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* 3M Co falls after earnings, outlook
* Initial jobless claims fall in latest week
* Verizon looking at bid for Verizon Wireless - sources
* Futures up: Dow 42 pts, S&P 6.5 pts, Nasdaq 16 pts
By Chuck Mikolajczak
NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were poised for ahigher open on Thursday, as investors dealt with a raft ofearnings, including those of 3M Co and ExxonMobil, with addedsupport from a drop in initial jobless claims.
ExxonMobil Corp dipped 0.5 percent to $89 inpremarket trading. The largest U.S. company by marketcapitalization said its quarterly profit edged up, helped byhigher earnings in its chemicals business but oil and gasproduction fell.
Fellow Dow component 3M Co lost 3.5 percent to$104.10 before the opening bell after the diversified U.S.manufacturer posted first-quarter earnings and revenue thatmissed Wall Street expectations and cut its 2013 profitforecast.
But United Parcel Service Inc, advanced 0.7 percentto $84.05 before the opening bell after the world's largestpackage-delivery company reported a quarterly profit aboveanalysts' estimates.
"Investors coming into this earnings season were quitefearful, so even modestly positive news becomes great news andthat is what we've experienced for the last several days," saidLawrence Creatura, portfolio manager at Federated Investors inRochester, New York.
"It's probably a little early in the earnings season to talkabout aggregate results but it's important to recognize thatearnings are growing and so higher prices are deserved."
Economic data showed initial claims for state unemploymentbenefits in the latest week dropped 16,000 to a seasonallyadjusted 339,000 versus expectations for 351,000.
S&P 500 futures rose 6.5 points and were above fairvalue, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into accountinterest rates, dividends and time to expiration of thecontract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 42points and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 16 points.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc jumped 7.4 percent to$19.56 after the iron ore and metallurgical coal miner postedearnings that were much better than analysts' estimates afterthe close on Wednesday.
Akamai Technologies Inc surged 17.8 percent to$42.52 in premarket trading after the internet content deliverycompany posted first-quarter earnings above Wall Streetestimates and forecast second-quarter results above analysts'expectations late on Wednesday.
Qualcomm Inc lost 5.8 percent to $62.20 before theopening bell after the mobile chipmaker forecast earnings belowexpectations late Wednesday.
Companies expected to post earnings after the close include Amazon.com Inc and Starbucks.
Verizon Communications Inc will be in focus aftersources told Reuters it has hired advisers to prepare a possible$100 billion cash and stock bid to take full control of VerizonWireless from joint venture partner, Vodafone Group Plc.Verizon shares gained 1.2 percent to $52.40 in premarket.
Earnings season has been largely positive, with 68.4 percentof S&P 500 companies that have reported results throughWednesday morning beating expectations, according to ThomsonReuters data through Tuesday morning. Since 1994, 63 percenthave surpassed estimates on average, while the beat rate is 67percent for the past four quarters.
Analysts see earnings growth of 3.1 percent this quarter, upfrom expectations of 1.5 percent at the start of the month.
Revenues, however, have been disappointing, with only 40.1percent of 119 reported companies having topped expectations,well short of the 62 percent average since 2002 and the 52percent beat rate for the past four quarters.
