Stocks Come Off the Mat

On the corporate side, a battle could be brewing for Texas utility TXU (TXU Quote). A report out of the U.K. said that Credit Suisse (CS Quote) is trying to put together a debt deal that would fund a competing offer for the company. Earlier this week, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Texas Pacific said they would take over TXU for $45 billion. TXU added 31 cents, or 0.5%, to $66.50.

Oracle (ORCL Quote) agreed to buy Hyperion Solutions (HYSL Quote) for $3.3 billion, and both stocks were trading higher. Oracle gained 2.1% at $16.77, and Hyperion surged 20.4% to $51.57.

As for the day's earnings, Viacom's (VIA Quote) quarterly results were better then expected, as were the numbers at Sears (SHLD Quote). Viacom shed 2.4% to $38.61, and Sears slipped by 2.3% and closed at $176.07.

Elsewhere, Staples (SPLS Quote) edged past estimates and boosted its dividend, and Ciena (CIEN Quote) guided its revenue targets higher. Staples fell 2.6% to finish at $25.35, and Ciena dropped 10.1% to $28.28.

SunTrust Banks (STI Quote) revised its fourth-quarter earnings results lower to $1.39 a share from $1.46 a share. The previous earnings data had matched the Thomson First Call consensus. Still, SunTrust finished with a gain 43 cents, or 0.5%, to $84.74.

On the research front, Lehman Brothers upgraded Apple (AAPL Quote) to overweight from equal-weight. The stock added $2.45, or 2.9%, to $87.06.