Among the companies with shares expected to trade actively in Thursday's session are Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC), Ford Motor Co. (F) and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA).

 

Northrop Grumman on Thursday posted a 9.3% drop in profit amid a worse-than-expected decline in sales, and the company adopted a tax-method change. Shares fell 1.26% to $175.95 in premarket trading.

 

Ford reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.9 billion, or 47 cents a share, swinging from a loss in the prior-year period, as strength in its core North America market and a return to profitability in Europe helped offset economic turbulence in emerging markets. Shares rose 1.52% to $12.03 premarket.

 

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba easily topped expectations in its latest quarter, as the company attracted users and squeezed more from each transaction hosted on its marketplaces. Shares rose 3.29% to $71.83 premarket.

 

AutoNation Inc. (AN), the largest U.S. operator of auto dealerships, reported a 16% drop in its fourth-quarter profit as car incentives--offered primarily by luxury auto makers--eroded profitability and forced the company to initiate cost-cutting measures. Shares fell 2.41% to $43 premarket.

 

Altria Group Inc. (MO) reported profit and revenue that narrowly missed Wall Street expectations, as the tobacco company saw its cigarette shipments slip. Shares fell 2.05% to $57.75 premarket.

 

Blackstone Group LP (BX) said its fourth-quarter profit tumbled as whipsaw markets took their toll on assets across its business. Shares fell 2.38% to $24.99 premarket.

 

Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) said fourth-quarter earnings fell 74% on a sharp decline in its ethanol business caused by declining prices, while operating income in its refining business was flat.

 

Home builder PulteGroup Inc. (PHM) posted better-than-expected earnings and revenue growth in the fourth quarter, as orders and closings climbed. Shares rose 7.59% to $17.30 premarket.

 

Under Armour Inc. (UA) posted double-digit revenue and profit gains in its latest quarter on strong footwear and apparel sales.

 

Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG) cut its shipments projection for 2016 as it reported its profit sank 43% in the fourth quarter on sluggish demand.

 

JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) reported its profit more than doubled in the final quarter of the year, handily beating Wall Street expectations, as the airline soars on cheap fuel and better-than-expected revenue performance above its peers.

 

Biopharmacuetical company Celgene Corp. (CELG) logged better-than-expected revenue growth in its latest quarter thanks to higher sales of its flagship drug, but earnings fell short of expectations as costs increased.

 

Hershey Co. (HSY) said its fourth-quarter revenue fell 5%, hurt by a sharp drop in chocolate sales in China, though earnings came in above market expectations.

 

Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) swung to a fourth-quarter loss and reported a 49% decline in revenue, as the oil-field services company continues to feel the impact from the downturn in energy prices.

 

McCormick & Co. (MKC) warned currency fluctuations would dent its earnings and revenue growth this year, but said its profit edged up 0.8% in the latest quarter.

 

Ameriprise Financial Inc.'s (AMP) fourth-quarter profit fell 16%, as equity-market volatility and low interest rates weighed on results.

 

Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) on Wednesday raised its 2016 profit projection following a 38% increase in fourth-quarter profit.

 

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.'s revenue slumped 54% in the fourth quarter on lower production and iron-ore prices. Meanwhile, its loss narrowed, partly due to lower production costs.

 

Crown Castle International Corp. (CCI) on Wednesday raised its 2016 guidance and said Chief Financial Officer Jay Brown will take over as the company's top executive on June 1. Chief Executive Ben Moreland will stay on as the board's executive vice chairman.

 

Discover Financial Services Inc. (DFS) on Wednesday posted a lower-than-expected profit increase in the fourth quarter amid weakness in its credit-card business.

 

EBay Inc. (EBAY) on Wednesday posted its fourth straight quarter of declining year-over-year sales and issued lackluster financial guidance, a troubling sign for the newly independent company.

 

Facebook Inc.'s (FB) quarterly profit topped $1 billion for the first time, as the social network drummed up advertisers' interest, leading to a 52% revenue surge.

 

Hologic Inc. (HOLX) posted stronger-than-expected first-quarter results Wednesday, as its U.S. business turned in a double-digit revenue increase.

 

Biopharmaceutical company Incyte Corp. (INCY) has called off a mid-stage clinical trial for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer after a customary data review didn't show sufficient improvement among those treated with the combination drug.

 

Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) swung to a profit in the December quarter, topping its projections, but the company gave mixed guidance for the current quarter. The company also disclosed that its chief financial officer had given notice last week that she would resign after the company files its 10-K report.

 

Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s (LVS) profit tumbled in the most recent quarter, as the casino operator continued to struggle in Macau. Revenue at Sands China fell 22% in the fourth quarter.

 

McKesson Corp.'s (MCK) profit rose 34% in the December quarter, helped by a lower tax rate.

 

Murphy Oil Corp. (MUR) said it has signed an agreement with Enbridge G&P Limited Partnership (ENB) to sell its natural gas pipeline assets in the Montney natural gas fields of northeastern British Columbia.

 

PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL) on Wednesday posted better-than-expected results for the December quarter, with active user accounts keeping apace. PayPal, spun off from eBay Inc. last year, has reported sequential user increases of 2% to 3%.

 

Qualcomm Inc.'s (QCOM) profit fell 24% in the latest quarter on declines in its patent-licensing business and sales of smartphone chips. The San Diego company also issued guidance for the current quarter mostly below expectations.

 

SanDisk Corp.'s (SNDK) profit slid in its latest quarter, as the chip maker booked merger-related charges ahead of its planned acquisition by hard-drive maker Western Digital Corp. (WDC).

 

Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI), the owner of the most TV stations in the country, said it agreed to buy the Tennis Channel for $350 million, marking the local broadcast TV powerhouse's first foray into the national cable television market. The Wall Street Journal had reported in September that Sinclair had been in talks for months to buy the closely-held Tennis Channel.

 

SL Green Realty Corp.'s (SLG) profit rose sharply in the December quarter, as New York's largest office landlord continued to benefit from higher rates and increased occupancy.

 

Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) on Wednesday reported an increase in fourth-quarter profit, though the company said weakness in the personal-electronics market would hurt revenue in the current quarter.

 

Tractor Supply Co. (TSCO) on Wednesday reported a slightly lower fourth-quarter profit, while a key sales metric declined amid lower sales of cold-weather staples, such as heating stoves and fuel.

 

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (VRTX) fourth-quarter loss narrowed as revenue nearly tripled, helped by sales of cystic fibrosis drug Kalydeco and new medication Orkambi.

 

Write to Chris Wack at chris.wack@wsj.com or Maria Armental at maria.armental@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 28, 2016 09:33 ET (14:33 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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