A.G. Edwards among big stock movers

Stocks that were moving substantially or trading heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:

NYSE

A.G. Edwards, up $11.01 at $88.16; Wachovia Corp., down 36 cents at $54.19.

Wachovia, the nation's fourth-largest bank, said Thursday it would acquire A.G. Edwards for $6.8 billion in cash and stock in a deal to form the second-largest retail brokerage firm in the United States.

Payless ShoeSource Inc., up $1.01 at $35.72.

The shoe retailer said late Wednesday that its first-quarter profits rose 8 percent on stronger sales.

Jo-Ann Stores Inc., up $2.77 at $33.82.

TheDeal.com reported that the fabric and crafts chain will be sold for nearly $1 billion.

NASDAQ

Dendreon Corp., up $1.81 at $8.55.

The biotech drug developer said the Food and Drug Administration will accept an analysis of data from a current clinical trial to supplement the marketing application for its prostate cancer vaccine.

Ciena Corp., up $5.04 at $34.32.

The networking equipment maker boosted its full-year sales growth expectations and projected that third-quarter revenue may exceed Wall Street estimates.

Optium Corp., down $2.16 at $13.53.

The maker of optical switching and transmission equipment said late Wednesday its fiscal 2007 third-quarter profit rose, but the results missed analyst estimates.