Stocks Attracting Trading Interest in Today’s Market

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With the Dow Jones (NYSE:DIA) holding above 12,000, the S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY) ticking a tad higher than 1300 and the Nasdaq (NASDAQ:QQQQ) slightly higher than 2,750 on the 24th trading day of 2011, here is a group of stocks making moves on our radar and the reasons why:

1) Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET): Shares are up over 9% to $36.29 per share following the announcement of a big dividend to shareholders, improved outlook for 2011 and a net income jump of 30% in its latest quarterly report. Aetna will not pay a $.15 cent quarterly dividend starting April 29th. Aetna forecasted a 2011 operating profit between $3.70 and $3.80 per share, much higher than the average analyst expectation of $3.27 per share.

2) JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ:JDSU): The stock is up 22.7% to $22 per share after a rebounding quarterly earnings report. The company was helped by its improving relationship with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and the success of the Kinect gaming system. JSDU reported revenue was $473.5 million, up from $342.9 million. The company earned $.10 per share in the quarter compared to a loss of $.09 cents in the same quarter a year ago.

3) Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN): Shares are up 6.44% to $18.69 per share today. CEO Donnie Smith said the company has cut $600 million in annual costs since 2008. Net income rose to $298 million, or $.78 cents per share, in the three months ended Jan. 1. That’s up from $160 million, or $.42 cents per share, a year earlier. Tyson Foods Inc.’s revenue popped 15% to $7.62 billion.

4) Sirona Dental Systems (NASDAQ:SIRO): Shares are up 9.68% to $49.51 per share today. Profit climbed to $42.4 million, or $.75 cents per share, in the three months ended Dec. 31, up from $31.2 million, or 55 cents per share, a year ago, or $.81 cents per share excluding special items. Revenue jumped 10% to $235.6 million from $214.8 million. Analysts expect the company to earn $2.77 per share in the current fiscal year, on $831 million in revenue.

5) The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX): The cleaning product company’s stock is up 1.77% to $64.85 per share after the company earned $21 million, or $.15 cents per share, for the three months ended Dec. 31. That’s down from $110 million, or $.77 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 3% to $1.18 billion, slightly missing Wall Street’s $1.19 billion expectation. Value investors are buying shares today as the company pays an annual dividend of 3.5%.

6) Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ:FNSR): Shares are up 10.66% to $38.10 per share today. The stock hit a 52-week high this morning following the very strong quarterly report from JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ:JDSU). Investors are seeing the positive light with optical stocks today.

7) Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON): The financial company’s shares are up 2.95% to $47.52 per share today after reporting better-than-expected quarterly earnings. Revenues increased 40% to $2.91 billion. The Chicago-based company, with a market value of nearly $15 billion, said revenue from its human resources solutions segment more than tripled to $1.2 billion, boosted by its acquisition of Hewitt Associates for $4.9 billion.

8) Power-One Corporation (NASDAQ:PWER): Shares are down 22% to $9 per share as the company’s outlook was way short of Wall Street’s expectations. Sales in the first quarter will be $260 million to $290 million, lower than the $294 million average estimate of 13 analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

9) Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI): The media stock is down 2.26% to $1.73 per share today. Howard Stern’s appearance on CBS’ Letterman Show (NYSE:CBS) last night was not enough to give the stock a lift. The company also said it will not be purchasing EMI. Earlier this week, the stock hit a 52-week high of $1.80 per share.

10) Coinstar (NASDAQ:CSTR): Shares of the redbox retailer are down 12.39% to $38.76 per share following a disappointing quarterly earnings report. Some major movie studios have imposed a 28-day delay between when they distribute new releases on DVDs and when the Coinstar’s Redbox DVD-rental kiosks are allowed to begin renting the movies. The company earned $11.7 million, or $.35 cents per share, for the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with a year-earlier profit of $3.4 million, or $.11 cents per share. Revenue rose to $390.8 million from $298.3 million, just shy of analysts’ $393.6 million forecast.

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