Dell Inc. (DELL: chart) reported after market close Thursday a 24% rise in its quarterly earnings, boosted by strong demand for its server computers, notebook computers and data storage systems. The world’s second largest PC maker posted a net profit of $749 million, or 29 cents a share, for its fiscal 2004 fourth quarter, compared with a net profit of $603 million, or 23 cents a share, for the same quarter a year ago. For the quarter ended January 30, Dell said revenue improved 18% to $11.51 billion, from $9.74 billion in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003. Analysts had expected the Round Rock, Texas-based company to earn 28 cents per share, on revenue of $11.51 billion. For the full year, Dell said it had net income of $2.65 billion, or $1.01 a share, up 25% from $2.12 billion, or 80 cents a share, in fiscal 2003. Revenue climbed 17% to $41.44 billion from $35.4 billion.

For the first quarter, Dell said it expects earnings of 28 cents a share, on revenue of $11.2 billion, which would match analysts’ projections.

Dell shares dipped 0.36% to $33.57 at market close Thursday. The stock gained 54 cents to $34.11 in after-hours trading.

Aetna Inc. (AET: chart) of Hartford, Connecticut, announced before Thursday’s opening bell net earnings of $249.5 million, or $1.56 per share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003, in contrast to net income of $98.2 million, or 63 cents per share, generated in the year-ago period. Excluding extraordinary items, the health insurer turned in a profit of $1.32 per share, well above the average analysts’ estimate for a profit of $1.18 per share. Earnings before items in the fourth quarter of 2002 came in at 77 cents per share. The company cited cost cutting and strong growth at its health-care unit as main factors for the profit increase. For the quarter ended December 31, Aetna recorded revenue of $4.6 billion, down 3% from $4.7 billion a year earlier. For all of 2003, Aetna reported net income of $933.8 million, or $5.91 per share, compared with a net loss of $2.52 billion, or $16.49 per share, in fiscal 2002, which included a noncash charge of $2.97 billion related to changes in accounting for goodwill.

Aetna shares rose 4.47% on Thursday to close at $74.80.

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI: chart) posted Thursday higher quarterly profit, helped by strong demand for its products. The Norwood, Massachusetts-based U.S. No.3 analog semiconductor company said it earned $116.8 million, or 30 cents a share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2004, compared with net income of $60 million, or 16 cents a share, in the 2003 corresponding period. Results beat by 2 cents a share the mean estimate of analysts. Net sales jumped 30% in the quarter to $605.4 million, from $467.4 million last year.

The stock slipped 2.00% on Thursday to $48.99. Company shares gained $2.26 to $51.25 in after-market trade.

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA: chart) reported Thursday that its quarterly profit dropped from a year ago, hurt by higher costs. The Santa Clara, California-based maker of graphics chips and boards said it earned $24.2 million, or 14 cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended January 25, down from a net profit of $50.9 million, or 30 cents per share, in the fiscal 2003 equivalent. Revenue climbed to $472.1 million from $469 million, a year ago.

The stock lost 73 cents on Thursday to $23.52. Company shares plunged 6.76% to $21.93 in after-market trade.

CVS Corporation (CVS: chart) of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, said Thursday that its fourth-quarter earnings surged 31.6% to $263.4 million, or 64 cents per share, from $200.1 million, or 49 cents per share, in the comparable period a year ago. The U.S. second largest drugstore chain topped analysts’ expectations for a profit of 58 cents a share. CVS said the winter flu outbreak boosted demand for medicines. Sales climbed 17.5% to $7.45 billion, in the fourth quarter, from $6.34 billion a year earlier.

CVS shares closed Thursday up $2.10, or 5.81%, at $38.23. The stock added a penny in after-hours trading.

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK: chart) announced Thursday a fourth-quarter net profit of £790 million ($1.49 billion), or 13.7 pence a share, compared with £935 million, or 16 pence a share, a year earlier. The United Kingdom-based drug manufacturer said generic competition, restructuring costs and the weak dollar dragged down the results. Quarterly sales eased 5.1% to £5.38 billion, from £5.67 billion a year ago.

Company shares slid 3.90% to close Thursday at $43.39.

Safeway Inc. (SWY: chart) of Pleasanton, California, posted Thursday a fourth-quarter net loss of $695.9 million, or $1.57 a share, hurt by a strike in Southern California. In the year-ago quarter, the grocery-store chain operator had a loss of $1.05 billion, or $2.37 a share. Excluding charges and other items, earnings came in at 66 cents a share, beating the consensus estimate of analysts for a profit of 64 cents a share.

The stock rose 3.21% on Thursday to $22.49.

The May Department Stores Company (MAY: chart) reported Thursday earnings of $425 million, or $1.38 per share, for its fourth quarter, a 10% increase from a prior-year profit of $387 million, or $1.26 per share. The St. Louis, Missouri-based department store operator said results were driven by stronger sales, which rose to $4.49 billion from $4.37 billion.

May shares closed Thursday down 15 cents, or 0.43%, at $35.06.

TXU Corp. (TXU: chart), the Dallas, Texas-based utility holding company, said Thursday it swung to a quarterly profit, aided by cost cutting and a steep decline in charges for discontinued operations. TXU announced fourth-quarter earnings of $23 million, or 7 cents a share, a turnaround from a loss of $4.9 billion, or $16.44 a share, in the year-ago quarter, which reflected a huge loss on discontinued operations. TXU said revenue jumped 19.4% to $2.53 billion from $2.12 billion.

The stock shed 34 cents on Thursday to $24.36.

Loews Corporation (LTR: chart) posted Thursday fourth-quarter net income of $367.4 million, or $1.79 per share, up 41% from a year-earlier profit of $261.3 million, or $1.21 per share. The New York-based holding company said revenue climbed 9% to $4.34 billion. Loews credited the results to the strong performance at its CNA Financial Corp. insurance unit, which tripled its quarterly earnings.