Hot Stocks to Watch Today: GMCR, MSFT, and 10 Other Movers

Today's list of hot stocks to watch includes a coffee pod company soaring 10%, a satellite TV provider and fast food titan both hitting 52-week highs, and several surging penny stocks.

Check out these 12 hot stocks to watch today, and find out why they're on the move.

12 Hot Stocks to Watch Today

AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE ADR: AZN) rose nearly 2% to $79.18 in morning trading. Reports are that Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) is planning a higher bid for the British drug company, if it will engage in talks. The new offer is expected to increase the value slightly above the current 50 pounds ($84.35) per share. It will likely, however, come with concessions appealing to AstraZeneca, such as not slashing jobs. AstraZeneca maintains that a new offer will have to be compelling for it to even consider. Pfizer is ready to go hostile if turned down again, according to people familiar with the matter.

Corinthian Colleges Inc. (Nasdaq: COCO) shares soared some 25% to $1.14 after the struggling post-secondary and online education company reached an agreement with lenders to amend a credit facility and to waive an event of default. The default occurred as a result of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance the company recorded during the quarter ended March 31, 2014. Bettors are wagering gains will be short-lived. Bearish option activity surged Tuesday, with heavy volume in the May 14, $1 strike puts.

DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV) shares climbed more than 2% intraday to $89.46, a 52-week high. Sending shares higher is news AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is close to completing a takeover of DirecTV that could value the satellite-television provider at $50 billion, or some $105 per share. The two companies are said in to be talks for a transaction that would include a mix of cash and AT&T stock. A deal could be sealed in two weeks or sooner.