Foot Locker, Inc. (FL: chart) posted after market close Tuesday higher quarterly earnings that surpassed Wall Street’s expectations, driven by solid same-store sales growth, improving operating margins and a lower tax rate. The leading athletic apparel and shoe retailer rolled out net income of $89 million, or 57 cents per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, a 21% increase compared to net income of $71 million, or 47 cents per share, a year ago. Analysts had forecast a profit of 54 cents per share, on average, for the quarter ended January 29, 2005. Quarterly sales advanced 15.1% to $1.54 billion from year-earlier sales of $1.33 billion. Comparable-store sales edged up 2.5%. For the full fiscal year, Foot Locker recorded net income of $293 million, or $1.88 a share, in contrast to net income of $207 million, or $1.39 a share, for 2003. Annual revenue rose to $5.36 billion from $4.78 billion.

For the first quarter, the New York-based company said it expects per share earnings to be near the high end of its growth range of 10% to 20%. Foot Locker added that, if the current sales trends continue, the earnings may exceed this guidance. For the first quarter last year, profit was 31 cents a share. Analysts predict earnings of 39 cents a share, which is a 26% growth.

Foot Locker shares gained 47 cents to $27.77 at market close Tuesday.

Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. (PSUN: chart) reported Tuesday a 19% jump in its quarterly profits, boosted by higher sales. The Anaheim, California-based clothing retailer posted earnings of $40.9 million, or 54 cents a share, for its fiscal fourth quarter, up from $34.5 million, or 43 cents a share, for the prior-year equivalent. The earnings topped by a penny a share the mean analysts’ estimate. Sales for the quarter rose 16% to $379.9 million. Same-store sales in the company’s two retail chains, PacSun and d.e.m.o., climbed 4.8% and 7.5%, respectively. For all of 2004, earnings totaled $105.9 million, or $1.37 a share, on sales of $1.23 billion. That compares to $79.9 million, or $1.01 a share, on sales of $1.04 billion, last year.

The stock closed Tuesday at $26.46, up 70 cents, or 2.72%. Company shares added 84 cents to $27.30 in after-hours trading.

Pall Corporation (PLL: chart) of East Hills, New York, said Tuesday that its second-quarter net income jumped 29% to $32 million, or 26 cents per share, from prior-year net income of $24.9 million, or 20 cents per share, on higher sales. Excluding items, the manufacturer of filtration and separation systems earned $35.8 million, or 29 cents a share, in the second quarter, against earnings before items of $33.7 million, or 26 cents a share, in the 2004 corresponding period. The results fell 2 cents per share short of the average analysts’ forecast. Quarterly sales were up 9.5% from last year to $469.5 million.

Pall shares rose 2.33% to close Tuesday at $27.70.

Opsware Inc. (OPSW: chart), the developer of data center automation software, announced Tuesday that it swung to a quarterly loss from a year-ago profit, hit by rising expenses. The company’s stock plunged in after-hours trading, as the company also forecast revenue below analysts’ views. Opsware said it had a net loss of $2.1 million, or 2 cents per share, in its fourth quarter, in contrast to a net profit of $632,000, or a penny a share, for the same period a year earlier. Revenues for the quarter surged to $11.6 million from $6.2 million, on strong demand.

For fiscal year 2006, Sunnyvale, California-based Opsware projected revenue of $53 million to $66 million, while analysts expect $65.7 million, on average.

The stock dropped 3 cents on Tuesday to $5.52. Company shares plummeted 13.04% to $4.80 in the extended session.

Symbol Technologies, Inc. (SBL: chart) of Holtsville, New York, on Tuesday turned in fourth-quarter net income of $28.5 million, or 11 cents a share, a 76% increase from $17.8 million, or 7 cents a share, for the 2003 comparable period. Analysts expected the maker of bar code scanners and handheld computers to earn 10 cents a share, on average. Symbol said strong demand for the MC9000 bar code scanner helped boost its results. Quarterly revenue climbed to $450.5 million from $393 million, just topping analysts’ view of $449.4 million.

Symbol shares closed Tuesday at $17.72, down 1 cent, or 0.06%. The stock dipped 2.37% to $17.30 in after-market trade.

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC: chart) announced before market open Tuesday that it swung to a quarterly loss from a prior-year profit, hurt by restructuring costs, regulatory settlements and other related expenses. The New York-based world's largest insurance brokerage company posted a net loss of $676 million, or $1.28 a share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, in contrast to a profit of $375 million, or 69 cents a share, for the year-ago period. The consensus analysts’ estimate was for a loss of 60 cents a share. For the quarter ended December 31, the company recorded revenue of $2.99 billion, down from $3.02 billion last year. In October, New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer brought a lawsuit against Marsh & McLennan, accusing it of rigging bids, fixing prices and using hidden incentive fees. In January, the company agreed to pay $850 million in restitution to end the probe, and it agreed to change its business practices. For all of 2004, net earnings were $180 million, or 34 cents a share, down from $1.54 billion, or $2.81 a share, for 2003.

Marsh & McLennan said it will cut its quarterly dividend and will pay 17 cents for the first quarter on March 30 to shareholders of record on March 15.

ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT: chart) posted after the bell Monday a profit for its first quarter, reversing from a year-earlier loss, boosted by higher revenue and a gain from the sale of a subsidiary. The provider of broadband data access and infrastructure equipment announced net earnings of $52.5 million, or 6 cents per share, for its 2005 first quarter, rebounding from a net loss of $2.4 million, or nil per share, for the same quarter last year. Excluding unusual items, the company had first-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $13.6 million, or 2 cents per share, compared with $16.3 million, or 2 cents per share, a year ago. The results topped by a penny a share the average analysts’ forecast. For the quarter ended January 28, sales surged 78% to $243.4 million, up from $136.7 million for the 2004 equivalent, and ahead of the mean analysts’ estimate of $238.3 million. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said strong demand for its OmniReach FTTX products and the acquisition of KRONE helped boost its results.

ADC shares dropped 5 cents on Monday to $2.30. The stock rose 3.48% to $2.38 in after-market trade.

Macrovision Corporation (MVSN: chart) of Santa Clara, California, said Monday that its fourth-quarter net income doubled to $15.8 million, or 31 cents per share, from prior-year net income of $7.9 million, or 16 cents per share. The developer of copyright protection and video scrambling technologies attributed the results to strong demand for its software. The earnings outpaced the average analysts’ estimate of 26 cents per share. Quarterly revenue soared to $59.6 million from $39.9 million.

For its first quarter, Macrovision said it expects to earn, excluding items, 17 cents to 18 cents per share, below analysts’ projections of 23 cents per share.

The stock shed 75 cents to $24.25 at market close Monday. Company shares plunged 5.11% to $23.01 in the extended session.