Jach, and all.... from WSJ... read about the profits/losses...
I already posted this on the BAMM thread and posting it here again FYI
Books-A-Million
Continues Surge
On Web-Site Plans
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By Rick Brooks
Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
Books-A-Million Inc. shares tripled in price, inflating the stock's value in the past two trading sessions by nearly ninefold, as investors continued to show their infatuation with companies doing business over the Internet.
The bookstore chain's stock jumped $26 to close at $38.9375 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading Friday; Tuesday it had closed at $4.375. Books-A-Million was by far the most heavily traded stock on the Nasdaq market, with about 33.6 million shares changing hands.
The stock's steep ascent began on Wednesday, after Books-A-Million said it launched an enhanced Web site in an effort to increase sales beyond its base of 172 bookstores in 17 states, mostly in the Southeast. The Birmingham, Ala., company didn't say specifically how the site had been improved. Still, Books-A-Million shares closed Wednesday at $12.9375.
Analysts said there seemed to be little fundamental reason for the two-day surge. Books-A-Million already had been selling books over the Internet for at least several months but had gained little attention until now. In addition, Books-A-Million isn't expected to improve its lackluster third-quarter performance anytime soon.
"The Web has not been, nor is it expected to be, a meaningful part of [Books-A-Million's] business over the next year," analyst David Magee of Robinson-Humphrey Co. wrote in a research note. At least three analysts lowered their ratings on the stock, saying it is overvalued.
The jump on Friday was fueled by optimism that many shoppers will go online during the Christmas season. Among other surging Internet-related stocks, online-auctioneer Onsale Inc. rose $37.625 to $97.625, while Egghead.com, an online computer-goods retailer, closed at $31.625, up $10.1875, both in Nasdaq trading.
Books-A-Million officials couldn't be reached for comment. The bookseller didn't say how much revenue and earnings it anticipates from its souped-up Web site.
In the nine months ended Oct. 31, Books-A-Million reported a loss of $2 million, or 11 cents a share, on sales of $231.4 million, compared with net income of $596,000, or three cents a diluted share, on sales of $211.7 million, a year earlier.
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