For Thursday at 6 a.m.) U.S. HOT STOCK FUTURES: HOT STOCKS TO WATCH

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Thursday's session are Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM), Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) and Intuit Inc. (INTU).

Akamai's first-quarter earnings rose 65% as the Internet technology company posted higher revenue and lower acquisition-related costs. The company followed up with a bright outlook for the current quarter. Shares jumped 17% to $42.38 after hours.

Zynga posted a surprise first-quarter profit as the embattled social-games maker trimmed costs significantly, though bookings fell nearly as much. Shares sank 8.9% after hours to $3.05 after the company projected weak second-quarter results.

Intuit cut its fiscal third-quarter and full-year outlook as a lackluster tax season hit the company's core tax-preparation business. Shares slipped 9% to $58.39 after hours.

Angie's List Inc. (ANGI) reported a narrower first-quarter loss as the online review site logged a large uptick in revenue, though operating costs rose. Shares rose 9.3% to $21.98 in after-hours trading as the company posted a narrower-than-expected loss and guided for current-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates.

AVG Technologies NV's (AVG) first-quarter profit more than doubled as the Internet security provider got a boost from mobile users. Shares rose 7.7% in after-hours trading to $15.19 as results beat the company's expectations.

Bally Technologies Inc.'s (BYI) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 28% as its customers upgraded their casino and lottery equipment. Shares rose 6.4% after-hours to $52.23 as results beat Street expectations.

Cheesecake Factory Inc.'s (CAKE) first-quarter profit rose about 22% as sales at its namesake chain rose, despite winter storms in the Northeast. Cheesecake Factory's shares rose 5.5% after hours to $39.80 as its latest results beat expectations, but its outlook for the current quarter didn't live up to Wall Street's projection.

Citrix Systems Inc.'s (CTXS) first-quarter earnings fell 13% as the software maker suffered weaker margins and a heavy impact from one-time items. Shares fell 11% to $59.96 after-hours Wednesday as the company also lowered its full-year earnings targets.

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.'s (CLF) first-quarter profit fell 74% as the mining company reported weaker global iron-ore sales that weighed on revenue, along with significantly lower income-tax benefits. However, shares rose 4.5% to $19.04 after hours as per-share earnings still topped the expectations of Wall Street analysts.

Data center operator Equinix Inc. (EQIX) reported a 4% increase in first-quarter profit as new customers in Asia and Europe offset rising costs for marketing and interest payments. The company's top-line growth fell short of many analysts' expectations, however, driving a cautious forecast of revenue in the current quarter. Shares were down 5% to $205.50 after hours.

Fusion-io Inc. (FIO) said it has acquired NexGen Storage Inc. in a $119 million cash and stock deal, expanding the data-storage provider's reach into the small and medium enterprise market. Shares rose 12% to $18.68 after hours as the company reported a third-quarter loss that was better than analysts had expected.

Mellanox Technologies Ltd. (MLNX, MLNX.TV) swung to a first-quarter loss as the data-storage company reported weaker revenue and sharply higher operating expenses. Shares fell 6.2% to $58 after hours, as the company's revenue guidance missed analysts' expectations.

Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc. (NXST) and partner Mission Broadcasting Inc. have purchased the stock of Communications Corp. of America and White Knight Broadcasting for $270 million, a deal that widens the company's local television broadcasting platform. Nexstar shares rose 11% to $25 after hours.

O'Reilly Automotive Inc.'s (ORLY) first-quarter earnings rose 4.6% as the auto-parts retailer reported stronger sales. Shares rose 2.3% to $103.45 after hours as the company issued second-quarter earnings guidance that topped consensus estimates.

On Assignment Inc.'s (ASGN) first-quarter earnings soared from a year earlier as the staffing company's revenue more than doubled and as a gain on the sale of discontinued operations boosted bottom-line results. Shares climbed 8.5% to $24.30 after hours as results topped the company's expectations and as it provided guidance for the current quarter above analyst expectations.

Varian Medical Systems Inc. (VAR) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 4.6% as the medical-equipment and software maker posted broad sales growth. Shares fell 4.9%, to $65 in after-hours trading, as the company projected fiscal third-quarter earnings and revenue below expectations.

