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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Snack maker Diamond Foods Inc. said Thursday that its fourth-quarter profit more than tripled as the company reported better-than-expected results.

For the three months ending July 31, the maker of nuts and other snack foods, said it earned $2.6 million, or 16 cents per share. That's compares to a profit of $774,000, or 5 cents per share, during the same period last year.

Revenue grew 1 percent, to $113.15 million, up year-ago sales of $112.44 million.

• ADP Employment for Sept. - Street expects -200K

• Final GDP for Q2 - Street expects -1.2%

• Chicago PMI for Sept. - Street expects 52

• Crude Inventories for the week of 9/25

Post holiday season as investors get back to their desks, it's evident that M&A activity is back on the agenda as the market digests news of Kraft Foods (KFT) offer to acquire Cadbury's (CBY). The bid is perceived as hostile and it's expected that more news will emerge as we step through the coming month. This event has prompted interest in the sector and Dataexplorers highlights the following short positions:

"The company sells products under the Emerald line and culinary nuts under the Diamond brand. And, as of September now owns Pop Secret, the number 2 popcorn brand commanding a 25% market share.

"If this market is making you go nuts, I have just the stock for you: Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND), the premier processor and marketer of culinary, inshell, snack and ingredient nuts," says growth stock expert Tom Bishop.

In his BI Research, the advisor explains, "Diamond is a solidly growing, low PEG, fairly recession-resistant stock that should continue to be in style over the uncertain year ahead." Here's his review.

"The company, headquartered in Stockton, California, hs distribution in over 80% of U.S. supermarkets. The recent acquisition of Pop Secret now adds popcorn to the line-up.