The Market's Big Movers

Over the past five years, on average, the S&P 500 has moved 0.7% on a daily basis. Not much to help knock the sleep out of your eyes in the morning. S&P components Prudential Financial and Allstate have shifted 1.1% and 0.9%, respectively, on a daily basis. Even comparatively exciting Symantec has only moved 1.8% per day over that time period. Boring.

Of course, I'm not going to argue with the merits of holding any of these stocks. Allstate, Prudential, and Symantec were up a total of 101%, 189%, and 152%, respectively, over the past five years. Though keeping tabs on these stocks can feel like watching grass grow, they can make great core holdings for your portfolio. Right here at The Motley Fool, we even have a newsletter, Inside Value, dedicated to solid stocks just like these -- in fact, Symantec is a current Inside Value selection.

But sometimes even a guy like me who loves a good, stable, hearty main course for his financial feast gets the urge to throw a little Tabasco on top. You know, a little something that'll get the blood pumping first thing in the morning. If you find yourself in need of a little stock-market caffeination, you need look no further than the front page of The Motley Fool's CAPS investing service. There, you can find a list of the 10 stocks that are making moves sure to keep you on your toes.

Here are a few to get you started:

Who was surprised by the big jump at FEI? Not CAPS players, that's for sure. Prior to today, FEI had a perfect 35-0 record in CAPS. In fact, the stock has only had a single underperform rating in its CAPS history -- and that was pulled back in November after the player took a loss. Six new outperform ratings came in today despite the stock price spike.

Why all the juice? FEI, which makes microscopes and other equipment for working at the nano scale, reported earnings that topped analysts' estimates by more than 40%. Even better, the company gave earnings guidance for the first quarter that was substantially above Wall Street expectations. Rising gross margins and 27% sequential top-line growth in product sales drove the company for the quarter, and solid bookings in the "NanoResearch" and industrial R&D segments contributed to the rosy outlook. The company also brought in its largest single order ever -- an $11.5 million order from the Technical University of Denmark.

Back in December, CAPS player carbonates, who has actually used some of FEI's microscopes, gave the CAPS community a glimpse of FEI's potential across a number of industries:

"While the semiconductor industry and biological applications are probably their biggest market, they stand to benefit as well from high oil prices. New techniques of fracture analysis and applications in unconventional oil may soon make scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) a much more common tool in the oil patch. For years most of the majors have owned one or more of these, and with recent advances I think most of the current users will be upgrading. Likewise the uses of SEMs are expanding, for example the last class I took had several forensics experts who are now using SEMs for crime lab analysis."

On the downside of the list, EGL, a global logistics specialist, showed the nasty underbelly of private equity deals. Specifically, the company issued a press release late Wednesday saying that private equity firm General Atlantic had pulled its backing for a buyout led by chairman and CEO James Crane. Given that the stock was trading above the proposed take-private price of $36 per share prior to the announcement, it seems that investors were blindsided by the turn of events. And as we all know, investors hate surprises.

Though Crane, who owned more than 20% of the outstanding stock as of the most recent proxy filing, has indicated that he will be soliciting other sources for financial backing, it's up for question what exactly GA found that turned them cold on the deal. Also in the press release, the company announced that fourth-quarter results would be impacted by an 8% decline in revenue per shipment and higher operating expenses.

Despite the news, some CAPS players remain positive on the one-star stock. CycleFreak7 is convinced that the CEO's desire to take the company private will trump this setback:

"Today, the offer was withdrawn, sending shares down 16%. Crane will pursue other equity sources. That can only lead to another future jump when the offer is made. When that happens, who knows."

Looking for more, shall we say, caliente stocks? Be sure to check back at the home page for CAPS. Meanwhile, why not let the rest of the CAPS community know what you think about these crazy movers? Don't have a CAPS portfolio yet? Fret not, grasshopper; CAPS is absolutely free and pays you in spades.

More CAPS coverage:

• Check out the new upgrades and downgrades.
• Wall Street's best are tracked on CAPS, too.
• There's nothing like a fresh IPO.

When it comes to short-term trading, Fool contributor Matt Koppenheffer is less Jesse Livermore and more Uncle Jesse, though he doesn't mind a little volatility to spice up his life. He does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned. Corporate Executive Board is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick, and Symantec is an Inside Value selection. The Fool's disclosure policy is never unpredictable.