EARNINGS NEWS

Regis, hair care producer, reported 4Q net income of 64 cents per share, up vs. 58 cents per share for the same time last year on 17% consolidated revenue growth and a 0.9 % rise in same-store sales.

Telekom Austria telecommunications provider, reported 2Q earnings of 39 eurocents, compared with 21 eurocents in the comparable period last year on revenue growth in the wireless business segment, mainly due to foreign operations, higher subscribers and strong data business.

BHP Billiton, Anglo-Australian resources group, reported record full-year net profit of US$6.398 billion, up 89.3 %t from US$3.379 billion a year ago on strong demand from China and high prices for its raw materials.

Wind River Systems Inc. (WIND: chart), device software optimization company, after the closing bell Tuesday posted 2Q net earnings of 6 cents a share, up 70% vs. 4 cents a share a year earlier, meeting estimates. For 3Q the company sees earnings at 5 to 6 cents a share and for 2006, the company forecasts a per-share profit of 26 to 28 cents.

Key Tronic Corp. (KTCC: chart), electronics manufacturer, after the closing bell on Tuesday reported 4Q net earnings of 28 cents a share vs. 3 cents a share, for the same period a year ago. The company sees 1Q earnings of 6 to 10 cents a share.

Ace Comm Corp. (ACEC: chart) after Tuesday's closing bell posted 4Q net earnings of 2 cents a share vs. a loss of 15 cents a share for the same quarter a year ago. Revenue rose 71% to $6.8 million vs. $4 million last year.

Nordson Corp. (NDSN: chart), dispensing equipment maker, after Tuesday's closing bell posted 3Q net earnings of 50 cents a share, up 7.6% vs. 47 cents a share in the year-ago quarter. Net sales at the company advanced to $201.6 million vs. $197.9 million last year.

Baidu.com (BIDU: chart), Chinese Web search engine, posted 2Q net earnings of 12.1 million yuan ($1.5 million), or 0.39 yuan (5 cents) per American Depositary Receipt, versus 1.5 million yuan, or 0.06 yuan per ADR, last year. Revenue climbed to 69.7 million yuan vs. 24.1 million yuan last year. Baidu sees 3Q revenue at 77.4 million to 81.2 million yuan. This is the company’s first quarterly financial report since it went public earlier in August.

Koor Industries Inc. (KOR: chart), investment holding company, after Tuesday's closing bell posted 2Q net earnings of 18 cents per American depositary receipt vs. 5 cents per ADR, in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue fell to $163.9 million vs. $489.5 million last year.

Handleman Co. (HDL: chart), provider of pre-recorded music products, after the closing bell on Tuesday reported a 1Q net loss of 17 cents a share vs. net earnings of 4 cents a share a year earlier. Analysts expected 1Q earnings of 2 cents a share.

Westaff Inc. (WSTF: chart), provider of staffing services, after the closing bell on Tuesday posted 3Q net earnings of 14 cents a share vs. 11 cents a share, for the same quarter a year ago. The company reported revenue of $141.1 million vs. $139.3 million a year earlier.

CORPORATE NEWS

Northern Trust (NTRS: chart) said that it has been chosen by Julius Baer Investments Ltd. to provide investment outsourcing solutions for about $4.5 billion in fixed income assets under management. The agreement is expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

News Corp. (NWS: chart) plans to sell Sky Radio, Dutch radio broadcaster, according to reports. According to Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corp., the popularity of digital music players is drawing listeners away from radio, making the long-term future of the medium uncertain.

Intel (INTC: chart) said it designed a new generation of computer chips that should facilitate laptop PCs to function longer on their batteries, as well as help desktop users to save on power costs. Intel targets to start shipping these chips in the second half of the forthcoming year. The new chip would include features of Intel's Pentium 4 chip for desktops and servers and of the Pentium M chip used in notebooks, according to the company.

OTHER NEWS

The Japanese government announced Tuesday that the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's all industries index stood at 104.1 in June, up 1.3% vs. the previous month. Economists had expected the index to rise 0.8%.