The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG) reported after market close Thursday net income of $494 million, or $1.66 per share, for its fiscal 2004 third quarter, a 44% jump from $343 million, or $1.20 per share, for the year-earlier period. The financial services and insurance company said tax benefits and growth in premiums written drove the results. Excluding an asbestos reserve addition, litigation and tax-related items, the Hartford, Connecticut-based company posted a profit of $252 million, or 85 cents per share, for the quarter ended September 30. Analysts had forecast a profit of 69 cents per share, on average. Operating income for the quarter was $468 million, or $1.57 a share, compared with $335 million, or $1.18 a share, in 2003. Quarterly revenue edged up 9% to $5.42 billion from $4.95 billion. Written premiums for business insurance increased 16% to $1.15 billion. Written premiums for property-casualty insurance were up 12% over the prior-year quarter.

For the full fiscal year, Hartford said it expects a profit in the range of $5.60 to $5.75 per share, excluding special items.

Company shares gained 81 cents on Thursday to $60.41. The stock rose 2.63% to $62.00 in the extended session.

CVS Corporation (CVS) of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, posted before market open Thursday quarterly earnings that surpassed Wall Street’s expectations, helped by solid sales growth. The U.S. second-largest drugstore chain announced income of $184.6 million, or 44 cents per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2004 ended October 2. That compares to income of $187.8 million, or 46 cents per share, for the year-earlier equivalent. CVS said the profit slip was due to costs related to its acquisition of Eckerd drug stores from J.C. Penney Co. Inc. The company estimated that the Eckerd acquisition cut its 2004 third-quarter profits by approximately 7 cents a share. Still, the earnings beat the consensus analysts’ estimate of 41 cents a share. Quarterly sales advanced 24% to $7.91 billion from prior-year sales of $6.38 billion. Comparable-store sales rose 5.2% from a year ago, with pharmacy same-store sales increasing 6.8% and general merchandise same-store sales climbing 1.8%.

The stock soared 5.68% to close Thursday at $46.90. CVS shares dipped 2.47% to $45.74 in after-hours trading.

Allegheny Energy, Inc. (AYE) announced Thursday that its third-quarter net loss widened to $376.8 million or $2.40 per share, from a net loss of $51 million, or 40 cents per share, for the same period in fiscal 2003. The Greensburg, Pennsylvania-based utility company said 2004 results included $427.5 million in losses from discontinued operations due primarily to charges taken for assets held for sale. Excluding items, Allegheny had income from continuing operations of $50.6 million, or 37 cents per share, in contrast to a loss from continuing operations of $46.8 million, or 37 cents per share, for the 2003 equivalent. Analysts were looking for earnings of 35 cents per share. Quarterly revenue advanced 20% to $723.3 million.

Company shares edged up 38 cents to $18.40 at market close Thursday. The stock added a penny in extended trade.

Nicor Inc. (GAS) of Naperville, Illinois, said Thursday that it swung to a quarterly loss from a prior-year profit, due to weak results from its distribution and wholesale gas business. The gas distributor reported a net loss of $11.6 million, or 26 cents a share, for its third quarter, a turnaround from net earnings of $500,000, or a penny a share, for the 2003 comparable quarter. The average analysts’ forecast was for a profit of 6 cents a share. Nicor said higher interest rates also hurt its results.

The stock closed Thursday at $39.65, up $1.11, or 2.88%. Nicor shares gained 1 cent to $39.66 in after-hours trading.

The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB) posted Thursday third-quarter net income of $98.6 million, or 19 cents per share, down 7% from year-earlier net income of $106.3 million, or 20 cents per share. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based natural gas company blamed the profit drop on debt-related costs. Profit before items came to 26 cents per share, powering past the mean analysts’ estimate of 12 cents per share.

Company shares were up 2.58% on Thursday to $13.11.

DTE Energy Company (DTE) of Detroit, Michigan, reported Thursday that its third-quarter net earnings slumped to $93 million, or 54 cents a share, compared with net earnings of $176 million, or $1.04 a share, for the 2003 corresponding period. The utility cited mild summer weather and the loss of customer load to Michigan's Electric Choice program as main factors for the results. Revenue for the quarter slipped to $1.59 billion from $1.65 billion, a year ago.

The stock rose 1.93% to close Thursday at $44.39. DTE shares added a penny to $44.40 in after-market trade.

KeySpan Corporation (KSE) announced Thursday a loss for its third quarter compared with a year-ago profit, due to an after-tax charge. The New York-based natural gas distributor said it had a net loss of $117.1 million, or 73 cents a share, in the third quarter, in contrast to a profit of $11.1 million, or 7 cents a share, last year. Excluding items, the company posted a profit of 1 cent a share, meeting analysts’ projections.

KeySpan shares closed Thursday up 48 cents, or 1.17%, at $41.41.

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) of Santa Clara, California, on Thursday rolled out quarterly earnings that quadrupled from a year earlier, boosted by higher sales and improved cost management. The world’s top maker of graphics chips and boards posted third-quarter net income of $25.9 million, or 15 cents per share, up from $6.4 million, or 4 cents per share, generated a year ago. The earnings outpaced Wall Street’s consensus estimate of 9 cents per share. Revenue in the quarter rose to $515.6 million from $486.1 million.

The stock gained 28 cents to $15.41 at market close Thursday. Company shares surged 8.37% to $16.70 in extended-hours trading.

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (TRW) on Thursday turned in net earnings of $13 million, or 13 cents a share, for its fiscal third quarter, rebounding from a loss of $34 million, or 39 cents a share, last year. The Livonia, Michigan-based auto parts supplier topped by a penny a share the average analysts’ estimate. TRW attributed the results to stronger sales, which climbed 8% in the third quarter to $2.74 billion.

TRW shares were up 4.18% on Thursday to $18.96.