last week
The country’s leading take-and-bake pizzeria — selling pre-made pies that customers finish baking at home — moved higher after posting blowout quarterly results. Revenue climbed 25 percent over the prior year, and its profit of 17 cents a share reversed a year-ago loss.
The concept’s gaining momentum. Comparable-restaurant sales have climbed 8.4 percent over the past year. That’s potent store-level growth, paving the way for Papa Murphy’s to add 110 to 115 new locations to its empire of more than 1,400 pizzerias this year. It opened 95 stores last year.
American Airlines (AAL) — Up 13 percent last week
Shares of American Airlines were cleared for takeoff after the carrier was tapped to be included in the S&P 500 (^GSPC). Being added to the 500-stock index usually results in a pop as index funds have to buy and hold the shares. The air carrier is making the most of the synergies associated with its US Air merger and welcome tailwind of low jet fuel costs.
iDreamSky (DSKY) — Down 35 percent last week
Nasdaq’s biggest loser was iDreamSky, which surrendered more than a third of its value after revising its guidance for the fourth quarter. The Chinese mobile gaming company is scaling back its outlook after one game was delayed and an existing title was challenged in terms of monetization given the competitive marketplace.
The problematic announcement led to a Stifel analyst downgrade on the stock. The company has now lost more than half of its value since going public at $15 this past summer.
Weight Watchers (WTW) — Down 18 percent last week
The drubbing of Weight Watchers continues. The stock took a hit last week after a Credit Suisse analyst set a price target of $5 on shares of the diet management specialist. The stock’s been taking a beating since announcing problematic quarterly results last month. It wrapped up 2014 with 2.5 million active subscribers, an unhealthy drop of 15 percent.
The stock has posted a double-digit percentage decline in three of the past four weeks, shedding 55 percent of its value along the way. That’s not the kind of weight loss that the market likes to see.
Youku Tudou (YOKU) — Down 15 percent last week
The company that some describe as the YouTube of China disconnected with investors after posting a sloppy quarterly report. Revenue climbed 40 percent since the prior year’s quarter, but Youku Tudou posted a larger-than-expected deficit. It’s the third quarter in a row that it has posted a loss that was wider than projected. The report sent the shares to a new all-time low.