Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Friday's session are:
J.C. Penney Co. said its sales, excluding newly opened or closed
stores, climbed 6.2% in the latest period, easily topping
expectations and improving in each month of the quarter. The
company also said it obtained a new credit line that expands its
borrowing capacity.
Darden Restaurants Inc. agreed to sell its struggling Red
Lobster chain to private-equity firm Golden Gate Capital for $2.1
billion in cash, despite long-running criticism of the move from
several investors.
Abbott Laboratories agreed to buy CFR Pharmaceuticals for $2.9
billion, significantly expanding its presence in Latin America. CFR
Pharmaceuticals, based in Santiago, Chile, participates in 15 Latin
American markets and has more than 1,000 products
Chesapeake Energy Corp. said Friday that it will proceed with a
spinoff of its oil-field services operations to shareholders as it
also plans other asset sales.
Nordstrom Inc. said Thursday its fiscal first-quarter profit
slipped 3.5%, but the high-end department-store operator's earnings
and sales still outpaced expectations. The company also said it
will seek a financial partner for its Nordstrom credit card
receivables, which totals approximately $2 billion.
Gentiva Health Services Inc. confirmed Thursday that its board
has rejected Kindred Healthcare Inc.'s $533 million takeover bid,
saying the proposal significantly undervalues the company.
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. reached a new long-term
television deal with Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal, ensuring that
its wrestling stars will stay put on NBCU's cable channels. The WWE
agreed on a deal to keep its flagship show "Raw" on USA Network and
its "SmackDown" Friday night show on Syfy.
Autodesk Inc. said its fiscal first-quarter earnings fell 49% as
higher costs offset the design-software company's revenue growth,
though adjusted earnings and revenue beat expectations.
Applied Materials Inc. on Thursday reported a 19% jump in
second-quarter sales, while swinging to a profit and posting its
best operating margin in nearly three years. Applied predicted that
sales in the current quarter would rise another 13% to 19% from the
year-earlier period.
Union Pacific Corp. unveiled a two-for-one stock split and said
it will increase this year's capital spending to $4.1 billion.
Carmike Cinemas Inc., the nation's fourth-largest movie theater
chain, said Thursday it is acquiring Digital Cinema Destinations
Corp., a smaller rival that does business as Digiplex.
Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc. said Chief Executive Mark Pykett
would leave that post around the end of this month as the company
restructures its biopharmaceutical product pipeline.
Dillard's Inc. said its fiscal first-quarter profit slipped
modestly, though its per-share earnings beat market
expectations.
Write to Erin McCarthy@wsj.com
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