The Sports Authority, Inc. (TSA: chart) announced after market close Thursday a 28% jump in its quarterly earnings, bolstered by surging sales. The US top sporting goods chain, which merged with Gart Sports in 2003, said that it had net income of $6.7 million, or 25 cents a share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2004, compared with net income of $5.3 million, or 42 cents a share, a year ago. Excluding merger-related costs, earnings came to $11.9 million, or 45 cents a share, for the quarter ended July 31, against $6.3 million, or 50 cents a share, in 2003. Quarterly sales soared to $605.0 million from $267.5 million. Analysts were looking for a profit before items of 44 cents a share on sales of $601 million. Prior-year results reflect Gart Sports Company on a stand-alone basis. Adjusted combined earnings for the year-ago period were 22 cents per share. Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Authority reported earnings of $10.8 million, or 41 cents a share, for the first six months of 2004, compared with $9.4 million, or 75 cents a share, for the same period last year.

Company shares gained 49 cents to $20.74 at market close Thursday. The stock slipped 3.18% to $20.08 in after-hours trading.

LTX Corporation (LTX: chart) said Thursday that it swung to a quarterly profit from a prior-year loss, driven by solid growth in sales. The Westwood, Massachusetts-based maker of semiconductor test equipment announced net earnings of $8.9 million, or 14 cents per share, for its fiscal fourth quarter, rebounding from a loss of $81.5 million, or $1.61 per share, in the 2003 comparable period. The results were a penny a share ahead of the average analysts estimate. Sales in the quarter swelled to $80.4 million from $33.7 million, last year.

The stock closed Thursday at $5.72, down 24 cents, or 4.03%. LTX shares plummeted 10.84% to $5.10 in the extended session.

C&D Technologies, Inc. (CHP: chart) of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, reported Thursday that its second-quarter net profit slid 10% to $3.2 million, or 13 cents per share, from $3.6 million, or 14 cents per share, generated in the same period a year earlier. The maker of electrical power storage and conversion products blamed the profit drop on increased lead prices. Sales in the quarter improved 16% to $94.4 million, helped by acquisitions.

C&D shares dipped 3.62% to close Thursday at $15.18.

Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. (CATS: chart) posted Thursday quarterly earnings that more than doubled from a year ago, aided by an increase in higher margin sales and lower cost inventories. The Sunnyvale, California-based chipmaker turned in net income of $2.2 million, or 12 cents per share, for its fiscal 2005 first quarter, up from net income of $920,000, or 5 cents per share, for the 2004 corresponding quarter. The earnings matched Wall Street expectations. Quarterly revenues rose to $16.7 million from $13.8 million.

The stock rose 2.37% on Thursday to $5.18. Company shares inched up 2 cents to $5.20 in after-market trade.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (KKD: chart) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said Thursday that its second-quarter net income tumbled 56% to $5.8 million, or 9 cents per share, compared with year-earlier net income of $13 million, or 21 cents per share. The doughnut chain said results were partially due to the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. The consensus forecast of analysts was for a profit of 22 cents a share. Total sales for the quarter advanced 11.5% to $177.4 million.

Company shares plunged 10.35% to $13.77 at market close Thursday. The stock added 3 cents to $13.80 in after-hours trading.

Whitehall Jewellers, Inc. (JWL: chart) announced Thursday that its quarterly loss widened from last year, dragged by costs related to federal fraud investigations. The specialty retailer of fine jewelry posted a net loss of $3.2 million, or 23 cents per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2004, in contrast to a net loss of $2.8 million, or 20 cents per share, in the 2003 corresponding quarter. Analysts were looking for a loss of 21 cents per share, on average. For the quarter ended July 31, sales eased to $72.3 million compared with $72.7 million, a year earlier. Comparable-store sales edged down 0.6% from last year. For the first half of the year, the Chicago, Illinois-based company reported a net loss of $6.9 million, or 49 cents per share, on sales of $145.3 million. That compares to a net loss of $5.6 million, or 39 cents per share, on sales of $141.9 million, for the same period in 2003.