UNITED CONTINENTAL (DOG)
Business quiz! Shares of United Continental Holdings, parent of United Airlines, sank this week after: a) The company kicked a pregnant woman off a plane because "she technically should be paying for two people"; b) Forced several passengers to serve snacks and clean up afterward "because we were short-staffed"; c) forcibly removed a paying customer to make room for an employee who needed a seat at the last minute. Answer: c.
UAL (NYSE), $69.07 (U.S.) down $1.81 or 2.6% over week
BLACKBERRY (STAR)
It's kind of like finding $20 in your jeans – except it's $815-million (U.S.). And it's not in your jeans. BlackBerry shareholders celebrated their good fortune after the long-struggling smartphone and software maker received a huge binding arbitration award – equal to about one-fifth of its market cap – in a dispute with Qualcomm. With BlackBerry's stock price surging on the windfall, investors might be able to upgrade to an iPhone.
BB (TSX), $11.52 up $1.05 or 10% over week
CLUBCORP HOLDINGS (DOG)
People like to dream about playing golf in retirement. But if they own a lot of investments such as golf course operator ClubCorp, they'll never retire. The shares landed in the water hazard after the company, which had been attempting to find a buyer, took itself off the block and announced quarterly sales and earnings below estimates. With ClubCorp also announcing the departure of its CEO, investors swore and wrapped their clubs around a tree.
MYCC (NYSE), $13.80 (U.S.) down $1.95 or 12.4% over week
WHOLE FOODS MARKET (STAR)
Whole Foods investors had a whole lot to smile about this week. First, activist investor Jana Partners confirmed that it acquired a 9-per-cent stake in the natural-foods retailer amid speculation Jana is pushing for a sale. Then came a report that Amazon had considered bidding for the chain last fall but ultimately backed away. With Whole Foods' shares rising sharply on news it may be in play, investors are happier than antibiotic-free pigs in mud.
WFM (Nasdaq), $33.96 (U.S.) up $2.89 or 9.3% over week
RETAILMENOT (STAR)
What's more profitable than clipping coupons? Investing in online coupon site RetailMeNot – well, at least this week it was. Shares of the company, which provides online coupon codes and deals, soared after it agreed to be acquired for $11.60 a share by Harland Clarke Holdings, which plans to merge it into its existing coupons business. Still, investors who bought RetailMeNot when it went public at $21 a share in 2013 might not think it's such a screaming deal.
SALE (Nasdaq), $11.55 (U.S.) up $3.80 or 49% over week