Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Monday's session are Armstrong World Industries Inc. (AWI),
Weatherford International Ltd. (WFT) and Vivus Inc. (VVUS).
Armstrong declared a special dividend of $8.55 a share as the
company joined a handful of others making large payouts in an
effort to reassure investors of their future prospects. The move
comes after the building-products maker floated a plan to provide
the special dividend earlier this month. Shares were up 3.2.% at
$58.61 premarket.
Weatherford International on Friday named John H. Briscoe, a
relatively new hire, as its chief financial officer. Briscoe
replaces Andrew P. Becnel, who will leave the company after
accounting errors forced the oilfield services company to restate
some past results. Shares up 2.6% at $17.06 premarket.
Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARNA) said its weight-loss drug
candidate lorcaserin was accepted for review by European regulators
and confirmed that a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory
committee will meet in the second quarter to discuss the company's
resubmitted application for lorcaserin. Shares were up 8.7% at
$2.62 premarket.
Vivus Inc.'s (VVUS) application for approval of its
investigational drug to treat erectile dysfunction was accepted by
European regulators for review. Shares rose 2.6% at $21.87
premarket.
Cal-Maine Foods Inc.'s (CALM) fiscal third-quarter earnings fell
22% from a year-earlier period that included an investment gain.
The largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs reported
that margins were hurt by rising feed costs. Shares were up 4 cents
at $41.99 premarket.
Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) increased its quarterly dividend by
10%, adding a technology heavyweight to the list of corporations
that have raised payouts to shareholders in recent months. Shares
were up 21 cents at $23.84 premarket.
The Securities and Exchange Commission accused Wells Fargo &
Co. (WFC) of failing to provide documents requested for a probe
into the bank's residential mortgage-backed securities business,
according to a court filing the agency made Friday. Wells Fargo
called the SEC's move "inappropriate and unwarranted" and vowed to
defend itself in court. Shares were up 1.3% at $33.96
premarket.
Watchlist
NetJets Inc., a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
(BRKA, BRKB), it will partner with a consortium of Chinese
investors led by a unit of Beijing-based private-equity fund Hony
Capital and Fung Investments as it presses ahead with plans to
launch a corporate jet business in China, where it sees strong
growth potential. As the world's largest provider of business jets,
NetJets sells part-shares in planes and also rents them on a
per-use basis.
ChinaCast Education Corp.'s (CAST) board removed Ron Chan Tze
Ngon as the post-secondary education and e-learning services
provider's chairman and chief executive, naming one its new
directors as his successor.
ReneSola Ltd. (SOL) named Xiaoliang Liang as its new president
of the China division to lead the solar-products maker's sales and
systems development across the region.
-Edited by Tess Stynes, Mia Lamar, Ben Fox Rubin and Drew
FitzGerald; write to tess.stynes@dowjones.com