MARKET PULSE-Chelsea, BofA, shippers, Qiwi, Nu Skin, Majesco, Pandora

(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) U.S. stock rose on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 hitting a record high after strong earnings from Bank of America (TLO: BAC.TI - news) and data pointed to improvement in the economy. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.74 percent at 16,494.46, the S&P 500 was up 0.55 percent at 1,848.94 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.75 percent at 4,214.301.

** CHELSEA THERAPEUTICS INTERNATIONAL LTD (NasdaqCM: CHTP - news) , $4.43, +92.61 pct

A drug to treat a rare form of low blood pressure made by Chelsea is effective enough to warrant regulatory approval, an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded on Tuesday.

** BANK OF AMERICA CORP, $17.21, +2.62 pct

The second-largest U.S. bank reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit, driven by a steep fall in mortgage losses and provisions to cover bad loans.

The stock was one of the biggest boosters to the S&P 500.

** GENCO SHIPPING AND TRADING LTD, $2.55, +10.87 pct

** DRYSHIPS INC (NasdaqGS: DRYS - news) , $3.92, +6.52 pct

** FREESEAS INC (NasdaqCM: FREE - news) , $2.0796, +18.83 pct

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose 4 points or 0.29 percent on Wednesday, marking its first gain this year, driven by higher capesize rates.

** NU SKIN ENTERPRISES INC (NYSE: NUS - news) , $114.43, -16.15 pct

The stock of the dietary supplement provider fell in morning trading after an article published by China's People's Daily newspaper suggested the company's China operations are a pyramid scheme. (http://link.reuters.com/qys95v)

Nu Skin told Bloomberg that the article contained inaccuracies and that it operated in full compliance with government regulations in China, according to StreetInsider.com. (http://link.reuters.com/rys95v)

** LKQ CORP (NasdaqGS: LKQ - news) , $29.32, -9.20 pct

Research firm Prescience Point started coverage on the auto parts supplier's stock with a "strong sell" rating, saying the company was caught in a massive margin squeeze. Calling LKQ a "cashless clunker", Prescience Point said the company has relied on acquisitions to boost growth, but had lost cash in eight of the last nine years. (http://r.reuters.com/sus95v)

Short-seller Gotham City Research tweeted on Wednesday that it believed LKQ was a great stock to short. "$LKQ has been on our radar. It is unsurprising others have issued a strong sell report," the firm tweeted.

** KBR INC (NYSE: KBR - news) , $33.37, +4.97 pct

Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS - news) raised its price target on engineering and construction company's stock to $44 from $40, and said it had the potential for a capital allocation program and restructuring.

** GENERAL MOTORS CO, $39.46, -1.40 pct

The No. 1 U.S. automaker's new executive team expects a slight uptick in pretax profits this year, but said margins likely will remain flat until 2015. A new management team led by Chief Executive Mary Barra and President Dan Ammann took the reins Wednesday, issuing a cautious outlook for the year ahead at a Deutsche Bank (Xetra: DBK.DE - news) auto analyst conference.

The company said on Tuesday it would pay the first quarterly dividend on its common stock in almost six years, marking another step in its recovery from the bankruptcy in 2009.

** QIWI PLC (NasdaqGS: QIWI - news) , $43.796, -18.84 pct

The Russian payment processor's shares fell after media reports that the country is considering new regulations on cross-border payments as part of a new anti-terrorism law.

** MATTRESS FIRM HOLDING CORP, $44.94, +14.09 pct

The specialty bedding retailer is in talks to acquire privately held mattress retailer Sleep Train in an all-stock deal that could be worth more than $200 million, The New York Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources briefed on the situation. (http://link.reuters.com/rus95v)

** NQ MOBILE (NYSE: NQ - news) , $15.618, +12.20 pct

The Chinese mobile security software maker said it would provide next-generation ID on all of Sprint (Frankfurt: 2S7.F - news) 's Android-powered smartphones in the United States this year.

The stock was trading more than one and a half times its 10-day moving average volume.

** EXONE CO, $57.0178, -8.42 pct

Brokerage Janney Capital Markets cut its price target on the 3D printer maker's stock to $68 from $75 due to a delay in shipping of printers to customers in Russia, France, Mexico and India. Janney also lowered its revenue estimates for ExOne.

** MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT CO (NasdaqCM: COOL - news) , $0.57, -20.83 pct

The video game developer's revenue fell 62 percent in the fourth quarter and its net loss widened. The company said the gaming market had fragmented as digital platforms have gained popularity. Majesco did not give a revenue and profit forecast for 2014, citing a lack of clarity on consumer preferences.

