NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Shares of Providian Financial Corp. rose Monday on news of the appointment of a new CEO following a six-week search.
But Home Depot dipped after a report that the company's earnings growth could slow and it may open fewer stores next year.
Monday's winners
Struggling credit card company Providian Financial (PVN: up $0.51 to $3.80, Research, Estimates) Monday named Joseph Saunders, former chairman and CEO of Fleet Credit Card LLC, to lead the company through a restructuring or possible sale. San Francisco-based Providian said Saunders would succeed Shailesh Mehta, who announced on Oct. 18 that he would step down as Providian president and CEO when a successor had been found.
Shares of Ford Motor (F: up $0.70 to $18.58, Research, Estimates) also rose Monday after November car and truck sales estimates for the industry came in between 16.5 million and 18.5 million, well off last month's record showing of 21 million, but ahead of the 16.3 million pace of November 2000. Ford announced Monday it is recalling 279,646 of its 2000 and 2001 model year Focus compacts because of a problem that could cause the rear wheels to wobble.
Amazon.com (AMZN: up $3.13 to $12.21, Research, Estimates). Shares of the Internet retailer were boosted after the company's Delight-O-Meter -- which tracks orders from its Internet sites -- indicated that holiday orders were running ahead of expectations. Merrill Lynch analyst Henry Blodget said the preliminary results may bode well for Amazon, which in October issued sales guidance up to 12 percent lower than what Wall Street had expected for the crucial holiday quarter.
Micromuse (MUSE: up $2.07 to $16.57, Research, Estimates). Banc of America Securities upgraded the provider of software solutions to "buy" from "market perform," saying it expects the company to meet quarterly estimates from continued strong sales.
Omnivision Technologies (OVTI: up $2.02 to $5.68, Research, Estimates). Prudential Securities raised its rating on the semiconductor imaging device maker to "buy" from "hold," citing a bright outlook in wireless handsets and security applications.
J.D. Edwards (JDEC: up $1.56 to $14.06, Research, Estimates). Credit Suisse First Boston upgraded the provider of enterprise software solutions to "buy" from "hold," citing the company's "healthy" product portfolio.
Yahoo! (YHOO: up $2.34 to $18.07, Research, Estimates). The Internet portal said that as of noon Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, its sales were on track to increase 60 percent compared with that same day a year earlier.
Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM: up $0.90 to $16.60, Research, Estimates). U.S.-traded shares of the chipmaker rose after the company boosted its guidance for 2001 by 55 percent due to an increase in orders.
ESS Technology (ESST: up $3.69 to $19.79, Research, Estimates). The chipmaker said it has raised its fourth-quarter earnings guidance, buoyed by growing market share and better-than-expected sales of DVD players.
Geron (GERN: up $0.78 to $10.96, Research, Estimates). The biotechnology firm rose in the wake of news that another private biotech company had successfully cloned a human embryo.
Monday's losers
Shares of Home Depot (HD: down $1.06 to $45.52, Research, Estimates) dipped after a Wall Street Journal report in its "Heard on the Street" column said the company is expected to announce later this week that earnings will grow at a slower rate. The report also said the company could announce that it will reduce the number of new stores next year and will open smaller "Depot Lite" stores.
CANTV (VNT: down $2.06 to $19.06, Research, Estimates). Venezuela's largest telecom company said it would buy back 20.5 percent of all shares tendered under a company offer to buy back 15 percent of its stock. CANTV, which is controlled by Verizon Communications (VZ: down $0.15 to $48.85, Research, Estimates), said it will pay $4.29 for each regular share and $30 per American depository share (ADS) for a total of 15 percent of its stock.
Lucent Technologies (LU: down $0.35 to $8.04, Research, Estimates). Morgan Stanley downgraded the telecom equipment maker, saying it is overvalued. Morgan said it is encouraged by Lucent's product development, but it sees $8 per share as a fair price for the stock.
Enron (ENE: down $0.70 to $4.01, Research, Estimates), Dynegy (DYN: down $1.15 to $39.25, Research, Estimates). Shares of troubled energy trader Enron continued to lose ground amid fears that the proposed acquisition of the company by smaller rival Dynegy will fall through. Last week, Enron said it could be forced to pay a $690 million debt by mid-December because of a credit downgrade. 
--from staff and wire reports
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