US STOCK FUTURES: HOT STOCKS TO WATCH

05/18/2012| 06:38am US/Eastern

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Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday's session are Gap Inc. (>> The Gap Inc.), Salesforce.com Inc. (>> salesforce.com, inc.) and Autodesk Inc. (>> Autodesk, Inc.).

Gap's fiscal first-quarter profit was unchanged from the prior year, as the casual-apparel retailer reported higher same-store sales in North America but weakness abroad and a jump in operating expenses. Shares rose 4.7% to $27.55 after hours as the company raised its full-year earnings guidance.

Salesforce.com swung to a fiscal first-quarter loss as operating costs and stock-based expenses jumped, although the company's top-line growth and quarterly billings easily exceeded expectations. Shares jumped 6.4% to $142.40 after hours.

Design software maker Autodesk's fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 14% on stronger revenue in all its major markets, led by Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Shares sank 8.6% to $31.75 after hours as the company forecast mostly weak estimates for the current quarter.

Marvell Technology Group Inc. (>> Marvell Technology Group Ltd.) reported better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results and provided strong guidance for the current period as the chip maker benefits from strong demand for its processors in Chinese smartphones and a recovering hard-disk drive industry. Shares were up 3% to $13.70 after hours.

Osiris Therapeutics Inc. (>> Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.) said it has been authorized by Health Canada to market its main stem cell therapy Prochymal for the treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease in children. Shares climbed 15% to $6.05 after hours.

Pacific Sunwear of California Inc.'s (>> Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc.) fiscal first-quarter loss narrowed on improved same-store sales and margins. Shares surged 10% to $1.30 after-hours as same-store sales came in at the high end of company projections and the loss wasn't as bad as expected.

S&W Seed Co. (>> S&W Seed Company) said it will offer an unspecified number of shares of its common stock as the seed producer looks to raise funds for working capital needs and general corporate purposes. Shares slipped 5% to $5.40 after hours.

Sequenom Inc. (>> Sequenom, Inc.) said Coventry Health Care Inc. (>> Coventry Health Care, Inc.) has terminated its agreement to provide coverage for the life-sciences company's MaterniT21 Plus laboratory-developed test. Sequenom shares were down 8.4% to $4.37 after hours.

 
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Aeropostale Inc.'s (>> Aeropostale, Inc.) fiscal first-quarter earnings slipped 35% as the youth-focused apparel retailer recorded weaker margins and flat same-store sales, though revenue improved.

Applied Materials Inc.'s (>> Applied Materials, Inc.) fiscal second-quarter profit shrank 41% as the semiconductor-equipment maker's margins narrowed, though revenue dropped less than expected.

Aruba Networks Inc.'s (>> Aruba Networks, Inc.) fiscal third-quarter profit surged 88% as the WiFi-equipment maker's revenue grew, helped by a double-digit percentage increase in product revenue, while margins improved as well.

Brocade Communications Systems Inc.'s (>> Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.) fiscal second-quarter profit rose 51% as margins improved and interest expense decreased.

Intuit Inc.'s (>> Intuit Inc.) fiscal third-quarter earnings climbed 6.7% as the tax-software maker reported modest growth during the recent tax season and continued strength in its small-business products.

JDA Software Group Inc. (>> Jda Software Group Inc) said it has been notified by Nasdaq that it continues to be noncompliant with the exchange's listing requirements because it hasn't yet filed its latest quarterly report.

Moody's Investors Services placed its ratings on MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (>> MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.) on review for a possible downgrade, pointing to the wafer maker's larger-than-expected cash burn in the first quarter and the departure of several senior executives.

Orchard Supply Hardware Corp. (>> Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corp) said it expects same-stores sales to drop 3.1% in its fiscal first quarter, in line with its April guidance of a decline of low single-digits.

Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. (>> Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.) said it expects weakness in its third quarter as demand for recycled metals has remained soft while supplies continue to be tight.

Union leaders of Continental Airlines and United Airlines pilots said they plan to call for a vote to strike against their employer, air carrier United Continental Holdings Inc. (>> United Continental Holdings, Inc.).

Zumiez Inc.'s (ZUMZ) fiscal first-quarter earnings more than doubled as the teen-apparel retailer continues to benefit from sustained growth in same-store sales. Results topped the company's own estimates.

-Edited by Nathalie Tadena, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-3287; nathalie.tadena@dowjones.com

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