Harris Interactive (HPOL)

Company

"Harris Interactive Inc. (www.harrisinteractive.com), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll® and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value." (company website)

Buy

4-May-06. Harris reached a new 52-week high in February and failed to surpass it in March. Since then it has been falling steadily. Market Edge has HPOL as "avoid" with a "strong downward trend" in the chart, going so far as to call it a short-sell candidate.

I bought in after-hours trading after HPOL released earnings that exceeded Expectations, compared to a loss in the year-ago quarter. The pull-back reversed itself after just breaking the level of last summer's peaks, and I think I see other signs of life.

• Price momentum (PPO) — picking up, now positive
• Trend (ADX) — weakening as buying pressure (+DI) approaches a cross-over of selling pressure (-DI) which is falling
• Money flow (CMF) — neutral
• Relative strength (RSI) — picking up strength
• Volume —

This should be interesting.

Sell

11-May-06. The signs of life shown by HPOL lasted about as long as the amarylis blossom! It is in its third consecutive day of decline, including a huge-volume sell-off on Tuesday. Eating losses is never good for the digestion, but better now than later. Bye-bye!