NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- -Shares of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:ERTS) (ERTS) fell 1.8% to $55 in late trading Wednesday after the Redwood City, Calif., company said the Securities and Exchange Commission began an informal probe into the company's options.

According to an SEC filing, the company "received an informal inquiry from the Securities and Exchange Commission requesting certain documents and information relating to EA's stock option grant practices from January 1, 1997, to the present. EA intends to cooperate with all matters related to this request."

Shares of Cincinnati's Cintas Corp. (NASDAQ-NMS:CTAS) (CTAS) fell 1.3% to $39.20 after the uniform and garment company posted first-quarter revenue below Street expectations.

First-quarter revenue at the uniform and safety equipment company stood at $ 914.2 million, up 11%. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call had been for Cintas to post sales of $921 million.

Shares of Herman Miller Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:MLHR) (MLHR) added 11% to $32.50 after the company said its fiscal first-quarter profit jumped 20% as increased orders helped drive a 4% sales jump.

For the quarter ended Sept. 2, the Zeeland, Mich., company reported net income of $28.5 million, or 43 cents a share, up from $23.7 million, or 34 cents a share, a year ago. A Thomson First Call survey of analysts, on average, forecast earnings of 39 cents a share for the most recent period.

Shares of Xyratex Ltd. (NASDAQ-NMS:XRTX) (XRTX) lost 6.7% to $18 after the U.K. company issued a fourth-quarter forecast below Wall Street's expectations. The company said it expects fourth-quarter per-share earnings of 17 cents to 27 cents, or 24 cents to 34 cents on a pro forma basis, on revenue of $215 million to $230 million. Analysts on average were currently looking for earnings of 56 cents a share on revenue of $251 million for the fourth quarter.

Shares of Spectrum Control Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:SPEC) (SPEC) fell 6.5% to $9.71 after the company reported third-quarter results.

"Our sales increased by $7.3 million, or 28%, from the same period last year," said Chief Executive Dick Southworth in a press release. "Of this 28% increase, 16% arose from internal or organic growth and 12% reflects the impact of our recent acquisitions."

Shares of Intervoice Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:INTV) (INTV) rose 0.4% to $7.66 after the company issued a third-quarter revenue forecast range that brackets analyst estimates.

Shares of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ-NMS:CMTL) (CMTL) rose 3.6% to $35.25 as the communications products company said fourth-quarter net income rose to $11.8 million, or 45 cents a share, from $11 million, or 42 cents a share, during the same period in the prior year.

Analysts polled by Thomson First Call had expected per-share income of 32 cents.

Shares of ImClone Systems Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:IMCL) (IMCL) dropped nearly 1% to $29.25 after the company's board re-elected David Kies as chairman, despite the call by newly elected director Carl Icahn for Kies to step down as chairman.

Shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:ALNY) (ALNY) rose 3.4% to $14.50 after the company said it plans to collaborate with Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:BIIB) (BIIB) to develop RNAi therapeutics for the potential treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, a viral infection of the brain.

Biogen shares increased slightly, up 0.1% to $43.71. Biogen will fund all research and development activities, and Alnylam will receive an upfront payment of $5 million, plus milestone payments.

Shares of Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:SLAB) (SLAB) lost 4.2% to $30.74 after the Austin, Texas, circuit maker cut its third-quarter revenue guidance due to lower demand. The company cut its revenue outlook to between $113 million and $116 million, from $122 million and $127 million.

Shares of Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NASDAQ-NMS:NCST) (NCST) lost 16% to $9 after the company said the Phase II trial of its dermatitis drug candidate for children and adolescents failed to meet its primary endpoint.

Success rates for the drug, NPI 32101 in a topical cream form, were statistically identical to that of the placebo, according to preliminary results. A more detailed analysis of the study is under way, and the company plans to continue its NPI 32101 development efforts.

-By Erica Owen, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5393; erica.owen@dowjones.com

    (END) Dow Jones Newswires   09-20-06 1731   Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.