Stocks ended slightly lower on Friday, but shares of the deal site Groupon are now available at a big Deal Of The Day. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) fell 30 points, the Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) edged 4 points lower, and the Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) slipped 3.
Priceline ( PCLN) was a big winner, up 2½ percent. It posted solid earnings and sales last quarter, led by strong hotel bookings. The stock has nearly doubled over the past year. And take a look at the price: it trades for well over $1,300 a share, making it one of the market's priciest stocks.
But Groupon ( GRPN) was a big loser. The daily deals site is known for offering big discounts on restaurants and shopping, but now, it's stock is selling at a big discount after sliding 22 percent. Investors were disappointing by its forecast of a loss in the current quarter due to rising expenses. RBC Capital lowered its rating on the stock to "underperform."
Despite a big drop in sales of existing homes last month, homebuilders moved higher. Toll Brothers ( TOL) gained 2 percent, while Lennar ( LEN) and D.R. Horton ( DHI) added more than 1 percent.
Biotechs were strong. Isis Pharmaceuticals ( ISIS) jumped 15 percent after reporting positive test results for its treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy in children. Its partner for the drug, Biogen ( BIIB), gained 3½ percent.
In merger news: Barnes & Noble ( BKS) rose 5½ percent as an investment firm upped its offer for a majority stake in the book chain. Elsewhere, shares of senior living facility operator Emeritus ( ESC) jumped 35 percent after it agreed to be acquired. And Safeway ( SWY) rose another 4 percent. Shares of the supermarket chain have been advancing throughout the week on news it may put itself up for sale.
As for earnings, tech giant Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ) fell more than 1 percent, even though net topped expectations. Newmont Mining ( NEM) fell more than 4 percent after posting a loss, as the price of gold tumbled last year. But the tax software firm Intuit ( INTU) rose 4½ percent.
Finally, Under Armour ( UA) gained 5 percent. It renewed its partnership with U.S. Speedskating despite the concerns this week that its new Olympic suits may have slowed down American skaters.
What to watch Monday:
- The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas releases its survey of regional manufacturing activity for February at 10:30 a.m.
