Rowan Cos.’, (RDC: chart), Q3 included gains on asset sales and a hurricane-related damage loss, which combined to contribute 18 cents, a share. The company announced that its 97% of its offshore rigs were operational in Q3, unchanged from a year ago, and its average daily rates per rig in the Gulf of Mexico advanced 60% from Q3 last year.

Entergy Corp, (ETR: chart), electric power production company, reported Q3 net income of $1.65 a share, up vs. $1.22 a share in the year period on revenue growth and especially on higher usage of air-conditioning linked to unusually warm weather, beating analysts'' estimate of $1.58 a share. The company added that it continues to target annual earnings growth in the 5% to 6% range but that it is unable to affirm its 2005 outlook due to the impact of recent hurricanes.

Procter & Gamble, (PG: chart), consumer goods retailer, reported Q3 earnings of 77 cents a share, up from 70 cents a share a year-earlier, beating analyst estimate by a penny. Sales rose 8% in Q3. The year-ago results include a gain of 3 cents a share from a unit sale. P&G envisages earnings of 66 to 69 cents a share in the December quarter, including Gillette''s operations, with sales growth of 23% to 26%.

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., (TRW: chart), automotive systems supplier, reported quarterly earnings or 10 cents a share, down from 13 cents a share in the year-earlier period despite 6.5% revenue growth, topping analysts’ forecasts of 2 cents a share. Debt rose from the previous quarter on the impact of seasonal factors. The company predicts Q4 earnings of 23-38 cents a share.

CMS Energy, (CMS: chart), energy services company, posted Q3 loss of $1.21 a share, down from a quarterly profit of 34 cents a share in the year-earlier period despite revenue growth. After breaking out a charge of $385 million for higher natural gas costs at its Midland Cogeneration plant, CMS stated earnings totaled 54 cents a share, up 11 cents a share in the year-ago period, beating on that basis analyst estimate of of 16 cents a share.

Marsh & McLennan Cos., (MMC: chart), insurance broker, announced that Q3 net income advanced to 12 cents a share, up from 4 cents a share in the same period last year. Excluding special items, earnings per share in Q3 amounted to 35 cents a share, down from 42 cents a share a year ago, missing analyst expectations of 38 cents per share.

Martin Marietta Materials Inc., (MLM: chart), producer of aggregates for the construction industry, reported that Q3 net income advanced to $1.65 a share, up from $1.12 a share in the same period last year on revenue growth, beating analyst estimate of $1.44 a share. The company stated that income from continuing operations advanced to $1.61 a share from $1.10 a share.

Valero LP, (VLI: chart), crude oil operator, reported record Q3 net income of 88 cents a unit, up from net income of 78 cents a unit earned a year earlier, beating analysts’ forecasts of 80 cents a unit on average. Q3 included 9 cents a unit for discontinued operations.

Colgate-Palmolive Co, (CL: chart), maker of consumer products, reported a Q3 profit of 67 cents per share, up from 58 cents a share in the year-ago period on stronger sales and the benefits of a restructuring program, in line with analyst expectations of 67 cents per share.

Viacom Inc., (VIA: chart), media conglomerate, posted a Q3 net income of 45 cents per share, up from a loss of 28 cents per share in the same period last year on 10% revenue growth. If not for special items, the profit of 47 cents per share tops analysts'' forecasts of 45 cents per share.