Merck & Co., the second-largest U.S. drugmaker, is projected to report stronger fourth-quarter profit on double-digit growth of key products, an increasing emerging markets presence and further cost reductions.
Pfizer remained profitable despite a reported drop in quarterly earnings, beating analysts' dire predictions of lost revenue to generic versions of its best-selling drug Lipitor through its non-pharmaceutical units and cost cutting.
The top aftermarket NYSE losers Monday were: Radioshack Corp, Ormat Technologies, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Plum Creek Timber Co, Senior Housing Properties Trust, Radian Group, InvenSense, National Bank of Greece SA, Best Buy Co and Demand Media Inc.
The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Monday were: McKesson Corp, New York & Co, Inergy, Freescale Semiconductor Holdings, Talbots, Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, HyperDynamics Corp, New York Times and Hyatt Hotels Corp.
Automotive aftermarket retailer Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack (NYSE:PBY) said Monday it will be purchased by The Gores Group, a U.S. investment firm, for $1 billion.
The top aftermarket NYSE Losers Friday were: Pharmerica Corp, MGIC Investment, Telefonos de Mexico, K-V Pharmaceutical, Alon USA Energy, Kindred Healthcare, Vitamin Shoppe and FelCor Lodging Trust.
The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Friday were: Renren, RealD, US Airways Group, Kinder Morgan Management, Green Dot Corp, Medifast, Heckmann Corp, Magna International, Quicksilver Resources and Gannett Co.
The majority of real estate investment trusts (REITs) are expected to post positive earnings for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 as rent growth continues, according to analysts.
The Costa Concordia crew is suing the Carnival Corp. for at least $100 million following the Jan. 13 disaster that has left the cruise ship sinking off the coast of the Italian island of Giglio.
Eastman Chemical is buying Solutia for $4.7 billion, including debt, in an effort to expand into the specialty plastics and chemicals market as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
The top aftermarket NYSE Losers Thursday were: DeVry, Juniper Networks, Delek US Holdings, Freescale Semiconductor Holdings, Robert Half International, Dynex Capital, Radian Group, Cliffs Natural Resources, Cypress Sharpridge Investments and Wesco Aircraft Holdings.
The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Thursday were: Transocean, Emulex, Buckeye Technologies, Penn Virginia, Ivanhoe Mines, Basic Energy Services, Newell Rubbermaid, HyperDynamics, Magnum Hunter Resources and D.R. Horton.
Nucor Corp. beat weak expectations for its fourth quarter profit on Thursday with a 25 percent increase in earnings, marking a swing to profitability fueled by an uptick in steel prices and shipments.
Fortuna Silver Mines Inc., one of Latin America's fastest growing silver producers announced Thursday its silver production in the last year rose by 31 percent, the fifth consecutive year the company's production grew.
Stock index futures rose on Thursday, adding to gains from the previous session when the Federal Reserve boosted equities by saying it was likely to keep interest rates near zero until at least late 2014.
The companies expected to see active trade Thursday are: AT&T, Caterpillar, Netflix, Starbucks Corp, Colgate-Palmolive, SanDisk Corp, 3M, Bristol Myers Squibb, Lockheed Martin, EQT Corp and Juniper Networks.
The top aftermarket NYSE Losers Wednesday were: Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities, Covance, Varian Medical Systems, LIN TV, NRG Energy, Quantum Corp, Denbury Resources, EQT Corp, InterOil Corp and Petroquest Energy Inc.
The top aftermarket NYSE gainers Wednesday were: Teradyne, Kodiak Oil & Gas, LSI Logic, Buckeye Technologies, United Rentals, Cliffs Natural Resources and Lennar Corp.
Chevron, the second largest integrated U.S. oil company, is expected to report stronger fourth-quarter earnings on dramatically higher crude oil prices and production that offset breakeven margins on refining and marketing operations as well as reduced output of products like gasoline.
J.C. Penney Company Inc. (NYSE:JCP), run by Apple Inc.'s former retail chief, is permanently marking down all of its merchandise by at least 40 percent so that shoppers no longer have to wait for a sale to get the best bargain.
Starbucks, the world's largest coffee-shop chain, is projected to report stronger fiscal first-quarter profit as sales of new offerings have offset higher costs for coffee beans.
The deal could help USA Today become one of the most-visited sports properties online.
