Stocks to Watch, April 25: Apple, United Parcel Service, Amazon.com

Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trading in Wednesday's session are Apple Inc., United Parcel Service Inc., and Amazon.com Inc.

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Apple (AAPL) is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 64 cents a share, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Financial.

Boeing Co. (BA) is expected to post earnings of $1.01 a share for the first quarter.

ConocoPhillips (COP) is expected to report first-quarter earnings of $1.91 a share.

General Dynamics Corp. (GD) is expected to post earnings of $1.05 a share for the first quarter.

Genzyme Corp. (GENZ) is expected to report first-quarter earnings of 74 cents a share.

PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) is expected to post earnings of 61 cents a share for the first quarter.

Pulte Homes Inc. (PHM) is expected to report a first-quarter loss of 18 cents a share.

Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) is expected to post earnings of 48 cents a share for the second quarter.

UAL Corp. (UAUA) is expected to report a first-quarter loss of 47 cents a share.

United Parcel Service (UPS) is expected to post earnings of 96 cents a share for the first quarter.

After Tuesday's closing bell, Amazon.com, the world's largest Internet retailer, reported that first-quarter profit more than doubled and sales jumped 32 percent as the Seattle-based company sold more goods through its Web site.

Also, Sun Microsystems Inc. reported that it swung to a small profit for its fiscal third quarter, as the hardware giant posted a 3 percent rise in sales.

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Ace Ltd. (ACE) said that first-quarter net income came in at $701 million, up 43 percent from a year earlier when the Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance provider made $489 million. Net income per ordinary share, after the payment of preferred dividends, was $2.10 vs. $1.46.

Aflac Inc. (AFL) reported an 11 percent increase in first-quarter net income late Tuesday, but the life and health insurer also said that sales in Japan fell 10.6 percent, a bigger decline than some analysts were expecting. Net income came in at $416 million, or 84 cents a share, vs. $375 million, or 74 cents a share, a year ago, Aflac reported. Operating earnings, which exclude net realized investment gains and losses and other items, were $407 million, or 82 cents a share.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) reported first-quarter net earnings of $19.8 million, or 20 cents a share, up 16 percent from $17.1 million, or 17 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Itasca, Ill.-based insurance company said revenue in the three months ended March 31 rose to $388.2 million from $327.5 million in the comparable period last year.

Ameriprise Financial Inc.'s (AMP) first-quarter net income rose 14 percent to $165 million, or 68 cents a share, from $145 million, or 57 cents a share, a year earlier, boosted by management, financial advice and service fees. Revenue rose 5.8 percent to $2.06 billion from $1.95 billion a year earlier.

Boston Properties Inc. (BXP) reported first-quarter net earnings available to common shareholders of $854.3 million, or $6.99 a share, up from $67.7 million, or 59 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The results include $6.39 a share related to gains on sales of real estate and discontinued operations. Funds from operations came in at $133 million, or $1.10 a share, up from $119.2 million, or $1.03 cents a share, last year.

Carter's Inc. (CRI) said first-quarter earnings fell 39 percent to $9.61 million, or 16 cents a share, from $15.8 million, or 26 cents a share, a year earlier. The Atlanta-based marketer of baby and young children apparel said net sales rose 5 percent to $320.1 million from $296.4 million in the year-ago period.

Checkfree Corp.'s (CKFR) third-quarter net income fell to $30 million, or 33 cents a share, from a year-earlier profit of $37.7 million, or 40 cents a share. Underlying earnings for the third quarter were 49 cents a share. Revenue for the Atlanta company rose to $230.2 million from $226.9 million.

Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) said that first-quarter income fell to $18.4 million, or 24 cents a share, compared with last year's profit of $19.3 million, or 24 cents a share. Sales climbed to $356.6 million, falling just shy of the $359 million estimated by analysts reporting to Thomson Financial.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) posted first-quarter net income of $73.0 million, or 42 cents a share, up from $58.1 million, or 33 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales rose to $1.62 billion from $1.50 billion a year ago with the trucking side benefiting from higher margins and increased volumes.

Medical products maker C.R. Bard (BCR) said that first-quarter net income was $101.6 million, or 95 cents a share, compared with $81.1 million, or 76 cents a share, for the same period a year ago. Revenue was $528.2 million vs. last year's $465.9 million.

CV Therapeutics Inc.'s (CVTX) first-quarter loss narrowed, on sales of its Ranexa drug, to $55.1 million, or 93 cents a share, from a year-earlier loss of $70.5 million, or $1.57 a share. The company posted revenue of $15.3 million vs. $5.06 million a year ago.

Cymer Inc.'s (CYMI) first-quarter net income fell 1.4 percent to $20.3 million, or 52 cents a share, from $20.6 million, or 52 cents a share, a year earlier. The San Diego maker of laser-light sources for semiconductor manufacturing said revenue fell slightly to $126.7 million from $127.1 million a year earlier.

Graco Inc. (GGG) reported first-quarter net earnings of $33.7 million, or 50 cents a share, down 4.8% from $35.4 million, or 51 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Minneapolis-based provider of fluid handling systems and components said revenue in the 13 weeks ended March 30 rose 3% to $197.5 million from $192.2 million in the comparable period last year.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) signed an agreement to acquire Arteis, a privately held operator of Web-based graphic design firm Logoworks. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. (HRH) reported first-quarter net earnings of $25.2 million, or 69 cents a share, down 2.7 percent from $25.9 million, or 71 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Richmond, Va.-based insurance and risk management company said revenue in the three months ended March 31 rose to $198.2 million from $183.8 million in the comparable period last year.

