Among the companies whose shares are expected to actively trade
in Friday's session are Marshall & Ilsley Corp. (MI),
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) and InterMune Inc. (ITMN).
Bank of Montreal (BMO) will acquire Marshall & Ilsley in a
stock-for-stock deal valued at about US$4.1 billion, further
strengthening the Canadian bank's position in the U.S. Midwest.
Marshall & Ilsley gained 25% to $7.23 in premarket trading.
News of the deal also is helping push up other money-losing
regionals. Premarket Regions Financial Corp. (RF) climbs 7% to
$6.57 and Zions Bancorporation (ZION) adds 4.5% to $22.32.
AstraZeneca's new blood-thinning drug Brilinta has again failed
to win approval from U.S. regulators, jeopardizing new revenue the
group needs to offset the impact of expiring patents on some of its
top-selling products. Shares of the U.K.-based drug maker fell 5.5%
to $46.51 in premarket trading.
InterMune said a panel from the European medicines regulator
gave a positive opinion on its application to market its
pirfenidone treatment for the fatal condition known as idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis. Shares more than doubled premarket, up 115% to
$30.61.
Oracle Corp.'s (ORCL) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 28% as
the business-software giant continued to see strength in both its
traditional software side and its new hardware business. Shares
were up 4.2% at $31.55 premarket as the results beat the company's
guidance.
Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO) announced plans to offer 10
millions shares of its common stock. Shares of the real estate
investment trust fell 3% to $9.45 in premarket trading.
Massey Energy Co. (MEE) is looking at options including a sale
of the company or a takeover of Wilbur Ross's International Coal
Group Inc. (ICO), Bloomberg News reported Friday on its website,
citing three unnamed people with knowledge of the matter.
International Coal's shares surged 7.5% to $7.50 in premarket
trading.
Research In Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM, RIM.T) fiscal third-quarter
earnings rose 45%, topping its own targets, as revenue increased
and the company said it shipped a record number of its BlackBerry
smartphones. The company also forecast current-quarter earnings and
revenue above analysts' view. Shares rose 2.7% premarket to
$60.85.
Accenture PLC's (ACN) fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 20%,
beating analysts' estimates, as the company's revenue improved.
Accenture also raised its current-year forecast and gave a
current-quarter revenue view that was above analysts' estimate.
Shares rose 4.5% to $48.75 premarket.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) swung to a fiscal
fourth-quarter profit as the company posted sharply higher sales of
its critically acclaimed titles. The videogame maker gained 6.4% to
$12.70 premarket.
Watch List:
Smart Modular Technologies WWH Inc.'s (SMOD) fiscal
first-quarter earnings jumped 74%, with adjusted results topping
its own forecasts, as sales increased sharply. But the company also
forecast current-quarter earnings below analysts' estimate.
Quiksilver Inc.'s (ZQK) fiscal fourth-quarter loss sharply
widened as the outdoor-sports outfitter booked almost $45 million
in charges and saw revenue slide again. In the just-begun fiscal
year, Quiksilver expects slight growth in revenue, though it warned
visibility is limited. For the current quarter, it expects revenue
to fall about 5%. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters projected flat
sales for the year and a 6% drop.
Franklin Resources Inc. (BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend and
announced plans to buy back up to an additional 10 million shares,
joining the ranks of companies looking to return value to
shareholders.
Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (PPC) appointed poultry veteran William W.
Lovette as chief executive to succeed Don Jackson, who is departing
to take the top post at JBS USA, the poultry producer's parent.
Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. (PBH) agreed to buy the Dramamine
brand of motion-sickness medicine from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
unit McNeil-PPC Inc. for $76 million cash.
Steelcase Inc.'s (SCS) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose more
than expected from the office-furniture company's break-even bottom
line a year earlier, as revenue gains bested its guidance.
Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) said on Thursday it is planning to shut down
several "underperforming" and "non-core" Web properties as it
continues a years-long turnaround effort.
-By Dow Jones Newswires; write to hotstocks@dowjones.com