Hurricane Sandy led to the close of the U.S. stock market on Monday and Tuesday. October Chicago PMI was less than expected; the quarterly financial results of the tech sector stocks were generally fatigued and weak. The US stock market closed lower slightly.
The number one of the top stocks on Wednesday was Schiff Nutrition International Inc. (SHF), a nutritional supplement company offering vitamins, nutrition supplements and nutrition bars. SHF stock price jumped 45.92%, or $10.65 to $33.84 after Bayer HealthCare LLCsaid to acquire the company at a price of $1.2 billion, or $34 per share. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. About 5.92 million shares of SHF stock were traded today, well above the three-month average daily trading volume of 125,891 shares. Schiff Nutrition International currently has a market cap of $991.40 million.
Warnaco Group Inc. (WRC) came in as the second of the top stocks today with a whopping gain of 38.72%, or $19.70. Following the news that PVH Corp (PVH) has agreed to buy the clothing company for approximately $2.9 billion in cash and stock. PVH stock closed at $70.58 with 9.65 million shares traded, much more than the three-month average daily trading volume of 405,079 shares. Warnaco Group currently has a market cap of $2.88 billion.
OPNET Technologies Inc. (OPNT) stock also delivered robust performance on Wednesday, as the leading provider of solutions for application and network performance management said it will be acquired by Riverbed Technology Inc. (RVBD) for $43 per share in cash and stock, a 34% premium over last Friday’s closing price of $32.10. OPNT shares bubbled 31.01%, or $9.95, to $42.05 with 4.34 million shares traded, much more than the three-month average daily trading volume of 95,254 shares. The market cap of OPNET Technologies is $971.35 million.
Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. (GPRE) was also on the list of top stocks, on the back that The Andersons, Inc. (ANDE) siad to buy a majority of the grain and agronomy assets of Green Plains Grain Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Green Plains Renewable Energy. The deal is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter. GPRE stock price soared 28.19%, or $1.70, to $7.73, on a volume of 1.02 million shares, substaintially heavier than the three-month average daily trading volume of 153,603 shares. Green Plains Renewable Energy currently commands a market cap of $229.24 million.
Hansen Medical, Inc. (HNSN), a global leader in intravascular robotics, saw its stock price jumping 25.41%, or $0.46, to $2.27 an updated license agreement with its larger peer, Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). HNSN traded 2.38 million shares, much more than the three-month average daily trading volume of 337,123 shares. Hansen Medical currently has a market cap of $139.32 million.