Company/EPS Estimate
- (KWD)/.13
American Express Co. (AXP) fell $1.18, or 2 percent, to $58.35 in trading before the official open of U.S. exchanges. The third-largest U.S. credit-card network and its rivals Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) and Discover Financial Services (DFS) were cut to ``sell'' from ``neutral'' at Merrill Lynch & Co., which cited concerns over a worsening consumer economy. Capital One shares dropped 4.7 percent to $49.96. Discover shares added 87 cents, or 5.3 percent, to $17.32 yesterday.
Cascade Corp. (CAE): The largest North American maker of equipment for forklifts said third-quarter net income was $1 a share. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was $1.07. Cascade shares rose $2.59, or 4.2 percent, to $64.33 yesterday.
Gildan Activewear Inc. (GIL): The biggest T-shirt maker in North America said it expects to earn 21 cents a share in the first quarter. The average estimate from analysts was 25 cents, according to a Bloomberg survey. Gildan shares gained $1.95, or 5.2 percent, to $39.35 yesterday.
Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. (HTV) The owner of 26 TV stations said Hearst Corp. will boost its stake to as much as 82 percent, less than two months after dropping a plan to buy the television unit outright. The stock rose 16 cents to $19.94 yesterday.
Marsh & McLennan Cos. (MMC) The insurance broker's Mercer consulting unit is being sued by Alaska's attorney general for $1.8 billion. The suit claims Mercer miscalculated the state's public pension funds' liabilities, including amounts needed to cover retiree health-care costs. The stock rose 29 cents to $25.76 yesterday.
National Semiconductor Corp. (NSM) fell 31 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $23.20. The maker of chips for mobile devices said sales will decline between 1 percent and 5 percent in its fiscal third quarter. That implies $474 million to $494 million. Analysts had predicted the company would report sales of $494 million.
Shaw Group Inc. (SGR): The power-plant builder was recommended by CNBC host Jim Cramer because its backlog of projects is large and the company could be acquired. Shaw shares gained $2.06, or 3.2 percent, to $65.97 yesterday.
Target Corp. (TGT) dropped 37 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $55.20. The second-largest U.S. discount chain was cut to ``neutral'' from `buy'' at Banc of America Securities LLC. ``The middle tier consumer appears to be slowing,'' analyst David Strasser wrote in a note to clients.
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