Stocks to Watch: Stocks to Watch: Washington Post, Abercrombie

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) � Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Friday�s session are Washington Post Co., Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Hewlett-Packard Co.

Washington Post WPO �is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings on Friday. The media company plans to sell several of its publications, including The Herald, a daily headquartered in Everett, Wash., to Black Press Ltd. The deal is expected to close in early March.

Apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch ANF �is expected to report fourth-quarter earning of $1.96 a share, according to a consensus survey by FactSet.

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�Sentiment has dramatically improved into the print given sell-side EPS revisions and signs of improved inventory management. We estimate management can satisfy investor expectations with initial fiscal year 2013 EPS outlook given improving fundamentals in the business and the Street�s fairly conservative [earnings before interest and taxes] margin expectations,� said John Kernan, an analyst at Cowen, about Abercrombie.

Barnes Group Inc. B �is projected to post fourth-quarter earnings of 51 cents a share. The aerospace manufacturing company�s board declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cents a share on Feb. 13.

Charter Communications Inc. CHTR �is likely to report a narrower loss of 28 cents a share for its fourth quarter. The cable TV systems operator�s revenue is forecast to rise 4% to $1.9 billion.

Warner Chilcott PLC WCRX �is forecast to report earnings of 73 cents a share in the fourth quarter. The maker of health-care and dermatology products said earlier this month that its 2013 profit is likely to miss Wall Street�s estimate of $3.29 a share. See: Warner Chilcott expects to miss 2013 outlook.

Late Thursday, Hewlett-Packard HPQ �turned in fiscal first-quarter results and an outlook for the second quarter that each surpassed expectations. H-P said it now expects adjusted earnings of 80 cents to 82 cents a share for the current period. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 77 cents a share. See: H-P profit falls, but results beat muted views.