Following are the day’s biggest winners and losers. Find out why shares of Southwest Airlines and Potash popped while eBay and Sony dropped.
POPS (stocks that jumped higher)
Hershey (HSY) popped 3%. Citigroup upgraded the candy maker to “buy” from “hold,” saying the company will benefit from consumers trading-down to less expensive chocolates. - Good for them, says Karen Finerman.
Potash (POT) popped 5%. The firm reported a fourth-quarter profit that more than doubled on Thursday and its shares surged even though it issued weaker than expected forecasts for 2009. - I'm not sure they can hold the gains, speculates Jeff Macke.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) popped 17%. Fourth quarter earnings, excluding fuel-hedging costs, were not as bad as the Street had expected. - I love LUV just for CEO Herb Kelleher, muses Guy Adami.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) popped 9%. The firm met earnings expectations and reiterated its full year forecast for 2009. - Their story is pretty good, says Karen Finerman.
Brinker International (EAT) popped 32%. The owner of Chili’s restaurants posted much better-than-expected quarterly results, due in part to their ability to control costs.
DROPS (stocks that slid lower)
Sony (SNE) dropped 14%. The firm forecast a full-year loss of almost $3 billion, far worse than expected, due to the slowdown in consumer spending. - I think it could go lower, muses Tim Seymour.
Nokia (NOK) dropped 10%. The firm offered a bleak forecast for 2009 and slashed its dividend. - Not a lot of good things here, says Tim Seymour.
eBay (EBAY) dropped 12% A weaker-than-expected forecast raised investor fears the company will not see growth any time soon in its main online auctions. - I've been cautionary on this stock for some time, says Jeff Macke.
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) dropped 4%. FBR downgraded the firm to “underperform” from “market perform.” - It's a volatile space, says Guy Adami.
Barclays (BCS) dropped 18%. The U.K. bank continued to slide on concerns of nationalization. - I think they need more capital, says Tim Seymour. The question is do they get it from the government.
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) dropped 29%. Ohio’s second-largest bank posted a quarterly loss of $2.2 billion, its third straight loss. - Not good, says Karen Finerman.
Jacobs Engineering (JEC) dropped 12%. The engineering firm slid after one of its most important clients, Suncor Energy, slashed its 2009 spending.
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Trader disclosure: On Jan. 22nd, 2008, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC’s Fast Money were owned by the Fast Money traders; Seymour Owns (AAPL), (BAC), (EEM), (F), (FXI); Macke Owns (MCD), (BAC), (C), (TM), (SDS); Adami Owns (AGU), (C), (BTU), (GS), (INTC), (MSFT), (NUE); Finerman's Firm Owns (MSFT), (UNH), (AET); Finerman's Firm Owns (DNA) & (DNA) Call Spread; Finerman's Firm Is Short (IYR), (IJR), (IWM), (MDY), (SPY), (USO), (ANF)
