CARLTON COMMUNICATIONS PLC (CCTVY, 44.25)- The media company has agreed to merge with United News & Television Plc (UNEWY, 22.56) in a deal worth $12.6 billion.  Under the terms of the agreement, Carlton shareholders will receive 0.759 shares of UNEWY for each share held. 

CHERRY CORP (CHER, 11.63)- The maker of semiconductors for the automotive industry warned that third quarter and fourth quarter revenues and earnings will fall short of expectations due to "capacity constraints".  The company expects third quarter earnings to be 50%-55% below year ago results.

DESIGNS INC (DESI, 1.41)- The apparel retailer earned 17 cents per share in the third quarter, compared to last year's loss of 55 cents.  Revenues fell 3.4% to $56.7 million in the quarter, and same store sales declined by 2%.  Gross margins improved to 32.5% from 22.9% in last year's third quarter.  The company said it will likely take a fourth quarter charge to cover the expected costs of closing, or selling 10 stores.

EQUITEX INC (EQTX, 8.25)- The financial services holding company's third quarter loss widened to 40 cents per share from last year's loss of 9 cents.  Revenues increased to $679,728 from $204,272.

GROUPE DANONE (DA, 47.31)- The French foods group is reportedly considering making a bid for United Biscuits PLC, according to the Thursday edition of the Financial Times.

MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT, 91.68)- The software maker is reportedly in talks to buy Titus Communications, Japan's second largest cable TV operator, for $950 million according to the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

NATIONAL BANCSHARES CORP. OF TEXAS (NBT, 14.5)- The bank holding company has made a bid to acquire PennCorp Financial Group (PFG, 0.68) for $1 a share in a $28 million deal.

AUTODESK INC (ADSK, 25.5)- The maker of CAD software beat estimates by 15 cents as third quarter pro forma net income, excluding charges, fell 35.7% to 27 cents per share.  Revenues declined by $2 million to $202 million in the quarter.

INTUIT INC (INTU, 44.06)- The maker of personal finance software beat estimates by 7 cents as it reported a narrower than expected first quarter loss of 12 cents per share.  Revenues increased 46% to $163.1 million in the quarter.  The company said Internet revenues rose 119% and now make up 19% of Intuit's total revenue.

MAZEL STORES (MAZL, 9.38)- The retailer's third quarter earnings rose to 12 cents per share from last year's breakeven as revenues increased 10.9% to $67.7 million in the quarter.

MICHAELS STORES (MIKE, 30.19)- The crafts retailer beat estimates by 4 cents as third quarter earnings rose 44% to 34 cents per share.  Revenues increased 21% to $463 million in the quarter, and same store sales rose 8%.

NOVELL (NOVL, 22)- The networking company met expectations as it earned 21 cents per share in its fourth quarter, compared to last year's 12 cents.  Revenues in the quarter increased 16% to $345 million.  The company recorded its strongest revenue growth in Asia where sales increased 31%.

BE AEROSPACE (BEAV, 8.19)- The maker of seating products for airliners warned that it will report a loss in the third quarter due to margin pressures and "production problems" at its Seating Products Group.  The company also sees fiscal 2000 and 2001 earnings and revenues falling short of current analysts' estimates.  The company sees fiscal 2000 earnings of $1.60-$1.70 per share, excluding charges, and fiscal 2001 earnings of $1.25.  Analysts were looking for the company to earn $2.20 in 2000 and $2.49 in 2001.

GOTO.COM INC (GOTO, 106.13)- The Internet search service has agreed to acquire Cadabra Inc, an Internet shopping search service, for $250 million.

HAYES LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL (HAZ, 17.88)- The maker of automotive wheels and brakes missed estimates by 14 cents as it earned 63 cents per share in the third quarter, a penny above last year.  Revenues in the quarter increased to $598.5 million from last year's $443.9 million.  The company attributed the lower than expected results to economic problems in emerging markets, start up costs, slow sales of steel wheels in Europe, and production bottlenecks as the company tried to keep up with the strong demand for aluminum wheels.  The company expects the problems to slow revenue growth in the fourth quarter and in early 2000.

