British Telecommunications PLC (BTY: chart) posted a 62 percent rise in after-tax profit in the second quarter, while revenue was nearly flat. The company earned 349 million pounds ($558 million), up from 215 million pounds in the comparable quarter of 2002. Revenue was 4.586 billion pounds ($7.4 billion), 100,000 pounds less than the previous year.

Corvis Corp. (CORV: chart), a telecommunications equipment maker based in Columbia, Maryland, said it narrowed losses to 11 cents a share in the second quarter, down from 31 cents a share in the year-ago period. The company tripped research and development and closed its French subsidiary. Revenue came in at $27 million.

Internet service provider United Online Inc. (UNTD: chart) posted earnings of 32 cents a share in the fiscal forth quarter, compared with a loss of seven cents a share in the year-ago period. Revenue surged 46 percent to $79.6 million. The company added 142,000 paying subscribers during the quarter.

Convenience-store retailer 7-Eleven Inc. (SE: chart) said Thursday its second-quarter earnings rose 18 percent, boosted by strong sales. The Dallas-based company reported net income of 33 cents a share, compared with 29 cents a share, in the prior second quarter. Revenue climbed 8 percent to $2.81 billion.

Cardinal Health Inc. (CAH: chart), a drug wholesaler based in Dublin, Ohio, said profit in the fourth quarter increased 24 percent on drug sales and new contracts. Earnings edged up to 89 cents a share from 74 cents in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 15 percent to $13.5 billion.

Monsanto Co. (MON: chart), an agricultural company based in St. Louis, Missouri, doubled its earnings in the second quarter on sales of seeds and biotechnology traits. Profit surged to $1.12 a share, from 56 cents in the year-ago period. Revenue climbed eight percent to $1.68 billion. Monsanto expects to earn $1.30 to $1.40 a share for the full-year 2003.

TV and Media

Cable TV giant Comcast Corp. (CMCSA: chart) reduced its net loss to one cent a share in the second quarter from 22 cents a share a year ago due to subscriber growth. First Call analysts expected a loss of two cents a share. Comcast said revenues surged 110 percent to $5.7 billion before the November acquisition of AT&T’s cable business.

Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR: chart) narrowed its second-quarter loss to 13 cents a share, compared with 55 cents a share a year earlier, helped by the addition of Internet customers. The St. Louis cable company said revenue rose seven percent to $1.22 billion.

The Washington Post Co. (WPO: chart) said second-quarter net income rose 19 percent due to growth in its education divisions and improvement in newspaper advertising. The company earned $6.32 a share, up from $5.34 in the year-earlier period. Revenue was up 9.1 percent to $706.9 million.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS: chart) posted a 10-percent rise in third-quarter profit, helped by its movie and television networks business. Profit climbed to 19 cents a share from 18 cents in the year-ago quarter. Revenue rose 6.9 percent to $6.2 billion.

Media software company Roxio Inc. (ROXI: chart) narrowed its first-quarter loss to two cents a share, comared with a loss of six cents a share in the same period in 2002. The Santa Clara, California company said revenue fell 33.5 percent to $24.2 million.

Insurance

PacifiCare Health Systems (PHS: chart), one of the largest Medicare providers in the U.S., more than tripled its profit in the second quarter due to higher premiums. Net income rose to $1.92 a share from 56 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue was down two percent on a membership decline.

Indianapolis-based health insurer Anthem Inc. (ATH: chart) reported a 67 percent jump in second quarter earnings to $1.25 a share, compared with $1.01 a share in the prior-year period. Revenue increased 43 percent to $4.1 billion, including the acquisition of Virginia-based Trigon.

John Hancock Financial Services Inc. (JHF: chart) nearly tripled profit in the second quarter, helped by its retail insurance business and the investment-management operations. The insurer earned $1 a share, compared with 33 cents a year earlier. Revenue rose 1.3 percent to $2.37 billion.

Energy

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM: chart), the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, earned 62 cents a share in the second quarter, up from 39 cents in the year-ago period, beating analyst expectations by six cents. Revenue climbed 12.5 percent to $57.2 billion due to high oil and gas prices.

Constellation Energy Group Inc. (CEG: chart), owner of Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., said second-quarter profit rose 19 percent to 58 cents a share from 50 cents a year earlier due to gains in its power-generation and energy-marketing unit. Revenue more than doubled to $2.27 billion.

TXU Corp. (TXU: chart), an energy retailer based in Dallas, said its second-quarter earnings fell to 31 cents a share, compared with 73 cents a share last year. Operating revenue rose 6.4 percent to $2.67 billion.