m&a

The move come as a part of its restructuring following its merger with Scherin-Plough and is expected to spare 486 jobs in that country.

Merck shares are down 0.33%.

Shares of Merck & Co. (MRK) are down after Reuters reported that the drugmaker's Dutch unit said it would keep about half of the research and development jobs. Last year, Merck said it would close three research sites in the N

Last July, Google said it was planning to buy ITA for $700 million.

Google shares are up 0.8%, or $0.58, to $78.76.

Shares of Google (GOOG) are higher on a Reuters report, citing a source, that the Justice Department is near an arrangement that would allow the Internet search firm to acquire airline ticketing software company ITA Software.

Garry O.

WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC) reported Q2 EPS of $0.53, missing consensus estimates of $0.67 per share. Revenues for the quarter fell 2% year-over-year to $79.2 million, missing consensus estimates of $86.7 million.

First Niagara President and Chief Executive Officer John R. Koelmel, said, "We are very pleased to now have received approval of our transaction from all regulators - the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC and the Connecticut Departme

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Connecticut Department of Banking approved the merger of First Niagara Financial Group (NASDAQ:FNFG) and NewAlliance Bancshares (NYSE:NAL), which clears the way for the combina

Cephalon (CEPH) announced its board formally rejected Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.'s March 29 unsolicited proposal to purchase the company for $73 per share. Shares of Cephalon are down over 1% to $76.50 in pre-mark

Rumors are swirling today that French media giant Vivendi may purchase a 39% stake in Activision-Blizzard. Bernstein analysts said repeated stock buy-backs should lift Vivendi’s stake to 72% by early 2012, cash flow would allow

The FTC is considering a broad antitrust investigation into the company's dominance in the Internet-search industry, Bloomberg reports.

The commission is awaiting the Justice Department's decision on whether it will challenge Google's planned M&A of ITA Software Inc.

Google (GOOG) is down 2.2% to $574.58 on news the company could be a target of a U.S. Federal Trade Commission anti-trust probe.

The company sees 2011 revenue at $406 million, below the bank's previous estimate of $428 million and well below the consensus estimate for $450 million.

Shares of Calix are trading down 3.48% at $19.71.

UBS raised its target price for Calix Inc (NYSE:CALX) to $23 from $20 and reiterated its buy rating after the company formally updated its financial outlook for 2011 to include its acquisition of OCNW.

Separately, the company received upgrades this morning from Susquehanna, RBC Capital and Citigroup.

National Semiconductor hit a 52-week high of $24.11 and was last at $24.10.

National Semiconductor (NSM) soars to a 52-week high at the open after it said late Monday Texas Instruments (TXN) will buy the company for $25 per share
in an all-cash transaction of about $6.5 billion.

The bank sees some upside to the $73 offer, but not much. Valeant could increase its offer marginally, and there is a reasonable possibility of an additional suitor coming along with a higher bid.

Shares of Cephalon are trading down 0.19% at $75.30.

UBS downgraded Cephalon (NASDAQ:CEPH) to neutral from buy, while raising its target price to $78, after a $73 per share buyout offer from Valeant was made public.