Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Thursday's session are Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), Verizon
Communications Inc. (VZ) and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH).
Goldman Sachs posted flat third-quarter net income as the
investment bank offset a 44% slump in fixed income revenue with
sharply lower expenses. Revenue was well below expectations,
pushing shares down 2.6% to $158 in recent premarket trading.
Verizon's third-quarter profit improved 40% as the largest U.S.
phone carrier continued to build up its base of wireless and FiOS
customers. Results beat expectations, sending shares up 2.3% to
$48.35 premarket.
UnitedHealth's third-quarter earnings edged up 0.8% as the
company reported steady enrollment growth. It raised the low end of
its earnings guidance for the year, but its in-line quarter was
considered a disappointment by investors who have come to expect a
hefty beat and raise. Shares declined 3.3% to $72.75 premarket.
International Business Machines Corp.'s (IBM) third-quarter
revenue fell on a double-digit decline in hardware sales, though
fatter margins helped lift the bottom line by 5.7%. Revenue fell
4.1% to $23.72 billion, missing the $24.75 billion projected by
analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Shares dropped 7.2% to $173.26
premarket.
EBay Inc. (EBAY) posted strong revenue gains in the third
quarter, but offered a soft outlook for the holiday quarter, a
crucial time of the year for the retail industry. The online
retailer's shares slid 6.4% to $50.10 in premarket trading.
Select Comfort Corp.'s (SCSS) third-quarter earnings fell 23% as
higher costs offset the mattress company's sales growth. Shares
were down 27% at $17.71 premarket as the results missed
expectations and the company cut its guidance for the year. Shares
of rival mattress company Tempur Sealy International Inc. (TPX)
also declined.
Building-products company USG Corp. (USG) issued third-quarter
estimates that fell short of Wall Street's expectations, while
separately unveiling it will form a joint venture with Australian
peer Boral Ltd. (BLD.AU). The weak third-quarter outlook sent USG's
shares down 5.6% to $25.50 premarket.
Xilinx Inc.'s (XLNX) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 15% as
the manufacturer reported a double-digit increase in sales.
However, shares fell 4.7% to $44.75 in premarket trading as the
company offered a muted revenue outlook for the current
quarter.
Pactera Technology International Ltd. (PACT) agreed to a
sweetened offer to be taken private by a group led by U.S.
private-equity firm Blackstone Group L.P. (BX) valued at about $589
million. The Chinese information-technology outsourcing company's
shareholders would receive $7.30 per American depositary share.
Shares climbed 9.3% to $7.15 premarket.
Amarin Corp. PLC (AMRN) said a U.S. Food and Drug Administration
advisory committee has voted against the approval of its
supplemental new drug application for its cholesterol drug Vascepa.
The biotechnology company's shares plummeted 63% to $1.93
premarket.
RDA Microelectronics Inc. (RDA) slashed its third-quarter
revenue guidance citing currency volatility in some emerging
markets, particularly in India, which led to customers that
typically export to those markets reducing their orders. The
Shanghai-based semiconductor company's American depositary shares
were down 5.3% at $14.40 in recent premarket trading.
Quest Diagnostics Inc.'s (DGX) third-quarter earnings surged on
a big gain related to the sale of the commercialization rights to a
drug candidate, though the company was hurt by weak revenue at its
diagnostic information services segment. It also lowered its
per-share earnings estimate for the year. Shares dropped 1.7% to
$57.77 premarket.
Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO) continued to post stronger
revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter, aided by stronger demand for
motor homes, though earnings fell 74% due to tax impacts. Shares
rose 4.1% to $28.40 premarket.
Baxter International Inc.'s (BAX) third-quarter earnings fell
6.7% on charges related to a recent acquisition, though the drug
and medical-device maker's revenue received a boost from the deal.
For the current quarter, the company gave a mostly downbeat
outlook. Shares dropped 2.3% to $66 premarket.
SanDisk Corp.'s (SNDK) third-quarter earnings more than tripled
as the flash-memory maker's sales and margins surged. SanDisk's
most-recent period marked a continued rebound from last year, when
weak pricing and cyclical changes weighed on results. Shares
climbed 4.2% to $65.55 premarket.
Supervalu Inc. (SVU) swung to a fiscal second-quarter profit as
the wholesale and retail grocery company's margins improved and
costs fell. The company also said it continued to reduce the rate
of sales decline in retail food and Save-a-Lot stores in the latest
quarter. Shares rose 6% to $8.90 premarket.
Watch List:
American Express Co.'s (AXP) third-quarter profit rose 9.3% as
customers continued to spend more on their cards despite continued
uncertainty in the global economy. AmEx said spending by its
credit-card customers rose 7.3% to $236.2 billion, reflecting
stronger spending across all regions.
Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) said its chief executive, Mark B.
Templeton, would take a temporary leave of absence for family
reasons.
Dover Corp.'s (DOV) third-quarter earnings rose 12% as the
manufacturer posted broad-based organic growth across all its
segments. The company narrowed its outlook for the year.
Kinder Morgan Inc.'s (KMI) third-quarter earnings rose 43%
driven by continued strong growth at its Kinder Morgan Energy
Partners LP (KMP) affiliate while El Paso Pipeline Partners LP
(EPB) posted a modest decline.
Philip Morris International Inc.'s (PM) third-quarter earnings
edged up 5.1% as price increases helped results, though cigarette
volume continued to weaken. The company again lowered its full-year
earnings expectations.
Sallie Mae's (SLM) third-quarter earnings grew 38% on lower
loan-loss provisions, as the education-loan company also reported a
jump in loan originations and its lowest private-education
charge-off rate in five years.
Symmetry Medical Inc. (SMA) forecast softer-than-expected
third-quarter revenue as the medical-device company cited a handful
of problems that slowed operations.
Write to Lauren Pollock at lauren.pollock@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires