Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Thursday's session are Citigroup Inc. (C), GameStop Corp. (GME) and
Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO).
Accenture PLC (ACN) said its fiscal second-quarter revenue grew
as the consulting firm benefited from improvement in its
outsourcing business. The company raised its full-year earnings
forecast. But shares slipped 2% to $81.35 premarket as earnings
slightly missed expectations.
Bank of America Corp. (BAC) on Wednesday said it would pay about
$9.5 billion to settle all litigation by a top U.S. federal
regulator over mortgage securities sold to Fannie Mae (FNMA) and
Freddie Mac (FMCC). Shares edged up 13 cents to $17.31
premarket.
Baxter International Inc. (BAX) said it plans to create
separate, independent health-care companies, one focused on
developing and marketing biopharmaceuticals and the other on
medical products. Shares climbed 11% to $77.90 premarket.
Regulators rejected Citigroup's plan for dividends or share
buybacks in their annual review of the banking industry's financial
health, a major blow to Chief Executive Michael Corbat's efforts to
restore confidence in the bank. Shares declined 6% to $47.15
premarket.
Clovis Oncology (CLVS) posted positive findings from a study of
a lung-cancer treatment. The Phase 1 study of the oral treatment,
called CO-1686, demonstrated "encouraging" results and
progression-free survival in patients, Clovis said. Shares
increased 4.2% to $80.75 in recent premarket trading.
Commercial Metals Co. (CMC) said its fiscal second-quarter
earnings surged as results in the steelmaker and recycler's
international mills business offset impacts from rising materials
costs at its Americas units. Results missed expectations, but
shares edged up 2.6% to $19.43 premarket.
Conn's Inc. (CONN) said its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose
57% behind sales growth in all the specialty retailer's categories.
The results fell short of expectations, but the specialty retailer
said credit portfolio performance has improved since the quarter
ended with delinquency declining. Shares rose 8.9% to $37.58
premarket.
GameStop said its fiscal fourth-quarter sales rose thanks to new
videogame consoles, though its top line didn't see as large a
benefit as expected and it outlined plans to close 2% of its
videogame stores. Shares of GameStop declined 5.7% to $36.70 in
recent premarket trading.
Paychex Inc. (PAYX) said its fiscal third-quarter earnings rose
11% as the company reported higher revenue in both its payroll and
human resource services businesses. Shares edged up 3.2% to $43.25
premarket.
Signet Jewelers Ltd. (SIG, SIG.LN) on Thursday posted sales and
earnings growth for its fiscal fourth quarter that topped
expectations. The company also said it would raise its quarterly
dividend 20% to 18 cents a share, a reflection of "the board's
confidence in the strength of the business." Shares rose 3.5% to
$101.75 premarket.
Spherix Inc. (SPEX) on Thursday said that it is suing Cisco Inc.
(CSCO), a leging that $43 billion in Cisco sales infringed on
Spherix patents. Spherix--which described itself as an
"intellectual property development company committed to the
fostering and monetization of intellectual property"--said Cisco
infringes on 11 patents it acquired in December. Spherix shares
rose 4.9% to $4.70 premarket.
Winnebago said its fiscal second quarter earnings rose 53% as
revenue and deliveries jumped. The results topped expectations in
spite of severe weather that disrupted production during the
period. Shares climbed 7.1% to $28.50 premarket.
Watch List:
Cargill Inc. and Copersucar SA agreed to combine their global
sugar trading activities, creating a new joint venture that will
originate and trade raw and white sugar.
Exact Sciences Corp. (EXAS) said the Nasdaq stock exchange
halted trading in the company's shares as a U.S. Food and Drug
Administration panel on Thursday reviews the company's cancer
screening test.
Fred's Inc. (FRED) said its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell
40% on lower sales and weaker margins, missing its lowered profit
forecast. The discount retailer also offered a disappointing
bottom-line view for the current quarter and year, pointing partly
to generic drug price increases.
Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU) said profit for its holiday
period edged higher with sales of its yoga gear improving despite
weaker same-store sales and margins. The company beat its downbeat
outlook for the period.
Merck & Co. (MRK) said Chief Financial Officer Peter Kellogg
will leave the pharmaceutical company in May and named Baxter
International Inc. executive Robert Davis as his successor.
Mylan Inc. (MYL) said Thursday that a jury ruled in its favor
against GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) in a breach-of-contract lawsuit
tied to agreements between the companies on extended-release
tablets of antidepressant paroxetine hydrochloride. The jury
awarded Mylan $106.7 million in damages.
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) said its experimental anti-cholesterol
treatment significantly reduced LDL-C cholesterol across several
dosing levels in a Phase 2b study of patients at high risk for
cardiovascular events.
Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. (NDAQ) raised its quarterly dividend by
15%, its first dividend increase since 2012. The dividend was
boosted to 15 cents a share from 13 cents, with the increase
costing the stock exchange operator an additional $3.4 million a
quarter.
Worthington Industries Inc. (WOR) said its fiscal third-quarter
earnings rose 9.4% on stronger sales, thanks to increased volume
and a boost from acquisitions. The top line beat views.
Write to John Kell at john.kell@wsj.com and Lauren Pollock at
lauren.pollock@wsj.com
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