Ford
The automaker posted its best first-quarter profit in 13 years thanks to an improving economy and a lineup of more fuel-efficient vehicles that reached showrooms as gas prices surged.
Ford said net income rose 22 percent to $2.6 billion, its best first-quarter performance since 1998. It was the company’s eighth straight quarterly profit in its long climb back from near-bankruptcy five years ago.
The company earned 61 cents a share, compared with 50 cents a share in the same quarter a year ago. Revenues rose 18 percent to $33.1 billion.
Western Union
First-quarter earnings rose 1.1 percent, with adjusted results topping analysts’ estimates, as revenue increased, helped by improved gains from transaction fees.
The Douglas County-based money-transfer company reported a profit of $210.2 million, or 32 cents a share, up from $207.9 million, or 30 cents, a year earlier. Excluding items such as restructuring costs, earnings were 35 cents. Revenue rose 4.1 percent to $1.28 billion.
Coca-Cola
First-quarter net income climbed 18 percent as global sales of its sodas and juices grew but narrowly missed Wall Street’s expectations.
Coca-Cola’s net income rose to $1.9 billion, or 82 cents a share, for the quarter. That’s up from $1.61 billion, or 69 cents a share, a year ago. Adjusted for one-time items in the most recent period, the company earned 86 cents a share. Revenue increased 40 percent to $10.52 billion.
Amazon
Net income fell 33 percent in the latest quarter, a steeper drop than Wall Street expected as it poured more money into expanding its operations.
Amazon said after the market closed that its net income was $201 million, or 44 cents a share, down from $299 million, or 66 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 38 percent to $9.86 billion.
Delta Air Lines
A loss of $318 million in the first quarter came as the carrier was battered by high fuel costs, winter storms and the disasters in Japan.
Delta’s loss was wider than its $256 million first-quarter loss in 2010. Last quarter’s loss amounted to 38 cents a share, compared with a 31-cent-a- share loss a year earlier. The company’s operating revenue was $7.7 billion in the quarter, up 13 percent.
Netflix
Another rousing performance in the first quarter, with its video-subscription service attracting 3.6 million more customers to boost its U.S. audience to roughly the same size as the country’s largest cable- TV carrier, Comcast, produced increased earnings.
Netflix earned $60.2 million, or $1.11 a share, during the first quarter. That was up 87 percent from $32.3 million, or 59 cents a share, at the same time last year. Revenue rose 46 percent to $719 million.
UMB
The financial-holding company had earnings of $30.9 million, or $0.77 a share, an increase of $4.7 million, or 17.9 percent, compared with the first quarter of 2010. Total revenue increased 14.8 percent to $186.2 million.
