Benzinga's Microcap Movers for Friday April 27, 2012

Below are highlights from Benzinga's daily coverage of microcap securities making big moves: MBT Financial Corp Shares of MBT Financial Corp MBTF, the Monroe, MI parent company of Monroe Bank & Trust, rose 18.37% Friday on almost 8 times the average daily volume. MBT Financial, reported a net profit of $1,217,000, or $0.07 per share (basic and diluted), in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the loss of $4,042,000, or $0.23 per share in the first quarter of 2011. The net interest margin increased from 3.11% in the first quarter of 2011 to 3.18% in the first quarter of 2012. The decrease in non accrual loans, from $65.6 million a year ago to $45.4 million, contributed to the increase in the net interest margin, as well as a 44 basis point decline in the cost of interest bearing liabilities. Although average earning assets decreased $17.6 million, the increase in the net interest margin resulted in an increase of $159,000, or 1.8% in the net interest income. MBT Financial Corp closed at $2.90 on Friday. Vimicro International Vimicro International VIMC, the China-based multimedia semiconductor and IP-based surveillance solution provider, rose 17.46% Friday on 91 times the average daily volume. Vimicro announced Friday the signing of a strategic cooperative agreement with Tianjin Samsung Techwin Opto-Electronic Co. outlining broad-based cooperation in the areas of technology, products, and business development. Tianjin Samsung Techwin Opto-Electronics Co is a joint venture that was founded by Samsung Techwin Co. and Tianjin Zhonghuan Electronic Information Group in 2008. Vimicro International closed at $1.48 on Friday. Aware Shares of Aware AWRE, the Bedford, MA supplier of biometrics software and DSL service assurance products, rose 64.44% Friday on 48 times the average daily volume. Aware announced Friday that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $1.15 per share, or approximately $24 million in total. The special dividend will be paid on May 25, 2012 to shareholders of record as of May 11, 2012. The Board of Directors has determined that the company's current cash balances exceed our capital requirements and has decided to return cash to shareholders. The tax treatment of the special cash dividend will depend on the amount of the company's current and accumulated earnings and profits as of December 31, 2012, as determined by the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, the company is unable to determine how the special cash dividend will be treated under U.S. tax law at this time. Aware closed at $6.15 on Friday. The information in this article is taken from public sources, press releases, and websites that cannot always be verified. Please note that investing in microcap stocks is highly speculative. The companies mentioned here are for information purposes only. Benzinga makes no claim as to the suitability of these stocks as an investment. Neither Benzinga nor its staff recommend that you buy, sell, or hold any security. We do not offer investment advice, personalized or otherwise. Benzinga recommends that you conduct your own due diligence and consult a certified financial professional for personalized advice about your financial situation.