Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A: chart), the leading supplier of electronic test and measurement equipment, said after the bell Tuesday that it swung to a quarterly profit, citing strong demand from the semiconductor and chip-equipment industries. The Palo Alto, California-based company turned in net income of $71.0 million, or 14 cents per share, for its fiscal 2004 first quarter, rebounding from a year-earlier net loss of $369 million, or 78 cents per share. Last year’s results included a loss of $257 million from a change in accounting principle and other items. Excluding items, Agilent reported operating income of $103 million, or 21 cents a share, compared with an operating loss of $109 million, or 23 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Analysts had forecast a first-quarter profit of 22 cents a share, on average. For the quarter ended January 31, Agilent recorded revenue of $1.64 billion, a 16% rise from $1.41 billion, last year. The company said it also benefited from lower operating costs.

Agilent shares gained 41 cents on Tuesday to $37.49. The stock plunged 4.75% to $35.71 in after-hours trading.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF: chart) of New Albany, Ohio, reported after market close Tuesday net income of $94.3 million, or 96 cents a share, for its fiscal 2003 fourth quarter, in contrast to net income of $92.8 million, or 93 cents a share, in the same quarter in fiscal 2002. The clothing chain beat by a penny analysts’ expectations. The company said net sales climbed 4.8% to $560.4 million, in the quarter ended January 31, from $534.5 million a year ago. Abercrombie credited the improved results to the strong performance in its new stores, which offset the 11% drop in sales at stores open at least a year. For all of 2003, the company reported net earnings of $205.1 million, or $2.06 a share, a 5.2% improvement from $194.9 million, or $1.94 a share, generated in fiscal 2002. Net sales rose 7% to $1.71 billion from $1.6 billion. Same-store sales declined 9% from a year ago.

The stock shed 10 cents to close Tuesday at $28.20. Company shares surged 5.14% to $29.65 in after-market trade.

Deere & Company (DE: chart) announced Tuesday a 151% increase in its quarterly earnings, boosted by stronger-than-expected sales. The Moline, Illinois-based maker of farm equipment said it earned $170.8 million, or 68 cents per share, in its first quarter, compared with a profit of $68 million, or 28 cents per share, in the corresponding period last year. Results glided past the mean estimate of analysts for a profit of 52 cents a share. Quarterly revenues jumped 25% to $3.48 billion, from $2.79 billion a year ago.

Deere shares closed Tuesday up $2.99, or 4.67%, at $67.00. The stock added 2 cents to $67.02 in after-hours trading.

Reliant Resources, Inc. (RRI: chart) of Houston, Texas, said Tuesday that it returned to profit in its fourth quarter, aided by income from discontinued operations. The energy company posted fourth-quarter net income of $32.5 million, or 11 cents a share, a turnaround from a prior-year net loss of $648.6 million, or $2.23 a share. Excluding special items, Reliant reported a loss of 10 cents a share, in contrast to a loss of 60 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue slipped 2% to $1.84 billion from $1.88 billion.

The stock dived 6.83% to $7.50 at market close Tuesday.

Zale Corporation (ZLC: chart) posted Tuesday a profitable second-quarter compared to a prior-year loss, when results were hurt by a $136 million goodwill charge. The Irving, Texas-based specialty jewelry retailer rolled out a second-quarter net profit of $97.3 million, or $3.66 a share, reversing from a loss of $46.2 million, or $1.44 a share, in the 2003 comparable period. Analysts were looking for earnings of $3.61 a share, on average.

Zale shares edged up 66 cents on Tuesday to $57.61. The stock shed a penny in after-market trade.

Boosted by strong revenue growth, Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC: chart) of New York, reported Tuesday a fourth-quarter net profit of $221.3 million, or $1.17 per share, up nearly 10% from a net profit of $201.5 million, or $1.08 per share, in the year-ago equivalent. Results of the world's top advertising conglomerate fell a penny shy of the consensus estimate of analysts.

The stock slipped 1.42% to $81.92 at market close Tuesday.

Network Appliance, Inc. (NTAP: chart) said Tuesday that its quarterly earnings more than doubled from a year earlier on the back of higher corporate spending. The Sunnyvale, California-based maker of data storage equipment posted net earnings of $40.2 million, or 11 cents per share, for its fiscal 2004 third quarter, up from a net profit of $19.7 million, or 6 cents per share, last year. Quarterly revenue surged 30% to $297.3 million, from $228.5 million in the same quarter of 2003.

Company shares closed Tuesday at $22.27, up 57 cents, or 2.63%. The stock soared 9.52% to $24.39 in after-hours trading.

Photronics, Inc. (PLAB: chart) of Brookfield, Connecticut, announced Tuesday a profit of $2.1 million, or 7 cents per share, for its first quarter, in contrast to a year-earlier loss of $8.5 million, or 26 cents per share. The maker of high-precision quartz photomasks used in the creation of semiconductors said strong sales drove the results. Analysts had called for earnings of 1 cent a share.

The stock slipped 0.25% on Tuesday to $19.58. Company shares rose 7.10% to $20.97 in after-market trade.

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (FRGO: chart) posted Tuesday a 29% drop in its quarterly earnings, citing lack of large government projects. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based maker of technology used in printing I.D. cards said it had a fourth-quarter profit of $1.7 million, or 13 cents a share, compared with a profit of $2.4 million, or 19 cents a share, last year. Fargo recorded quarterly sales of $16.5 million, down 11% from a year ago.

Fargo shares plummeted 8.00% to $11.50 at market close Tuesday.

Huffy Corporation (HUF: chart) of Miamisburg, Ohio, reported Tuesday a wider fourth-quarter loss of $11.8 million, or 74 cents per share, compared to a loss of $4.2 million, or 29 cents per share, in the year-earlier period. Excluding an after-tax loss, the sporting goods company posted a loss of 67 cents a share. Huffy said results were hurt by weaker sales, which eased 2% to $121 million in the quarter.

The stock fell 1.11% on Tuesday to close at $4.46.