MARKET PULSE-Sarepta, HP, Leap, Ocwen, Netflix, Adtran

Oct 3 (Reuters) - Some U.S. stocks on the move on Wednesday:

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WALL ST UP AS DATA SHOW U.S. ECONOMY STILL GROWING

U.S. stocks advanced on Wednesday after stronger-than-expected employment and service-sector data in the United States. But a gloomier outlook in China and Europe weighed on commodity prices and hit energy and materials shares.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 35.82 points, or 0.27 percent, to 13,518.18, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index

added 7.51 points, or 0.52 percent, to 1,453.26 and the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 19.30 points, or 0.62 percent, at 3,139.34.

** SAREPTA THERAPEUTICS INC , $41.60, up 177 pct (1345 ET)

An experimental drug improved walking ability in boys suffering from a rare degenerative disease that causes progressive muscle loss, data from a new study showed.

** HEWLETT-PACKARD CO , $15.42, down 9.8 pct (1344 ET)

The company warned of a worsening outlook for 2013 earnings on Wednesday, reflecting slow progress on CEO Meg Whitman's turnaround plan while technology spending sputters.

** BIOLASE INC , $2.23, up 34.84 pct (1346 ET)

The company said health regulators in Europe and the United States approved its laser device for use in soft tissue surgery, teeth whitening, and pain therapy.

** PHAZAR CORP , $2.49, down 24.5 pct (1224 ET)

The holding company named Robert Fitzgerald chief executive more than two months after Garland Asher said he would retire from the position.

Fitzgerald, who will also act as President and Director, was CEO of Proxim Wireless Corp until 2008, and is currently President of investment firm QAR Llc.

** BIOLINE RX LTD , $3.16, up 21.07 pct (1236 ET)

Aegis Capital initiated coverage of the Israeli biopharmaceutical company with a "buy" rating and a price target of $11 per share, saying the company was one of the most undervalued entities in the biotechnology sector.

** METROPCS INC , $12.26, down 9.65 pct (1346 ET)

Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS said they will merge their U.S. mobile operations to create a larger fourth-place player better able to compete with rivals.

** LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL INC , $6.43, down 15.2 pct (1346 ET)

J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the low-cost mobile services provider to "neutral" from "overweight," saying the stock has reached its fair value after the just announced Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS merger.

** OCWEN FINANCIAL CORP , $33.42, up 15.4 pct (1230 ET)

The company strengthened its hold on the residential mortgage servicing market with a $750 million deal to buy Residential Holdings Inc from private equity firm WL Ross & Co.

** XYRATEX LTD , $7.57, down 13.6pct (1236 ET)

The network and storage equipment maker's third-quarter results missed analysts estimates as demand in the enterprise sector fell. The company forecast a surprise loss for the current quarter.

Brean Murray cut its price target on the stock.

** RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC , $9.44, down 8.8 pct (1347 ET)

The clinical-stage drug development company announced a public offering of 13.7 million common shares priced at $9.50 each.

** TEKMIRA PHARMACEUTICALS CORP , $3.62, up 8.7 pct (1257 ET)

The company said on Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Defense lifted a temporary stop-work order on its program to develop TKM-Ebola, a drug to treat the hemorrhagic fever virus Ebola.

** ANTARES PHARMA INC , $4.01, down 8.6 pct (1239 ET)

The company said its public offering of 12.5 million shares was priced at a discount.

** NETFLIX INC , $61.66 up 8.2 pct (1240 ET)

Citi Investment Research said Netflix's generally positive track record and reasonable valuation made the online streaming video company a "screaming" buy, despite significant risks.

** HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS INC , $30.34, down 7.5 pct (1238 ET)

Stifel Nicolaus cut the company's stock to 'sell' saying the company was at risk from falling prices in the small and midsized enterprises segment where start-ups like Square Inc are gaining traction.

** STRATASYS INC , $60.80, up 7.5 pct (1241 ET)

Craig-Hallum Capital upgraded the three-dimensional printer maker's stock to "buy" from "hold," and raised its price target to $70 from $50, StreetInsider.com reported.

