Market Pulse: SolarCity, Take-Two Interactive, PDI, Nanosphere

Information Services

14/05/2013 12:54

(For more market insights, including options activity, click on STXNEWS/US; for The Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s) May 14 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks to watch on Tuesday: FUTURES TICK LOWER AS INVESTORS LOOK FOR CATALYSTS U.S. stock index futures edged lower as investors paused following a recent rally that repeatedly took the Dow and S&P 500 to record highs. Futures for the S&P 500  SPc1  were down 1.9 point, the Dow Jones  DJc1  down 27 points and the Nasdaq 100  NDc1  down 2.75 points.  .N  ** HESS CORP  HES.N , Monday close $69.39  Hedge fund Elliott Management Corp said on Tuesday that all of its board nominees and all of Hess's should make up a reconstituted board, a day after the activist investor rejected the oil producer's offer of two board seats.  ID:nL3N0DV28F  ** BLACKBERRY  BBRY.O , Monday close $15.88 At the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, the mobile phone maker's  BB.TO  executives are expected to give analysts, media, carriers  and partners an update on the performance so far of its new BlackBerry 10 line of devices. It is also expected to provide details on plans to provide security for iPhone and Android devices, along with a road map of new devices in the pipeline. ** YAHOO INC  YHOO.O , Monday close $26.39  When CFO Ken Goldman takes the stage at a JP Morgan conference in Boston, investors will be looking for an update on the comeback plan for Yahoo's core business, which has experienced a multi-year revenue decline, as well as any update on IPO prospects for Alibaba Group, in which Yahoo owns a 24 percent stake. ** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC  VZ.N , Monday close $52.55 ** VODAFONE GROUP PLC  VOD.O , Monday close $29.66 Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile service provider, said on Monday it would pay its parents Verizon Communications and Vodafone  VOD.L  a dividend of $7 billion in June, surprising some analysts who had not expected a big payout. ID:nL2N0DU2KP  ** MORGAN STANLEY  MS.N , Monday close $23.68  The bank holds its annual meeting in Purchase, New York, where the board and senior managers will face shareholders on compensation, an issue that proxy advisory firms are telling investors to vote against. The votes aren't binding, but it may turn out to be another example of big banks facing pushback from advisory firms and investors. ** SOLARCITY CORP  SCTY.O , Monday close $35.88, down 11.9 pct premarket The U.S. solar panel installer on Monday reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss, reversing a year-ago profit, due to higher costs.  ID:nL2N0DU2OF  ** TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE INC  TTWO.O , Monday close $16.39, up 4.6 pct after market The video game publisher reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings in the fourth quarter on Monday, driven by strong sales of "Borderlands 2," and assured investors that its flagship "Grand Theft Auto V" title was on track for the holidays.  ID:nL2N0DU2IJ  ** PDI INC  PDII.O , Monday close $4.06, up 30 pct after market The company, which provides sales reps and other commercial services to drugmakers, on Monday reported a profit for the first quarter, compared with a loss a year earlier, helped by the execution of multi-year new contract wins and lower expenses.  ID:nPnNY12825  ** INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP INC  III.O , Monday close $1.90, up 11 pct after market The advisory company on Monday reported better-than-expected revenue and adjusted earning for the first quarter on higher demand for its services.  ID:nPNNY12652  ** CEMPRA INC  CEMP.O , Monday close $6.70, up 4.6 pct after market The pharmaceutical company said it signed an agreement with Japan-based Toyama Chemical Co Ltd, under which Toyama will get rights to develop Cempra's antibiotic solithromycin in Japan. Cempra will receive an upfront payment of  $10 million and up to $60 million in milestone payments.  ID:nPnNY12025  ** NANOSPHERE INC  NSPH.O , Monday close $2.79, up 18 pct premarket The maker of diagnostic tests said it signed a distribution deal with Japan-based Hitachi High-Technologies Corp. Hitachi will exclusively market Nanosphere's products in Japan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.  ID:nMKW16693a  ** SONY CORP  SNE.N , Monday close $18.89, up 3.7 pct premarket Billionaire hedge fund investor Daniel Loeb on Tuesday called on Sony  6758.T  to spin off its lucrative entertainment arm, setting the stage for a clash between the activist fund and management at the Japanese electronics maker.  ID:nL3N0DV1AX  ** SANOFI SA  SNY.N , Monday close $54.83  The French Competition Authority said on Tuesday it fined the drugmaker  SASY.PA  40.6 million euros ($52.7 million) over what it called a smear campaign aimed at stifling generic competition to its blood thinner, Plavix.  ID:nP6E8IB01W  ** C.R. BARD INC  BCR.N , Monday close $105.00  The medical device maker will pay about $48.3 million to resolve allegations it made illegal payments to hospitals and physicians to entice them to buy its radiation treatment for prostate cancer, the Justice Department said on Monday. ID:nL2N0DU2TJ  ** WELLPOINT INC  WLP.N , Monday close $76.01  The health insurer said in a regulatory filing on Monday  three of its directors resigned, effective immediately, citing personal reasons.  ID:nL3N0DU410  ** AMAZON.COM  AMZN.O , Monday close $264.51  German labor union Verdi called on workers at Amazon.com to stage a strike in the country on Tuesday to put pressure on the global internet retailer to improve pay and benefits. ID:nL6N0DV081  ** AUTOLIV  ALIVsdb.ST   ALV.N , Monday close $79.02  The auto safety gear maker on Tuesday set out new financial targets for the group and outlined guidelines on its debt that will allow it to spend up to $1.3 billion on acquisitions or shareholder returns.  ID:nWEB0052B      (Compiled by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel) ((sruthi.ramakrishnan@thomsonreuters.com)(Within U.S.+1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800)(Reuters Messaging: sruthi.ramakrishnan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: MARKETS USA STOCKS/PULSE