Hutchinson Technology Inc. (HTCH) said it swung to a fiscal second-quarter loss of $3.65 million, or 14 cents a share, from a year-ago profit of $8.27 million, or 29 cents a share. The Hutchinson, Minn., supplier of suspension assemblies for disk drives said sales for the period ended March 25 fell 8.4 percent to $170.7 million from $186.4 million in the year-ago period.

Illumina Inc.'s (ILMN) first-quarter loss widened to $298.1 million, or $5.58 a share, from $104,000, or less than 1 cent a share, a year earlier. The loss includes a $303.4 million charge related to in process research and development associated with Illumina's acquisition of Solexa Inc., completed Jan. 26. The San Diego company's revenue more than doubled to $72.2 million from $29 million in the year-ago period.

IPC Holdings (IPCR) reported a 23 percent increase in first-quarter net income late Tuesday and announced a new $200 million share buyback plan. Net income came in at $77.2 million vs. $62.6 million a year earlier. Net income available to common shareholders was $1.07 a share, up from 86 cents a share a year ago, the reinsurer said

Leadis Technology Inc.'s (LDIS) first-quarter loss widened to $5.46 million, or 19 cents a share, from a year-earlier loss of $2.79 million, or 10 cents a share. Revenue dropped to $13.7 million from $24.1 million due to the company's decision to discontinue a high-volume, low-margin CSTN program.

Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWACQ) acquired Mesaba Airlines, which emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Pixelworks Inc.'s (PXLW) first-quarter loss narrowed to $12.4 million, or 25 cents a share, from a year-ago loss of $33.1 million, or 69 cents a share. Revenue fell 34 percent to $24 million from $36.6 million, due in part to a decline in shipments of its legacy products.

Platinum Underwriters Holdings Inc.'s (PTP) first-quarter earnings fell 5.5 percent to $72.8 million, or $1.08 a share, from $77 million, or $1.16 a share. The Hamilton, Bermuda, insurance company said Tuesday that total revenue fell 13 percent to $335.7 million from $386.6 million.

RF Micro Devices Inc. (RFMD) reported fiscal fourth-quarter net earnings of $30.1 million, or 14 cents a share. During the same period a year ago, the Greensboro, N.C.-based mobile communications technology company posted a net loss of $1.57 million, or a penny a share. Revenue in the three months ended March 31 rose to $257.3 million from $225.9 million.

Riverbed Technology Inc. (RVBD) reported that it swung to a first-quarter net profit of $3.26 million, or 5 cents a share, from a year-ago loss of $4.29 million, or 36 cents a share. The San Francisco-based company said revenue in the three months ended March 31 rose to $42.8 million from $13.7 million in the comparable period last year.

Aviation electronics maker Rockwell Collins Inc. (COL) reported fiscal second-quarter net income rose to $140 million, or 82 cents a share, from $114 million, or 65 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue for the three months ended March 31 rose 13 percent to $1.08 billion from $957 million.

Sanmina-SCI Corp. (SANM) said its fiscal second-quarter loss narrowed to $26.1 million, or 5 cents a share, from $76.1 million, or 14 cents a share, a year earlier. The San Jose, Calif.-based electronics manufacturer said net sales for the quarter ended March 31 fell to $2.61 billion from $2.67 billion a year earlier.

Sigma-Aldrich Corp. (SIAL) reported first quarter net income of $74.9 million, or 56 cents a share, compared with $66.5 million, or 49 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The St. Louis, Mo. maker of chemicals used in lab research said sales increased 12 percent to $495.9 million.

STMicroelectronics N.V. (STM) reported first-quarter net earnings of $74 million, or 8 cents a share, down from $132 million, or 14 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Geneva-based chipmaker said revenue in the three months ended March 31 fell to $2.27 billion from $2.36 billion in the comparable period last year.

Travelzoo Inc. (TZOO) reported first-quarter net earnings of $4.06 million, or 25 cents a share, down slightly from $4.12 million, or 24 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The New York-based Internet media company posted revenue for the three months ended March 31 of $19.7 million vs. $16.9 million.

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates (VSEA) said it has approved a 3-for-2 stock split, to be distributed May 30 to shareholders of record as of May 15.

Veeco Instruments Inc. (VECO) reported that it swung to a first-quarter net profit of $293,000, or a penny a share, from a net loss of $242,000, or a penny a share, in the same period last year. The Woodbury, N.Y.-based maker of products for the data storage and semiconductor markets said revenue rose 6 percent to $99.2 million from $93.9 million last year.

WebEx Communications Inc.'s (WEBX) first-quarter earnings grew 79 percent to $16.3 million, or 31 cents a share, from a year-earlier profit of $9.01 million, or 19 cents a share. The Santa Clara, Calif., Internet services provider's revenue grew 21 percent to $107.2 million from $88.5 million a year earlier.

Websense Inc. (WBSN) reported first-quarter net earnings of $3.87 million, or 9 cents a share, down from $7.94 million, or 16 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The San Diego-based software company said revenue in the three months ended March 31 rose to $49.7 million from $42.1 million in the comparable period last year.

XL Capital Ltd.'s (XL) first-quarter net income rose 20 percent to $562.5 million, or $3.06 a share , from $468.6 million, or $2.56 a share, a year earlier. The Bermuda insurance and reinsurance company's revenue rose 0.4 percent to $2.48 billion from $2.47 billion.

Zoran Corp. (ZRAN) swung to a first-quarter loss of $5.88 million, or 12 cents a share, from net income of $20.7 million, or 43 cents a share, a year earlier, as revenue fell 29%. The Sunnyvale, Calif., digital entertainment and imaging components company's revenue dropped to $101.7 million from $142.2 million in the year-ago period.

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