US HOT STOCKS TO WATCH: Boeing, Yahoo, Phillip Morris Intl

Last Update: 4/23/2008 8:17:06 AM

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) — Among the companies whose shares are expected to see
active trade in Wednesday’s session are Apple Inc. (AAPL), Anheuser Busch Cos.
(BUD) and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN).

Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) said its first-quarter net income rose to $542 million, or 37
cents a share. Meanwhile revenue rose to $1.82 billion. Yahoo’s net revenue, or
revenue excluding payments made to other Web sites to acquire traffic, rose to
$1.35 billion. Excluding special items, Yahoo said earnings were 11 cents a
share. On average, analysts estimated Yahoo would post earnings of 9 cents a
share, and $1.32 billion in net revenue, according to Thomson Reuters.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) first-quarter net income rose 29%, and the
company boosted its full-year earnings outlook. The Altria Inc. (MO) spinoff
posted net income of $1.87 billion, or 89 cents a share. Analysts, on average,
estimated earnings of 77 cents a share. Philip Morris now expects growth in
adjusted 2008 earnings of 14% to 16% to a range of $3.18 to $3.24 a share, above
the 12% to 14% range given earlier. Wall Street’s latest estimate was $3.20 a
share.

Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) posted a first-quarter loss of $6.69 billion, or
$16.15 a share, while revenue rose to 12% to $4.77 billion from the same period a
year earlier. On average, analysts expected a loss of 49 cents a share. The
company said it is removing 15 to 20 mainline aircrafts and 60 to 70 regional
aircrafts. Delta also said it is continuing to evaluate fuel in a demanding
environment.

Boeing Co. (BA) said first-quarter net income rose to $1.62 a share from $1.13 a
share in the year-earlier period, with revenue up 4.1% to $16 billion. Analysts,
on average, expected earnings of $1.35 a share on $16.5 billion in revenue. The
company also said it expected the first 787 Dreamliner flight in the fourth
quarter, with the first deliveries beginning in the third quarter of 2009.

Becton Dickinson & Co. (BDX) said fiscal second-quarter net income rose 14% on
11% higher revenue, and it lifted its outlook for the full fiscal year. Net
income reached $276.2 million, or $1.09 a share, while revenue rose to $1.75
billion. On average, analysts polled by FactSet estimated earnings of $1.04 a
share on $1.72 billion revenue. For fiscal 2008, the company expects earnings
from continuing operations to rise 13% to 14%

Ambac Financial Group Inc. (ABK) swung into the red in the first quarter on
another $1.73 billion in collateralized-debt-obligation losses and $1.04 billion
in loss provisions, as the nation’s second-biggest bond insurer continued to be
weighed down by the credit crunch. The company reported a net loss of $1.66
billion, or $11.69 a share. On average, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters
estimated a loss of $1.51 a share.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) on Tuesday agreed to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(SIRT) for $720 million to bolster the British pharmaceutical maker’s pipeline
with Sirtris’ experimental biotechnology treatments targeting aging-related
diseases. The $22.50-a-share price represents an 84% premium over Tuesday’s
$12.23 closing price for Sirtris’ stock.

EMC Corp.’s (EMC) first-quarter net income fell 14% to $268.8 million, or 13
cents a share. Excluding this charge, earnings were 16 cents a share. The
data-systems company said revenue grew 17% to $3.47 billion. Analysts, on
average, projected earnings of 16 cents a share on revenue of $3.45 million.

Moody’s Corp. (MCO) reported a 31% drop in first-quarter net income, as the
credit ratings and research agency posted revenue declines in many of its
segments amid credit-market turmoil. The company posted net income of $120.7
million, or 48 cents a share, while revenue fell 26% to $430.7 million. On
average, analysts were for earnings of 35 cents a share on $417 million in
revenue.

WellPoint Inc. (WLP) reported a 25% drop in first-quarter net income amid a
rising medical-loss ratio as the company again lowered its full-year earnings
view. The health insurer posted net income of $588.1 million, or $1.07 a share,
while revenue climbed 3.1% to $15.55 billion. Analysts, on average, expected
$1.19 a share on $15.41 billion in revenue.

Schering-Plough Corp.’s (SGP) first-quarter net income was $291 million, or 15
cents a share. Excluding items, earnings were 53 cents a share. The
pharmaceutical company said sales rose 57% to $4.66 billion. On average, analysts
expected earnings 37 cents a share on revenue of $4.52 billion.

Air Products & Chemicals Inc. (APD) said fiscal second-quarter net income rose
38% to $314.3 million, or $1.43 a share. On an adjusted basis, earnings totaled
$1.23 a share. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.21 a share, according
to FactSet. Revenue climbed 13% to $2.61 billion on higher volumes in tonnage
gases and electronics and performance materials, higher pricing in merchant
gases, and favorable currency moves.

Rockwell Automation Corp. (ROK) reported second-quarter net income fell to 96
cents a share from $4.45 a share a year earlier as sales rose 17% to $1.4
billion. Analysts, on average, expected earnings of $1.01 a share and revenue of
$1.36 billion.

Apple is expected to report fiscal second-quarter earnings of $1.06 a share,
according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Anheuser Busch is forecast to post earnings of 71 cents a share in the first
quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Amazon is estimated to report a profit of 32 cents a share in the first quarter,
according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

AmerisourceBergen Corp.’s (ABC) second-quarter net income rose to 82 cents a
share from 68 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue increased 8% to $17.85
billion, helped by an increased in the pharmaceutical distribution segment. On
average, analysts expected per-share earnings of 77 cents on revenue of $17.5
billion. The company narrowed its expectations for fiscal 2008 earnings to a
range of $2.77 to $2.87 a share from previous guidance of $2.77 to $2.95 a share.

Genzyme Corp. (GENZ) is likely to report a first-quarter profit of 91 cents a
share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Aflac Inc. (AFL) is expected to report a first-quarter profit of 95 cents a
share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Amerigroup Corp. (AGP) is forecast to post earnings of 58 cents a share in the
first quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Allstate Corp. (ALL) is estimated to report a $1.63 a share profit in the first
quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

C.R. Bard Inc. (BCR) is projected to post a first-quarter profit of $1.05 a
share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Noble Corp. (NE) is forecast to post earnings of $1.33 a share in the first
quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Pulte Homes Inc. (PHM) is expected to report a first-quarter loss of 76 cents a
share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) is estimated to report a fiscal second-quarter profit of 52
cents a share excluding stock option costs, according to analysts surveyed by
FactSet Research.

Varian Medical Systems Inc. (VAR) is projected to post a fiscal second-quarter
profit of 51 cents a share according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Varian Inc. (VARI) is expected to report a fiscal second-quarter profit of 66
cents a share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

Xilinx Inc. (XLNX) is expected to report a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of 36
cents a share, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.

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