• AIG (NYSE:AIG) posted an $8.9 billion loss and said it could knock on the US government’s door to help meet its obligations
• CKE Restaurants (NYSE:CKR) will be purchased by Thomas H Lee Partners for $928 million, or $11.05 per share
• Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG) reported inline sales and earnings for its fourth quarter, with results of 24 cents on revenues of $1.8 billion
• Gap (NYSE:GPS) reported after the close yesterday that its earnings topped estimates by one cent at 51 cents and revenues matched Zacks estimates at $4.24 billion
• Conseco (NYSE:CNO) reported earnings of 15 cents, missing Zacks estimates of 20 cents, on revenues of $1.06 billion, which fell short of projections at $1.11 billion
• Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) initiated coverage of JM Smucker (NYSE:SJM) with a rating of “neutral,” and a $67 price target
• Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) upgraded shares of AstraZeneca (NYSE:ACN) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) from “sell” to “neutral.”
• Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) upgraded both China Unicom (NYSE:CHU) and China Telecom (NYSE:CHA) to “buy” from “hold.”
