Lazard

Rambus (Nasdaq: RMBS) 12.2% HIGHER; Rambus and Samsung sign a comprehensive pact. Samsung will invest $200 million in Rambus stock. Click here for the full report.

Cree Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) 10% HIGHER; reports Q2 EPS of $0.38, ex-items, 8 cents better than the analyst estimate of $0.30. Revenue for the quarter was $199.5 million, which compares to the estimate of $186.81 million. Sees Q3 sales of $215-$225 million, versus the consensus of $189.21 million, on adj-EPS of $0.41-$0.44, which compares to the Street estimate of $0.28.

Polypore International, Inc. (NYSE: PPO) 5.4% HIGHER; today announced a new evergreen supply agreement in which Polypore’s Daramic business unit will supply the majority of Exide Technologies’ (Nasdaq: XIDE) lead-acid battery separators on a global basis. This multi-year agreement continues a long-standing relationship between the two companies that has lasted over 40 years. The agreement automatically renews on the contract anniversary date ...

21st Century Holding Company (Nasdaq: TCHC) 18.6% HIGHER; Homeowners Choice, Inc. (Nasdaq: HCII) today announced that it has delivered a letter to the board of directors of 21st Century expressing its interest in a potential business combination between the two companies. Homeowners Choice Board Member Paresh Patel wrote a letter to Bruce Simberg, board chairman of 21st Century, offering $1.00 in cash and 0.5 share of Homeowners Choice common stock for each share of 21st Century common stock. The proposed offer values 21st Century stock at $5.30 per share, approximately a 36% premium over the October 9 closing price of $3.89.

Starent Networks (Nasdaq: STAR) 18.1% HIGHER; Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) announced an agreement today to acquire Starent for $35 per share, or about $2.9 billion. Click here for the full report.

Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN) 16.5% HIGHER; announced today ...