MARKET PULSE-Symmetricom, Netflix, EMC, Alcoa, Whirlpool, Transocean

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Oct (KOSDAQ: 039200.KQ - news) 22 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday as caution lingered from the previous session ahead of the delayed release of the September payrolls report.

** SYMMETRICOM INC (NasdaqGS: SYMM - news) , Monday close 4.77, up 50 pct after market

** MICROSEMI CORP, Monday close $25.56, up 1.8 pct after market

Power-management chipmaker Microsemi said it would buy atomic clock equipment maker Symmetricom for about $230 million. Microsemi's offer of $7.18 per share is a premium of 50 percent to Symmetricom's closing price on Monday.

** APPLE (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) , Monday close $521.36, down 0.6 pct premarket

The iPhone maker is expected to reveal a new lineup of iPads on Tuesday intended to shore up its dominance of the tablet computing market and stave off increasingly aggressive challenges from Amazon.com Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Apple may also unveil new laptop computers.

** ALCOA INC (NYSE: AA - news) , Monday close $8.60, up 0.2 pct premarket

The U.S. aluminum producer and Russia's titanium producer VSMPO-AVISMA Corp will form a joint venture to meet growing demand for high-end titanium and aluminum products from aircraft manufacturers.

** LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP, Monday close $125.30, up 0.5 pct after market

The biggest U.S. weapons maker is scheduled to report its third-quarter earnings before market opens. Revenue may have got a boost from its agreement with the Pentagon for $7.8 billion in contracts for F-35 fighter jets, but continued uncertainty about future budget levels and the government shutdown is weighing on orders.

** DUPONT, Monday close $59.46

The U.S. chemical maker's third-quarter revenue rose 5 percent in part due to higher sales of solar panel parts and performance materials.

** GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC, Monday close $159.77

Wall Street's biggest investment bank said vice chairman J. Michael Evans will retire from his position at year-end, eliminating a top rival of Chief Operating Officer Gary Cohn in the race to become its next head.

** TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC (NasdaqGS: TXN - news) , Monday close $40.99, down 3 pct after market

The chipmaker forecast unexpectedly low fourth-quarter revenue on Monday, underscoring concerns about spotty demand for chips for cars, appliances, computers and industrial products.

J.P. Morgan Securities cut its price target on the company's stock to $42 from $45 after the results.

** TRANSOCEAN LTD (NYSE: RIG - news) , Monday close $46.57, up 4.5 pct premarket

** DELL INC (NasdaqGS: DELL - news) , Monday close $13.85

The offsore drilling provider said it will replace Dell Inc in the S&P 500 after the close of trading on October 28.

** WHIRLPOOL CORP (NYSE: WHR - news) , Monday close $130.97, up 1.4 pct after market

The appliances maker said its quarterly profit more than doubled, with cost-cutting efforts paying off.

** TJX COS INC, Monday close $57.58, up 3 pct after market

The owner of low-price apparel retail chains T.J. Maxx and Marshalls (LSE: MSLH.L - news) raised its third-quarter and full-year profit forecasts, citing strong sales and profit margins quarter-to-date.

** HARLEY-DAVIDSON INC, Monday close $65.57, down 1 pct after market

The motorbike marque, being watched by investors because of the window it provides on discretionary spending, is scheduled to report before markets open on Tuesday. Quarterly results are expected to rise from a year ago.

In recent quarters, Harley-Davidson has posted strong profits despite sharply lower production and sales volumes by slashing its workforce, closing some factories and restructuring others.

** YAHOO INC (NasdaqGS: YHOO - news) , Monday close $34.06, up 1.3 pct premarket

** MICROSOFT CORP, Monday close $34.99, down 0.1 pct after market

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer tried to slow the rollout of its search deal with Microsoft (NasdaqGS: MSFT - news) and questioned its partner's commitment, court filings showed, in the latest sign that their strategic relationship is fraying. A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that Yahoo must adopt Microsoft's search technology in Taiwan and Hong Kong under their partnership, forged in 2010, to try and lessen Google Inc (NasdaqGS: GOOG - news) 's dominance in search advertising.

** NOKIA OYJ , Monday close $7.15, down 0.2 pct premarket

The mobile phone handset maker will hold its annual Nokia (Xetra: 870737 - news) World event in Abu Dhabi. Sources said the company will launch new products, including a big-screen tablet or phone.

** GENTIUM SPA, Monday close $29.59

The Italy-based drugmaker said it received European approval to market its drug, Defitelio, for the treatment of severe hepatic veno-occlusive disease in adults and children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation therapy. No other treatment for the condition presently exists in Europe or the United States.

Veno-occlusive disease, is a potentially life-threatening condition in which some of the small veins in the liver are obstructed, which typically occurs as a complication of stem cell transplantation.

** DEPOMED INC (NasdaqGS: DEPO - news) , Monday close $7.23, up 14 pct aftermarket

** PDL BIOPHARMA INC (NasdaqGS: PDLI - news) , Monday close $8.03

PDL BioPharma said it acquired the rights to recieve royalties and milestones on sales of diabetes drugs licensed by Depomed for $240.5 million in cash. The rights acquired include Depomed's agreements with Merck & Co Inc on sales of Janumet and with Santarus Inc (NasdaqGS: SNTS - news) on sales of Glumetza.

