Boeing, Plantronics, Ethan Allen All Rise Sharply on Earnings

Stocks are up fractionally as Wall St. digests new housing data that continues to show declines and positive earnings from Amazon and Boeing.  Amazon shares jumped 24%, while Boeing shares rose 3%.

Wednesday had its share of winners, and the following leaders have high PowerRatings (for Investors). A rating of 10 is highest, and our data from 1995 through 2006 show that stocks with high PowerRatings have historically outperformed over the next twelve months. Among the winners today are a number of stocks with high PowerRatings (for Investors).

• Plantronics (PLT@PLT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is up 11.9% on Wednesday morning to $28.84. The company reported earnings after the close Tuesday announcing first quarter GAAP EPS of $0.31, compared to $0.25 last year.

  Excluding cost of equity-based compensation, non-GAAP EPS for the quarter rose to $0.37 from $0.28 last year. Analysts expected EPS of $0.28. PLT's PowerRating is an 8.
   

• Owens & Minor Inc. (OMI@OMI | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is up 11.9% on Wednesday morning to $38.71 and has a high PowerRating of 8. Owens & Minor, Inc. revealed second quarter financial results, reporting earnings that increased, helped by a 29% top-line growth. The company also mentioned that it now expects earnings per share at the lower end and revenues to meet or exceed the outlook range previously announced for fiscal 2007.  OMI's market cap is $1.5 billion and its shares are up 23% year-to-date.
   
• Ethan Allan Interiors (ETH@ETH | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) shares added 8.6%  to $35.19. Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. reported fourth quarter net income of $20.5 million or $0.65 per share, compared to $22.4 million or $0.66 per share in the same quarter last year.
  
  On average, 7 analysts polled by First Call/ Thomson financial Expected the company to report earnings of $0.65 per share.
  
  Looking ahead to fiscal 2008, the company expects earnings per share within the current range of analyst estimates. Seven analysts have a consensus earnings estimate of $2.41 per share, representing a rang of $2.38-$2.45, for fiscal 2008.
  
  ETH has a high PowerRating of 8
   
• The Boeing Company (BA@BA | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) gained 3.3% to $107.19 and has a high PowerRating of 9. Airplane manufacturer Boeing Co. (BA) announced Wednesday morning that it swung to profit for the second quarter as the year-ago quarter was hurt by charges. On an adjusted basis, earnings surged on strong volume and productivity gains apart from a 14% upside in top line helped by increased deliveries. Both earnings and revenues came in well above the Wall Street analysts' estimates.
  
  The company witnessed a record backlog of $279 billion at the end of the second quarter. Buoyed by robust backlog and delivery coupled with better operating margin, the company lifted its 2007 earnings forecast while reaffirming its 2008 earnings target.
  
  BA's market cap is $84 billion and its shares are up 21% year-to-date.