U.S. stocks climbed in afternoon trading on Tuesday, following stronger-than-expected earnings and an upbeat consumer confidence reading.

Helping the day's upbeat tone, U.S. consumer confidence rose in October to its highest since October 2007. The data overshadowed a separate report showing new orders for capital goods by U.S. businesses fell the most in eight months in September.

Columbia Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRX) Q3 results: Revenues: $11.5M (+62.0%); COGS: $5.1M (+59.4%); R&D Expense: $0.2M (+100.0%); SG&A: $2.6M (+52.9%); Operating Income: $3.5M (+169.2%); Net Income: $3.7M (+117.6%); EPS: $0.34 (+209.1%); Quick Assets: $16.4M (-20.8%).

Neurometrix Inc (NASDAQ:NURO) Q3 results: Revenues: $1.4M (+7.7%); Gross Profit: $0.8M (+14.3%); R&D Expense: $1M (+42.9%); SG&A: $1.8M (+12.5%); Operating Loss: ($2M) (-25.0%); Net Loss: ($1.5M) (-114.3%); Loss Per Share: ($0.19) (+26.9%); Quick Assets: $11.7M (+27.2%).

Cynosure, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYNO) Q3 results: Revenues: $71.5M (+17.8%); COGS: $31.2M (+17.3%); R&D Expense: $5.7M (+14.0%); SG&A: $28.6M (-5.0%); Operating Income: $5.3M (+478.6%); Net Income: $3.1M (+338.5%); EPS: $0.14 (+333.3%); Quick Assets: $53.8M (-42.6%).

Receptos (NASDAQ:RCPT) is up 33% premarket on modest volume in response to yesterday's announcement of positive Phase 2 results for RPC1063 in ulcerative colitis.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) enters into an agreement with privately-held Austrian biotech F-star Alpha Ltd. that gives it the exclusive right to acquire the company and its lead asset, FS102, a HER2-targeted therapy for the treatment of breast and gastric cancer. Under the terms of the agreement, BMY will make aggregate payments of $50M consisting of an option fee for the right to acquire F-star Alpha, payment for certain rights and licenses from F-star and a clinical milestone payment upon the initiation of the Phase 1 clinical trial. BMY will conduct and fund the development of FS102 during the option period. Total aggregate consideration may reach $475M.