Stars and Dogs for the week of April 17

What do Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC have in common, apart from delivering wholesome goodness in every bite? They're all owned by fast-food giant Yum! Brands . Doing its part to spread balanced nutrition options to customers around the globe, the company posted an 11-per-cent gain in first-quarter profit, lifted by strong sales in the fast-growing Chinese market. The stock's fattening up nicely.

Whether you prefer the classic elegance of a leopard print corset or the business casual appeal of booty shorts, Hot Topic has an outfit for you. The teen retailer's alternative fashions aren't for everyone, but investors aren't complaining: The company said its core businesses are improving, and a regular and special dividend declared last week didn't hurt the stock, either.

It's fitting that Lions Gate Entertainment's newest flick is called Kick-Ass , because that's what activist investor and all-around nice guy Carl Icahn aims to do at the film studio. This week, he raised his hostile bid to $7 (U.S.) a share from $6 and reiterated his intention to replace the board and management "with individuals who are more likely to enhance value for all shareholders." The stock's kicking some butt of its own.

Symptoms of heartburn: irritation in the throat and chest; difficulty swallowing. Symptoms of investing in heartburn drug maker Santarus : rapid financial loss; depression. The shares plunged after a U.S. federal court ruled against the company in its patent suit against Par Pharmaceuticals, which wants to make a generic version of Santarus's prescription drug Zegerid. Acid reflux was never this bad.

Downside of volcano eruptions: a) People frozen in place for thousands of years; b) Marshmallows and hot dogs incinerated by intense heat; c) Airline stocks hammered. With most of Europe turned into a no-fly zone by a massive cloud of volcanic ash, shares of British Airways and other carriers sank amid reports that the industry is losing $200-million (U.S.) a day. Shareholders could be stranded for a while.