JMP securities raised its price target on Depomed's stock to $10 from $9, saying the deal with PDL was a significant positive and that he expects the company to continue to pursue acquisition/in-licensing opportunities, further adding to its cash balance.

** RENT-A-CENTER INC, Monday close $36.01, down 9 pct after market

The rent-to-own retailer reported a weaker-than-expected profit for the third quarter, hurt by a fall in prices for electronic products and increased promotional activity. The company, which rents out consumer electronics and appliances, to forecast full-year earnings below Wall Street expectations.

** STATE STREET CORP, Monday close $69.81

The world's No. 2 standalone custody bank will please investors if it can continue to show that it has put a lid on compensation costs, a concern held by some of the company's largest shareholders.

** FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER AND GOLD INC, Monday close $35.04, up 0.5 pct after market

The world's second-largest copper miner is expected to record a drop in year-on-year earnings on the back of lower gold and copper prices. Quarter-on-quarter though, the market is expecting stronger results on higher realized prices and volumes and lower costs after operations were temporarily suspended at its Grasberg mine in the second quarter.

** ICU MEDICAL INC (NasdaqGS: ICUI - news) , Monday close $63.80, down 3 pct after market

The medical device maker cut its 2013 earnings and revenue outlook and said Chief Executive George Lopez will step down from his role due to health reasons.

Roth Capital Partners analyst Chris Lewis, who has a "neutral" rating on the company, cut his price target to $66 from $75 and also lowered his 2013 profit and revenue estimates.

** DELTA AIR LINES INC (NYSE: DAL - news) , Monday close $24.69, up 1.6 pct after market

The U.S. carrier, scheduled to report results before markets open on Tuesday, is likely to record improved third-quarter results aided by strong summer travel and corporate demand. The Atlanta-based airline is expanding in high-growth markets and has upgraded aircraft seats and food options to entice passengers to spend more, while purchasing a refinery to help lower fuel costs.

** EMC CORP, Monday close $25.24, down 0.6 pct premarket

The world's largest data storage equipment maker reported lower third-quarter profit, hurt by a fall in U.S. federal spending.

** GOOGLE INC, Monday close $1003.30, down 0.2 pct premarket

The search engine giant said it will begin to shield news organizations and human rights groups from cyberattacks as part of a new package of services designed to support "free expression" on the Web. At a presentation in New York, Google also unveiled a new technology called uProxy that allows citizens under some regimes to bypass government censorship or surveillance software to surf the Web.

** TRAVELERS COMPANIES INC, Monday close $86.76

The U.S. property and casualty insurer is expected to post a drop in third-quarter profit as low rates pressure its investment portfolio, even though disaster losses remain low. Investment income is expected to fall, but the company is likely to maintain strong renewal rates in its business insurance business. The Dow 30 company is the first major insurer to report results and is watched closely as a bellwether for the broader industry's ability to raise insurance prices.

** CENTENE CORP (NYSE: CNC - news) , Monday close $66.11

Quarterly results from the health insurer, which provides Medicaid-related health plan coverage, is scheduled to be reported before markets open on Tuesday and is expected to benefit from new contract wins in Massachusetts and Florida. The market will be looking for membership growth in the company's health plans as Obamacare rolls out, as well as its comments on its participation in health exchanges.

** TESCO PLC (Other OTC: TSCDF - news) , Monday close $17.70

Billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK-A - news) last week slashed its stake in the world's No. 3 retailer by about a fifth, or 300 million pounds ($485 million), according to a stock market filing on Monday. The move came two weeks after Tesco posted a decline in its first-half profit as earnings from mainland Europe tumbled 68 percent, and the grocer struggled to regain market share in its main British market.

** NETFLIX INC (NasdaqGS: NFLX - news) , Monday close $354.99, up 11 pct premarket

Netflix, the biggest gainer in the S&P 500 in 2013, quadrupled profit in the third quarter as it added a higher-than-expected 1.3 million customers to its subscription video streaming service in the United States.

Several brokerages raised their rating on the company following its results.

** DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES (NYSE: DFS - news) , Monday close $53.74, down 4 pct after market

The payment processing network reported a 7 percent fall in quarterly profit that narrowly missed Wall Street estimates as the credit card company put aside more money to cover defaults.

** TRI POINTE HOMES INC (NYSE: TPH - news) , Monday close $14.89, up 1.8 pct after market

** WEYERHAEUSER CO (Xetra: WHC.DE - news) , Monday close $30.09, down 0.5 pct after market

Homebuiler Tri Pointe, backed by Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Capital Group LLC, is in advanced talks to buy Weyerhaeuser's homebuilding division for about $2.7 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

** CIT Group Inc (NYSE: CIT - news) , Monday close $50.97

The small-business lender reported its third straight quarterly profit due to lower interest payments on its long-term debt.

** ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP INC, Monday close $54.20

The U.S. auto dealer reported a 10 percent rise in quarterly profit helped by the continuing recovery in the automobile industry. (Compiled by; Editing by)