Chordiant, Estee Lauder, Horace Mann: U.S. Equity Preview

By [bn:PRSN=1] Elizabeth Campbell []

Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes in U.S. trading tomorrow. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are as of 5:53 p.m. in New York, unless otherwise specified.

Standard & Poor's 500 Index futures expiring in December lost 4.9, or 0.5 percent, to 976.1 Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 33, or 0.4 percent, to 9,168. Nasdaq-100 Index futures slipped 4, or 0.3 percent, to 1,316.

Chordiant Software Inc. (CHRD US) slipped 24 cents, or 7.5 percent, to $2.98. The maker of customer-relations programs forecast fourth-quarter profit of 5 cents to 7 cents a share. That compares to the average analyst estimate of 9 cents, according to Bloomberg data.

Estee Lauder Cos. (EL US): The maker of Clinique and Bobbi Brown cosmetics was cut to ``underweight'' from ``equal weight'' at Morgan Stanley. The shares dropped 3.9 percent to $41.68 in regular trading.

Horace Mann Educators Corp. (HMN US): The insurance company focused on teachers borrowed $75 million under its existing $125 million credit pact for future capital needs, according to a regulatory filing. Horace Mann was cut to ``neutral'' from ``buy'' at Bank of America. The shares fell 13 percent to $10.39 in regular trading.

Men's Wearhouse Inc. (MW US) dropped $2.12, or 12 percent, to $15.52. The apparel retailer with more than 1,200 stores said third-quarter profit would be lower than forecast after credit- market turmoil lowered customer demand.

Ruby Tuesday Inc. (RT US) fell 57 cents, or 12 percent, to $4.05. The owner of the casual-dining chain with more than 900 locations posted a first-quarter profit drop and said full-year earnings would be lower than a previous forecast.

Wachovia Corp. (WB US) rose 34 cents, or 6.7 percent, to $5.40. An agreement suspending federal litigation over the fate of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank was extended by two days after a lawyer said a ``grand solution'' between bidders Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC US) was being negotiated.

Walgreen Co. (WAG US) rose 0.3 percent to $26.25. The biggest U.S. drugstore chain withdrew its proposal to acquire Longs Drug Stores Corp. (LDG US) for $75 a share, saying it wasn't in the best interest of shareholders of both companies to leave the situation unresolved.

Longs Drug, which agreed to a takeover valued at $71.50 a share from CVS Caremark Corp., fell $2.49, or 3.5 percent, to $69.19.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Campbell in New York ecampbell11@bloomberg.net.