Digital video recording service provider TiVo Inc. (NDAQ:TIVO) posted a narrower Q4 loss Wednesday, beating Wall Street expectations. The Alviso-based company reported a quarterly loss of $18.7 million, or $0.19 per share, for the three months ended Jan. 31. In the same period last year, TiVo's net loss was $21.1 million, or $0.25 per share. Net revenues climbed to $77.6 million from $60.1 million a year ago.

Capitalizing on the popularity of social networks and online worlds, Sony (NYSE:SNE) will launch its own virtual universe and another 3-D game built almost entirely by players. "Home" is a real-time, networked world for the PlayStation 3 in which players create human-looking characters called avatars. They can buy clothing, furniture and videos to play on a virtual flat-screen television in their virtual apartments. Sony will launch a beta version in April and officially debut in the fall as a free download on the PlayStation online store.

Martek Biosciences Corp. (NDAQ:MATK), which makes nutritional oils to supplement baby food, said it expects a Q2 net income between $4.8 million and 5.8 million, or $0.15 to $0.18 per share. Analysts expect earnings of $0.17 per share, and revenue forecasted at $73.7 million in revenue. Martek is expecting revenue between $73 million and $74 million. As well, the company released that their Q1 profit fell 32% due to higher operating costs.

Biotechnology company OncoGenex Technologies Inc., which has been trying to launch its initial public offering in a week of stormy trading on the world's stock markets, withdrew its IPO. Plans to begin trading later in the week were not realized, and the IPO was pushed into this week. Last Thursday, the company lowered its estimated IPO price range to $7.50 to $8.50 a share, from $10 to $12 in an amended filing with the SEC. The underwriters also increased the size of the offering to 5 million shares from 4.5 million shares. OncoGenex is attempting to commercialize new cancer therapies that address treatment resistance in patients.

Athletic shoe retailer Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE:FL) said it expects its Q1 and full-year earnings to fall short of Wall Street expectations. The company is projecting quarterly earnings of $0.34 to $0.37 per share. In the year-ago quarter, Foot Locker earned $0.37 per share. Analysts expect higher earnings of $0.41 per share. For the full year, the company expects earnings of $1.55 to $1.65 per share, while analysts are looking for earnings of $1.74 per share.

Polypore, Inc. (PPO) today announced net sales of $124.9 million for the three months ended December 30, 2006, representing a 23% increase over Q4 2005.

Mamma.com Inc. (NDAQ:MAMA), a Montreal-based Internet search engine, reported a Q4 profit, reversing a year-ago loss, as the company expanded distribution and signed new clients. Net income totaled $420,175, or $0.03 per share, from a loss of $762,555, or $0.06 per share, a year ago. Q4 revenue more than doubled to $3.6 million from $1.6 million a year ago.

Express Scripts Inc. (NDAQ:ESRX) announced it has increased its bid to acquire Caremark Rx Inc., but company officials said they expect closer scrutiny from federal regulators over the proposed deal. Express Scripts' offer is to acquire all outstanding shares of Caremark for $29.25 in cash and 0.426 shares of Express Scripts stock for each share of stock in Nashville-based Caremark. The St. Louis-based pharmacy benefits manager said it will now pay additional cash consideration of nearly 6% per annum on the $29.25 cash portion of its offer.

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C), which earlier this week announced that it was bidding on a major Japanese brokerage, also is looking to purchase a Taiwanese bank. Citigroup, the largest bank in the United States, has agreed to pay $424 million to acquire the Bank of Overseas Chinese in Taiwan.

Discount carrier JetBlue Airways (NDAQ:JBLU) named a new chief operating officer on Wednesday, shoring up its management team just weeks after suffering a major service meltdown. Russell Chew, former chief operating officer at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, will assume the COO role at JetBlue on March 19. Oversight of JetBlue's daily operations was previously handled by President David Barger to whom Chew will report.