Goody’s Family Clothing Shares Drop

New York City, In response to a company warning that first-quarter earnings would be much lower than last year’s results, shares of Goody’s Family Clothing tumbled today.

Shares of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based retailer of moderately priced family clothing gave up 17.7%, or $1.94, to $9 in early morning trading on the Nasdaq, where it was the biggest percentage loser. Trading volume was more than six times its average volume over the previous three months. The company operates 358 stores mostly in the South and Midwest.

Private investment bank Avondale Partners said today it cut its rating on Goody’s to “Market Perform” from “Market Outperform” and lowered its stock price target from $13 to $11, saying, “We believe in this early part of the year it is prudent to wait for evidence of firming sales.”

Goody’s blamed bad weather, an early Easter and a tight economy for its lowered first-quarter earnings.