Toll Brothers, luxury-home builder, reported that its fiscal third quarter net income soared to $1.27 a share from 66 cents a share a year ago, beating analyst estimate of$1.19 a share. Revenue advanced 54% to $1.56 billion from $1.01 billion.

Toll Brothers targets net-income growth of more than 80% in the full year ending January. Next-fiscal-year deliveries are seen in the range of 10,200 to 10,600 homes at an average price of about $665,000 generating home-building revenue of $6.78 billion to $7.05 billion.

``We've watched some markets go from overheated to warm and back to hot. It appears to us that the basic fundamentals of wealth accumulation, constrained lot supplies and growing demand should continue to support our business model. With approximately 79,500 lots under control, we believe we can continue on a path of growth for many years to come’’, said Robert I. Toll in the press release.

Joel H. Rassman, chief financial officer, stated: ``Based on our record third quarter backlog of 9,490 homes, we now expect to deliver between 2,750 and 2,850 homes (including deliveries from our recent Landstar acquisition) in our fourth quarter 2005 at an average price of between $675,000 and $685,000. We now expect net income growth of over 80% (and over 75% earnings per share growth) in FY 2005 compared to FY 2004's record results.

Smithfield Foods, pork processor, reported 1Q net income profit declined to 44 cents a share, down vs. 49 cents a share for the comparable period last year despite a 12% sales increase, matching the analysts’ forecasts.

The company attributes its underperformance to weakness in the pork market. Smithfield’s international segment reported a 1Q operation loss on account of a plant shutdown in Poland and strong competition from France.

Jackson Hewitt Tax Services, tax returns preparer, reported that 1Q net loss extended to 35 cents a share, down from 30 cents a share in the year-ago period on revenue decline, missing analyst estimate of 31 cents a share.

Party City, party goods chain, reported it reversed to a 4Q net loss of 1 cent a share on a decline in net sales and a higher tax rate, missing analysts’ expectations of a 4 cents a share. Sales remained flat and same-store sales were down 0.8%.

Patterson, distributor of dental products, reported 1Q net income advanced 5% to 31 cents a share from the year-ago period on sales growth, missing analysts’ forecasts by a penny. The company foresees 2Q earnings in the range of 35 cents to 37 cents a share.

Tech Data, distributor of computer products, posted a 2Q loss of $1.02 per share, including a one-time charge, down vs. a profit of 52 cents per share in the year-ago period. Aside from the charge, the company recorded a 2Q profit of $0.27 per share, beating analyst estimate by 2 cents. Net sales for the period totaled $4.83 billion, up from $4.58 billion the year earlier.

Invensys, software and information manufacturer, announced that 1Q net loss was reduced to 26 million pounds from 42 million pounds for the comparable period last year despite revenue decline.

Hilton, hotel and gaming company, announced that pretax profit for the first half advanced to 201.9 million pounds from 193.7 million pounds for the year-ago period on revenue growth. Profit at its betting chain Ladbrokes was down by 6.3%.

Vimpel-Com, wireless telecommunications services provider, reported 2Q net income advanced to $3.11 a share, up from $2.24 a share a year earlier on strong operating revenues growth and more than 4.3 million new subscribers.

Stewart & Stevenson, industrial equipment maker, announced that 2Q net income increased to 31 cents a share on revenue growth of Earnings from continuing operations totaled 56 cents a share, up vs. 40 cents in the same period last year.