Western Digital Corp.'s (WDC) fiscal third-quarter profit fell 19% as the disk-drive maker was affected by severance costs, masking revenue growth. Results beat company expectations, and shares rose 4% to $55 in after-hours trading.

 
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Aflac Inc.'s (AFL) first-quarter earnings rose 14% as the insurer benefited from investment gains, though core earnings and revenue declined, hurt by currency impacts.

Assurant Inc.'s (AIZ) first-quarter profit fell 28% as the insurer was hurt by a settlement related to accusations of overpriced insurance, and other costs.

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.'s (COG) first-quarter earnings more than doubled as the energy company benefited from continued strong growth in natural-gas production, despite weak prices.

Oil company Chevron Corp. (CVX) raised its quarterly dividend by 11%, with the size of the percentage increase matching what larger peer Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) announced earlier Wednesday.

Crown Castle International Corp.'s (CCI) first-quarter profit fell 67% as the cell-tower company recorded higher debt-retirement losses and income-tax provisions, masking stronger revenue. The company lifted its 2013 per-share earnings projections.

Equifax Inc.'s (EFX) first-quarter earnings rose 41% as the credit-reporting company posted broad sales growth and stronger operating margins.

Specialty chemical company Ferro Corp. (FOE) named Peter T. Thomas as president and chief executive, making permanent the leadership roles he has held on an interim basis since November.

F5 Networks Inc.'s (FFIV) fiscal second-quarter earnings slipped 7.6% as the network-equipment company recorded weaker product sales and higher operating expenses. The company offered guidance for the current quarter below analyst estimates.

Flowserve Corp.'s (FLS) first-quarter earnings rose 5% as sales strengthened at the diversified manufacturer, helping per-share earnings top analysts' estimates.

Herman Miller Inc. (MLHR) agreed to acquire Maharam Fabric Corp. for about $156 million in cash, as the office-furniture maker looks to expand its specialty and consumer segment.

Hershey Co. (HSY) promoted a slew of executives ahead of Thursday's first-quarter report, including the naming of a new chief financial officer.

Lam Research Corp.'s (LRCX) fiscal third-quarter earnings slipped 58% as the semiconductor-equipment company's increase in operating expenses outpaced revenue growth. The company also unveiled a $250 million share-repurchase program.

LSI Corp.'s (LSI) first-quarter earnings declined 75% as the storage-chip manufacturer's revenue weakened and as the year-earlier period benefited from a larger tax benefit.

Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd.'s (MRH) first-quarter profit fell 14% as the reinsurer's investment income and premiums earned edged lower.

Chip maker Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) continued to benefit from strong demand for mobile devices in its fiscal second quarter, though net profits fell 16% due to a large one-time gain in the year-earlier period.

Raymond James Financial Inc.'s (RJF) fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 16% as the regional broker recorded stronger results in its private client, asset management and proprietary capital units, though its capital markets business saw weaker profits.

Standard & Poor's said it will add biopharmaceutical company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) to the S&P 500 index, replacing MetroPCs Communications Inc. (PCS) after its merger with Deutsche Telekom AG's (DTE.XE, DTEGY) T-Mobile USA unit.

Stryker Corp.'s (SYK) first-quarter earnings fell 13% as the medical-device maker was hurt by product-recall-related charges and other items that offset sales growth.

Teradyne Inc.'s (TER) first-quarter profit fell 80% as revenue at the manufacturer of chip-testing equipment dropped sharply and operating expenses increased, although the impact was cushioned by an income-tax benefit. Still, shares rose 3.3% to $15.33 after hours as per-share earnings beat the company's own expectations.

Terex Corp.'s (TEX) first-quarter earnings increased 3.9% as the construction-machinery maker's margins improved slightly and overhead expenses slipped, though it recorded double-digit revenue declines in its construction and materials-handling segments.

Tractor Supply Co.'s (TSCO) first-quarter earnings rose 9.1% as the retailer's same-store sales edged higher, though margins dropped slightly.

Whiting Petroleum Corp.'s (WLL) first-quarter earnings fell 12% as the oil and gas company was hurt by hedging impacts and other items that masked growth in revenue and production.

Xilinx Inc.'s (XLNX) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 6.7% as the manufacturer's operating expenses and tax provision fell from a year earlier, though revenue continued to weaken.

-Write to Nathalie Tadena at [e-mail]

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