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June 6 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks to watch on Thursday:
FUTURES UP AFTER TWO-DAY DROP, CLAIMS DATA DUE
U.S. stock index futures advanced on Thursday, indicatingstocks may rebound after two straight days of declines, ahead ofdata on the labor market. The S&P 500 futures rose 7.6points, the Dow Jones industrial average futures added 50points and the Nasdaq 100 futures gained 10 points.
** CIENA CORP, Wednesday close $16.31, up 10 pctpremarket
** JDS UNIPHASE CORP, Wednesday close $13.13, up3.4 pct premarket
** JUNIPER NETWORKS INC, Wednesday close $18.54, up2.8 pct premarket
** F5 NETWORKS INC, Wednesday close $76.83, up 2pct premarket
Network equipment maker Ciena reported a surprisesecond-quarter profit on an adjusted basis, helped by a 3percentage-point rise in its gross margin, and forecaststronger-than-expected revenue for the current quarter.
* VERA BRADLEY INC, Wednesday close $22.46, down 12pct premarket
The apparel and accessories retailer cut its fiscal 2014profit forecast.
Vera Bradley also said Chief Executive Michael Ray willretire.
** NOVAVAX INC, Wednesday close $1.91, up 10 pctpremarket
The vaccine developer said it had developed a vaccinecandidate designed to provide protection against the Middle EastRespiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, which is from the same viralfamily as the SARS virus.
The virus, which has spread from the Gulf to France, Britainand Germany, has caused 25 deaths in Saudi Arabia.
** DEVON ENERGY CORP, Wednesday close $56.64, up 3pct premarket
The oil and gas producer said it will form a publicly tradedmidstream master limited partnership (MLP) that will initiallyown a minority interest in the company's U.S. midstreambusiness. Devon will own a majority of the MLP's shares afterthe initial public offering and will sell those to fund itscontinuing operations.
** COLDWATER CREEK INC, Wednesday close $3.45, down13 pct premarket
The specialty retailer on Wednesday reported first-quartersales that missed analysts' estimates, hurt by the unseasonablecold weather.
** CONN'S INC, Wednesday close $48.46, up 8 pctpremarket
The home appliances and electronics retailer reportedfirst-quarter results that beat market estimates, helped bystrong sales of furniture and mattresses.
Conn's also raised its fiscal 2014 earningsforecast.
** TENET HEALTHCARE CORP, Wednesday close $44.37, up1.5 pct premarket
Deutsche Bank analyst Darren Lehrich upgraded the hospitaloperator's stock to "buy" from "hold", saying Tenet has a"well-thought-out plan" to allocate its resources and thatConifer, its healthcare IT business, is likely to help offsetthe impact of uncompensated patients under the PatientProtection Affordable Care Act.
** SODASTREAM INTERNATIONAL, Wednesday close$69.35, up 5.9 pct premarket
** PEPSICO, Wednesday close $81.20
Pepsico is in talks to buy Israel's SodaStream, whosemachines make carbonated drinks from tap water, for $2 billion,the Calcalist financial newspaper reported on Thursday.
CNBC later said the report was "untrue," citing an emailfrom Pepsico's Chief Executive.
** ANN INC, Wednesday close $31.07, up 4 pctpremarket
The women's apparel retailer reported first-quarter profitabove market estimates as a stronger performance at its AnnTaylor stores drove an improvement in the merchandise margin.
** VERIFONE SYSTEMS INC, Wednesday close $21.95,down 17 pct after market
The maker of credit card swipe machines forecastcurrent-quarter results well below expectations on Wednesday andanalysts suggested that the company is losing customers to itsrivals.
** ASCENA RETAIL GROUP INC, Wednesday close $19.86,down 9 pct after market
The women's apparel maker reported third-quarter resultsthat missed analysts' estimates as unseasonably cold weather andreduced consumer discretionary spending hurt sales.
** ENDO HEALTH SOLUTIONS INC, Wednesdayclose$35.96, down 5.4 pct after market
The company said on Wednesday it plans to cut about 15percent of its workforce and explore strategic alternatives forsome assets as the company looks to cut costs ahead of genericcompetition for two of its biggest drugs.
** THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC, Wednesday close$86.20, down 2 pct after market
The company announced a public offering of $2.2 billioncommon shares and said it would use the proceeds to partly fundthe acquisition of Life Technologies Corp.
** J. M. SMUCKER CO, Wednesday close $102.37
The maker of Folgers coffee and Jif peanut butter reported a13 percent rise in fourth-quarter adjusted profit as lowercommodity costs boosted gross margins in its coffee business.
** GENERAL MOTORS CO, Wednesday close $34.02
The automaker holds its annual meeting of shareholders.Chief Executive Dan Akerson is likely to tout a year thatincluded a full year profit including strong results in its coreNorth American market, news that the U.S. Treasury has laid outa plan to exit its stake in the U.S. automaker and the company'sannouncement it would eventually close a plant in Germany aspart of its strategy to turn around that money-losing region.
** SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORP , Wednesdayclose $8.12
** BARCLAYS PLC , Wednesday close $19.15
The Japanese bank has sold a 260 million pound ($400million) stake in Barclays, about half its holding in theBritish bank.
** AMERICA MOVIL , Wednesday close $19.49
AT&T Inc has sold 7 percent of its holding in LatinAmerican telecommunications company America Movil or 540 millionshares, according to a filing with U.S. regulators on Wednesday.
** H.J. HEINZ CO, Wednesday close $72.45
Australia's competition regulator has blocked an attemptedtakeover of Rafferty's Garden, an organic baby food supplier, byU.S.-based food giant H.J. Heinz on concerns that the deal wouldhave reduced competition significantly.
** SAP AG , Wednesday close $74.76, down2.2 pct premarket
European business software maker SAP has bought Swisssoftware developer hybris to expand its customer managementplatform, taking on Salesforce.com and Oracle in the multibillion-dollar cloud services market.
** COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP, Wednesday close $109.17
The U.S. warehouse club chain reported May same-store salesthat missed analyst estimates due to a relatively strongerdollar and weak gasoline prices.
** PROCTER & GAMBLE CO, Wednesday close $76.66
The world's largest household products maker on Wednesdayannounced a reorganization amid speculation by analysts that theheads of its new units are in the running to replace CEO A.G.Lafley. (Compiled by Sruthi Ramakrishnan)
Barclays (BARC)