Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) rose 5.6 percent to $13.95. The largest producer of chipmaking equipment predicted higher second-quarter profit than analysts had estimated, signaling that semiconductor makers are pulling out of a spending slump.
Baidu Inc. (BIDU) (BIDU US): China’s biggest Internet company by market value said earnings in the fourth quarter were 95 cents a share, excluding some items, beating the average analyst estimate of 90 cents.
Frontier Communications Corp. (FTR) . The phone company serving rural U.S. markets cut its quarterly dividend to 10 cents a share from 18.75 cents.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) dropped 20 percent to $44. The Foster City, California-based biopharmaceutical company said six out of eight participants in a study using its experimental hepatitis C drug showed “viral relapse” within four weeks after stopping a 12-week treatment plan.
Leap Wireless International Inc. (LEAP) : The pay-as-you- go wireless carrier reported a smaller quarterly loss than analysts predicted as smartphone sales increased and subscribers added the company’s Muve Music streaming service.
Maxwell Technologies Inc. (MXWL) fell 4.9 percent to $20. The maker of electronic components declined as Robert W Baird & Co. shifted the company to “neutral” from “outperform,” based on lower-that-expected fourth quarter revenue.
Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) : The U.S. chain with more than 100 namesake department stores projected full-year earnings that trailed analysts’ estimates amid rising costs.
SunPower Corp. (SPWR) (SPWR US) rose 13 percent to $8.45. The solar panel company majority-owned by Total SA reported better- than-estimated earnings and 2012 sales in line with previous guidance.
VCA Antech Inc. (WOOF) : The largest U.S. operator of veterinary hospitals and clinics reported fourth-quarter profit of 21 cents a share, excluding some items, missing the average analyst estimate of 25 cents.
Web.com Group Inc. (WWWW) : The company that builds websites for small businesses said earnings in the fourth quarter were 28 cents a share, excluding some items, surpassing the average analyst estimate of 26 cents.
Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) (ZNGA US) gained 2.4 percent to $12.34. The online game site that sold shares to the public in December plans to unveil a set of services designed to promote other developers and lessen its dependence on Facebook Inc., two people with knowledge of the matter said.
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