BP Share News (BP.)

Among the companies whose shares are expected to actively trade in Wednesday's session are Yahoo Inc. (YHOO), Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Apache Corp. (APA). Yahoo's second-quarter earnings jumped 51%, beating analysts' estimates on improved display advertising and margins, but the Internet heavyweight's search ads declined. Yahoo reported owned and operating search advertising revenue slid 8%, though that was offset by a 19% increase in display advertising sales. Shares were down 6.3% at $14.25 after hours. Apple's fiscal third-quarter profit jumped 78% as the company posted stout initial sales of its multimedia iPad device and the latest version of its popular smartphone, the iPhone 4, as well as higher Macintosh computer sales. A main driver of growth for the quarter was the company's popular iPhone, which sold 8.4 million units, up 61%. Apple also reported it sold 3.27 million iPads, which became available in early April. Shares rose 2.5% to $258.22 in after-hours trading, as results easily topped expectations. Apache said it will pay a total of $7 billion for all of BP PLC's (BP, BP.LN) assets in the Permian Basin in New Mexico and Texas as well as assets that the U.K. energy giant holds in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. The total estimated capacity of the deal is about 83,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, while Apache's typical production was 646,866. Apache also posted a strong second quarter, topping expectations, and announced a stock offering to help with the purchase. Shares of fell 2.8% to $85.80 in late trading while BP gained 1.1% to $35.59. Boston Scientific Corp.'s (BSX) second-quarter profit slid 38% as the medical-device maker posted double-digit sales declines for defibrillators and stents, as well as lower margins. Still, shares rose 1.3% to $6.35 in after-hours trading, as the company lifted its full-year earnings target. Gilead Sciences Inc.'s (GILD) second-quarter profit jumped 25% as sales and margins increased, but results fell short of analysts' estimates and shares of the drug maker slid 1.1% to $32.65 in after-hours trading. Seagate Technology Inc. (STX) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit--and its operating results were the highest in the company's history--but demand for hard-disk drives declined because of the debt crisis in Europe and slower consumer spending there and in the U.S. Shares dropped 4.9% to $13.82 in late trading as the computer disk-drive maker's results fell short of Wall Street's expectations. SLM Corp. (SLM) swung to a profit for the fourth straight quarter after huge losses from derivatives and hedging a year earlier, while core earnings of the country's largest student lender, commonly known as Sallie Mae, surprised analysts by posting growth. Shares climbed 5.9% to $12.35 after hours. Stryker Corp.'s (SYK) second-quarter profit grew 9.5% on an increase in sales of orthopedic implants and its MedSurg equipment, although revenue growth for the quarter fell short of Wall Street's expectations. Shares lost 3.5% to $49.50 in late trading. Juniper Networks Inc.'s (JNPR) second-quarter profit soared as revenue and margins improved. The network-equipment maker's results topped analysts' expectations but shares slipped 2.7% to $25.97 after hours. VMware Inc.'s (VMW) second-quarter profit more than doubled, beating analysts' estimates, as sales and margins rose sharply. The company lifted its full-year revenue forecast again and projected third-quarter revenue above analysts' estimate. Shares gained 4.5% to $75.70 after hours. Cytec Industries Inc. (CYT) reported second-quarter earnings more than doubled Wall Street's expectations on revenue that handily topped as well, as the specialty chemical company returned to a profit on increased volumes. Shares leapt 12% to $48.01 in after-hours trading. United Rentals Inc. (URI) swung to a second-quarter profit on higher margins as demand increased for the company's smaller fleet. Shares shot up 8.2% to $11.44 in after-hours trading as the equipment-rental company's results were better than Wall Street had expected. Home-furnishings retailer Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) said fiscal fourth-quarter net sales jumped 18%, which is projected to help the company reverse a year-earlier loss. Shares gained 3.3% to $14.29 in after-hours trading, as the company's bottom-line forecast topped Wall Street's expectations. Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions Inc.'s (MDRX) fiscal fourth-quarter profit grew 17% as the company saw strength in its system sales. The results topped Wall Street expectations, though the prescription-management software company offered 2011 guidance that fell merely in line with analysts' expectations. Shares slid 1.7% to $16.60 after hours. FIS Inc.'s (FIS) second-quarter earnings jumped 52% following last year's acquisition of Metavante. The provider of payment- and bank-processing services closed the $2.9 billion deal in October, giving FIS a bigger presence in the financial information-technology market. Shares rose 1.4% to $27.52 in late trading. Watch List: Altera Corp.'s (ALTR) second-quarter profit nearly quadrupled on strong sales of new products and large sales increases in every region. The logic-chip maker's results topped expectations, and the company projected third-quarter revenue to grow 4% to 8% above the latest period, which exceeded analysts' estimate. Cintas Corp.'s (CTAS) fiscal fourth-quarter profit surged following year-earlier charges plus revenue and margin growth, although the uniform and business-supplies company warned it believed a recovery in the U.S. private sector would be sluggish. Liz Claiborne Inc. (LIZ) plans to exit its namesake-branded outlet business in the U.S., a move the retailer expects will eliminate the operating losses tied to the business in the early 2011 and lead to $7 million in second-quarter write-downs. Aptargroup Inc.'s (ATR) second-quarter profit climbed 64% on double-digit sales increases in its two largest businesses, higher volumes and the effects of cost-cutting. The product-dispenser maker's results topped expectations and its per-share earnings set a record. -By Dow Jones Newswires; write to hotstocks@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 21, 2010 06:01 ET (10:01 GMT)