** ALLSCRIPTS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS (NasdaqGS: MDRX - news) $16.65, +7.28 pct

The healthcare technology company said it expected adjusted revenue to increase at an average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 5-8 percent until financial year 2016. It also expects adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to increase at an average CAGR of about 18-22 percent.

** APPLE INC (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) , $558.362, +2.19 pct

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday the company's deal with China Mobile (Berlin: CTM.BE - news) will help the group build on its momentum in the country after it sold more iPhones in China last year "than ever before." (See Reuters Insider video: http://reut.rs/1dPHwG8)

** CIRRUS LOGIC (NasdaqGS: CRUS - news) , $19.84, -1.29 pct

Brokerage Pacific Crest Securities cut its rating on the chipmaker's stock to "underperform" from "sector perform," saying Apple's iPhone would have single-digit unit growth in percentage terms in 2014. Cirrus gets three-quarters of its revenue from the iPhone maker.

** TESLA MOTORS INC (Xetra: A1CX3T - news) , $166.885, +3.48 pct

Bank of America Merrill Lynch raised its price target on the electric car maker's stock to $65 from $45 after the company said on Tuesday deliveries of its Model S sedan in the fourth quarter blew past the company's forecast. Tesla's shares rose nearly 16 percent on Tuesday.

** NUVASIVE INC (NasdaqGS: NUVA - news) , $36.81, +8.97 pct

The company, which makes medical devices for spine surgery, reported preliminary fourth-quarter revenue of about $189 million, ahead of analysts' average estimate of $176.4 million. Nuvasive also said it expected full-year revenue of about $683 million. Analysts were expecting $670.6 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

** HANWHA SOLARONE CO LTD, $3.26, +3.82 pct

The solar panel maker said it plans to set up a venture with Shanghai HuiTianRan Investment Holding Group to develop solar power plants in China. HuiTianRan will use panels manufactured by Hanwha SolarOne in its 700 megawatts (MW) of projects or select Hanwha SolarOne to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for these projects, Hanwha SolarOne said in a statement.

** REX ENERGY CORP, $18.77, +5.33 pct

The oil and gas producer said output this year could be 143-149 million cubic feet equivalent (mmcfe) per day, higher than 92.7 mmcfe per day it produced in 2013. Rex Energy also increased its capital budget for 2014 from a year earlier. Fourth-quarter production at the company rose 49 percent to 110.4 mmcfe per day, said Rex Energy, which is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Feb. 19.

** REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS INC (NasdaqGS: REGN - news) , $287.26, -4.35 pct

BMO Capital Markets downgraded the biotechnology company's stock to "market perform" from "outperform", citing the risk of slowing market share gains for Regeneron's eye drug Eylea and the stabilization of a competing drug's market share. Regeneron said on Tuesday it would report strong U.S. sales of Eylea for the fourth quarter.

** AEROPOSTALE INC (NYSE: ARO - news) , $7.82, +1.16 pct

The apparel retailer under pressure from investors to sell itself reached out to at least two private equity firms as it explores strategic options, Bloomberg said on Tuesday, citing sources.

** HEARTWARE INTERNATIONAL INC (NasdaqGS: HTWR - news) , $101.85, -1.36 pct

The medical device maker said it expected to report fourth-quarter revenue of about $53 million, below estimate of $58 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Heartware, which makes implantable heart pumps, also said revenue would grow 87 percent to $208 million in 2013. Analysts were expecting $213.3 million.

** FASTENAL CO, $45.71, -5.19 pct

The maker of fasteners, metal-cutting tools and abrasives reported a fourth-quarter profit that missed analysts' average estimate due to lower sales of higher-margin fasteners.

** PANDORA MEDIA INC (NYSE: P - news) , $35.12, +2.90 pct

Brokerage Nomura Equity Research started coverage on the internet radio company's stock with a "neutral" rating. The brokerage expects the company's revenue to be "much higher" in 2014 as its "listenership" ramps steadily through the year due to more users using its mobile application.

** MARVELL TECHNOLOGY GROUP LTD, $15.48, -2.09 pct

The chipmaker has failed to convince a federal judge to reduce by more than half a $1.17 billion jury verdict for infringing two hard disk drive patents held by Carnegie Mellon University.

