US stocks ended higher yesterday amid mixed companies news, with Dow setting its 31st record close, as crude oil futures fell sharply.

In the midday trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19.07, or 0.15 percent, to 12,786.64, the 31st record close since early October. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 4.16, or 0.29percent, to 1,459.70, and the Nasdaq composite index climbed 16.73,or 0.67 percent, to 2,513.04.

The market was closed on Monday for President's Day.

Among company news on focus, Dow component Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, said its latest quarterly and full year earnings were just ahead of expectations.

Home Depot Inc., another Dow component, showed it is being impacted by waning activity in the home-building sector, leading to a 28 percent year-over-year decline in fourth-quarter profit and earnings miss.

Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. rose high on Tuesday after the companies vowed to merge in an all-stock deal valued at 4.6 billion dollars.

Crude oil futures fell sharply on Tuesday, ahead of warmer weather in the northeastern United States.