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

09/07/2012| 08:56am US/Eastern

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Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday's session are Pandora Media Inc. (P), Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (>> Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation) and Audience Inc. (>> Audience Inc).

Apple Inc. (>> Apple Inc.) is in talks to license music for a custom-radio service similar to the popular one operated by Pandora, people familiar with the matter have told the Wall Street Journal. Several online music services have recently added Pandora-like custom radio features, yet Apple's outsized presence in online-music sales and massive installed base of MP3 players and other devices could make it a much more serious threat. Pandora shares tumbled 14% to $10.80 in premarket trade. Apple shares were fractionally higher at $677.77.

Smith & Wesson's fiscal first-quarter profit jumped more than expected as the gun maker kept posting stronger firearm sales. The company also boosted its full-year guidance, sending shares up 21% to $10.89 in premarket trade.

Mobile-audio technology firm Audience said Apple is unlikely to use its processor intellectual property in its next-generation smartphone. Shares sank 60% to $7.56 premarket.

Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.'s (>> Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 46%, as the beauty-products retailer benefited from its continued expansion and strong same-store sales. Shares jumped 8.8% to $103.61 premarket as results beat the company's expectations.

Cooper Cos.'s (>> The Cooper Companies, Inc.) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 51%, helped by continued growth in the company's contact-lens business. Shares were up 7.5% at $92.50 premarket as adjusted earnings and revenue topped expectations and the company boosted its fiscal-year guidance.

Colony Financial Inc. (>> Colony Financial Inc) plans to offer six million shares to raise funds to pay down debt, among other purposes. Shares of the real-estate finance and investment company were off 1.8% to $19 premarket.

Resource Capital Corp. (>> Resource Capital Corp.) is offering 8.5 million shares as the real-estate investment trust looks to raise funds for general-corporate purposes. Shares were down 3.6% to $5.88 premarket.

 
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American International Group Inc. (>> American International Group, Inc.) has raised around $2 billion from the sale of shares of insurance company AIA Group Ltd. (AAGIY, 1299.HK) in a placement, as the company plans to further reduce its debt to the U.S. government.

Accuray Inc.'s (>> Accuray Incorporated) fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed as an acquisition boosted sales, though heavy expenses kept the firm in the red. Earnings missed Wall Street expectations.

Email marketing firm ExactTarget Inc. (>> ExactTarget Inc) said certain shareholders plan to sell 6.5 million shares of common stock.

EMC Corp. (>> EMC Corporation) Chief Executive Joseph M. Tucci will remain at the company until at least Feb. 15, and is expected to transfer the job to a successor before then, according to a Thursday regulatory filing.

Fidus Investment Corp. (>> Fidus Investment Corp) said it has commenced an offering of common stock but didn't say how many shares it is offering.

Infoblox Inc.'s (>> Infoblox Inc) fiscal fourth-quarter loss widened as the network and data-center technology company's operating expenses increased, masking revenue growth. The company also forecast earnings for its new fiscal year that were below analyst expectations.

Intel Corp. (>> Intel Corporation) said its third-quarter revenue will be lower than previously expected, citing weaker-than-expected demand in a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Kraft Foods Inc. (>> Kraft Foods Inc) late Thursday laid out the initial outlook for its snacks business Mondelez International, whose first year as a standalone company will be marked by a weak gum category offsetting stronger sales of chocolate and biscuits, as well as a severe hit from unfavorable foreign exchange rates.

Moody's Investors Service raised its rating on Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (>> Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (USA)) by one notch, pointing to the success of the media company's "The Hunger Games" film.

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (>> Nabi Biopharmaceuticals) has entered into "advanced discussions" with flu-drug developer Biota Holdings Ltd. (>> Biota Holdings Ltd.) to name Russell H. Plumb as chief executive of the combined company after a planned merger.

Activist investor Alexander Roepers' Atlantic Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in Owens-Illinois Inc. (>> Owens-Illinois, Inc.) and said it will continue its active discussions with the bottle maker's management on actions to increase shareholder value, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Quiksilver Inc.'s (>> Quiksilver, Inc.) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose a better-than-expected 21% as the sports outfitter reported stronger U.S. revenue and lower tax provisions, though gross margin and sales in Europe lagged.

SunTrust Banks Inc. (>> SunTrust Banks, Inc.) is taking a series of actions aimed at strengthening its capital ratios and improving its risk profile, in moves the bank said would boost its third-quarter income.

U.S. Home Systems Inc. (>> US Home Systems Inc) said its go-shop period has ended, paving the way for Home Depot Inc. (>> The Home Depot, Inc.) to move forward with its planned acquisition of the supplier of kitchen, bath and storage products.

Vocera Communications Inc.'s (>> Vocera Communications Inc) upsized public offering of 4.83 million shares priced at a 0.5% discount to Thursday's close.

Zillow Inc. (Z) said an upsized offering of four million of its Class A shares priced at a 1.1% discount to the real-estate information provider's closing price.

Write to Mia Lamar at mia.lamar@dowjones.com

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