Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell Thursday:
Corning - The maker of specialty glass and other materials rose in premarket trade after Citi Research upgraded its shares to "buy" from "neutral."
Hertz Global Holdings - The car-rental company jumped in early New York trading after investor Carl Icahn reported hiking his stake in the company.
Hyatt Hotels - The lodging company and competitors including Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide rose after Evercore initiated coverage with a "buy" recommendation. Marriott International was little moved as Evercore initiated coverage of its shares with a "hold" rating.
Kraft Foods Group - The producer of packaged foods and beverages rose after naming John Cahill as chairman and CEO.
L Brands - Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of the owner of the Victoria Secret brand with a "buy" recommendation.
LinkedIn - The professional networking site gained in premarket trading after Wells Fargo Securities initiated coverage with an "outperform" rating.
Oracle - The software company climbed in premarket trading after reporting second-quarter profit and sales that topped expectations.
Williams-Sonoma - Goldman Sachs upgraded the upscale retailer to "buy" from "neutral," and added it to its conviction- buy list.
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