Aetna Inc. (AET: chart) said Thursday its third-quarter earnings more than doubled on medical cost-management efforts and other cost reductions. The insurance giant posted income of $215.9 million, or $1.35 a share, for the quarter ended September 30, compared with $98.8 million, or 64 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Hartford, Connecticut-based Aetna said operating earnings rose to $1.29 per share, from 73 cents a share a year earlier. Analysts had expected earnings of $1.23 a share before extraordinary items. The company said revenue dropped to $4.5 billion from $4.8 billion a year ago, hurt by lower health membership.

For the full year, Aetna raised its earnings outlook to between $5.00 and $5.05 per share, before special items. The company had previously forecast operating earnings between $4.85 and $5.00 per share.

Aetna shares dipped 4.24% to $56.30 at market close Thursday.

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK: chart) of Charlotte, North Carolina, said before market open Thursday its third-quarter profit fell 79% to $49 million, or 5 cents per share, on revenue of $5.54 billion, from $230 million, or 27 cents per share, on revenue of $3.98 billion, in the 2002 third quarter. The energy company cited mild summer weather and poor conditions in its non-regulated businesses as main factors for the decline in profit.

Company shares closed Thursday up 24 cents, or 1.36%, at $17.94.

BMC Software, Inc. (BMC: chart) said Thursday its fiscal second-quarter earnings excluding items were $22.2 million, or 10 cents per share, up from $19.3 million, or 8 cents per share in the year-ago quarter, and well ahead of analysts’ projections for profit of 5 cents a share. The Houston, Texas-based BMC, which is a leading provider of enterprise management software, posted a net loss of $13.2 million, or 6 cents per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $10.1 million, or 4 cents a share, on restructuring charges.

BMC shares soared 9.32% on Thursday to $17.12. The stock added 7 cents to $17.19 in after-market trade.

LM Ericsson (ERICY: chart), the Swedish phone giant, said Thursday it narrowed its third-quarter loss to 3.9 billion kronor (about $500 million, or 3 cents per share) from a loss of 5 billion kronor, or 0.41 kronor a share, a year ago, on restructuring. The Stockholm-based company beat analysts’ forecasts of a loss of 18 cents a share.

The stock plunged 5.58% to close Thursday at $17.60. Company shares gained 3 cents to $17.63 in after-hours trading.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM: chart), the Irving, Texas-based world's largest investor-owned oil company, posted before market open Thursday third-quarter net income of $3.65 billion, or 55 cents a share, a 38% increase from $2.64 billion, or 39 cents, in the same period a year ago. Revenue jumped 11% to $59.8 billion.

Company shares tumbled 3.99% on Thursday to $36.30. The stock recovered 5 cents to $36.35 in after-hours trading.

John Hancock Financial Services, Inc. (JHF: chart) of Boston, Massachusetts, said Thursday its third-quarter profit surged 21% to $190.8 million, or 66 cents per share, from a profit of $158.1 million, or 54 cents per share, in the year-ago period. The insurer attributed the results to strong sales in its core life insurance products. Excluding items, earnings were 79 cents a share, 3 cents above the average analysts’ estimate.

The stock closed Thursday at $34.65, down 10 cents, or 0.29%.

Unocal Corporation (UCL: chart) reported Thursday a 54% rise in its third-quarter earnings on the back of higher natural gas and liquids prices and lower exploration expenses. The El Segundo, California-based oil company said its net profit amounted to $152 million, or 58 cents a share, from $99 million, or 41 cents a share, in the prior year. Revenue was up 19% to $1.54 billion from $1.3 billion.

Company shares slipped 30 cents to $31.50 on Thursday.

Valero Energy Corp. (VLO: chart), the leading independent oil refiner in the U.S., said before market open Thursday its third-quarter profit leapt six-fold to a record of $191.1 million, or $1.50 a share, from $29.8 million, or 27 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue soared 22% to $9.92 billion from $8.12 billion. San Antonio, Texas-based Valero said higher refining margins contributed to the record results.

Valero’s stock surged 4.76% on Thursday to $41.40.

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. (VSEA: chart) of Gloucester, Massachusetts, posted after market close Thursday a net profit of $1 million, or 3 cents per share, for its fiscal fourth quarter, down from $1.4 million, or 4 cents per share, in the 2002 equivalent. The world’s top maker of ion implantation systems said revenue dropped to $84.8 million from $95.8 million a year ago. Analysts had called for breakeven earnings and sales of $83.7 million.

Varian shares closed Thursday up $1.11, or 2.46%, at $46.28. The stock slid 0.82% to $45.90.

Revlon, Inc. (REV: chart) reported Thursday a wider third-quarter net loss of $54.7 million, or 78 cents a share, compared with a loss of $22.1 million, or 41 cents a share, last year. The New York-based cosmetics company said results were due to the decline in sales. Revenue slipped to $316.5 million from $323.2 million, a year ago.