Career Education drops, Stamps.com up

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Career Education Corp. (CECO.O) dropped 11.5 percent before the bell on Friday after a brokerage cut its rating on the stock, a day after the for-profit education company posted a drop in quarterly profit.

Prudential cut the stock to "underweight" from "neutral weight," according to theflyonthewall.com. The stock fell to $26.24 in electronic trade, from a close of $29.64 on the Nasdaq.

But shares of Stamps.com Inc. (STMP.O) rose 12 percent to $16 before the bell after First Albany raised its rating on the stock to "buy" from "neutral."