Speculators target Chico's

Every so often, the stock of Chico's pops.

The publicly traded stock of Fort Myers-based women's retailer has been the frequent object of speculative activity since 2011. Chico's stock (symbol: CHS) jumps as investors get excited about the sale of the company, then it settles back down to where it traded before the hoopla.

The latest Wall Street rumor: On Sept. 14, Chico's stock rose 10.2% on a report by Bloomberg that private equity firm Sycamore Partners is interested in buying the company. The news service reported that Chico's is working with investment bank Peter J. Solomon.