5 of Last Week's Biggest Winners

It was a rocky week on Wall Street, with Nasdaq stocks inching lower and the Dow inching higher, but there were plenty of stocks really making some serious moves. Let's take a closer look at five of this past week's biggest scorchers.

Source: Barron's.

Let's start with MannKind. The biotech soared after the FDA advisory committee reviewing its inhaled insulin voted overwhelmingly in Afrezza's favor for the treatment of patients with diabetes. MannKind's stock had drifted lower in the days leading up to the favorable review on concerns of some of the treatment's potential side effects. 

Anadarko Petroleum was another gusher, moving higher after agreeing on a lofty settlement related to the notorious case of Kerr-McGee's nuclear and rocket fuel waste that had some serious ramifications. Anadarko acquired Kerr-McGee after the waste disaster, but it still settled to pay more than $5 billion to clean up its mess. That's a lot of money, but investors are relieved that it's finally over.

Intuitive Surgical made the cut after receiving clearance for its da Vinci Xi. The next generation of its robotic surgery device gives surgeons more movement flexibility, potentially opening up the platform to perform even more surgical procedures in the future. The stock hit fresh 52-week highs before falling back on Friday.

China Digital TV moved higher after declaring a $0.50-per-share dividend. That's a big payout for a stock trading for roughly the price of a Big Mac. China's leading provider of conditional access systems for the growing digital television market had slumped a few weeks earlier after offering up uninspiring guidance.

Finally we have Builders FirstSource gaining ground after receiving a Wall Street boost. Analysts at Deutsche Bank upgraded the provider of structural building products, feeling that the housing boom still has legs. Many housing plays have been correcting lately, but Builders FirstSource went on to hit a new 52-week high.