Stocks to Watch: Caterpillar, Boeing, Motorola Solutions

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Caterpillar Inc.(CAT), Boeing Co.(BA) and Motorola Solutions Inc.(MSI)

Caterpillar’s third-quarter earnings fell 44% as the maker of mining and construction equipment said weak demand for mining equipment continued to weigh on results. Results missed expectations, and the world’s largest seller of bulldozers, excavators and wheel loaders lowered its full-year guidance, sending shares down 5% to $84.74 premarket.

Boeing’s third-quarter earnings rose 12% as strength in its commercial aircraft business offset weaker profits at its defense division. The company raised its per-share earnings estimate for the year as results beat views. Shares edged up 2.8% to $125.90 premarket.

Motorola Solutions’ third-quarter earnings rose 49% as the company posted significantly lower tax costs thanks to foreign tax credits, though revenue was down. The bottom line beat views, and the company guided for strong earnings for the year. Shares climbed 3.5% to $62.57 premarket.

American Realty Capital Properties Inc.(ARCP) agreed to buy Cole Real Estate Investments Inc.(COLE) for about $7 billion, joining together two real-estate investment trusts. The expanded company will include a combined portfolio of more than 3,700 properties with over 100 million square feet in 49 states and Puerto Rico. Cole shares surged 16% to $14.91 premarket, while American Realty climbed 5.8% to $14.12.

Repros Therapeutics Inc.(RPRX) pushed back its planned new drug application for its low-testosterone treatment, following a request from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to discuss recent trial data. The company now expects to submit its new drug application for Androxal in the second half of next year. Shares were down 30% at $16.70 premarket.

Toy maker Jakks Pacific Inc.(JAKK) posted better-than-expected results, including revenue not falling as much as feared and profit surprisingly rising. Shares surged 22% to $6.03 premarket.

Broadcom Corp.'s(BRCM) third-quarter profit rose 44% as the chip maker’s margins and revenue increased, but it offered weak revenue guidance for the current quarter. Shares were down 8.3% to $24.89 premarket as the company’s fourth-quarter revenue projection missed analyst expectations.

Corning Inc.(GLW) said it will take control of a joint venture with Samsung Electronics Co.’s (005930.SE) business that makes LCD glass in Korea and receive a $1.9 billion investment in a series of transactions to strengthen collaboration between the two companies. Shares jumped 21% to $18.50 in premarket trading.

Panera Bread Co.’s third-quarter profit jumped 17% as higher prices lifted same-store sales at company-owned stores, though the amount of transactions recorded at those restaurants declined. Same-store sales growth at company-owned locations missed Panera’s July projection, and the company trimmed its outlook targets. Shares fell 4.3% to $155.40 in premarket trading.

Apollo Group Inc.'s(APOL) fiscal fourth-quarter profit tumbled 71% as the for-profit education company reported a double-digit drop in enrollment at the University of Phoenix. But the company’s shares jumped 19% to $24.93 in premarket trading as results for the period easily topped Wall Street’s expectations.

Cree Inc.'s(CREE) fiscal first-quarter profit grew 89% as the maker of LED lighting products and semiconductor components posted higher revenue and margins. But shares dropped 16% premarket to $62.25 as the company predicted weaker-than-expected earnings for its second quarter.

Unisys Corp.(UIS) narrowed its loss in the third quarter as a decrease in costs partially offset a decline in revenue. Shares of the company, which provides information-technology services and software for commercial and government clients, fell 8.1% to $23.99 in premarket trading as its earnings and revenue came in below analysts’ expectations.

Altera Corp.'s(ALTR) third-quarter earnings dropped 24% as the chip maker’s sales sagged across most of its markets. Shares dropped 7% to $34.72 in light premarket trading.

Amarin Corp.(AMRN) PLC said it plans to eliminate about half of its staff positions world-wide as the biotechnology company looks to reduce its operating expenses in the wake of a vote by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee against its supplemental new drug application for its cholesterol drug Vascepa. Shares slid 5.7% to $2.15 premarket.

RF Micro Devices Inc.(RFMD) swung to a fiscal second-quarter profit as the wireless-chip maker recorded a surge in revenue. Shares slid 7% to $5.73 premarket as the company’s current quarter revenue guidance was weaker than expected.

STMicroelectronics NV’s third-quarter loss narrowed as the company reported far fewer impairment and restructuring charges than a year ago, though overall revenue fell on weakness at the wireless business. Shares dropped 6.6% to $8.12 premarket.