U.S. shares climbed today as investors assessed a series of economic reports, including a private-sector jobs report, trade-deficit data and upbeat sentiment in Europe. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) rose 0.4 percent to 2,118.94 at 11:38 a.m. in New York. The 30-company Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) rose 0.7 percent to 18,138, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gained 0.5 percent to 4,530. Most followed shares included Synchronoss, Guess, Wendy’s, G-III Apparel, Vera Bradley, Stock Building Supply, Lumber Liquidators, Halozyme Therapeutics, Ardelyx, and Energizer Holdings.
Synchronoss Technologies' (NASDAQ:SNCR) jumped 17.7 percent to $50.28 after the Wall Street Journal reported that the software maker was working on a possible sale that could be valued at more than $2 billion.
In consumer shares, Guess (NYSE:GES) rose 1.3 percent to $18.90 after reporting an unexpected profit in its fiscal first-quarter and boosted its full fiscal year earnings guidance. Net income was $3.3 million, or $0.04 per share, for the three months ended May 2, compared to a net loss of $2.1 million, or $0.03 per share, for the year-ago quarter. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Capital IQ was for a loss of $0.05 per share. Revenue was $478.8 million in the period, falling short of the Wall Street consensus of $489 million.
Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) soared 4.6 percent to $11.60 after the quick-service restaurant company announced a $1.4 billion buyback and the completion of the sale of its bakery operations.
G-III Apparel Group (NASDAQ:GIII) jumped 8.5 percent to $65.21 after the New York-based company reported its first-quarter earnings surged to $6.8 million from $1.1 million a year ago. On a per share basis, the company earned $0.15 per share, ahead of $0.07 per share forecast by analysts.
Vera Bradley (NASDAQ:VRA) tanked 10 percent to $12.72 after the handbag retailer swung to a loss in its first quarter and again issued dismal guidance.
Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF.B) rose 1.3 percent to $95.60 after saying its sales grew a better-than-expected 6 percent pace, buoyed by its focus on the Jack Daniel's trademark brand.
Stock Building Supply Holdings (NASDAQ:STCK) gained 17.2 percent to $21.25 after agreeing to a $1.5 billion all-stock merger with privately held Building Materials Holding Corp., a deal that will leave Stock Building Supply shareholders with 40 percent of the combined entity.
Lumber Liquidators (NYSE:LL) slid 0.6 percent to $21.90 after saying its chief compliance officer Ray Cotton has left the company. Lumber Liquidators has been embroiled in controversy on concerns about chemicals contained in its China-made flooring materials. The stock has lost 67% so far this year.
In health-care shares, Halozyme Therapeutics (NASDAQ:HALO) jumped 7.1 percent to $19.,27 after reaching a global collaboration and licensing agreement with AbbVie potentially valued at $1.19 billion to develop and commercialize products that combine AbbVie’s treatments and Halozyme’s Enhanze drug delivery technology.
Ardelyx (NASDAQ:ARDX) climbed 27 percent to $13.57 after saying it will pay AstraZeneca PLC at least $25 million to take back the rights to its experimental drug, tenapanor, and begin testing it for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.
In other stocks, Energizer Holdings (NYSE:ENR) slumped 1.8 percent to $138.32. The consumer products maker announced a new 10 million share stock buyback program. The move comes ahead of the company planned split of its personal care products business into a new company called Edgewell Personal Care.