Icahn energizes Chesapeake; McCormick spices things up; Digital Ally soars

Here’s a look at some of the stocks the Yahoo Finance team will be tracking for you today.

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) shares are jumping before the bell. Activist investor Carl Icahn increased his stake in the shale gas producer to almost 11%, making him the second biggest shareholder in the company. Meantime, Chesapeake Energy announced further cuts to its capital spending budget for this year as it deals with lower oil and gas prices due to a supply glut.

McCormick (MKC) shares are higher early trading. The spice maker posting earnings and revenue that topped analysts' forecasts. However, a stronger dollar took a toll on sales growth last quarter.

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Digital Ally (DGLY) shares are soaring ahead of the open. The maker of digital technology, such as wearable cameras used mainly by the law enforcement industry, swinging to a profit in the fourth quarter. That reverses a year ago loss as sales surged. Revenue jumped more than 54% from a year earlier.

Facebook (FB) shares also grabbing investor attention in early trading. The social networking giant is reportedly holding talks with media companies to host their content directly on the Facebook site. The New York Times reports that under the agreement, media organizations could get a slice of the advertising revenue that runs alongside their content.