Sacre´ bleu! It's another down day for the S&P / ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) as resource and energy stocks continue an unfestive slide heading into the party-fuelled shopping blitz that is Christmas. Fortunately there are some companies getting into the spirit of things with positive earnings updates or improved outlooks, so let's take a look at today's standout performers.
Vocation Ltd (ASX: VET) is top of the class today as the private education provider added 5 cents or around 20% this morning as some believe the worst is over for a business that has seen its shares fall in value more than 80% from peaks hit as recently as September.
Vocation has lost the confidence of big-hitting institutional investors after a series of profit warnings and allegations of misleading conduct. This has resulted in court claims against it from numerous investors, which the company will still have to hurdle before it can confidently look to the future. The down-and-out price is likely leading to smaller investors speculating on its turnaround potential.
MGM Wireless Ltd (ASX: MWR) is another education-related business that today upgraded its profit forecast for the six months ending December 31, 2014. Revenue is now expected to exceed the first half of 2014 by 22% to 28%, and surpass $2 million.
The company's technology-enabled products let schools deliver communications to parents usually via personal mobile devices. With MGM's products the days of school newsletters blowing around the sports pitches look long gone and its growth ambitions spell potential trouble for misbehaving school children everywhere.
The company is clearly having success at selling its products to schools, with daily tasks like roll calls now even able to be hosted in the cloud. It has new products planned and certainly looks one to watch, with the stock closing at $1.15 today.
Fertoz Ltd (ASX: FTZ) has rocketed almost 35% today after announcing it has signed a marketing and distribution agreement to expand its rock phosphate distribution network. Phosphate is an essential compound of fertiliser which facilitates crop yields for agricultural businesses worldwide and Fertoz is exploring for the commodity primarily in Canada and the US.
The Canada deal is an important milestone for the company after the share price collapsed in half over the prior six-month period. Much of the company's outlook would appear to rest on how quickly it can produce and sell fertilisers for the giant North American markets. The stock lifted to 29 cents on the back of the news from Canada.
