MARKET PULSE-Apple, AstraZeneca, D.R. Horton, Novartis, Zimmer

(For more market insights, including options activity, click on ; for the Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning News Call newsletter, http://link.reuters.com/nex49s)

April 24 - U.S. stock index futures were higher on Thursday, with Nasdaq futures jumping more than 1 percent following a pair of blowout results from technology stalwarts Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) and Facebook (NasdaqGS: FB - news) . Dow Jones industrial average futures were up 0.19 percent at 16,491, S&P 500 futures were up 0.31 percent at 1,878.7 and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 1.36 percent at 3,603.

** APPLE INC, Wednesday close $524.75, +8.51 pct premarket

A host of analysts raised their price targets on the iPhone maker's stock after the company approved another $30 billion in share buybacks till the end of 2015 and authorized a rarely seen seven-for-one stock split, addressing calls to share more of its cash hoard while broadening the stock's appeal to individual investors.

The company on Wednesday surprised Wall Street with news that it sold more iPhones in the March quarter than even the most bullish analysts had expected.

** ASTRAZENECA PLC (NYSE: AZN - news) , Wednesday close $67.78, +5.12 pct premarket

Britain's second-biggest drugmaker highlighted progress with new cancer drugs that may revive its fortunes as it posted a 17 percent fall in core earnings per share on Thursday, reflecting patent losses on profitable older medicines.

** T ROWE PRICE GROUP INC, Wednesday close $81.18

The asset manager said quarterly profit rose 25 percent, helped by stronger investment advisory fees as average assets under management rose 17 percent.

** TIME WARNER CABLE INC (NYSE: TWC - news) , Wednesday close $139.87

The second-largest U.S. cable operator reported first-quarter profit above analysts' estimates as it added more residential subscribers than expected for its high-speed data services.

** HERBALIFE LTD (NYSE: HLF - news) , Wednesday close $57.67

The weight loss and nutrition company being investigated for allegations of running a pyramid scheme disciplined hundreds of distributors last year for making unsubstantiated medical claims about its products, ABC News reported on Wednesday.

** DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE PLC (NYSE: DLPH - news) , Wednesday close $68.75, +1.75 pct premarket

The auto parts maker reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by strong demand in Asia and North America, and raised its 2014 earnings outlook.

** D.R. HORTON INC, Wednesday close $21.35, +3.04 pct premarket

The top U.S. homebuilder reported an 18 percent rise in quarterly profit as a short supply of houses on the market allowed it to raise prices.

** PULTEGROUP INC (NYSE: PHA - news)

The No. 2 U.S. homebuilder reported an 8 percent drop in quarterly profit as a shortage of developed land constrained its ability to build more homes.

** DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING INC (NYSE: DO - news) , Wednesday close $48.53

The company, one of the world's top five offshore rig contractors, reported a 17 percent drop in quarterly profit as demand fell for rigs used in deep water drilling.

** NASDAQ OMX GROUP INC, Wednesday close $36.61

The Transatlantic exchange operator on Thursday reported a higher first-quarter profit, helped by increased revenue from recent acquisitions.

** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC (LSE: VZC.L - news) , Wednesday close $47.43, +0.32 pct premarket

The No. 1 U.S. mobile provider said on Thursday its quarterly revenue rose 4.8 percent after its acquisition of Vodafone's 45 percent share in their prior joint venture for $130 billion gave the company access to greater amounts of cash flow.

** TIMKEN CO (NYSE: TKR - news) , Wednesday close $59.68

The maker of ball bearings and specialty steel reported an 11 percent rise in quarterly profit, helped by higher demand from wind energy and oil and gas industries.

** HYPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (NasdaqGS: HPTX - news) , Wednesday close $25.61

The U.S. biopharmaceutical company said on Thursday it agreed to buy Israel's Andromeda Biotech, a developer of a new diabetes drug, in a deal that could be worth close to $600 million.

** UNDER ARMOUR INC (NYSE: UA - news) , Wednesday close $54.44, +4.06 pct premarket

The company, known for its HeatGear and ColdGear clothing, reported a 73 percent jump in first-quarter profit, driven by strong growth in sales of its athletic apparel and footwear.

** ZIMMER HOLDINGS INC (NYSE: ZMH - news) , Wednesday close $91.45, +11.48 pct premarket

The medical device maker said it would acquire orthopedic products company Biomet Inc in a deal valued at about $13.35 billion.

** QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC (NYSE: DGX - news) , Wednesday close $58.35, -0.99 pct premarket

The laboratory tests provider's first-quarter adjusted profit fell short of analysts' expectations, as an unusually harsh U.S. winter deterred people from going to its centers for tests.

** SIRIUS XM HOLDINGS INC, Wednesday close $3.17, +0.32 pct premarket

The satellite radio provider reported a better-than-expected 11 percent rise in first- quarter revenue as more subscribers stayed on after an initial promotional period.

