Limited Brands, Inc. (LTD: chart) announced before market open Thursday higher quarterly earnings, driven by rising sales and a gain from the sale of its stake in Galyans Trading Co. The Columbus, Ohio-based clothing retailer reported net income of $148 million, or 31 cents per share, for its fiscal 2004 second quarter, compared with net income of $102 million, or 19 cents per share, in the 2003 equivalent. On an adjusted basis, earnings came in at $137.3 million, or 29 cents a share, for the quarter ended July 31. The consensus forecast of analysts was for a profit, excluding items, of 25 cents a share. Net sales improved 10% in the quarter to $2.21 billion from $2.01 billion. Same-store sales advanced 9% from a year earlier. For the first six months of 2004, Limited earned $244.6 million, or 49 cents per share, on sales of $4.19 billion. For the same period in 2003, net income was $199.5 million, or 38 cents per share, on sales of $3.86 billion.

Looking ahead, Limited said it is comfortable with the current analysts’ consensus estimate for a third-quarter profit of 6 cents per share.

Medtronic, Inc. (MDT: chart) reported Wednesday an 18% increase in its first-quarter profits, boosted by strong demand for its implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), devices that regulate a fast heartbeat. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based maker of biomedical devices announced net earnings of $529.7 million, or 43 cents per share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2005, in contrast to $450.4 million, or 37 cents per share, generated in the 2004 comparable period. The results were in line with Wall Street’s average estimate. For the quarter ended July 30, the company recorded revenues of $2.346 billion, a 14% rise from $2.064 billion, in the first quarter a year earlier. Medtronic said implantable defibrillator revenues surged 31% in the quarter, while sales of pacemakers were flat as compared to the same period in the prior year. Revenues at the company’s vascular division climbed 1% from last year to $195.7 million.

The stock closed Wednesday at $49.59, down 5 cents, or 0.10%. Company shares dropped 6 cents to $49.53 in after-hours trading.

Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS: chart) of Mountain View, California, posted after the bell Wednesday a net profit of $41.8 million, or 26 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter, down 13.8% from a profit of $48.5 million, or 30 cents per share, for the 2003 corresponding period, hurt by lower licensing fee bookings. Excluding items, the top provider of electronic design automation software reported income of $53.2 million, or 33 cents per share, in the quarter, a penny above the mean analysts’ estimate. Revenue for the quarter slid to $281.7 million from $300.4 million.

Synopsys shares edged up 98 cents to close Wednesday at $21.28. The stock plummeted 29.32% to $15.04 in after-market trade.

Intuit Inc. (INTU: chart) said after market close Wednesday that its fourth-quarter net loss widened to $42.1 million, or 22 cents per share, from a prior-year net loss of $24.7 million, or 12 cents per share, on acquisition-related charges. Excluding items, the Mountain View, California-based developer of tax presentation software TurboTax posted a loss of $11.4 million, or 6 cents a share, for the fourth quarter, against a loss of $10.7 million, or 5 cents a share, in 2003. Analysts had called for a loss before items of 7 cents a share. Revenue in the quarter rose to $275.9 million from $245.1 million, last year.

The stock inched up 4 cents to $39.09 at market close Wednesday. Intuit shares slipped 0.74% to $38.80 in the extended session.

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (BRCD: chart) of San Jose, California, announced Wednesday a huge rise in its quarterly earnings, driven by revenue growth. The maker of data storage networking equipment turned in net income of $17.0 million, or 6 cents per share, for its third quarter, compared with net income of $1.91 million, or a penny per share, a year earlier. The earnings topped the average analysts’ forecast by 1 cent a share. Quarterly revenue advanced 12% to $150.0 million.

Brocade shares rose 1.64% on Wednesday to $4.95. The stock lost 8 cents to $4.87 in after-hours trade.

Longs Drug Stores Corporation (LDG: chart) reported Wednesday that its second-quarter net profit tumbled 36% to $3.4 million, or 9 cents per share, from a profit of $5.3 million, or 14 cents per share, for the same period last year. The Walnut Creek, California-based drugstore chain cited a settlement charge as main factor for the profit drop. Excluding unusual items, earnings came to 27 cents a share, 2 cents ahead of the consensus analysts’ estimate.

The stock closed Wednesday up 26 cents, or 1.16%, at $22.75.

Hurt by weak customer traffic, Big Lots, Inc. (BLI: chart) of Columbus, Ohio, posted Wednesday a bigger second-quarter loss of $7.3 million, or 6 cents per share, compared with an adjusted loss of $1.6 million, or 1 cent per share, a year ago. Analysts had expected the closeout retailer to report a loss of 7 cents per share, on average. Quarterly sales were $995 million, up 4.8% from last year.

Company shares gained 25 cents on Wednesday to $12.27.

Brookstone, Inc. (BKST: chart) said Wednesday that it narrowed its quarterly loss, aided by higher sales. The Nashua, New Hampshire-based specialty retailer announced a loss of $465,000, or 2 cents a share, for its second quarter ended July 31, in contrast to a loss of $2.3 million, or 12 cents a share, in the year-ago equivalent. The mean analysts’ forecast was for a loss of 4 cents a share. Sales in the quarter jumped 22.2% to $98.3 million, with comparable-store sales improving 13.3%.

The stock soared 9.06% to close Wednesday at $18.29.

Dillard's, Inc. (DDS: chart) of Little Rock, Arkansas, announced Wednesday a smaller second-quarter loss of $26 million, or 31 cents per share, compared with a year-earlier loss of $50.4 million, or 60 cents per share. The department store operator attributed the results to cost controls. Quarterly sales slipped 3% to $1.67 billion, as same-store sales were also down 3% from last year.

Company shares plunged 7.28% to $21.40 at market close Wednesday.

The Talbots, Inc. (TLB: chart) on Wednesday turned in higher quarterly earnings, helped by an income-tax gain and stronger sales. The Hingham, Massachusetts-based women’s apparel retailer said that it had net income of $19.4 million, or 34 cents a share, in its second quarter, up from net income of $18.5 million, or 32 cents a share, for the 2003 equivalent. Results matched analysts’ expectations. Sales in the quarter climbed 5.1% to $409.4 million.

The stock closed Wednesday at $28.05, up 70 cents, or 2.56%. Company shares added 11 cents to $28.16 in after-market trade.