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Earnings were in focus Tuesday, with a duo of blue chip companies reporting before the open and a pair of tech giants on tap after the close.
The three major benchmarks, comfortable in the green in morning trading, had slipped into the red just before noon.
Nonetheless, a number of companies moved higher on analysts' actions, company news, earnings, and M&A chatter. Following are 12 of Tuesday's hot stocks to watch.
Today's Hot Stocks List
ARC Group WorldWide Inc. (Nasdaq: ARCW) shares jumped 4.2% to $40.90, after announcing a 1.5-to-1 stock dividend. The additional shares, issued as a result of the stock dividend, will be distributed on May 1 to shareholders of record April 24. The leading global provider of advanced manufacturing and 3D printing solutions said the stock dividend is "an effort to increase liquidity in our stock."
The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) shares climbed nearly 4% to $40.22 in morning trading after the beverage behemoth posted Q1 2014 earnings pretty much in line with expectations. Coke reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.44 a share, down 4% from the same quarter a year ago. Revenue came in at $10.58 billion, shy of the $10.61 billion forecast. But, Chief Executive Officer Muhtar Kent said "growth momentum is steadily improving" and volume growth was "sequentially stronger." Those were welcome words for investors who were bracing for the worst following a report from Beverage Digest showing soda sales have declined to their lowest level since 1995.
Entergy Corp. (NYSE: ETR) shares rose 1.5% to $72.59, a penny shy of its 52-week high, after the utility giant guided Q1 EPS well above the consensus of $1.15 and also raised its FY2014 guidance, due in part to colder weather. ETR will report first-quarter earnings on April 24, before the open.
Fedfirst Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: FFCO) shares soared some 10% to $22 following news it will merge with CB Financial Services Inc. (OTCMKTS: CBFV), up 4% to $21.50, in a cash and stock deal valued at $54.4 million. Both banks are headquartered in Pennsylvania.