Mar. 19, 2009 (Investor's Business Daily) -- 3COM (COMS), the networking gear maker, said Q3 EPS jumped 63% to 13 cents ex items, beating views by 3 cents. Sales fell 3.5% to $325 mil, below estimates.

IVERNESS MEDICAL (IMA) will buy Acon Labs' rapid diagnostics business for $200 mil.

LAM RESEARCH (LRCX), a chip gear firm, will ax 375 jobs, 10% of staff, to save $85 mil-$95 mil a year.

CHIP GEAR MAKERS in N. America posted $263.5 mil in orders in Feb., down 7% from Jan. and 58% from Feb. '08, a trade group said. It's a longtime low.

THESTREET.COM (TSCM), the financial news site, will cut 18 jobs, 6% of staff, to save $2.4 mil a year.