Limited Brands - Limited has declared a special dividend of $3 per share. The retailer has scheduled the payout for Dec. 26 for shareholders of record on Dec. 20.
Perry Ellis International - The designer clothing maker declared a special dividend of $1 a share, to be paid on Dec. 28 to shareholders of record on Dec. 21.
Texas Instruments - The chipmaker has narrowed its sales and earnings outlook for the fourth quarter, now expecting revenue of $2.89 billion to $3.01 billion from the prior forecast of $2.83 billion to $3.07 billion. It's now predicting a profit of $0.26 to $0.30 per share, excluding certain items.
HSBC - The bank will pay a $1.9 billion fine to settle a U.S. money laundering probe. The news — which had been telegraphed in prior days — was officially announced this morning.
Gardner Denver - SPX is in talks to buy its rival machinery maker, according to Reuters. A combination of the two companies would have a market value of more than $7 billion. Gardner Denver had said in October that it was pursuing strategic alternatives.
Diageo - The Wall Street Journal said the spirits maker is walking away from talks to acquire a stake in the Jose Cuervo tequila brand, after failing to reach a deal. Diageo currently has a distribution agreement for Cuervo, but that deal expires in June.
Gilead Sciences - Gilead has announced a two-for-one stock split, effective Jan. 28.
Pandora Media - Pandora has launched its online radio service in Australia and New Zealand, tapping new markets where it pays substantially less in licensing fees than it does in the U.S.
Hertz - The car rental giant has announced a 50 million share stock offering by investment funds associated with private-equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, the Carlyle Group, and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.
HCA - The hospital operator has announced a 32 million share offering by funds associated with Bain Capital Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
American International Group - AIG will no longer have the government as a stakeholder, as the Treasury Department announced plans to sell its remaining 234 million shares in the insurer that it acquired during the financial crisis. The Treasury stake, which will be sold at $32.50 per share, currently represents about 16 percent of outstanding shares.
Kraft Foods Group - Kraft has declared its first dividend since its spinoff from the old Kraft Foods. It will pay $0.50 per share on Jan. 13 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 31.
Urban Outfitters - The clothing retailer said fourth-quarter same-store sales are up in high single digits on a percentage basis, somewhat better than analysts were expecting.
Ford Motor - The automaker is the target of an examination by government regulators, after Consumer Reports said two Ford Hybrids fall far short of their mileage claims. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it will examine the report and the data compiled by the magazine.
(Read More: See CNBC's Market Insider Blog)
—By CNBC's Peter Schacknow
Questions? Comments? Email us at marketinsider@cnbc.com
