Stocks to Watch, April 20: Apple and Merck

SAN FRANCISCO – Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday's session are Apple Computer Inc., Intel Corp., Google Inc., Bank of America Corp., Merck & Co. and EBay Inc.

Altria Group Inc. (MO) is expected to report first-quarter earnings of $1.28 a share, according to analysts polled by Thomson First Call.

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) is seen posting a first-quarter profit of $1 a share.

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BellSouth Corp.'s (BLS) first-quarter profit is expected to be 53 cents a share.

General Motors Corp. (GM) is expected to post a first-quarter loss of 44 cents a share.

Google Inc. (GOOG) is seen posting earnings of $1.98 a share in its first quarter.

Marriott International Inc.'s (MAR) first-quarter per-share profit is expected to be 72 cents.

Merck & Co.'s (MRK) first-quarter results are expected to show earnings of 72 cents a share

Nokia Corp. (NOK) is seen posting a per-share profit of 25 cents in its first quarter.

Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) is expected to report earnings of 7 cents a share in its first quarter.

United Parcel Service Inc.'s (UPS) first-quarter per-share profit is expected to be 88 cents.

After Wednesday's closing bell, Intel Corp. (INTC) reported its net income fell 38%, hurt by weaker demand for its computer chips as it faces stiffer competition and slowing PC sales growth.

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Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) reported its fiscal second-quarter profit rose 41% as sales of its iPod portable music players continued to surge.

Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) reported first-quarter net earnings of $44.7 million, or 24 cents a share, up 16% from $38.6 million, or 22 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding items, the company earned $61 million, or 33 cents a share, compared with $42 million, or 24 cents a share, last year. Revenue at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based access infrastructure software company rose 29% to $260 million from $201.9 million. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had forecast earnings of 28 cents a share on revenue of $248 million.

Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) said its fiscal first-quarter net profit was little changed as expenses such as those related to stock options weighed, offsetting much of a 26% surge in revenue.

EBay Inc. (EBAY) said first-quarter profit fell 3%, hurt by higher operating expenses and the cost of employee stock options.

E-Trade Financial (ET) said a big jump in net interest income and active trading by its clients led to a 54% jump in first quarter net income and prompted the firm to boost its earnings outlook for the full year.

First Horizon National Corp. (FHN) reported a first-quarter profit that doubled from a year ago on the sale of its merchant-services business.

Ford Motor Co. (F) expects to take charges of about $2.4 billion in 2006 associated with its plans to idle 14 facilities and cut up to 30,000 jobs by 2012, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (FSL) said its first-quarter profit rose to $212 million, or 50 cents a share, up from a profit of $85 million, or 20 cents a share, in the same period last year. Sales rose to $1.53 billion from $1.44 billion. Austin, Tex.-based Freescale, the top provider of phone chips to its former parent Motorola Inc. (MOT) , makes chips used in mobile phones, cars, Internet networking gear and home appliances.

Hub Group Inc. (HUBG) posted higher first-quarter results and said its full-year earnings should be in line with the range of Wall Street analyst estimates.

IMS Health Inc (RX) said its first-quarter profit rose sharply from the year-ago quarter on a tax benefit and increased U.S. sales of its pharmaceutical market research products.

Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) reported a 35% jump in first-quarter net earnings, built primarily on strong performances by its natural gas pipeline and storage terminal operations.

A fat payment from its parent company helped Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT) push first-quarter profit up more than a third.

NYSE Group Inc. (NYX) said that profit rose 16.5% in its first quarter as a public company.

Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) said net income in the second-quarter rose 11%, as the company shipped a record number of chips used to power wireless phones.

Rambus Inc. (RMBS) reported first-quarter net income of $1.82 million, or 2 cents a share, compared with net income of $4.44 million, or 4 cents a share, during the same period last year. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had expected per-share income of 7 cents. The company reported first-quarter revenue of $47.2 million, up from $39.6 million last year. Analysts were looking for a result of $47 million.

Outback Steakhouse Inc. (OSI) said first-quarter net income was $33 million, or 43 cents a share, compared with $51 million, or 66 cents a share, during the same period last year. The company reported pro forma per-share income for the quarter of 51 cents, compared with 61 cents last year. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had expected a per-share result of 52 cents. The restaurant operator said quarterly revenue was $990 million, compared with $895.1 million last year. Analysts were looking for revenue of $992 million.

Schering-Plough Corp. (SGP) said the Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track designation to its investigational drug SCH 530348, which is currently in Phase II clinical development for prevention of arterial thrombosis. Thrombosis can cause blockages of arteries. The fast track designation allows FDA to expedite its review of the drug.