** KOSMOS ENERGY LTD (NYSE: KOS - news) , $10.23, -7.92 pct

The oil and gas producer's production would be hurt because an offshore field near Ghana, in which the company holds a stake, failed to meet its 2013 exit rate target of 120,000 barrels per day (bpd), analysts at Tudor Pickering Holt and Co said. They said Kosmos's production would be 20 percent lower and revenue 28 percent lower in 2014.

British firm Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW.L - news) , which holds a 35.5 percent stake in the field, forecast 2014 production of 100,000 bpd for the field. Analysts said they were expecting 124,000 bpd.

Kosmos said its net interest in the field's 2014 production would be about 24,100 bopd.

** DATALINK CORP DTLK.O, $14.17, +30.36 pct

** TERADATA CORP, $47.96, +4.74 pct

** NETAPP INC (NasdaqGS: NTAP - news) , $43.11, +7.27 pct

The company, which manages servers and networks, raised its fourth-quarter adjusted earnings and sales forecast on Tuesday. It raised its adjusted earnings forecast to 33-37 cents per share from 24-30 cents and its revenue forecast to about $174 million from $160-$170 million.

Shares of data storage equipment maker NetApp and data analytics firm Teradata (Frankfurt: A0M0ZR - news) also moved following Datalink's outlook.

"Investors may be reading (Datalink's) results as an indication that there was a strong close to the fourth quarter for the storage and data management sectors," Pacific Crest Securities analyst Jesse Hulsing said.

** RIVERBED TECHNOLOGY INC (NasdaqGS: RVBD - news) , $19.95, +0.81 pct

** F5 NETWORKS INC (NasdaqGS: FFIV - news) , $97.74, +3.41 pct

** JUNIPER NETWORKS INC (NYSE: JNPR - news) , $25.79, +1.46 pct

** NETAPP, $43.11, +7.27 pct

Network gear maker Riverbed Technology rejected hedge fund Elliott Management Corp's $3.08 billion takeover offer and estimated fourth-quarter results above expectations.

F5 Networks is considered by analysts to be a potential bidder for Riverbed.

Elliott, which has already started pressuring Juniper Networks to buy back shares, start paying a dividend and consider slimming down, has a stake in data storage and software maker NetApp as well.

** MAZOR ROBOTICS LTD (NasdaqCM: MZOR - news) , $24.56, +3.28 pct

JMP Securities raised its target price on the surgical robot maker's stock to $31 from $23, citing the Israeli company's agreement with a group purchasing organization. Analyst J.T. Haresco said the agreement "includes a framework that allows the company to penetrate individual hospitals as well as national accounts.

** ENPHASE ENERGY INC (NasdaqGM: ENPH - news) , $8.29, +5.34 pct

The microinverter maker said fourth-quarter revenue was likely to be in the range of $66-$67 million, higher than its previous forecast of $62-$65 million, helped by higher demand from the residential solar market in the United States. "During the fourth quarter, shipments exceeded 100 megawatts of microinverter systems for the first time," Chief Executive Paul Nahi said. Enphase will report results for the fourth quarter in late February. (http://r.reuters.com/nur95v)

** JINKOSOLAR HOLDING CO LTD, $36.06, -0.52 pct

The Chinese solar panel maker said late on Tuesday it would offer 2.75 million of its American Depositary Shares and up to $100 million in convertible senior notes due 2019.

** LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORP, $46.15, +2.12 pct

The semiconductor company raised its quarterly dividend to 27 cents per share from 26 cents, and said it expects revenue in the third quarter to rise 3 to 6 percent from the second quarter. B. Riley raised its price target on the stock to $44 from $38.

** NETFLIX INC (NasdaqGS: NFLX - news) , $331.1901, -2.00 pct

** AMAZON.COM INC, $395.42, -0.53 pct

** COMCAST CORP, $54.19, +2.61 pct

** VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC (LSE: VZC.L - news) , $48.26, +2.51 pct

A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday rejected federal rules that required Internet providers to treat all web traffic equally, a decision that could allow mobile carriers and other broadband providers to charge content providers for faster access to websites and services.

** INTEL CORP, $26.86, +1.32 pct

The chipmaker, hit by slumping personal computer sales, has put off opening a major chip factory that President Barack Obama once held up as an example of U.S. manufacturing potential.

** FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES INC (NYSE: FET - news) , $26.9, -5.01 pct

The oilfield services provider lowered its fourth-quarter adjusted earnings forecast to 36-38 cents per share from 42-46 cents, citing production disruptions at its factories in North Texas and Oklahoma due to winter storms, costs overruns and delays in delivery. The company will announce its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 7. (Compiled by Varun Aggarwal in Bangalore; Edited by Don Sebastian)