NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- DST Systems (DST), a provider of information processing and software services, has received several buyout overtures from private-equity firms in recent months, Reuters reported, citing people with knowledge of the situation. Shares of DST were spiking by 12.5% to $54.36 in premarket trading Wednesday.
Solar products company SunPower (SPWRA) was plunging 15.4% to $17.49 after a Goldman Sachs analyst slashed his view on the stock to sell from neutral.
Lawn and garden products company Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG) was tumbling 4.7% to $49.90 after saying it expects full-year earnings to fall short of Wall Street's expectations because of unfavorable weather conditions in the U.S. and increased promotional activity.
Protalix BioTherapeutics (PLX) was rising 3.2% to $6.48 after announcing a successful good manufacturing practices audit by Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency.
Cruise company Carnival (CCL) was falling 2.1% to $35.14 after a Nomura Equity Research analyst cut his price target for the stock to $46 from $52 on Tuesday. Carnival said Monday that the prolonged conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa region, and the earthquake and nuclear disaster in Japan, will cost the company an additional 15 cents a share in the second half of 2011. Also, fuel price increases will cost the company about 5 cents a share in the second half of the year.
The earnings calendar features Finisar ( FNSR ) after the closing bell. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based maker of optical networking equipment is expected to post a profit of 33 cents a share in its fiscal fourth quarter on revenue of $242.8 million. Shares were up 0.8% to $19.20.
Mobile marketing and advertising technology provider Velti (VELT) said its secondary public offering of 9,828,505 ordinary shares was priced at $15.25 a share. Shares were up 0.8% to $15.90.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the sale by Merrill Lynch of a complex mortgage-related security it created for an Illinois hedge fund, The Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Bank of America (BAC), Merrill Lynch's parent company, declined to comment for the newspaper. The bank previously said it lost $900 million on the CDO known as Norma. Bank of America shares were down 0.6% to $10.74.
JPMorgan Chase (JPM) on Tuesday said the head of its international business will retire from the bank early next year in a realignment that will expand responsibilities for other executives. Shares of JPMorgan were down 0.6% to $41.34.
Pandora Media (P) saw heavy demand for its initial public offering on Tuesday, pricing 14.7 million common shares at $16 each, well beyond the projected range of $10-$12 a share. >>Search for Highest Dividends by Rate or Yield
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