LJ International Inc. (JADE), a fine jewellery designer and distributor based in Hong Kong, reported second-quarter earnings of two cents a share, compared with a year-ago loss of 89 cents a share. Revenue jumped 23 percent to $11.6 million due to the introduction of new products and lower selling and administrative expenses.

Liberty Media Corp. (L), a media investment company based in Englewood, Colorado, narrowed its loss to $464 million in the second quarter as it recovered from a huge year-earlier write-down on the value of its media investments. Net loss was 17 cents a share, down from $1.20 a share in the year-earlier period. Revenue fell two percent to $500 million.

Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. (EL), a cosmetics maker whose brands include Clinique, M-A-C and Bobbi Brown, swung into profit of 20 cents a share in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of 13 cents a year earlier. Revenue at the New-York company climbed eight percent to $1.22 billion.

Quick service restaurant company Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM), owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, said July same-store sales were flat compared with the year-ago period. International sales rose seven percent on a same-currency basis.

Retail

Factory 2-U Stores Inc. (FTUS), a discount apparel retailer based in San Diego, California, narrowed its second-quarter loss to 35 cents a share from 45 cents in the same period last year. Revenue declined 3.5 percent to $123.7 million. The company expects to earn one cent a share in the third quarter due to “back-to-school” sales.

Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN), a apparel and home goods retailer based in Philadelphia, reported second-quarter earnings of 47 cents a share, up from 32 cents in the year-ago period. Revenue surged 22 percent to $122.9, boosted by an 11 percent increase in comparable-store sales.

The Buckle Inc. (BKE), an apparel retailer based in Kearney, Nebraska, earned 17 cents in the second quarter to Aug.2, down from 19 cents in the same period last year, and two cents ahead of analyst expectations at First Call. Revenue rose 2.6 percent to $85.7 million, but same store sales fell 1.3 percent.

American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (AEOS), a retailer of men and women’s casual apparel based in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, reported second-quarter earnings of 11 cents a share, down from 14 cents a year ago, and in line with analyst estimates at First Call. Revenue increased 5.6 percent to $337.1 million, but same-store sales dropped 5.5 percent.

Financial Services

ING Group (ING), a Dutch financial services company, said its net profit in the first half of the year dropped 28 percent to $2.32 billion, while operating profits rose six percent to $2.36 billion. Revenue fell 12.5 percent to 35.4 billion euro ($39.9 billion) because of the weaker dollar.

The Charles Schwab Corp. (SCH), an online discount brokerage based in San Francisco, said it added total net assets of $3.9 billion in July. Total client assets climbed 13 percent to $857.1 billion from the same month a year ago. Schwab said client daily average revenue trades were down five percent to 148,600.