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Aug 29 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks to watch on Thursday:
WALL ST TO RISE AS SYRIA REASSESSED, CAUTION LINGERS
Wall Street was set to rise at the open on Thursday ongrowing signs a timeline for launching a Western military strikeon Syria could be delayed, though caution lingered acrossmarkets. S&P 500 futures rose 5 points and wereabove/below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing bytaking into account interest rates, dividends and time toexpiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 52 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 12points.
** VODAFONE GROUP PLC, Wednesday close $29.41, up 8pct premarket
** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC, Wednesday close $46.56, up 7 pct premarket
Vodafone said on Thursday it was in talks withVerizon to sell its 45 percent stake in their U.S. joint ventureVerizon Wireless for what a Bloomberg report said would be about$130 billion.
** FACEBOOK INC, Wednesday close $40.55, up 1.3 pctpremarket
Some of Mark Zuckerberg's mutual fund backers delivered atough message on compensation for the leaders of the company.
Fidelity Investments, led by its $98 billion Contrafund, wasamong those voting against the pay of the social media company'stop leaders in a non-binding contest at its annual meeting inJune, its first since going public.
** GUESS INC, Wednesday close $27.31, up 15 pctpremarket
The company's second-quarter results beat Wall Streetestimates, helped by recovering sales in North America, andbucked a broader trend of falling sales for apparel retailers.
** US AIRWAYS, Wednesday close $15.34, up 3.65 pctpremarket
** AMERICAN AIRLINES, Wednesday close $3.05
American Airways, US Airways and the U.S. Justice Departmentsaid on Wednesday they were open to settling a court fight overwhether the two companies should be allowed to merge, but therewas no sign of an imminent agreement.
* BOEING CO, Wednesday close $103.27, up 0.7 pctpremarket
Canada's WestJet Airlines Ltd said on Thursday ithas reached a preliminary agreement to purchase 65 737 MAXaircraft from Boeing. Boeing said the pending order is valued at$6.3 billion at current list prices.
** JA SOLAR HOLDINGS CO LTD, Wednesday close $7.96,down 3 pct premarket
The company posted a smaller quarterly loss as it shippedmore solar panels to newer markets such as Japan. Its net lossnarrowed to $21.6 million, or 58 cents per American depositaryshare (ADS) in the second quarter, from $72.1 million, or $1.91per ADS, a year earlier.
** WILLIAMS-SONOMA INC, Wednesday close $56.97, down2 pct premaket
The upscale home furnishings chain on Wednesday reported adrop in quarterly gross margin on bigger discounts and itsoutlook pointed to weaker sales trends in the back half of theyear.
** SHANDA GAMES LTD, Wednesday close $4.55, up 3.5pct premarket
The online game developer reported better-than-expectedresults for the second quarter and said current-quarter revenuefrom its mobile gaming business is expected to increase by about50 percent from the previous quarter.
** MCDONALD'S CORP, Wednesday close $96.08, down 0.5pct premarket
** BURGER KING WORLDWIDE INC, Wednesday close $19.67
** MACY'S INC, Wednesday close $44.32
** SEARS HOLDINGS CORP, Wednesday close $40.87
** DOLLAR TREE INC, Wednesday close $53.31
Fast-food workers across the United States are expected tostage their largest strike to date on Thursday in an almostyear-long campaign to raise wages in the service sector.Employees of McDonald's, Wendy's Restaurants, Burger King andothers have pledged to walk off their jobs in 50 cities. Theyare expected to be joined by retail employees at stores owned byMacy's, Sears Holdings and Dollar Tree in some cities.
** ALCOA INC, Wednesday close $7.93, up 0.4 pctpremarket
Top aluminium producers have offered Japanese buyers apremium of $250 per tonne for October-December primary metalshipments, unchanged from the previous quarter, three sourcesinvolved in quarterly pricing talks said on Wednesday.
