Bank of America, Sigma Designs, Synopsys: U.S. Equity Preview

By Lu Wang

Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies may have unusual moves in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses.

Bank of America Corp. (BAC US): The biggest nation’s lender will repay $45 billion of U.S. government bailout funds, helping free the bank from curbs on executive pay that have hampered its search for a new leader.

Collective Brands Inc. (PSS US): The owner of the Payless ShoeSource chain reported profit excluding some items of 61 cents a share in the third quarter, 23 percent higher than the average analyst estimate, according to Bloomberg data.

Comcast Corp. (CMCSA US): The largest U.S. cable operator may announce a deal to form an entertainment venture with General Electric Co.’s (GE US) NBC Universal as early as today, according to a person familiar with the matter.

SeaChange International Inc. (SEAC US): The provider of digital video systems said that, excluding some items, it expects to earn at least 9 cents a share in the fourth quarter. That exceeded the 8-cent average estimate from analysts in a Bloomberg survey.

Sigma Designs Inc. (SIGM US): The maker of processors for Internet television set-top boxes and Blu-ray video players posted earnings excluding some items of 9 cents a share in the third quarter, missing the average analyst estimate by 53 percent, according to Bloomberg data.

Synopsys Inc. (SNPS US): The maker of programs that help engineers design semiconductors forecast profit excluding some items of as much as 40 cents a share in the fiscal first quarter. That’s short of the 41-cent average estimate from analysts in a Bloomberg survey.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX US): The drugmaker said it plans to sell 10 million shares in a public offering managed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lu Wang in New York at lwang8@bloomberg.net