Stocks to Watch, Feb. 28: Limited Brands, Sprint Nextel, and Autodesk

SAN FRANCISCO – Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Wednesday's session are Limited Brands Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp., and Autodesk Inc.

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BRL) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 73 cents a share, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Financial.

CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP) is expected to post earnings of 21 cents a share for the fourth quarter.

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Edison International (EIX) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 51 cents a share.

Hospira Inc. (HSP) is expected to post earnings of 38 cents a share for the fourth quarter.

Interpublic Group of Cos. (IPG) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 21 cents a share.

King Pharmaceuticals Inc. (KG) is expected to post earnings of 37 cents a share for the fourth quarter.

Limited Brands (LTD) is expected to post earnings of $1.08 a share for the fourth quarter.

Liz Claiborne Inc. (LIZ) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 96 cents a share.

PetSmart Inc. (PETM) is expected to post earnings of 56 cents a share for the fourth quarter.

Sprint Nextel (S) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 28 cents a share.

After Tuesday's closing bell, Autodesk (ADSK) said its fourth-quarter revenue grew 19 percent to $497 million, though it did not report full financial results because of an internal stock options review.

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Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) it is extending the deadline for its employee stock option amendment offer for the fifth time, due to a Securities and Exchange Commission review. Adobe said it is extending the deadline to March 2 from Feb. 27.

Alleghany Corp.'s (Y) fourth-quarter net income rose 25 percent to $65.4 million from $52.5 million a year ago. Total revenue increased 24 percent to $305.6 million from $246.1 million a year.

Alpharma Inc. (ALO) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $15.8 million, or 29 cents a share, down from $87.1 million, or $1.62 a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue at the Fort Lee, N.J.-based pharmaceutical company rose to $170.3 million from $156.4 million.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook reiterated that the company remains on track to release its iPhone mobile-phone product in June, and that Apple expects to sell 10 million of the devices in 2008.

Audible Inc. (ADBL) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $700,000, or 3 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $2.18 million, or 9 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue at the Newark, N.J.-based provider of Internet audio content rose to $23.3 million from $18.3 million.

BlackRock Inc. (BLK) said it is raising its quarterly cash dividend 60 percent to 67 cents a share from 42 cents. The dividend is payable March 23 to shareholders of record as of March 7, the New York-based investment management firm said.

Curtiss-Wright Corp. (CW) said it has been selected by Boeing Co. (BA) to provide smoke detection systems for cargo compartments on 747-8 passenger and freighter airplanes.

Deckers Outdoor Corp.'s (DECK) preliminary fourth-quarter results indicate net income nearly doubled to $23.5 million, or $1.82 a share, from $12.1 million, or 94 cents a share, a year earlier. The Goleta, Calif., maker of outdoor footwear and apparel said net sales increased 37 percent to $124.4 million from $91 million a year ago.

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $21.3 million, or 20 cents a share. In the year-ago period, it earned $63.2 million, or 61 cents a share. Operating revenue rose to $204.3 million from $172.9 million.

Emcore Corp. (EMKR) said it has filed to expand the scope of its patent infringement lawsuits against Optium Corp. (OPTM) to include one additional patent and an additional product line.

Giant Industries Inc. (GI) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $1.82 million, or 12 cents a share, down from $26.6 million, or $1.82 a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue at the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based oil refiner rose to $999.3 million from $920.9 million. Giant also said its shareholders have approved the merger with Western Refining Co. (WNR) .

Houston Exploration Co. (THX) swung to a fourth-quarter loss of $19.4 million, or 69 cents a share, from net income of $19.8 million, or 68 cents a share, a year earlier as revenue fell 50 percent. The Houston energy company's revenue plummeted to $76.7 million from $154.6 million in the year-ago period.

Human Genome Sciences Inc. (HGSI) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $66.9 million, or 50 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $69.5 million, or 53 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Rockville, Md.-based drug development company posted revenue of $10 million vs. $9.27 million. The company also said a Phase IIb trial of Albuferon in combination with ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C showed positive interim results.

Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (KCP) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $7.99 million, or 39 cents a share, up 6.9 percent from $7.48 million, or 37 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue in the quarter ended Dec. 31 rose to $122.4 million from $119.8 million.