** INVACARE CORP (Frankfurt: IV3.F - news) , Wednesday close $17.6

The medical equipment maker reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, hurt by a 15 percent fall in North America sales and the continued impact of the company's consent decree with the U.S. health regulator, which limits its ability to manufacture products at its facility in Elyria, Ohio.

** NOVARTIS AG (Xetra: NOT.DE - news) , Wednesday close $86.17, -1.06 pct premarket

The Swiss drugmaker posted a weaker-than-expected 1 percent rise in quarterly sales, underscoring the pressures from generic competition and tighter healthcare budgets that led it to announce a radical business overhaul earlier this week.

** TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC (NasdaqGS: TXN - news) , Wednesday close $46.46, +3.85 pct premarket

The chipmaker's first-quarter revenue and second-quarter revenue forecast topped analysts' estimates on growing demand for its chips used in communication equipment, industrial machines and automotive parts.

Several analysts raised their price target on the stock.

** STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE INC (NYSE: HOT - news) 'S, Wednesday close $76.91

The company's quarterly profit topped Wall Street estimates as growth in business travel in North America boosted both occupancy and room rates.

** FACEBOOK INC, Wednesday close $61.36

At least a dozen analysts raised their price targets on the social network's stock after the company said on Wednesday that its mobile advertising business accelerated in the first three months of the year, helping it top Wall Street's financial targets.

** DUNKIN' BRANDS GROUP INC, Wednesday close $47.59

The parent of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream outlets reported lower-than-expected quarterly results as extreme cold weather in parts of the United States hit comparable-store sales growth.

** QUALCOMM INC, Wednesday close $80.71, -3.94 pct premarket

The chipmaker on Wednesday posted its smallest quarterly revenue increase since 2010 as it wrestles with a smartphone market that is losing steam and shifting to China.

The company also said it could face a civil action from U.S. authorities over alleged bribery of officials associated with state-owned companies in China.

** GENERAL ELECTRIC (Swiss: GE.SW - news) , Wednesday close $26.42, +0.53 pct premarket

Alstom (Paris: FR0010220475 - news) said on Thursday it was not informed of any potential public tender offer for its shares, which opened 17 percent higher after Bloomberg reported that General Electric was in talks to buy the French turbine and train maker for about $13 billion.

** INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP, Wednesday close $191.73, +0.22 pct premarket

In its latest attempt at reviving demand for its hardware products, IBM (NYSE: IBM - news) is launching high-end system servers that it says are 50 times faster than its closest competitor at analyzing data. The POWER8 servers, the product of a $2.4 billion, three-year investment, are part of the company's decade-long shift to higher-value hardware technology.

** STRYKER CORP, Wednesday close $78.39

The U.S. orthopedic implant maker reported a 77 percent drop in first-quarter net profit on Wednesday as higher expenses offset a 5 percent rise in sales.

** WAL-MART STORES INC, Wednesday close $78.04

The retailer said former Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott and board member Chris Williams will not stand for re-election to its board. Scott will complete his service as director at the company's annual shareholders' meeting on June 6, "in line with Walmart`s historical practice for its prior CEOs' Board service," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

** NOBLE ENERGY INC (NYSE: NBL - news) , Wednesday close $75.07

The Oil and natural gas producer posted a 23.4 percent drop in quarterly profit on Thursday due in part to hedging losses and a jump in income taxes.

** SAFEWAY INC (NYSE: SWY - news) , Wednesday close $34.02, +1.4 pct after market

The second-largest mainstream U.S. supermarket operator on Wednesday said it plans to boost results by passing higher costs for meat, produce and other staples on to shoppers at its U.S. grocery stores.

** E*TRADE FINANCIAL CORP, Wednesday close $21.5, +2.5 pct after market

The company, which was on the brink of failure during the financial crisis due to its bank's subprime mortgage portfolio, reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, helped by a surge in customer trading activity and progress in reducing its bank subsidiary's portfolio of bad loans.

** XILINX INC (NasdaqGS: XLNX - news) , Wednesday close $52.42, -5.7 pct after market

The chipmaker forecast current-quarter revenue largely below analysts' average estimate, saying it expects sales from its aerospace, defense and wired telecom customers to be flat.

** INGRAM MICRO INC (NYSE: IM - news) , Wednesday close $30.27, -8 pct after market

The electronic products distributor posted a weaker-than-expected quarterly profit due to a rise in costs.

** ANGIE'S LIST INC, Wednesday close $12.82, +3.7 pct after market

The company, which operates a website that allows users to review local businesses, posted a smaller quarterly loss as it signed up more paid customers for its services.

** ZYNGA INC (NasdaqGS: ZNGA - news) , Wednesday close $4.42, +5 pct after market

Co-founder Mark Pincus relinquished the last of his operational duties at the social gaming company, retreating to an advisory role as Chief Executive Officer Don Mattrick pushes through a restructuring plan.

** SERVICENOW INC (NYSE: NOW - news) , Wednesday close $53.07, +3.7 pct after market

The company, which makes software to automate and manage IT services, forecast second-quarter and full-year revenue above Wall Street estimates.