The biggest gainers:
Ingles Markets (IMKTA) 41% $34.70 — The Black Mountain-based supermarket chain has bounced back strongly after fears of tougher competition from discounters Lidl and Aldi and Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods Market had sent shares plummeting. Sales gained 3.6% at stores open at least one year in the most recent quarter.
Snyder’s-Lance (LNCE) 37% $50.24— Campbell Soup Co. has offered to acquire the Charlotte-based snack maker for $4.87 billion. Including debt, the transaction is about $6 billion, Campbell shares trade at nearly the lowest price-earnings ratio among food industry companies, while Lance is among the priciest, Bloomberg reports.
INC Research (INCR) 16% $42.90 —INC’s shares are trading at about the same price as the closing price on Nov. 9, when it lost 28% of its value following an $89 million quarterly loss. But the shares have rebounded after trading for less than $34 in November.
Nucor (NUE) 16% $64.56 —The Charlotte-based steel maker has rebounded as economic growth is picking up and federal tax reform should boost earnings in 2018. Over the last year, shares have gained 5%.
Lowe’s (LOW) 15% $91.19 —The Mooresville-based home improvement chain expects to open 15 to 20 stores over the next year and same-store sales growth of about 3%.