Every public company loves to put out good news and see the reflection in its stock price. The following four companies released positive news of some kind either this morning or late yesterday and have seen their stock prices soar so far today.Just after the market’s open, shares of ESmart Technologies Inc. (Pink Sheets: ESMT) were up 100 percent, or 4 cents, to 8 cents on volume of 679,000. The company announced today it has entered into an agreement with Gwangju City, South Korea, to provide its Biometric Verification Security System and its Super Smart Card for processing payment, ID, e-government and other e-commerce, digital transactions. The technology will be used as part of Gwangju City’s “Digital City” project.
Shares of Law Enforcement Associates Corp. (AMEX: AID) rose 20 percent, or 11 cents, to 66 cents on volume of 18,000 this morning after the company announced more than 60 new orders for its covert tracking system with an aggregate value of approximately $425,000. The orders come from 28 domestic law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The company provides surveillance and security products to the global law enforcement, military, security and corrections market.
Hyperdynamics Corp. (AMEX: HDY) shares rose nearly 15 percent, or 31 cents, to $2.79 this morning on volume of 563,500. The company announced today its wholly owned subsidiary SCS has received a positive disposition of its lawsuit against USOil Corp. (USOil). The case, filed in July, was dropped when USOil made admissions before the court severing “any and all ties Hyperdynamics once had with USOil in conjunction with the old agreement that Hyperdynamics once operated under for oil and gas exploration and production offshore the Republic of Guinea.”
Ascendia Brands Inc. (AMEX: ASB) shares rose 8 percent, or 12 cents, to $1.62 this morning on volume of 7,600. Friday afternoon the company said it would not file its 10-K for the fiscal year ended Feb. 28, 2007 on time, but did release its unaudited earnings for the year. Ascendia reported net sales of $99.6 million as compared to $79.5 million the prior year; gross profit increased to $14.6 million as compared to $5.3 million for 2006. The company accredits its acquisition of Playtex brands in November 2005 to increased net sales.