American Express Company (AXP: chart) posted Monday record quarterly earnings, citing growth in card member spending in the retail, everyday spending, travel and entertainment sectors. The diversified financial and travel services company rolled out net income of $879 million, or 69 cents a share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2004, a 14% rise from $770 million, or 59 cents a share, generated in the prior-year period. The earnings matched Wall Street’s consensus forecast. For the quarter ended September 30, revenue increased 12% to $7.2 billion from $6.4 billion, a year ago. New York-based American Express said it also benefited from higher client asset levels, stronger brokerage sales and fewer bad loans. The company’s Travel Related Services division recorded net income of $726 million in the third quarter, up 20% over year-earlier quarter. American Express Bank reported net income of $32 million for the quarter, an 18% increase from $27 million, in 2003. The American Express Financial Advisors division posted a 6% drop in net income of $186 million, due to higher operating expenses.

Company shares closed Monday at $51.15, down 58 cents, or 1.12%.

Flextronics International Ltd. (FLEX: chart) announced after the bell Monday that it swung to a quarterly profit from a prior-year loss, helped by strong revenue. The Singapore-based leading contract electronics manufacturer posted net earnings of $92.6 million, or 16 cents per share, for its fiscal second quarter, rebounding from a net loss of $100.1 million, or 19 cents per share, for the corresponding period last year. Excluding items, the company reported a second-quarter profit of $98.5 million, or 17 cents per share, up from a profit before items of $47.5 million, or 9 cents per share, a year ago. Results were in line with analysts’ expectations. Quarterly revenue improved to $4.14 billion from $3.50 billion.

The stock dropped 4 cents on Monday to $12.54. Company shares plunged 7.50% to $11.60 in after-market trade.

BellSouth Corporation (BLS: chart) said before the bell Monday that its quarterly income decreased nearly 15%, due to weak revenue and costs related to Cingular Wireless' planned purchase of AT&T Wireless Services Inc. The Atlanta, Georgia-based telecommunications company announced a net profit of $799 million, or 44 cents a share, for its fiscal 2004 third quarter, down from a net profit of $936 million, or 51 cents a share, for the prior-year period. Excluding items, earnings amounted to $893 million, or 49 cents a share, in the quarter ended September 30, compared with $926 million, or 50 cents a share, in 2003. On that basis, analysts had predicted a profit of 51 cents a share, on average. BellSouth, which teamed up with SBC Communications Inc. to form mobile phone operator Cingular Wireless, said quarterly revenue came to $5.10 billion against $5.14 billion, last year. Including Cingular, the company reported revenue of $6.75 billion in the quarter, up 0.4% from a year ago.

The stock lost 13 cents on Monday to $26.42.

Pulte Homes, Inc. (PHM: chart) on Monday turned in a net profit of $270 million, or $2.07 a share, for its third quarter, in contrast to a net profit of $168.9 million, or $1.34 a share, for the 2003 equivalent. Excluding items, the Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based homebuilder reported a profit of $259.2 million, or $1.99 a share, up from $161 million, or $1.28 a share, last year. The results fell a penny a share shy of the mean analysts’ estimate. Pulte attributed the profit rise to higher revenue, which rose to $2.97 billion in the quarter from $2.40 billion, a year ago.

Pulte shares soared 8.51% to close Monday at $51.50. The stock added 25 cents to $51.75 in the extended session.

Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI: chart) of Stamford, Connecticut, reported Monday that its quarterly income increased 16% from a year ago, boosted by solid U.S. sales. The world’s largest producer of postage meters said that it earned $136.5 million, or 58 cents a share, in the third quarter, which compares to net income of $118.4 million, or 50 cents a share, in the 2003 corresponding quarter. Excluding items, earnings totaled 63 cents per share, in line with analysts’ expectations.

The stock slipped 1.29% to $42.25 at market close Monday. Company shares dropped 8 cents to $42.17 in after-hours trading.

Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (ZMH: chart) said Monday that its third-quarter net income surged to $127.9 million, or 52 cents per share, a 50% jump compared with year-earlier net income of $85 million, or 43 cents per share. Excluding unusual items, the maker of orthopedic products earned 56 cents per share in the third quarter, beating by 3 cents the average analysts’ estimate. Quarterly sales swelled 76% to $700 million. Warsaw, Indiana-based Zimmer said robust sales of its artificial hip and knee implants drove the results.

Zimmer shares shed $1.12 to close Monday at $67.90. The stock rose 1.93% to $69.21 in extended trade.

Coachmen Industries, Inc. (COA: chart) of Elkhart, Indiana, posted Monday higher quarterly profits, aided by improving sales and lower operating costs. The maker of recreational vehicles announced 2004 third-quarter net earnings of $5.9 million, or 38 cents a share, up from earnings of $5.4 million, or 35 cents a share, in 2003. Sales for the quarter advanced 17.3% to $235.5 million from $200.8 million. Looking ahead, the company forecast full-year income in the range of 88 cents to 93 cents a share.

The stock closed Monday down 25 cents, or 1.78%, at $13.80. Company shares gained 20 cents to $14.00 in after-market trade.

Internet Security Systems, Inc. (ISSX: chart) reported Monday that its third-quarter earnings jumped 27% to $6.4 million, or 14 cents per share, from prior-year earnings of $5 million, or 10 cents per share, on the back of solid sales. The Atlanta, Georgia-based provider of network and information security products had a profit, excluding items, of 16 cents per share, in line with analysts’ projections. The company recorded third-quarter sales of $72.7 million, a 21% increase year-over-year.

Company shares rose 2.71% on Monday to $18.95. The stock shed 19 cents to $18.76 in extended-hours trading.

Nabors Industries Ltd. (NBR: chart), one of the world’s largest drilling contractors, announced Monday that its quarterly earnings surged 50% from last year, driven by strong demand for its services. The Barbados-based company rolled out a profit of $75.6 million, or 48 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter, against a profit of $50.3 million, or 33 cents per share, for the 2003 equivalent. The average analysts’ estimate was for earnings of 46 cents per share. Quarterly sales advanced to $585.7 million from $473.5 million, a year earlier.

The stock dropped 15 cents to $46.65 at market close Monday.