Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A), 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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) 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.