Washington Post Shares Jump the Most in More Than Two Years

Washington Post Co. (WPO), the media and education company partly owned by billionaire Warren Buffett, gained the most in more than two years in New York trading, rebounding from a post-earnings slump.

The stock climbed 5.1 percent to $438.26 at the close today, the biggest one-day gain since Oct. 29, 2010. The shares have climbed 20 percent this year.

Washington Post’s shares declined after the company’s earnings were reported on Feb. 22. The company posted a quarterly net loss of $45.4 million, or 6.57 a share, after writedowns and restructuring increased expenses.

Standard & Poor’s reiterated its hold rating for Washington Post shares today, saying the company could benefit from changes to California law. The state is considering a bill that would let California public universities accept credit for classes taught online. Washington Post’s Kaplan division, which accounts for most of its revenue, could be a candidate to participate, the firm said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Edmund Lee in New York at elee310@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net