Microsoft
The company said Thursday its fiscal first-quarter profit rose 23 percent as brisk sales of the new “Halo 3” video game, Windows and Office helped the software- maker breeze past Wall Street’s expectations.
For the quarter ended Sept. 30, Microsoft’s profit climbed to $4.29 billion, or 45 cents per share, from $3.48 billion, or 35 cents per share, during the same period last year.
The results handily beat Wall Street’s predictions. Analysts, on average, had forecast a profit of 39 cents per share, according to a Thomson Financial poll.
Revenue grew 27 percent to $13.76 billion from $10.81 billion in the year-ago quarter.
Janus Capital Group
The Denver-based mutual fund company’s third-quarter earnings unexpectedly fell because of costs to sell the U.S. money manager’s unprofitable printing business.
Net income declined 59 percent to $12.2 million, or 7 cents a share, from $29.5 million, or 15 cents, a year earlier. Excluding costs from the pending sale, Janus earned 29 cents a share, exceeding the 27-cent estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Above-average performance nearly doubled retail-fund deposits to $2.9 billion in the third quarter.
Ball
A day after announcing two plant closures, Ball executives said that they may make additional cuts in package manufacturing operations.
The company, which produces metal and plastic product packaging, made the announcement as it reported a drop in third-quarter net income because of a $51.8 million after-tax charge related to a lawsuit settlement.
For the quarter ending Sept. 30, Ball reported net income of $60.9 million, or 59 cents a share, compared with $107.1 million, or $1.02 per share, in the third quarter of 2006. Revenue rose to $1.9 billion from $1.8 billion last year.
Xcel Energy
The owner of utilities in Denver and Minneapolis said third-quarter profit rose 12 percent after rates increased in Colorado and warm weather stoked demand.
Net income climbed to $251.7 million, or 58 cents a share, from $224.5 million, or 53 cents, a year earlier, the Minneapolis-based company said. Revenue was little changed at $2.4 billion.
ProLogis
The world’s largest developer of warehouses and distribution centers said third-quarter profit rose 80 percent on gains from property sales and increased rents.
Net income increased to $299.4 million, or $1.12 a share, from $166.3 million, or 65 cents a share, a year ago, the Denver-based real estate investment trust said.
E.W. Scripps
The owner of the Rocky Mountain News and Food Network said third-quarter profit rose 21 percent, helped by higher ratings for new television shows and increased distribution.
Net income increased to $88.4 million, or 54 cents a share, from $73.1 million, or 44 cents, a year earlier. Profit excluding some items was 50 cents a share, beating the 41-cent average of eight analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales gained 2.2 percent to $596.4 million.
Cable-TV revenue jumped 16 percent, beating Scripps’ July projection, while newspaper ad sales were hurt by a 14 percent drop in classifieds.
Comcast
The nation’s biggest cable-TV systems operator said that its third-quarter profit fell 54 percent and new customer additions slowed amid competition from phone and satellite-TV companies.
Comcast earned $560 million, or 18 cents per share, in the three months ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.22 billion, or 38 cents, in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue rose by 21 percent to $7.78 billion.
