U.S. HOT STOCK FUTURES: HOT STOCKS TO WATCH

07/20/2012| 06:51am US/Eastern

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Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday's session are Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (>> Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.), Google Inc. (>> Google Inc) and Cepheid (>> Cepheid).

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (>> Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.) said its customer traffic growth has slowed recently, raising the possibility that some people are trading down to less pricey fast-food restaurants as a result of the uncertain economy. Shares of Chipotle tumbled 12% to $354.01 after market hours, as the chain's second-quarter revenue growth and sales at established restaurants fell below Wall Street analysts' expectations.

Google Inc.'s (>> Google Inc) said its second-quarter profit jumped 11% thanks to growing interest in its Internet search business, even as the prices paid by search advertisers continued to drop. Shares rose 2.7% to $609.20 after hours as Google's report topped many Wall Street estimates.

Cepheid's (>> Cepheid) second-quarter earnings fell 38% as the maker of biological testing systems was hurt by higher costs that masked strong revenue growth. The company also lowered its full-year earnings estimates. Shares sank 20% to $34.90 after hours.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (>> Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.) reported dismal second-quarter results and said the weakness would continue into the current period as the chip maker is hurt by softening consumer demand for PCs, particularly in China and Europe. The company also forecast third-quarter revenue below analyst expectations. Shares were off 3.3% to $4.70 after hours.

Align Technology Inc.'s (>> Align Technology, Inc.) second-quarter earnings more than doubled as the maker of Invisalign braces saw continued strength in shipments and revenue. However, the company issued a downbeat outlook for the current quarter. Shares were off 3% to $30.75 after hours Thursday.

Freescale Semiconductor Ltd.'s (>> Freescale Semiconductor Ltd) second-quarter loss narrowed as the chip maker strengthened its margins and saw fewer charges, masking a drop in revenue. Shares dropped 12% in after-hours trading to $9.01 as the company projected current-quarter sales below analysts' expectations.

Intuitive Surgical Inc.'s (>> Intuitive Surgical, Inc.) second-quarter earnings rose 32% behind continued strong sales growth for its surgical robots, but the company also cautioned that it's seeing a decline in domestic prostate-cancer surgeries. Shares were off 4.2% to $521.50 after hours.

Sustained growth of Microsoft Corp.'s (>> Microsoft Corporation) core Office and enterprise software businesses cheered investors even as the software giant swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter loss--its first quarterly loss in at least 20 years--after a write-down and increase in deferred revenue related to a Windows 8 upgrade promotion. Shares were up 2.1% to $31.32 as adjusted earnings topped analyst expectations.

SanDisk Corp.'s (>> SanDisk Corporation) second-quarter earnings plummeted as the flash memory maker saw much weaker sales and profit margins, due to soft demand for the company's memory chips from makers of mobile devices. But SanDisk's results were not as bad as some analysts had feared, sending shares up 11% to $39 after hours.

Staar Surgical Co. (>> STAAR Surgical Company) projected second-quarter revenue below analyst expectations, noting sales of its Visian ICL lens grew less than anticipated in Asia Pacific and Europe. Shares sank 7.3% to $7.49 after hours.

SunCoke Energy Inc. (>> SunCoke Energy, Inc) said its board has approved the formation of a master limited partnership, which will hold a portion of its interests in coke-making facilities in Ohio. Shares were up 8.5% to $16.30 after hours.

Swift Transportation Co.'s (>> Swift Transportation Co) net profit jumped 72% as the trucking company saw revenue rise and it benefited from lower fuel prices. Adjusted earnings topped analyst expectations. Shares rose 3.6% to $8.25 after hours.

Rambus Inc.'s (>> Rambus Inc.) second-quarter loss widened as the technology licenser saw a decline in its revenue from royalties and contracts. Shares sank 10% to $4.71 in after-hours trading.

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Avon Products Inc.'s (>> Avon Products, Inc.) general counsel and chief compliance officer, Kim Rucker, will leave the company to take an executive position at Kraft Foods Inc. (>> Kraft Foods Inc), the companies said.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (>> Bristol Myers Squibb Co.) said a Phase 3 trial of its drug, brivanib, as a first-line treatment in patients with liver cancer didn't meet its primary survival objective.

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (>> Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc) swung to a profit in the second quarter on a year-earlier contingent consideration charge, as the biopharmaceutical company continued to post strong sales growth.

Cytec Industries Inc.'s (>> Cytec Industries Inc) second-quarter earnings rose 1.7% as the specialty chemicals and materials company saw strong performance in its engineering materials and in-process separation segments. The company boosted its adjusted earnings guidance for the year.

Dole Food Co.'s (>> Dole Food Company, Inc.) second-quarter earnings fell 21% as the fruit-and-vegetable producer saw lower fresh fruit revenue, though sales of fresh vegetables and packaged foods improved.

WesBanco Inc. (>> WesBanco, Inc.) said it will acquire Fidelity Bancorp. Inc. (>> Fidelity Bancorp, Inc.) in a deal valued at $70.8 million that expands the bank holding company's presence in the Pittsburgh market.

Huron Consulting Group Inc. (>> Huron Consulting Group) said it paid a $1 million penalty as it settled allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that it violated record-keeping provisions.

Communications-technology company IDT Corp. (>> IDT Corporation) said it plans to spin off its patent and licensing business, saying the separation is the best way to maximize value in the unit's portfolio.

Fitch Ratings lowered its outlook on Ingram Micro Inc. (>> Ingram Micro Inc.) to negative from stable, saying the supply-chain-services provider's planned acquisition of Brightpoint Inc. (>> Brightpoint, Inc.) carries severe financial and operational risks.

Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (>> Lattice Semiconductor) swung to a second-quarter loss as the chip maker's sales declined and its margins weakened.

NCR Corp. (>> NCR Corporation) continued to benefit from ATM improvements at U.S. regional banks and its own strengthening margin profile from increasing software business, as second-quarter earnings more than doubled.

A U.S. judge has upheld the validity of patents covering Pfizer Inc.'s (>> Pfizer Inc.) blockbuster pain drug Lyrica, preserving market U.S. exclusivity for one of the company's best-selling drugs through 2018.

Fitch Ratings upgraded its ratings on Smithfield Foods Inc. (>> Smithfield Foods, Inc.) one notch closer to investment grade, noting the pork producer's credit profile has improved following a refinancing transaction it unveiled earlier this week.

-Write to Nathalie Tadena at nathalie.tadena@dowjones.com

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