U.S. Hot Stocks: Hot Stocks to Watch

Among the companies with shares expected to trade actively in Wednesday's session are Express Inc. (EXPR), Skullcandy Inc. (SKUL) and Mallinckrodt PLC (MNK).

Express Inc. again slashed its profit forecast for the year as the apparel chain reported sliding sales in the latest quarter, hurt by dwindling store traffic and online sales. Shares fell 21.71% to $12.55 in premarket trading.

Headphones maker Skullcandy Inc. said it would be bought by private-equity firm Mill Road Capital Management, likely ending a monthslong takeover battle as rival bidder Incipio LLC walks away. Shares fell 1.87% to $6.30 premarket.

Mallinckrodt PLC agreed to sell its nuclear-imaging operations to IBA Molecular in a deal that includes a pretax upfront payment of roughly $574 million. Shares rose 2.17% to $84.86 premarket.

Empire State Realty Trust Inc. (ESRT) said the Qatar Investment Authority acquired a minority stake in the commercial real-estate company for $622 million. The real-estate investment trust's portfolio includes the Empire State Building as well as other office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York region.

Jim Gianopulos, longtime chairman and chief executive of Twentieth Century Fox Film, will leave the film studio on Sept. 1, nine months earlier than expected. Mr. Gianopulos had been slated to leave the film studio when his contract expired in June 2017.

Intuit Inc. (INTU), the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks, posted 8% revenue growth in its fiscal fourth quarter, while issuing first-quarter guidance below Wall Street estimates.

La-Z-Boy Inc.'s quarterly results missed expectations as the company reported an unexpected sales decline on weakened demand for its upholstery furniture, the company's largest segment.

OraSure Technologies Inc. (OSUR) said Tuesday that it had been awarded a U.S. government contract to speed the development of its oral test kits for the Zika virus.

PDC Energy Inc. (PDCE) plans to expand operations to the Texas Delaware Basin with a $1.5 billion cash-and-stock acquisition, the company said Tuesday.

Write to Chris Wack at [e-mail] and Maria Armental at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 24, 2016 09:24 ET (13:24 GMT)

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