LECG Corp.'s (XPRT) fourth-quarter net income fell 39 percent to $3.52 million, or 14 cents a share, from $5.81 million, or 23 cents a share, a year earlier. The Emeryville, Calif., economic consulting company's revenue grew 22 percent to $88.9 million form $73 million in the year-ago period.

Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) said it has been awarded a $979.2 million contract by the Department of Defense for continued development of the Aegis ballistic missile defense weapon system.

Novatel Wireless Inc.'s (NVTL) fourth-quarter net income rose sharply to $2.4 million, or 8 cents a share, from $121,000, or less than a penny a share, a year earlier, helped by a strong broadband market and non-PC card products. Revenue rose 58 percent to $77 million from $48.7 million a year earlier.

Papa John's International (PZZA) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $19 million, or 59 cents a share, up 32 percent from $14.4 million, or 42 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding certain items, the company posted a per-share profit of 43 cents compared with 35 cents last year. Revenue at the Louisville, Ky.-based pizza chain rose to $277.9 million from $248.4 million.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (RAI) said an appeals court upheld the company's view that its market-share based discount programs are "size-blind" and not discriminatory. The Winston-Salem, N.C., tobacco company said the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's ruling dismissing an antitrust lawsuit brought by Smith Wholesale Co. of Tennessee, and 18 other wholesalers.

Salary.com Inc. (SLRY) said underwriters of its initial public offering have exercised in full their over-allotment option to buy an additional 855,000 shares of common stock. The shares were purchased at the IPO price of $10.50 a share.

Sierra Health Services Inc. (SIE) expects to incur a loss in fiscal 2007, due primarily to an enhanced version of its Medicare Part D prescription drug program. In January, Sierra began offering an enhanced version of its PDP, which provided prescription-drug benefits through the coverage gap.

Skechers USA Inc. (SKX) said it has filed a lawsuit against Asics Corp. and Asics America Corp. "for trade libel, unfair competition and tortious interference with prospective economic advantage and economic business relations." The Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based footwear company said it seeks injunctive relief enjoining Asics from engaging in further unlawful acts, disgorgement of Asics' profits, attorneys' fees and $100 million in punitive damages.

Southwest Gas Corp.'s (SWX) fourth-quarter net income rose 54 percent to $46.7 million, or $1.11 a share, from $30.3 million, or 76 cents a share, helped by colder weather than a year earlier. The Las Vegas natural gas company's revenue rose 14 percent to $565.1 million from $497 million a year earlier.

Sun Healthcare Group Inc. (SUNH) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $20.5 million, or 62 cents a share, compared with $11.7 million, or 65 cents a share, during the year-ago period. There were 33.1 million shares outstanding during this quarter vs. 18.1 million a year ago. The Irvine, Calif.-based operator of health-care facilities posted net revenue of $268.3 million vs. $216.5 million.

Syniverse Holdings Inc.'s (SVR) fourth-quarter net income surged to $59.1 million, or 88 cents a share, from $15.3 million, or 23 cents a share, a year ago. Cash net income was 20 cents a share, the company said. The Tampa, Fla., provider of technology services said revenue increased 2.7 percent to $85.8 million from $83.6 million a year ago.

Broadcasting Media Partners Inc., the investor group taking Univision Communications Inc. (UVN) private, said late Tuesday that Joe Uva will become chief executive of the Spanish-language media company, effective April 1.

URS Corp. (URS) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $26.3 million, or 51 cents a share, up from $25.9 million, or 51 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue at the San Francisco-based engineering and construction management company rose to $1.09 billion from $1.07 billion.

Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. (WPI) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $489 million, or $4.80 a share. In the same quarter last year, the Corona, Calif.-based generic drugmaker posted a restated net profit of $20.1 million, or 19 cents a share. Revenue in the latest 3-month period was $621.2 million vs. $418.8 million the year before.

Whiting Petroleum Corp.'s (WLL) fourth-quarter net income fell 37 percent to $28 million, or 76 cents a share, from $38.3 million, or $1.05 a share, a year earlier. The Denver company's revenue grew slightly to $186.6 million from $186 million in the year-ago period.

Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $55.4 million, or 55 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $9.89 million, or 10 cents a share, during the year-ago period. Net revenue at the Las Vegas-based casino resort operator rose to $563.6 million from $269.4 million

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