Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in
Friday's session are Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Amazon.com Inc.
(AMZN), Zynga Inc.'s (ZNGA), and Career Education Corp. (CECO).
Microsoft bucked a recent trend among major sellers of
technology to corporations, posting double-digit percentage
increases in both revenue and profit for the fiscal first quarter.
The results easily topped Wall Street's expectations, sending
shares up 5.7% to $35.65 after hours.
Amazon.com reported its third quarterly loss in the past year
after a more than nine-year run of profitable quarters. The online
retailer, as expected, reported a big jump in revenue heading into
the holiday season, its biggest quarter of the year. In after-hours
trading, grew 8.5% to $360.29.
Zynga's third-quarter loss narrowed as the social-game maker
continued to slash expenses, though daily average users continued
to decline. The stock, which has fallen sharply from its initial
public offering price of $10 a share in late 2011, rose 13% to $4
after hours as the adjusted loss and bookings topped the company's
own forecast.
Career Education agreed to sell its European education
properties to private equity firm Apax Partners for a total of $305
million. Shares of Career Education were up 53% to $5.80 in
after-hours trading.
Qlik Technologies Inc.'s (QLIK) third-quarter earnings soared
due to a tax benefit, but higher costs more than offset revenue
growth. Shares were down 20% at $26.85 in after-hours trading as
revenue missed expectations and the company's outlook for the
current quarter was short of analysts' estimates.
Outerwall Inc.'s (OUTR) third-quarter profit more than doubled
on a gain tied to the company's equity interest in ecoATM, which
the kiosk operator fully acquired this summer. Shares jumped 7.3%
to $66.50 in after-hours trading, as Outerwall's results were
mostly strong compared to the weak guidance it issued last
month.
Healthways Inc.'s (HWAY) profit fell 64%, hurt by shrinking
margins and flat revenue. Shares of Healthways were down 24% to
$12.50 after hours as the company lowered its guidance for the
year, while issuing downbeat estimates for the fourth quarter and
2014.
Deckers Outdoor Corp.'s (DECK) third-quarter profit slid 23% as
the footwear maker reported sharply higher overhead expenses,
masking higher sales of brands like Ugg and Teva. But the company's
shares jumped 14% to $66.30 in after-hours trading, as results
exceeded Deckers' July targets and the company issued rosy outlook
commentary for the year.
DuPont Co. (DD) intends to spin off its performance chemicals
segment to existing shareholders, a move that comes as some
investors called on management to improve the company's financial
results. Shares rose 2.9% to $63.15 in after-hours trading.
Callaway Golf Co.'s (ELY) third-quarter loss narrowed
significantly as the golf equipment maker reported a jump in sales
and sharp increase in gross margins. Results for the period easily
topped Wall Street's expectations, sending shares up 16% to $8.40
in after-hours trading.
ResMed Inc.'s (RMD) profit rose 9% in its fiscal first quarter,
buoyed by revenue growth and widening margins. However, shares of
the company were down 6.8% to $52.47 in after-hours trading as
results came in below expectations.
Watch List:
CA Inc.'s (CA) fiscal second-quarter profit grew 8.1% as the
software maker cut expenses as the company continued to face
another quarter of weaker revenue.
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.'s (COG) third-quarter earnings rose
91% driven by a surge in natural-gas production.
Cerner Corp.'s (CERN) third-quarter earnings rose 17% though
reduced levels for some technology sales weighed on the
hospital-information technology vendor's revenue growth.
Chubb Corp.'s (CB) third-quarter profit inched up 1.5% as
underwriting income grew, while the insurer separately disclosed
Chairman and Chief Executive John Finnegan would stay with the
company longer than anticipated.
Eastman Chemical Co.'s (EMN) third-quarter earnings surged as
the diversified chemical and materials producer reported sales
growth as well as fewer charges related to its acquisition of
Solutia Inc. last year.
Express Scripts Holding Co.'s (ESRX) third-quarter earnings rose
9% thanks to lower overhead costs that offset a decline in revenue.
The pharmacy-benefit manager said that, based on its performance
and a reduced tax rate, it raised the low end of its 2013 per-share
earnings estimate by four cents and now expects $4.30 to $4.34.
Freescale Semiconductor Ltd. (FSL) swung to a third-quarter
profit as sales and margins grew, but the chip maker's muted
guidance for the current quarter sent shares lower in after-hours
trading.
Ixia (XXIA) on Thursday said Vic Alston resigned as the
company's chief executive after a committee found that the
executive had misstated his academic credentials, work history and
age.
KBR Inc. (KBR) posted declining revenue for its 17th straight
quarter, though it swung to a profit in the third quarter due to a
favorable comparison with last year's results. The engineering,
construction and defense-services provider also estimated earnings
for the year would come in at the low end of its prior outlook.
Principal Financial Group Inc.'s (PFG) third-quarter profit rose
31% as the asset manager and insurer posted a decline in expenses
that masked a drop in revenue.
Western Digital Corp.'s (WDC) fiscal first-quarter profit
slipped 4.6% as the disk-drive maker reported a drop in revenue,
though adjusted earnings topped the company's own forecast.
Wynn Resorts Ltd.'s (WYNN) third-quarter profit rose 62% as the
casino operator recorded a rise in revenue and the year-ago period
was weighed down by a loss on the extinguishment of debt.
Write to John Kell at john.kell@wsj.com
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