Stocks Up Near Triple-Digits Into Holiday Weekend

• By the tickerspy.com Staff
• On 4:18 pm EDT, Friday September 4, 2009

Stocks were strong to end the week following a mixed jobs report that showed layoffs decelerating but unemployment still climbing. Following the Labor Day holiday, the rest of the month should be interesting as many professionals return from vacations. September is often a rocky month, and we expect no less this year.

The Broadcast TV Stocks Index was the top performing tickerspy Index on the day, led by Gray Television (NYSE: GTN - News) with a 29% gain.

The August jobs report from the Labor Department topped today's economic headlines, as the agency reported that -216,000 jobs were lost during the month, an improvement over the -276,000 jobs lost in July. The unemployment rate ticked up to 9.7% from 9.4%. Economists were looking for -225,000 job losses and an unemployment rate of 9.5%.

In earnings news, tax preparer H&R Block (NYSE: HRB - News) reported a fiscal Q1 loss of -$133.6 million, or -40 cents per share, versus a loss of -$132.7 million, or -41 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted EPS was a loss of -39 cents, compared to estimates for a loss of -37 cents. Revenue inched up 1% to $275.5 million. The company maintained its full-year outlook for EPS of between $1.60-$1.80.

Shares of Ulta Salon (Nasdaq: ULTA - News) jumped after the cosmetic retailer announced Q2 results above estimates. For the period ended August 1st, the company earned $5.8 million, or 10 cents per share, up 56% from $3.7 million, or 6 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 10% to $273.5 million, while same-store sales dipped -1.7%. Looking forward, the company guided for Q3 EPS of between 8-11 cents versus analyst estimates of 9 cents.

Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK - News) was one of the days worst performers after the clothing maker gave a disappointing forecast. For fiscal Q3, the company posted a profit of $1.4 million, or 1 cent per share, down from $2.9 million, or 2 cents per share, a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was 3 cents, in line with the Wall Street consensus. Revenue fell -11% to $501.4 million. The company guided for a Q4 loss in the mid-single-digit range, while analysts were expecting a profit of 10 cents per share.

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