Dow Closes at New Bear-Market Low

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U.S. jobless claims were unchanged at 627,000 for the week ended Feb. 14, from a previous 623,000 print. Continuing claims were up 170,000 to 4,987,000 in the week ended Feb. 7, from a revised from 4,817,000 (previously 4,810,000), and are again the highest on record. The 4-week moving average rose to 619,000 from 608,500. Overall, the claims were about as-expected, though still showing distress in the jobs market,

Among companies in the news Thursday, Hewlett-Packard posted $0.93 vs. $0.86 first-quarter non-GAAP EPS on a 1% revenue rise (+4% when adjusted for forex impact). The company sees a second-quarter revenue decline of 2%-3%, with non-GAAP EPS of $0.84-$0.86, and a fiscal 2009 revenue decline of 2%-5%, with non-GAAP EPS of $3.76-$3.88.

CBS Corp. (CBS) posted $0.20 vs. $0.43 fourth-quarter EPS on a 6.1% revenue decline. The company cut its quarterly dividend to $0.05 from $0.27. CBS's CEO called the dividend cut "wise and prudent."

Priceline.com (PCLN) posted $1.29 vs. $0.96 fourth-quarter pro forma EPS on a 21% revenue rise. The company sees a first-quarter year-over-year increase in gross travel bookings of flat to 7.5%, a 5%-10% revenue rise, and $0.85-$0.95 pro forma EPS.

O'Reilly Automotive ORLY shares surged after the company posted better-than-expected $0.32 vs. $0.35 fourth-quarter EPS as more shares outstanding offset 4% higher same-store sales and 84% higher total sales. The company sees $0.35-$0.39 first-quarter EPS, and $1.80-$1.84 in 20009, both including the impact of acquisition charges of $.01 per diluted share.

Advance Auto Parts (AAP) shares also jumped after the company posted $0.51 vs. $0.35 fourth-quarter EPS on 3% higher same-store sales and 14% higher total sales.

Whole Foods Market (WFMI) posted better-than-expected $0.20 vs. $0.28 first-quarter EPS on 4% lower same-store sales and flat total sales. The company sees fiscal 2009 EPS of $0.71-$0.76, based on an assumption of flat same-store sales. Wall Street is looking for EPS of $0.66.

CVS Caremark (CVS) posted $0.70 vs. $0.58 fourth-quarter adjusted EPS from continuing operations on 3.6% higher same-store sales, 4.5% higher pharmacy same-store sales, and 10% higher total sales.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) says it will lay off an unspecified number of workers as it restructures its U.S. theme parks in the wake of declines in attendance and revenue.

The market-research firm NPD Group said Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) unit sales of computers through U.S. retail channels fell 6% in January from the same month in 2008, the first monthly decline in three years, according to a Wall Street Journal report.