Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (FDO: chart) announced Wednesday a 14% increase in profit in its fourth quarter on the back of strong sales resulting from new store openings. The Matthews, North Carolina-based discount-store chain reported for the quarter ended August 30 net income of $47.7 million, or 28 cents a share, up from $41.9 million, or 24 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. The company saw its fourth-quarter earnings match analysts’ forecast.

Sales for the quarter jumped 14% to $1.21 billion, from $1.06 in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Same-store sales marked a 4.6% rise compared to last year’s quarter.

For fiscal 2003, the company posted net earnings of $247.5 million, or $1.43 a share, up 14% from $216.9 million, or $1.25 a share, in fiscal 2002. Sales for the full fiscal year ended August 30 climbed to $4.75 billion from $4.16 billion in the previous fiscal year.

Company shares rose 3.03% to close at $41.10 on Wednesday.

Thor Industries, Inc. (THO: chart), a manufacturer of recreational vehicles, reported Wednesday its fourth-quarter net income rose 10%, boosted by strength in recreational vehicle sales. Jackson Center, Ohio-based Thor said earnings for the quarter ended July 31 were $22.3 million, or 78 cents a share, an increase from $20.2 million, or 71 cents a share year-over-year. The fourth-quarter net income was the highest-ever figure in the company’s history.

Fourth-quarter sales climbed 5% to $422.5 million from $401.4 million a year ago.

The company’s earnings were in line with Wall Street’s average expectations.

Shares of Thor Industries gained 3.67% to close at $56 on Wednesday.

Before market open Wednesday, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (WWW: chart) posted third-quarter earnings of $16.4 million, or 40 cents a share, up from $15.3 million, or 37 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. The Rockford, Michigan-based footwear manufacturer attributed the 7% increase in earnings to rising sales of Merrell, Hush Puppies and Wolverine Footwear brand shoes.

The earnings result matched a consensus view of market analysts.
Revenue increased 5.2% to $230.6 million. For fiscal 2003, Wolverine expects to earn from $1.21 to $1.24 a share on sales within a range from $875 million to $885 million.

Wolverine shares added 1.8% to end Wednesday’s trading session at $19.75.

Financial Federal Corp. (FIF: chart) managed to beat analysts’ projections for its fourth-quarter earnings by 2 cents, offsetting a quarterly decline in earnings year-over-year. The New York industrial equipment leasing company reported earnings for the quarter ended July 31 dropped to $6.91 million, or 38 cents a share, compared to $9.60 million, or 51 cents a share, in the prior-year quarter.

Financial Federal topped forecasts for earnings of 36 cents a share due to an improvement in repossession levels.

Shares of the company surged 6.52% to close at $32.50 on Wednesday.

Before market open Wednesday, Actuant Corp. (ATU: chart) reported positive news of a 41% rise in fourth-quarter profit, surpassing Wall Street’s earnings forecasts by 4 cents. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based motion control tools and hydraulic equipment maker said earnings for the quarter ended August 31 jumped to $10 million, or 82 cents a share, compared with $7.1 million, or 58 cents a share, in the previous year.

Quarterly sales increased 22% to $148.2 million from $121.4 million in the corresponding quarter a year ago. The company cited the acquisition of Heinrich Kopp AG as a key factor for the rise.

Analysts had expected Actuant to report a fourth-quarter net income of 69 cents a share. The company raised its fiscal 2004 earnings outlook and now projects to earn between $3.20 and $3.50 a share, excluding bond buyback costs.

The stock soared 7.94% to close Wednesday’s trading session at $60.61.

Immucor, Inc. (BLUD: chart), a developer of diagnostic substances, posted first-quarter net income of $3.68 million, or 27 cents a share, up from $2.99 million, or 23 cents a share, compared to the previous year. The Norcross, Georgia-based company attributed the 23% jump in earnings to rising sales in its business segments.

For the quarter ended August 31, sales rose 17% to $27.3 million from $23.3 million a year earlier.