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China Green, Cigna, Origin Agritech, Peet’s: U.S. Equity Movers

By Lu Wang

Nov. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies had unusual moves in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and share prices are as of 4 p.m. in New York.

Ampal American Israel Corp. (AMPL US) jumped 12 percent to $3.13, the highest price since September 2008. The investor in Israel and Israeli-related businesses said its East Mediterranean Gas Co. unit signed an eight-year supply contract worth as much as $100 million with Haifa Chemicals South Ltd.

AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (ANN US) added 6 percent to $14.43, the highest price since Oct. 26. The retailer specializing in women’s business attire was raised to “overweight” from “market-weight” at Thomas Weisel Partners Group Inc., which cited a “substantial opportunity” for the fourth quarter and 2010.

AT&T Inc. (T US) added 2.9 percent, the most since May 26, to $26.78. The telephone company may be undervalued amid concern its exclusive contract for Apple Inc.’s iPhone in the U.S. may expire next year, Barron’s reported, citing Sergey Dluzhevskiy, an analyst at Gabelli & Co.

Cephalon Inc. (CEPH US) dropped 8.6 percent to $54.46 for the second-steepest retreat in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. The maker of pain and cancer medicines said the experimental drug Cinquil reduced symptoms of an inflammatory allergy in children no better than a placebo in a test.

China Green Agriculture Inc. (CGA US) declined 7.5 percent to $15.85 for the steepest drop since Oct. 28. The Chinese fertilizer producer said it plans to raise about $20 million selling 1.28 million shares at $15.60 each to a group of institutional investors.

Ciena Corp. (CIEN US) had the biggest decline in the S&P 500, losing 8.9 percent to $12. The maker of fiber-optic gear for U.S. telephone companies won an auction for Nortel Networks Corp.’s optical-networking business after raising its offer to $769 million. Morgan Keegan Inc. cut the shares to “market perform.”

Cigna Corp. (CI US) had the second-biggest gain in the S&P 500, advancing 7.6 percent to $32.30. The insurer specializing in employee health plans and WellPoint Inc. (WLP US) were upgraded to “overweight” from “neutral” by JPMorgan Chase & Co., which said the industry traded at a 40 percent discount to the S&P 500 in terms of price to estimated 2010 earnings.

WellPoint added 4.6 percent to $54.52.

Deere & Co. (DE US) added 2 percent to $51.85, the highest price since September 2008. The world’s largest maker of agricultural equipment was raised to “overweight” from “equal-weight” and its share price estimate raised to $64 from $48 at Morgan Stanley.

Diedrich Coffee Inc. (DDRX US) rallied 29 percent to $33.65, the highest price since December 1997. Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. (PEET US) raised its offer to buy Diedrich by 24 percent to about $265 million after Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (GMCR US) made a competing bid.

Peet’s had the second steepest decline in the Russell 2000 Index, slipping 13 percent to $33.06.

Financial Federal Corp. (FIF US) surged 29 percent to $26.61 for the second-biggest advance in Russell 2000 Index. People’s United Financial Inc., the holding company for People’s United Bank, said it agreed to acquire the specialist in financing bulldozers, cranes and earthmovers for small companies for about $738 million in stock and cash.

Hecla Mining Co. (HL US) climbed 2.9 percent to $6.44, the highest price since September 2008. The owner of the Greens Creek silver mine in Alaska was reiterated at “sector perform” and its share price estimate increased to $6.50 from $5.50 at RBC Capital Markets.

IBasis Inc. (IBAS US) advanced 32 percent to $2.98, the biggest jump in the Russell 2000. Royal KPN NV (KPN NA), the largest telephone company in the Netherlands, agreed to increase its offer for the remaining 44 percent of IBasis, provider of Internet phone services, to $3 per share in cash.

Jefferies Group Inc. (JEF US) dropped 6 percent to $24.99, the lowest price since Sept. 24. The New York-based brokerage that specializes in mid-sized companies was cut to “sell” from “neutral” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which said “fixed income results may wane” in the fourth quarter.

LDK Solar Co. (LDK US) surged 6.9 percent to $8.55, the highest price since Sept. 30. The Chinese maker of silicon wafers used in solar power cells posted a quarterly profit of 27 cents per American depositary receipt. Analysts in a Bloomberg survey, on average, estimated the company lost 13 cents for each depositary receipt.

Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. (OMEX US) advanced 3.9 percent to $1.59, the highest price since Oct. 29. The explorer of sunken treasure bought a minority stake in SMM Project LLC, which owns mineral rights to about 150,000 square kilometers (57,915 square miles) of ocean floor in the South Pacific.

Origin Agritech Ltd. (SEED US) soared the most since it went public in March 2004, doubling to $10.45. China’s third- biggest seed producer said it has received approval from the Ministry of Agriculture on its genetically modified phytase corn products.

Steelcase Inc. (SCS US) climbed 13 percent, the most since June 26, to $5.74. The office furniture maker was raised to “buy” from “neutral” at Longbow Research.

Tech Data Corp. (TECD US) added 1.7 percent to $43.53, the highest price since Oct. 14. The world’s second-biggest distributor of computer products reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of 84 cents a share, 18 percent higher than the average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

Silver Wheaton Corp. (SLW US) added 4.2 percent to $16.25, the highest price since April 2008. The company which resells silver bought at a discount from mining companies was raised to “outperform” from “sector perform” and its share price estimate raised to $20 from $15 at RBC Capital.

United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS US) rose 1.1 percent to $58.16, the highest price since Sept. 23. The world’s largest package-delivery company will increase ground-shipment rates in 2010 by 4.9 percent, less than this year, amid a drop in volumes.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (VRX US) retreated 2 percent, the most since Oct. 28, to $32.60. The drugmaker may fall by a third if its epilepsy drug fails to offset sliding royalties from the antiviral drug ribavirin, Barron’s reported, without citing anyone.

Zions Bancorp. (ZION US) rose the most in the S&P 500, gaining 13 percent to $14.12. Utah’s biggest bank said it has entered into federal funds futures contracts that will shorten the duration of some of its units’ securities. Zions also said it began an exchange offer for 5.6 million in preferred stock.

For Related News and Information: Stories on U.S. stocks: NI USS <GO> Top stories on stocks: TOP STK <GO> Market map of the S&P 500: SPX <Index> IMAP <GO> Global heat map: MMAP <GO> Most-active U.S. stocks: MOST US <GO> Feature stories on U.S. stocks: TNI USS FEA <GO> Stories on U.S. stock options: NI USO <GO> Equity screening: EQS <GO>

Last Updated: November 23, 2009 17:00 EST