** US AIRWAYS GROUP INC , $11.64, up 7 pct (1241 ET)

The air carrier said it expects its full-year total system capacity to be up 2 percent, compared with a year earlier, and domestic capacity to rise 2 percent. It also said it expects to end third quarter with about $2.75 billion in total cash and cash equivalents.

** ALERE INC , $21.07, up 8.7 pct (1339 ET)

The company said it reached an agreement with U.S. health regulators on product specifications related to the manufacture of its diagnostic test for critical disease.

** ADTRAN INC , $15.97, down 7.1 pct (1338 ET)

The network gear maker said typical seasonality and a weak spending environment may lead to a decrease in fourth-quarter revenue.

** INTERMUNE INC , $9.36, up 5.7 pct (1237 ET)

The biotechnology company said Canadian health regulators approved its drug to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal lung disease.

** SUPERIOR ENERGY SERVICES INC , $19.25, down 5.4 percent (1242 ET)

The oilfield services company estimated a weak third-quarter profit as operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico were hit by Hurricane Isaac.

Raymond James analysts cut the price target on the company's stock to $22.50 from $25.50.

** GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES LTD , $3.74, up 4.8 pct (1243 ET)

Phenogen Sciences, the U.S. unit of the Australia-based company, launched its lead cancer test BrevaGen in 49 states in the United States. The genetic test maker said it expects to sell the product, designed to help physicians assess breast cancer risk in patients, in New York next year.

** SMITH & WESSON HOLDING CORP , $10.35, down 5 pct (1243 ET)

** STURM RUGER & COMPANY INC , $46.75, down 3.8 pct (1244 ET)

Brokerage Benchmark Co analyst Mike Greene said the growth in adjusted Federal Bureau of Investigation background checks, which represent firearm sales, slowed to 14.7 percent in September, after growth of above 20 percent for the past four months.

** ARQULE INC , $2.28, up 4.6 pct (1244 ET)

The stock regained some value after plunging about 60 percent on Tuesday when the biotechnology company said it will discontinue a late-stage trial of a lung cancer drug it was co-developing with Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd .

** MONSANTO CO , $88.96, down 1.8 pct (1245 ET)

The global agribusiness group posted a fourth-quarter loss, as expected, amid a seasonally sluggish sales period, and offered a conservative outlook for the new year.

** BEST BUY CO INC , $17.58, up 3.6 pct (1245 ET)

The company's founder Richard Schulze and at least four private equity firms have started examining the books of the world's largest consumer electronics chain, in early steps toward what could become a potential $11 billion buyout, according to people familiar with the matter.

** FAMILY DOLLAR STORES INC , $68.44, up 3.6 pct (1242 ET)

The company reported a higher quarterly profit on Wednesday that met analysts' estimates, as increased sales of food and other basic goods brought shoppers into the stores and did not pressure margins as much as expected.

** SOURCEFIRE INC , $46.46, down 3.12 pct (1247 ET)

The cyber-security software maker said on Tuesday that Chief Executive John Burris will step down, effective immediately, three months after he had taken medical leave of absence to undergo treatment for colon cancer.

** B&G FOODS INC , $30.40, down 2.4 pct (1245 ET)

The company, which sells Ortega Mexican food and Cream of Wheat hot cereals, said it priced its public offering of 3.6 million shares at $30.25 per share - a 3.5 percent discount. The proceeds from the offering would be used to pay down its debt and costs related to the acquisition of the New York Style and Old London brands.

** WALGREEN CO , Tuesday close $36.49, down 1.1 pct (1246 ET)

The largest U.S. drugstore chain reported a nearly 8 percent decline in September sales as calendar day shifts hurt pharmacy sales along with generic drug introductions.

(Complied by Aditi Shrivastava in Bangalore)

(aditi.shrivastava@thomsonreuters.com, within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5783, Reuters messaging: aditi.shrivastava.reuters.com@reuters.net)

Keywords: MARKETS USA STOCKS/PULSE