Earnings News

NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a 3.2 percent increase in third-quarter profit, helped by inventory controls and other cost-cutting measures. Full Story »

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - Kohl's Corp.'s sales of exclusive brands and tight inventory control helped its third-quarter profit rise 21 percent, the company said Thursday. Full Story »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Department store operator Kohl's Corp reported a larger-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by inventory controls and sales of brands it offers exclusively. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's biggest retailer clamped down on inventory and controlled expenses, but forecast earnings for the current period that could miss current Wall Street estimates. Full Story »

Wall Street looked to open with a loss Thursday as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. had disappointing news on consumer spending. Full Story »

MADRID - Spanish telephone company Telefonica SA said Thursday its 3rd quarter net profit dipped 0.6 percent compared to the same period of last year as the company took in less revenue in a recession-plagued economy. Full Story »

PHILADELPHIA - Apparel retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. said Thursday profit rose 5 percent, as higher sales at its Anthropologie chain helped offset weaker results at its Urban Outfitters and Free People stores. Full Story »

WARSAW, Poland - Poland's gas and oil monopoly, PGNiG, posted a better-than-expected third quarter net profit of 408 million zlotys ($148 million), as lower prices for imported gas improved its profit margins, the company said Thursday. Full Story »

BRUSSELS - The world's largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev SA said Thursday it made a $1.546 billion profit in the third quarter but that revenue fell 10 percent from last year, when the company was created in a merger, as beer sales shrank. Full Story »

SHANGHAI - Ctrip.com International Ltd., a Chinese travel service provider, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit rose 80 percent on higher revenues from hotel and flight reservations and tour bookings. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Department-store operator J.C. Penney Co. reports earnings for the third quarter on Friday before the market opens. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period. Full Story »

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc., which sells boat fuel and lubricants to ships in port and at sea, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit rose 49 percent as profit margins from selling marine petroleum products improved. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Macy's Inc.'s third-quarter loss shrunk as tight inventory controls and a move to localize merchandise at its department stores by region paid off. The company also raised its full-year profit and sales outlook. Full Story »

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Applied Materials Inc. said Wednesday that fiscal fourth-quarter net income fell by 40 percent and announced it would cut 1,300 to 1,500 jobs to save money as it grapples with a business downturn. Full Story »

DETROIT - General Motors Co. said Tuesday that it will release its preliminary third-quarter earnings on Monday morning, the automaker's first earnings release since emerging from bankruptcy this summer. Full Story »

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Information technology services provider Computer Sciences Corp. said Wednesday its fiscal second quarter profit fell more than 50 percent from last year when it reaped a large tax benefit, but still beat Wall Street's forecast by 5 cents. Full Story »

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Applied Materials Inc , the world's largest producer of chip-making gear, posted lower quarterly profit on Wednesday, but beat Wall Street estimates and said it planned to cut jobs globally. Full Story »

THE HAGUE (AFP) - Dutch banking and insurance group ING reported a sharp switch into quarterly profit on Wednesday as it restructured after a government bail-out and said it was moving into an "exciting" phase. Full Story »