Daily Stock Quotes

Stocks move so quickly on an hourly and daily basis that it's sometimes hard to keep them straight and know which have been performing well in the vast sea of the market. SmartMoney.com's Associate Editor Jack Hough points out three stocks that have performed well recently.

"The U.S. stock market rally has looked less ferocious lately," says Hough. "From its March low of 667, the S&P 500 index had exploded back to 1,000 by mid-August, a gain of 50 percent in less than half a year. By mid-November, the index had hit 1,100 - an additional gain of 10 percent. Three weeks later, we're still at 1,100."

"Of course," he continues, "Some stocks are still jumping. I recently screened for stocks that have produced double-digit price gains over the past week, compared with a median of 2 percent for S&P 500 companies. In general, such price momentum is a promising sign."

G-III Apparel Group, based in New York gained 26 percent in a week, and "holds licenses to make clothing under brands like Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole and National Football League," reports Hughes. "Its shares plunged from $20 in September 2008 to $3 and change last February. They're back up to $20, perhaps justifiably so. Sales for the company are growing at a double-digit pace and profits are healthy. Shares are priced at 15 times earnings, a discount of nearly a third to the broad market. Debt is manageable and falling. Analysts say the company is one of a few clothing makers than looks likely to boost its sales using its existing stable of brands, not newly purchased ones."

Rambus, a chip designer in Silicon Valley, boasts a 22 percent weekly gain. "Sales for the company are waning and profits are non-existent," said Hughes. "So why do the only two analysts who cover the stock recommend a purchase of it, and why is the share price suddenly jumping? For one thing, the company has sued other manufacturers for price-fixing, claiming it was shut out of the market. A trial is scheduled to start in January, with up to $12 billion in damages on the line (compared with a stock market value of $2.2 billion for Rambus), and the possibility of a settlement for a smaller amount. From what I remember of the first extreme rise in Rambus shares nearly a decade ago," says Hughes, "It's probably best for investors to wait for concrete financial results before buying.

Florida's BE Aerospace leads the trade in seats and interiors for jumbo jets with a 19 percent weekly gain. "Before the economic downturn, the company was gradually increasing its revenue share of new planes, in part through the sale of swanky lie-flat seats and suites for premium-class travelers," says Hughes. "BE's stock price fell from over $50 in December 2007 to single digits last March. It's back to $23 and change. Margins for the company have stayed healthy, even though sales are down, because management has aggressively reduced costs. Assuming a rebound in air travel will eventually release pent-up demand for new planes, BE's shares seem likely to benefit. They sell for 16 times earnings."