Stocks to Watch, Feb. 15: Denny's, Applebee's

SAN FRANCISCO – Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday's session are Network Appliance Inc., Denny's Corp. and Applebee's International Inc.

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Allied Waste Industries Inc. (AW) is expected to post fourth-quarter per-share income of 14 cents, according to analysts polled by Thomson Financial.

Ameren Corp. (AEE) is expected to report income of 39 cents per share for the fourth quarter.

Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) is expected to post fourth-quarter earnings of $1.19 per share.

Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) is expected to report earnings per share of 55 cents for the fourth quarter.

Denny's (DENN) is expected to post fourth-quarter per-share income of a penny.

LookSmart Ltd. (LOOK) is expected to post a loss per share of 8 cents for the fourth quarter.

Molson Coors Brewing Co. (TAP) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings per share of 94 cents.

TheStreet.com Inc. (TSCM) is expected to post earnings of 13 cents per share for the fourth quarter.

After Wednesday's closing bell, Network Appliance (NTAP) reported a fiscal third-quarter profit that fell 13 percent from a year ago as the storage-technology company's expenses rose and revenue exceeded analysts' expectations.

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Applebee's (APPB) said fourth-quarter earnings took a slight dip due to one-time costs, but sales climbed amid the restaurateur's possible plans to sell itself.

Shares of Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) rose after the chip-equipment maker forecast new orders will rise in the current quarter despite signs the industry is hitting a soft patch.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) said it plans to offer $1 billion of convertible senior notes due 2014 to qualified institutional buyers. The agricultural products company said it expects to use a portion of the proceeds to buy back up to $400 million in shares.

Avici Systems Inc. (AVCI) said it swung to a fourth-quarter net profit of $2.99 million, or 21 cents a share, boosted by strong product revenue growth. In the same period last year, the provider of networking equipment posted a net loss of $8.6 million, or 67 cents a share.

Baidu.com Inc. (BIDU) said fourth-quarter net income rose, as revenue gained, to 122.8 million yuan ($15.8 million), or Y3.54 per share (46 U.S. cents), from Y$24.5 million, or Y0.71 per share, during the same period in the prior year.

BEA Systems Inc. (BEAS) said it has uncovered instances where stock options granted to its executives and employees were not properly accounted for, and it will have to restate financial results from 1998 through fiscal 2007, and record expenses of $340 million to $390 million.

Dell Inc. (DELL) named Solectron Corp. (SLR) Chief Executive Michael Cannon to the new post of president of global operations, taking the first step toward overhauling its business since Michael Dell returned to lead the company he founded two decades ago.

Dobson Communications Corp. (DCEL) said it swung to a fourth-quarter net profit of $1.74 million, boosted by higher service revenue. In the same period last year, the provider of wireless phone services posted a net loss of $24.9 million.

EastGroup Properties Inc. (EGP) said fourth-quarter net income rose, as the company recorded a 20-cent-per-share gain on sales of real estate, to $11.6 million, or 46 cents a share, from $4.92 million, or 19 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year.

Equifax Inc. (EFX) said it will acquire Talx Corp. (TALX) in a stock and cash transaction valued at $1.4 billion, including the assumption of debt. Equifax, an Atlanta-based information technology company, said the acquisition is aligned with the company's long-term growth strategy of expanding into new markets and acquiring proprietary data sources.

EXCO Resources Inc. (XCO) said it is proposing to offer up to $2 billion in preferred stock. The offer includes the private placement of up to $400 million of 6 percent cumulative convertible perpetual preferred stock, and $1.6 billion of 11 percent cumulative preferred stock to institutional investors.

Guess Inc. (GES) blew the doors off earnings expectations by turning in a profit of $45.7 million, or 99 cents a share, a sharp turn from last year's income of $25.8 million, or 57 cents a share. The casual-apparel retailer said revenues surged 25 percent to $346.4 million.

Merck & Co. (MRK) said it has reduced the price of Stocrin, its HIV/AIDS medicine, in the least developed countries of the world and those hardest hit by the epidemic.

Montpelier Re Holdings (MRH) said fourth-quarter net income came in at $122.3 million, or $1.26 a share. In the prior year's period, the net loss was $61 million, or 68 cents a share.

RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK) said its fourth-quarter earnings fall significantly from the same period a year ago, when results were skewed by a large settlement with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT).

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (RJET) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $20.4 million, or 46 cents a share, compared with $18.5 million, or 43 cents a share, in the same period last year, as passenger revenue increased.

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