** ARENA PHARMACEUTICALS INC, Wednesday close $6.69
The company said a patient being treated with the company'sexperimental lung drug experienced a heart rhythm disorder,raising concerns over the drug's safety.
** SIGNET JEWELERS LTD, Wednesday close $69.83, down4 pct premarket
The company reported higher second-quarter sales on Thursdayas shoppers spent more per visit at its Kay Jewelers and Jaredstores in the United States, but business at its British storesslipped.
** PERCEPTRON INC, Wednesday close $8.60, up 32 pctpremarket
The company, which sells non-contact measurement andinspection products to the automotive and manufacturingindustries, reported a 62 percent jump in fourth-quarter revenueand said orders almost doubled, helped by higher demand fromEurope.
** FRESH MARKET INC, Wednesday close $54.28, down 6pct premarket
The specialty grocer on Wednesday reported second-quartersales lower than analysts' estimates and lowered its fiscal 2013profit forecast.
UBS on Thursday downgraded its rating on the company's stockto "neutral" from "buy," according to Theflyonthewall.com
** CAMPBELL SOUP CO, Wednesday close $44.71, down1.6 pct premarket
The world's largest soup maker reported a 9 percent rise inadjusted profit, helped by acquisitions and strengthening U.Ssales of condensed soups and broth. (UPDATE)
** EGAIN CORP, Wednesday close $10.82, up 12 pctpremarket
The call center software maker reported better-than-expectedresults for the fourth quarter on Wednesday, boosted by higherrevenue across businesses.
The company's revenue from its largest business -subscription and support - rose 42 percent to $8.9 million inthe quarter. Brokerage Needham and Co raised its price target onthe stock to $14 from $12.
** CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC, Wednesday close$4.95, up 8 pct premarket
The waste management company reported better-than-expectedresults for the first quarter due to higher waste volumes. Thecompany also forecast full-year revenue largely above analysts'estimates.
** CORINTHIAN COLLEGES INC, Wednesday close $2.61,down 6 pct premarket
The for-profit education provider reported a 3 percent dropin fourth-quarter revenue and said student sign-ups fell morethan the company had expected, mainly due to fewer sign-ups forits online programs. Corinthian said it expected the slide inonline new student enrollments to continue in the currentquarter.
** CUBIST PHARMACEUTICALS INC, Wednesday close$63.59, down 1 pct premarket
The drugmaker said it was voluntarily recalling four lots ofits antibiotic Cubicin after finding certain particulate matterin a number of vials from the lots. No related adverse eventshave been reported, the company said, adding that it wasrecalling the lots due to a manufacturing issue at a productionline at one of its third-party manufacturers.
The company said it suspended all manufacturing at thesupplier until corrective steps are taken. The company does notexpect the recall to interfere with Cubicin supply or have anymaterial financial impact on the company.
** REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS INC, Wednesday close$243.07
The drugmaker said its blockbuster eye medicine Eylea wonregulatory approval for sale in Europe as a treatment for visualimpairment due to macular edema - a condition caused by swellingof the macula of the eye - after central retinal vein occlusion,a common retinal vascular disorder. Germany's Bayer is Regeneron's development partner on Eylea.
** GENESCO INC, Wednesday close $69.55
The footwear retailer, known for its Journeys brand,estimated second-quarter results below analysts' forecast, hurtby challenging sales environment, and the company slashed itsadjusted profit outlook for the current year.
** JOHNSON & JOHNSON, Wednesday close $86.53
The company is joining the hunt for drugs to treat denguefever - the world's fastest-spreading tropical disease - bylinking with academic researchers in Belgium and the WellcomeTrust medical charity.
** CONOCOPHILLIPS, Wednesday close $66.77
The global exploration and production company submitted thehighest bid on a single tract on Wednesday for drilling rightsin the western Gulf of Mexico lease sale, which attracted thesecond-lowest number of bids since 1983, regulators said. (Compiled by Mridhula Raghavan; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
