U.S. Interactive gains on H&Q call

Shares of U.S. Interactive Inc. (Nasdaq: USIT) rallied up 3 9/16, or 17 percent, to 25 1/16 Monday after Hambrecht & Quist added the Internet consulting firm to its focus list.

Last week, U.S. Interactive missed analysts' estimates by a couple cents a share, losing $4.1 million, or 10 cents a share, on sales of $9.9 million.

Though the $9.9 million in sales was a 117 percent improvement from the $4.5 million it recorded in the year-ago quarter, First Call analysts were expecting it to lose only 8 cents a share in the quarter.

After its less-than-scintillating initial public offering, its shares fell to a low of 9 3/4 in August.

Hambrecht & Quist predicts the stock will surge to at least $40 a share in the next year.

First Call consensus expects Internet services firm to lose 6 cents a share in the fourth quarter and 30 cents a share in the fiscal year.

All four analysts watching the stock maintain either a "buy" or "strong buy" recommendation.

The stock peaked at $31 a share in September.