Major Movers on May 29; STEI, SFD, AEGR, TFM, WTSL

Shares of Stewart Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: STEI) rallied 33% by afternoon trade after its bigger peer Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI) announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to buy the smaller funeral services provider in deal valued at $1.4 billion. Service Corp said that the acquisition will enable the funeral service provider to increase its presence in funeral and cemetery industry of North America, which is very much fragmented at the moment. According to the terms of the acquisition deal, Service Corporation will offer $13.25 in cash for every share A class and B class share held in Stewart Enterprises, representing a premium of 36% over STEI’s closing stock price on Tuesday, which was $9.74. The board of directors from both companies approved the deal. Shares of Smithfield Foods Inc. (NYSE: SFD) skyrocketed about 25% by afternoon trade after China’s biggest meat processing company, Shuanghui International (also called as Shineway), announced that it has agreed to buy America’s largest meat and pork processing company in a deal valued at $4.7 billion. According to the terms of the deal, Shuanghui will pay $34 a share, which represents a premium of 31% over the closing stock price on Tuesday. The acquisition is the biggest ever by a Chinese Company in the U.S. The deal is expected to close by the second half of the year, provided it gets approval from regulators and Smithfield shareholders. Shares of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AEGR) rallied about 11.75% by afternoon trade after analysts at J P Morgan in their research note on Wednesday maintained “overweight” rating on the stock and raised price target to $69.00 from $48.00. Besides, analysts at Lazard Capital Markets in their research note on Wednesday reiterated “buy” rating on the stock. The firm currently has a price target of $77.00. Separately, analysts at Canaccord Genuity lifted their price target to $90 from $54 and assigned “buy” rating on the stock. Earlier on May 20, analysts at Jefferies Group boosted their price target on the stock to $50 from $46. The firm maintains a “buy” rating on the stock. Shares of The Fresh Market Inc. (NASDAQ: TFM) climbed about 5% by afternoon trade after the specialty grocer reported better-than-expected fiscal first quarter results. The Company reported that net income increased to $22.1 million or 46 cents a share up from a profit of $19.3 million or 40 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting earnings of 44 cents a share. Net sales soared 12.9% to $366.6 million from $324.8 million, in the year-earlier quarter. Analysts’ consensus estimate was for $369.69 million. Same-store-sales rose 3%, driven by 2.4% growth in average transaction size and 0.6% increase in volume of transactions. Shares of the Wet Seal Inc. (NASDAQ: WTSL) jumped about 8.80% by afternoon trade after the female specialty apparel and accessories maker, late last evening, said that it swung into fiscal first quarter profit, aided by higher margin and lower expenses. The Company also provided optimistic outlook for the current quarter.