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Feb 8 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks to watch on Friday:
WALL ST TO OPEN HIGHER AFTER POSITIVE ECONOMIC DATA
U.S. stock index were set for a slightly higher open onFriday after a trio of positive economic data points, but gainswere expected to be modest, with the benchmark S&P index nearfive-year highs. S&P 500 futures added 1.8 points andwere slightly above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricingby taking into account interest rates, dividends and time toexpiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 6 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 9.5points.
** MCDONALD'S CORP, Thursday close $94.63, up 0.6pct premarket
The company said January sales at established restaurantsaround the world fell 1.9 percent, a steeper decline thanexpected as fast-food chains fight for diners.
** ENTEROMEDICS INC, Thursday close $2.84, down 50pct premarket
The company said its experimental device to treat obesitydid not meet pre-defined efficacy targets in a late-stage study.
** ONCOLYTICS BIOTECH INC , Thursday close$3.57, up 37.2 pct premarket
The company said a mid-stage trial of its experimental lungcancer drug showed that 95 percent of the patients experienced areduction in the size of their tumors.
** NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS INC, Thursday close$24.55, down 17.5 pct premarket
The speech recognition software maker forecastsecond-quarter revenue below analysts' estimates, citing a fallin demand for its products in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
** TRANZYME INC, Thursday close $0.56, up 13.4 pctpremarket
The drugmaker said it will explore a possible sale of thecompany, less than two years after it went public and shortlyafter it stopped trials of one of its most advanced drug indevelopment.
** RIVERBED TECHNOLOGY INC, Thursday close $20.10,down 12 pct premarket
The network gear maker's quarterly profit fell 76 percent oncosts associated with its $1 billion acquisition of OpnetTechnologies Inc, and the company forecast current-quarterprofit below estimates.
At least two brokerages downgraded the stock.
** LINKEDIN CORP, Thursday close $124.09, up 10.4pct premarket
The professional social networking company extended its hotstreak on Thursday, announcing both blow-out quarterly profitsand a bullish forecast for the new year that exceeded WallStreet's already lofty expectations.
At least five brokerages - J.P. Morgan Securities, BarclaysCapital, Canaccord Genuity, Evercore Partners and CantorFitzgerald - raised the target price on the company's stock.
** SKULLCANDY INC, Thursday close $6.61, down 8 pctpremarket
The headphones company forecast full year 2012 earnings atthe lower end of between $1 and $1.04 per share, and said ChiefExecutive Jeremy Andrus will step down.
** ACTIVISION BLIZZARD INC, Thursday close $12.06,up 7.8 pct premarket
The company's earnings beat Wall Street expectations afterits "Call of Duty" and "Skylanders" titles had blockbusterholiday sales, shoring up investor confidence in the world'slargest videogame publisher despite a cautious forecast for2013.
** COINSTAR INC, Thursday close $52.10, down 7.8pct premarket
The operator of Redbox video rental kiosks forecastcurrent-quarter results significantly below analysts' estimatesdue to a slower movie release schedule.
** RADIOSHACK CORP, Thursday close $3.11, up 7 pctpremarket
The U.S. electronics retailer named Walgreen executiveJoseph Magnacca chief executive, hoping to boost sales bytapping his merchandising and marketing experience.
** MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC, Thursday close $33.94,up 7 pct premarket
The chipmaker forecast a larger-than-expected profit andrevenue for the current quarter after reporting third-quarterresults that beat Wall Street expectations on higher sales ofits microcontroller chips.
** AOL INC, Thursday close $31.41, up 6.1 pctpremarket
The online company's quarterly profit jumped, boosted by a13 percent rise in advertising sales. Net income rose to $35.7million, or 41 cents per share, in the fourth quarter, from$22.8 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier.Advertising revenue rose 13 percent to $410.6 million, whilesubscription revenue for AOL's dial-up services fell 10 percentto $174.2 million.
** 3SBIO INC, Thursday close $13.79, up 5.5 pctpremarket
The Chinese biotechnology firm said it agreed to be takenprivate by Decade Sunshine Ltd for about $340 million,reflecting a wider trend of Chinese companies going private toescape U.S. regulatory scrutiny.
** SYCAMORE NETWORKS INC, Thursday close $2.28, up5.2 pct premarket
The company declared a cash dividend of $1.81 per share.
** APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, Thursday close$22.15, up 5 pct premarket
The company reported a 95 percent rise in quarterly earningsas strong gains in private equity profits, driven by assetsales, more than compensated for a drop in income in its creditinvestment business.
** WARNER CHILCOTT PLC, Thursday close $14.45, down4.8 pct
The Specialty pharmaceutical company forecast 2013 adjustedearnings below market estimates as it expects research anddevelopment expenses to increase with some of its drugs movinginto late-stage development.
** SUNPOWER CORP, Thursday close $8.40, down 4.7pct premarket
The U.S. solar company, which is battling a drastic drop inpanel prices due to a supply glut, said on Thursday that itexpects revenue for this year to be unchanged from 2012.
** NCR CORP, Thursday close $27.96, up 3 pctpremarket
The ATM maker reported a fourth-quarter profit of 72 centsper share, beating analysts' expectations of 70 cents per share.
** VODAFONE GROUP PLC , Thursday close$27.10, up 2 pct premarket
BofA Merrill Lynch raised the telecom operator's rating to"buy" from "neutral."
** TARO PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LTD, Thursdayclose $50.55, up 1 pct premarket
India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries ended its agreement togain full control over its Israeli unit Taro Pharmaceutical.
** APPLIED MICRO CIRCUITS CORP, Thursday close$8.67
The chipmaker believes selling low-power processors forcloud data centers run by the likes of Facebook, Google andAmazon.com could account for half of its business within threeyears.
** ADVANCE AUTO PARTS INC, Thursday close $77.14, up1 pct premarket
J.P. Morgan Securities upgraded the auto parts retailer'sstock to "overweight" from "neutral." The company posted afourth-quarter profit of 88 cents per share, largely beatinganalysts' expectations of 75 cents per share.
** LABORATORY CORP OF AMERICA HOLDINGS, Thursdayclose $91.63
The diagnostics testing company reported a drop infourth-quarter profit on Friday and said bad weather had beenpartly to blame.
** BOEING CO, Thursday close $77.43
The company started the year ahead of its European rivalAirbus, after clinching the industry's top spot in 2012, withbroadly higher orders and deliveries in January, data showed.
** GLAXOSMITHKLINE , Thursday close $45.28
Mounting evidence of a link between the company's Pandemrixflu shot and a spike in narcolepsy cases among children inEurope is putting one of the vaccine's key ingredients, AS03,under intense scrutiny.
** UBIQUITI NETWORKS INC, Thursday close $14.87, up9 pct after market
The wireless equipment products maker forecast a profit ofbetween 20 and 24 cents per share, above what analysts hadexpected on an average.
** FLEETCOR TECHNOLOGIES INC, Thursday close $59.55,up 7 pct after market
The payments services provider reported a quarterly profitof 82 cents per share, better than the 75 cents per share that analysts on average expected.
** AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS INC, Thursday close$2.85, up 3 pct after market
The company reported a first-quarter loss of 9 cents pershare while analysts on average expected a loss of 8 cents pershare.
** OPENTABLE INC, Thursday close $49.31, up 2 pctafter market
The U.S. online restaurant reservation service providerreported quarterly results that beat analysts' estimates, helpedby an increase in the number of seated diners, and the companyexpects mobile devices to drive more revenue.
** MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL, Thursday close $12.94
New Jersey regulators are set to reconsider a decision thathad forced the company to put its stake in an Atlantic Citycasino up for sale, people familiar with the matter said,according to the Wall Street Journal.
** MOODY'S CORP, Thursday close $46.99
The credit rating agency, which could face a federal lawsuittied to pre-crisis ratings, said quarterly profit jumped 66percent and the company forecast strong 2013 earnings,
** DREAMWORKS ANIMATION SKG INC Thursday close$16.31
The animation studio company might cut a maximum of 500 jobsfrom its 2,000 member workforce following disappointing holidayresults and delays to its film lineup, the Wall Street Journalreported on Thursday, citing a person familiar with thesituation.
** US AIRWAYS GROUP INC, Thursday close $15.11
** AMR CORP, Thursday close $1.25
AMR Corp creditors plan to meet on Monday and could vote ona potential merger agreement between the bankrupt parent ofAmerican Airlines, and US Airways Group, several people familiarwith the matter said. (Compiled by Mridhula Raghavan in Bangalore)