INTERNET CAPITAL GROUP (ICGE, 182.43)- The Internet venture capital company will sell 6 million shares in a secondary offering.  The company also announced a 2 for 1 stock split.  The shares rose 9 1/2 in after hours trading on the news.

MICROWAVE POWER DEVICES (MPDI, 15.88)- The maker of powr amplifiers for wireless companies warned that fourth quarter, and fiscal 2000, earnings and revenues will be below expectations.  The company sees a fourth quarter loss of 3 to 5 cents per share, and fiscal 2000 earnings of $0.20-$0.25.  Analysts were looking for the company to earn 22 cents in the fourth quarter and 82 cents next year.  The company attributed the lower earnings to cost overruns, lower gross margins, and below forecast sales.

COLT TELECOM GROUP PLC (COLT, 135)- The telecom company is the subject of a negative article in Monday's The Times (of London).  One of Colt's founders is quoted as saying the company could run into trouble as bandwidth prices fall in response to an oversupply of fiber optic data networks.

DYCOM INDUSTRIES (DY, 45)- The provider of services to telecommunications companies beat expectations by four cents as fiscal first quarter earnings rose 45.5% to 48 cents per share.  Revenues increased 48% to $160.9 million in the quarter.

EXODUS COMMUNICATIONS (EXDS, 101.5)- The provider of Internet hosting services announced a 2 for 1 stock split.  The shares are up 7 in pre-open trading on the news.

FAMILY GOLF CENTERS (FGCI, 1.66)- The operator of golf centers and ice rinks lost $2.44 per share in its third quarter, compared to last year's profit of $0.07.  Revenues increased 14.3% to $44.1 million in the quarter, but same store sales at its golf centers fell 5.2%.  The company said it expects its fourth quarter and first quarter results to be negatively impacted by its current financial situation, and it expects to take charges in both quarters to cover an ongoing restructuring.

HEWLETT-PACKARD (HWP, 93.63)- The computer maker increased its stock buyback program by $2 billion.

IVAX CORP (IVX, 20.5)- The pharmaceutical maker has signed a 3 year product development pact with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY, 76) to develop inhalation products for the treatment of asthma.

JENKON INTERNATIONAL (JNKN, 2.43)- The maker of direct marketing software said its fiscal first quarter loss narrowed to 27 cents per share from last year's loss of 30 cents.  Revenues tumbled to $805,000 from $1,612,000 in last year's first quarter.  The company attributed the lower sales to competitive pressures.

MATAV-CABLE SYSTEMS MEDIA LTD (MATVY, 50.13)- The Israeli cable TV operator reported a third quarter loss of 33 cents per share, compared to last year's profit of 32 cents.  Revenues increased 5.5% to $26.4 million in the quarter.  The company blamed the loss on higher content, marketing,  and operating costs, and said it expects future results to be effected.

MEDTRONIC INC (MDT, 39)- The medical device maker met expectations as second quarter earnings increased 22% to 22 cents per share, excluding charges.  Revenues rose 17.9% to $1.16 billion in the quarter.  The company attributed its growth to strong sales of pacemakers and implantable  defibrillators. 

NEXTCARD INC (NXCD, 32)- The Internet based credit card company filed to sell 7 million shares in a secondary offering, with 3.5 million of the shares being sold by existing shareholders.

NFRONT INC (NFNT, 19)- The provider of Internet banking services has agreed to be acquired by Digital Insight Corp (DGIN, 50) in a $439 million deal.  Under the terms of the agreement, nFront shareholders will receive 0.579 shares of DGIN for each NFNT share held.  Digital Insight expects the deal to be accretive to gross profits.  nFront shares are up 3 1/2 in pre-open trading on the news.

PAINEWEBBER GROUP (PWJ, 41.25)- The brokerage was the subject of a favorable cover story in this weekend's Barron's.

PRODIGY COMMUNICATIONS (PRGY, 32)- The Internet access provider has reached a deal with SBC Communications (SBC, 52) under which PRGY will be the exclusive provider of Internet access services to SBC's customers.  SBC will acquire a 43% stake in Prodigy as part of the agreement. Prodigy shares are up 4 in pre-open trading on the news.