Wrap text within element

Single DIV:

var txt = $('.count')[0].nextSibling;
$(txt).wrap('<span class="new" />');

JSfiddle

Multiple DIVs:

var markers = document.querySelectorAll('.count'),
    l = markers.length,
    i, txt;

for (i = l - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    txt = markers[i].nextSibling;
    $(txt).wrap('<span class="new" />');
}

JSFiddle

How about

$('.item').contents().filter(function(){
    return this.nodeType == 3 && $.trim(this.nodeValue).length;
}).wrap('<span class="new" />');

http://jsfiddle.net/mowglisanu/x5eFp/3/

You can do it using contents() and .eq()

$('.item').each(function(i, v) {
    $(v).contents().eq(2).wrap('<span class="new"/>')
});​

http://jsfiddle.net/qUUbW/