6 Super Hot Stocks: NY Times Rips 4% Higher, Southwest Pops 1.3%

Shares of The New York Times Co. (NYSE:NYT) are attracting attention early Thursday as the company reports third-quarter earnings.  The media company reported earnings of $15.7 million (10 cents per share), compared to a loss of $4.3 million (3 cents per share) last year.  Shares are 4% higher at the open.

Union Pacific Corp (NYSE:UNP) reported a 16% increase in third-quarter earnings early this morning.  The company reported earnings of $904 million ($1.85 per share), an increase from last year’s $778 million ($1.56 per share).  Shares are up more than 3% at the open.  CSX Corporation (NYSE:CSX) is also trading higher.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) is popping 1.3% in early trading, despite reporting a third-quarter loss.  Rising traffic helped earnings in the face of rising fuel costs.  Southwest reported a loss of $140 million (18 cents per share), compared to a $205 million profit (27 cents per share) last year.  AMR Corporation (NYSE:AMR) is trading slightly lower on the news.

AT&T (NYSE:T) is falling more than 1% in early trading after reporting a 71% decline in third-quarter earnings.  Last year’s earnings release included a large tax gain.  The telecom giant lost exclusivity to Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) popular iPhone earlier this year.  Sprint (NYSE:S) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) both offer the iPhone.

Investing Insights: AT&T Earnings Cheat Sheet: Revenue Sees Decline After Four Consecutive Quarters of Increases, Net Income Falls.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) are both trading higher after reports are coming out that Microsoft is trying to buy Yahoo, again.  Under the deal, Microsoft would kick in the most money, while private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board would pitch in too.