Restaurant operator Jack in the Box, Inc. (JBX: chart) 2Q earnings increased 11% to $20.7 million, or 55 cents per share, versus $18.7 million, or 51 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue advanced 12% to $577 million vs. $517.3 million. Analysts forecast earnings of 50 cents per share on revenue of $564 million.

The company boosted its full-year 2005 earnings outlook to about $2.46 per share vs. earlier guidance of $2.43 per share.

Jack in the Box sees 3Q earnings guidance at about 60 cents per share, up vs. 56 cents a year ago, with restaurant same-store sales expected to climb about 3% to 3.5%. The company sees total revenue at $585 million, vs. $541 million a year ago. Analysts expect a 3Q profit of 63 cents per share on $594.4 million in revenue, and full-year earnings of $2.43 per share.

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ: chart) reported strong 2Q results, despite a slowdown at the company's profitable printer unit. For the quarter ended April 30, net income added 9.3%, to $966 million, or 33 cents a share, from $884 million, or 29 cents a share, a year ago. Excluding amortization of intangible assets and other items, H-P said it would have earned 37 cents a share, slightly topping estimates. Revenue rose 7.2% to $21.57 billion versus $20.11 billion, again slightly above analysts' forecasts.

Revenue in the printing unit rose 5%, to $6.4 billion, but operating profit dropped 15%, to $814 million, versus $952 million a year earlier.

The company's PC business generated revenue of $6.4 billion, up 6%, and operating profit of $147 million, up more than threefold vs. a year earlier. H-P's software group reported revenue of $277 million, up 23%, and an operating loss of $6 million, narrower than the $52 million loss a year earlier. H-P's services business had $4 billion in revenue, up 14%, with operating profit of $292 million, down 12% vs. a year earlier.

Catalina Marketing Corp. (POS: chart), a marketing specialist, Wednesday posted 4Q net income of $15.3 million, or 29 cents a share vs. a loss of $8.8 million, or 17 cents a share a year earlier. The improvement was due to narrower losses from discontinued operations. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $16 million, or 30 cents a share, down versus $23.7 million, or 44 cents a share, last year. Analysts' forecast was for 36 cents earnings per share. Revenue declined to $112 million versus $119.6 million hit by the sale of the company's loyalty card business.

The Talbots Inc. (TLB: chart), clothing retailer, announced stronger 2Q profit reflecting sound same-store sales and Internet and catalog business.

2Q income increased to $34.5 million, or 63 cents per share, versus $33.5 million, or 58 cents, a year earlier. Talbots' earnings came in line with the estimates of 63 cents per share.

For the quarter ended April 30, sales increased 8% to $446 million versus $412 million a year ago beating analysts' forecast of $441.8 million.

Same-store sales advanced 4.3%, with total retail sales growing 8% to $378.1 million. Catalog and Web sales gained 8% to $68.4 million.

Ross Stores Inc. (ROST: chart) reported 1Q net income of $50.1 million, or 34 cents a share, up vs. $48.1 million, or 31 cents a share, a year earlier on sound results in the company's locations in Texas and Florida. Analsyts' forecast was for 34 cents per share.

Sales grew 13% to $1.124 billion; same-store sales added 3%.