Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies are having unusual price changes in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are as of 9:50 a.m. in New York.
Avon Products Inc. (AVP:US) fell 5.5 percent to $20.73. The largest door-to-door cosmetics seller was cut to “market perform” from “outperform” by analysts at BMO Capital Markets.
Citigroup Inc. (C:US) gained the most in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, adding 5.5 percent to $4.04. The financial services company whose shares fell 35 percent in the past two days announced plans to form two new businesses and to split the units it wants to keep from other, “non-core” assets.
Estee Lauder Cos. (EL:US) fell the most in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, slumping 15 percent to $24.73. The maker of Clinique and Bobbi Brown cosmetics cut its sales and profit forecast for fiscal 2009 ending June 30, citing “deteriorated global economic conditions,” beyond expectations.
Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW:US) had the second-biggest gain in the S&P 500, climbing 12 percent to $2.30. The Virginia-based company that sells mortgage insurance and annuities said its application to become thrift holding company is still pending after a deadline for eligibility in the government financial- firm bailout passed.
Intel Corp. (INTC:US) had the second-largest advance in the Dow average, rising 4.8 percent to $13.93. The world’s biggest maker of semiconductors said profitability may rebound after the first quarter, when customers finish working through excess supplies. Revenue this quarter may be about $7 billion, Intel said, without providing an official forecast. Analysts had estimated sales of $7.18 billion on average in a Bloomberg survey.
Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI:US) lost 2.9 percent to $16.58. The largest maker of automotive seats posted a $608 million quarterly loss, its first since 1992, and said it may have another this fiscal period as a global vehicle sales slump saps demand.
Meridian Bioscience Inc. (VIVO:US) dropped 9.8 percent to $20.92 The maker of medical diagnostic equipment lowered its 2009 revenue forecast, predicting sales of as much as $156 million. The company had previously expected as much as $160 million.
Puget Energy Inc. (PSD:US) jumped 13 percent to $29.66. Puget Holdings LLC, an investment group led by Australia’s Macquarie Bank Ltd., said it will complete its purchase of Puget Energy on Feb. 6.
Sealy Corp. (ZZ:US) fell 6.9 percent to $2.16. The world’s largest bedding manufacturer reported a fourth-quarter loss and revenue that trailed some analysts’ estimates.
Terra Industries Inc. (TRA:US) rallied 30 percent to $21.14. CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF:US), a maker of nitrogen-based crop nutrients, said it plans to acquire rival Terra Industries for about $2.1 billion in stock, creating the world’s largest publicly traded nitrogen producer.
CF added 3.2 percent to $48.74.
To contact the reporters on this story: Cordell Eddings in New York at ceddings@bloomberg.net; Cristina Alesci in New York at calesci2@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: January 16, 2009 09:53 EST
