WALL STREET STOCKS/POLAROID <PRD> Rumors that New York investor Asher Edelman has acquired a stake in Polaroid Corp and optimism about tomorrow's status hearing on the patent infringement suit pending with Eastman Kodak Co <EK> sent Polaroid's stock higher, traders said. Polaroid rose 1-1/8 to 74-1/2. "Speculation that Edelman was going to take a stake in Polaroid was kicking around a few months ago, and resurfaced today," one trader said. Edelman had no comment on the rumors. A spokesman for Polaroid said the company had not been contacted by Edelman and no filing had been made with the Securities and Exchange Commission about a stake in the company. "There is some hope among investors that there will some progress in the status hearing tomorrow on the patent infringement suit with Kodak," analyst Michael Ellmann of Wertheim and Co said. Traders said it is conceivable that a trial date could be set or some progress made on an out-of-court settlement. The suit, filed by Polaroid in April 1976, charges that Kodak infringed upon Polaroid's instant camera patent. In October 1985, the court barred Kodak from selling cameras or film that infringe upon the patent, the Polaroid spokesman said. Ellmann said he feels it is highly unlikely that any progress will be made in tomorrow's hearing. Ellmann said the stock may have also gotten a boost today from some optimism concerning new products the company is currently working on. "Polaroid's announcement that a particularly senior company executive had been chosen to work on a major unidentified new product spurred some speculation about their products," he said. "I am speculating that the new product could be an electronic still camera," referring to a camera that records its images on magnetic disks as opposed to conventional film. Ellmann said the stock may have also gotten a boost today from some optimism concerning new products the company is currently working on. "Polaroid's announcement that a particularly senior company executive had been chosen to work on a major unidentified new product spurred some speculation about their products," he said. "I am speculating that the new product could be an electronic still camera," referring to a camera that records its images on magnetic disks as opposed to conventional film.