Among the companies whose shares are expected to actively trade
in Friday's session are RF Micro Devices Inc. (RFMD), Durect Corp.
(DRRX) and Alcoa Inc. (AA).
RF Micro Devices said it expects its fiscal-third quarter
revenue to miss its expectations due to weakened customer demand.
Shares slid 18% to $4.60 premarket as the chip maker projects
revenue of approximately $225 million, below its October view of
$250 million.
Durect said a Phase III clinical study designed to measure the
safety and efficacy of its post-operative pain relief drug Posidur
in abdominal surgical procedures didn't yield statistically
significant results. Shares plunged 32% to 80 cents in recent
premarket trading as the company said it intends to hold a pre-new
drug application meeting with the Food and Drug Administration
after a complete analysis of the study's data.
Alcoa said Thursday that it would permanently close or idle 12%
of its aluminum-smelting capacity, following a year in which
economic uncertainty slammed prices for the industrial metal.
Shares slipped 2.6% to $9.11 in recent premarket trading.
Family Dollar Stores Inc.'s (FDO) fiscal first-quarter earnings
rose 8.1% as the discount retailer's same-store sales improved due
to higher traffic and customer transaction values. However, shares
slid 2.5% to $56.50 in premarket trading as revenue missed analyst
expectations.
ViroPharma Inc. (VPHM) predicted product sales of $600 million
to $660 million this year, an increase from the revenue analysts
expect it to post in 2011. Shares were up 4.8% at $29.50
premarket.
Ruby Tuesday Inc. (RT) swung to a loss in its fiscal second
quarter on higher costs and interest expense, as predicted, while
the casual-dining chain reported another quarter of comparable
sales declines. Shares were down 2.1% at $6.91 in light trading
premarket, as Ruby Tuesday also predicted weak results for the
current quarter.
Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (ENDP) will pay up to $180
million, plus royalties, to BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.
(BDSI) in a licensing and development agreement for one of the drug
developer's pain treatments. BioDelivery's shares surged 127% to
$1.91 premarket.
Watch List:
A. Schulman Inc.'s (SHLM) fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 45%
as the company's revenue improved due to higher average selling
prices.
AMR Corp.'s (AAMRQ) American Airlines reported a modest decline
in traffic in December as the carrier reduced domestic
capacity.
AngioDynamics Inc.'s (ANGO) fiscal second-quarter earnings fell
29% amid costs related to a recall of some procedure kits, though
it continued to post revenue growth.
Apollo Group Inc.'s (APOL) fiscal first-quarter earnings fell
37% on another revenue slide, but the for-profit education company
reported new-enrollment growth for the first time in at least a
year. Adjusted profit fell less than analysts expected as well.
AZZ Inc.'s (AZZ) fiscal third-quarter profit increased 3.1%, as
the electrical and industrial products manufacturer saw continued
strength in its galvanizing-services unit but lingering pricing
pressure weakened margins and its electrical and industrial
segment's profit sank. The company raised its earnings guidance for
the year.
Best Buy Co.'s (BBY) December same-store sales fell a
steeper-than-expected 1.2% on slow customer traffic and weakness in
the gaming and digital imaging segments.
Moody's Investors Service lowered its credit ratings on Eastman
Kodak Co. (EK) further into junk territory citing the imaging
company's increased probability of filing for bankruptcy, and peer
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services also downgraded its ratings
on liquidity concerns.
Global Payments Inc.'s (GPN) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose
14% as the payment-processing company saw international revenue
continue to increase. The company again raised its view for the
year.
Greenbrier Cos. (GBX) swung to a bigger-than-expected fiscal
first-quarter profit as the railcar maker tripled its delivery of
new railcars.
IHS Inc.'s (IHS) fiscal fourth-quarter profit declined 38%
despite a sizable jump in revenue as sharply higher pension
expenses weighed down the company's earnings.
Imperial Sugar Co.'s (IPSU) fiscal fourth-quarter loss widened,
reflecting impairment charges and a 27% drop in the refined-sugar
processor's sales volume.
Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp. (IART) said it expects its
full-year and fourth-quarter earnings will miss its expectations,
as a revenue shortfall in the fourth quarter resulted from
inventory reduction, weakness outside of the U.S. and
weaker-than-expected sales of its domestic Extremity Reconstruction
products.
Saba Software Inc.'s (SABA) posted a wider fiscal second-quarter
loss as margins weakened, and the company also appointed a Gaia
Interactive executive as its new chief financial officer.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services became the third ratings
firm to downgrade Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) since last week,
saying it expects negative earnings and constrained liquidity after
the company's warnings of weak holiday sales.
Shoe Carnival Inc. (SCVL) lowered its already-downbeat outlook
for the fiscal fourth quarter Thursday, saying its profit would
fall because unseasonably warm weather hurt boot sales.
Transocean Ltd. (RIG) said Chief Financial Officer Ricardo Rosa
will step down Monday ahead of retiring in April, and it said it
would bring back a former financial chief to serve in that office
on an interim basis.
United Community Banks Inc. (UCBI) said it will restate results
for 2010 and the first three quarters of 2011 to resolve concerns
expressed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about the
company's accounting treatment for deferred tax assets.
Xyratex Ltd.'s (XRTX) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings slid 43% as
lower storage infrastructure sales weighed on results. However, the
results beat the company's expectations.
-Edited by Ian Thomson and Maya Pope-Chappell; write to
ian.thomson@dowjones.com and maya.pope-chappell@dowjones.com