Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Thursday's session are Philip Morris International Inc. (PM),
Elizabeth Arden Inc. (RDEN) and Alcoa Inc. (AA).
Philip Morris cut its earnings guidance for the year, citing
charges from ceasing production in Australia and the Netherlands,
as well as currency impacts. The cigarette maker also said that it
has bought one of the U.K.'s biggest electronic cigarette makers,
Nicocigs Ltd. Philip Morris shares fell 2.4% to $86.75
premarket.
South Korean cosmetics firm LG Household & Healthcare Ltd.
(051900.SE) said it is no longer considering Elizabeth Arden as a
potential acquisition target as it seeks to expand overseas. In
April, the company expressed interest in Elizabeth Arden,
bolstering the U.S. company's stock price at the time. Elizabeth
Arden shares slumped 11% to $24.12 premarket.
Alcoa said that it has agreed to buy jet-engine parts maker
Firth Rixson from Oak Hill Capital Partners for $2.85 billion in
cash and stock, as the aluminum titan backed its bullish view on
the aerospace industry. Alcoa shares rose 5% to $15.28
premarket.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUXL) will merge with Canadian
biotechnology company QLT Inc. (QLTI, QLT.T) in an all-stock deal
that will broaden Auxilium's ability to invest in research and
development as well as new products and acquisitions. Auxilium
shares jumped 15% to $24.50 premarket, while QLT shares were
inactive.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued British banking
giant Barclays PLC (BCS, BARC.LN) for allegedly lying about how it
favors high-frequency players in the firm's stock-trading business.
Shares fell 5.4% to $14.86 premarket.
Steelcase Inc. (SCS) said its fiscal first-quarter earnings rose
59% as the office-furniture maker posted stronger sales. Shares
fell 8.3% to $16.20 premarket as adjusted earnings were below
expectations and the company's fiscal second-quarter profit outlook
fell short of analysts' views.
Storage and information management company Iron Mountain Inc.
(IRM) said its board has approved the company's conversion to a
real-estate investment trust, following a favorable ruling from the
U.S. International Revenue Service. Iron Mountain had been waiting
for IRS approval to convert to REIT status since July 2012. Shares
surged 20% to $35.75 premarket.
C&J Energy Services Inc. (CJES) reached a deal to merge with
a unit of Nabors Industries Ltd. (NBR) in a deal valued at $2.86
billion. The deal will combine C&J Energy Services with
Nabors's completion-and-production businesses in the U.S. and
Canada. C&J shares jumped 11% to $36.25 premarket, while Nabors
shares rose 11% to $30.20.
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) said its fiscal first-quarter
earnings fell 7.6% as higher costs offset the home-furnishings
retailer's revenue growth. Shares fell 8.3% to $30.00 premarket as
the company projected fiscal second-quarter earnings below
analysts' expectations.
Accenture PLC (ACN) said its fiscal third-quarter revenue and
earnings rose as the consulting firm's results were boosted by
improvement in both its consulting and outsourcing segments. Shares
rose 1.4% to $84.21 premarket.
Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO) said its fiscal third-quarter
earnings rose 49% on increased revenue driven by growing retail
demand. Shares rose 4% to $24.75 premarket.
Watchlist:
AES Corp. (AES) agreed to sell its 45% stake in a subsidiary
that holds its Philippines business interests to a Thailand-based
power producer for $453 million.
AZZ Inc. (AZZ) said it has terminated its chief operating
officer, effective immediately. President and Chief Executive Tom
Ferguson will take on day-to-day operations of the energy segment
for the remainder of the fiscal year, when the company will decide
whether to fill the post with a new appointment, the company
said.
CACI International Inc. (CACI) projected earnings for its
soon-to-begin new fiscal year that missed analysts' views,
reflecting the government contractor's expectations that
uncertainty about federal spending will continue.
ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG) swung to a loss in its fiscal fourth
quarter, as write-downs and flagging sales weighed on results. The
results were in line with the company's lowered expectations.
H.B. Fuller Co. (FUL) said it has signed an agreement to buy
Tonsan Adhesive Inc., a deal that would bring the maker of
specialty adhesives into the engineering-adhesive market and
strengthen its presence in China.
Herman Miller Inc.'s (MLHR) fiscal fourth-quarter profit dropped
29% as the office-furniture company said the timing of a price
increase limited its order growth in the May quarter.
Ingram Micro Inc. (IM) said it is on track to meet or exceed its
2015 financial targets, and said it expects revenue to increase at
a compound annual growth rate of 4% to 6% through 2016.
Lennar Corp. (LEN) said its fiscal second-quarter earnings edged
up slightly as a higher tax provision in the latest quarter masked
an increase in revenue.
McCormick & Co. (MKC) posted a 7.5% jump in its fiscal
second-quarter profit as the company continued to reap the benefits
of a key international acquisition last year, although its Americas
region again delivered weak results. The company's sales fell below
analysts' expectations.
Write to Anna Prior at anna.prior@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires