Premarket roundup: Covidien, Sonic

Among the premarket activity stories for Thursday, Sept. 11, from AP Financial News:

NEW YORK (AP) _ Wall Street held a positive outlook for Covidien Ltd. Thursday following the medical device maker and diversified health care company's guidance for sales growth in 2009.

NEW YORK (AP) _ A Piper Jaffray analyst on Thursday said sales at restaurant chain Sonic Corp. could be "challenged" in the fourth quarter, which may lead to lower-than-expected profit.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) _ A Citi Investment Research analyst reiterated his "Sell" rating for International Rectifier Corp. shares after the company urged its shareholders not to act on a sweetened $1.7 billion buyout offer from the chip maker Vishay Intertechnology Inc.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of Northrop Grumman Corp., which just suffered a serious setback in its high-stakes battle against rival Boeing Co. for a lucrative Air Force tanker contract, could see increased activity Thursday after the Navy awarded the military contractor a $5.1 billion deal to build an aircraft carrier.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. continued to fall early Thursday as analysts downgraded the stock a day after the storied Wall Street firm announced plans to sell off assets in a last-ditch effort to survive.

CHICAGO (AP) _ An analyst initiating coverage of The Hain Celestial Group Inc. said Thursday that the natural and organic food producer is poised to show investors the growing strength of its core brands.

DENVER (AP) _ An analyst on Thursday upgraded Albemarle Corp., saying the specialty chemicals manufacturer has opportunities to supply hydroprocessing catalyst capacity to new refineries expected to start up this year.