Sirius XM, Sunesis: Early Volume Plays

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Several small-cap stocks were poised to move on above-average volume during Thursday's session

Sirius XM (SIRI) rose by 4 cents, or 6.7%, to 65 cents in the premarket session after the satellite radio provider broke even in third-quarter on an adjusted per-share basis, compared to analysts' expectations it would lose 2 cents a share in the quarter. The three-month average daily volume for Sirius XM is 47.3 million, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (SNSS) surged by 20 cents, or 52.6%, to 58 cents in the premarket session after the company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted voreloxin orphan drug designation for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. The three-month average daily volume for Sunesis is 149,000, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Trico Marine Services (TRMA) jumped by 79 cents, or 12.7%, to $7 in the premarket session after the company reported a third-quarter profit of 36 cents a share on revenue of $189.9 million, compared to expectations it would report a loss of a penny a share on sales of $178.3 million. The three-month average daily volume for Trico is 375,000, according to Yahoo! Finance.

ON Semiconductor (ONNN) climbed by 54 cents, or 7.9%, to $7.37 in the premarket session after the company late Wednesday notched a third-quarter profit, excluding items, of 16 cents a share, beating the Thomson Reuters average estimate for a profit of 10 cents a share. The chipmaker also offered revenue guidance for the fourth quarter that is higher than current analyst targets. The three-month average daily volume for ON is 11.2 million, according to Yahoo! Finance.

THQ (THQI) was higher by 18 cents, or 4.6%, to $5.20 in the premarket session after the video-game maker late Wednesday reported a fiscal second-quarter loss of 36 cents a share, better than the Thomson Reuters average estimate for a loss of 48 cents a share. The company also affirmed its 2010 view that it will be profitable and that sales will rise from 2009 levels. The three-month average daily volume for THQ is 1.5 million, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Penwest Pharmaceuticals (PPCO) jumped by 16 cents, or 7%, to $2.45 in the premarket session after the company posted third-quarter earnings of a penny a share, compared to expectations it would break even in the quarter. Revenue surged 350% to $6.3 million, also exceeding estimates. The three-month average daily volume for Penwest is 41,000, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Delta Petroleum (DPTR) tumbled by 15 cents, or 11.6%, to $1.14 in the premarket session after the company reported a third-quarter loss of 35 cents a share, far worse than the Thomson Reuters average estimate for a loss of 11 cents a share. Revenue dropped 66.8% from a year ago but still topped Wall Street's target. The three-month average daily volume for Delta is 12 million, according to Yahoo! Finance.

-- Written by Robert Holmes in New York.

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