24 Jan 14. Honeywell International Inc (HON.N) reported higher-than-expected fourth-quarter profit and revenue on Friday, as sales grew across its major segments. The diversified U.S. manufacturer of aerospace parts and climate control systems said net income rose to $947m, or $1.19 per share. That’s up considerably from $251m, or 32 cents per share, a year earlier, when the company recorded a large pension expense. Excluding one-time items, earnings of $1.24 per share beat the average estimate of analysts by 3 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Revenue increased 8 percent to $10.39bn, nearly $200 m ahead of estimates. Honeywell backed its 2014 financial targets, set last month, which include earnings-per-share growth of 8 to 12 percent on sales growth of 3 percent to 4 percent. (Source: Reuters)

23 Jan 14. Microsoft Corp posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, boosted by strong sales of its Office software to businesses, a solid holiday season for its new Xbox game console and Surface tablets, and a slightly lower tax bill. The world’s largest software company did not say anything about its unexpectedly long five-month search for a new chief executive to replace Steve Ballmer, who said in August he would retire within a year. The company co-founded by Bill Gates 39 years ago was central to the personal computer revolution, but lost its way in the last decade under Ballmer as Apple Inc and Google Inc stormed ahead in mobile computing. The quarter may well be the last full one for Ballmer, and it at least showed some positive momentum for the Surface tablet, Microsoft’s long-delayed attempt to knock Apple’s iPad off its perch. Microsoft’s new Xbox One console, launched in November, helped the top line, contributing more than half to the 7.4m unit sales in the quarter, up from 5.9m a year ago. That said, Sony’s cheaper PlayStation 4 appears to be winning the latest video game showdown. Sales of the second generation of Surface tablets jumped to $893m in the key holiday shopping quarter, more than the whole of the previous fiscal year. However, at prices ranging from $450 to $1,800, that figure suggests Microsoft sold no more than 2m Surface units. By comparison, Apple is expected to announce sales of more than 20m iPads for the holiday quarter next week. Overall, Microsoft reported a fiscal second-quarter profit of $6.56bn, or 78 cents per share, compared with $6.38bn, or 76 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. That easily beat Wall Street’s average estimate of 68 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, lifting Microsoft shares 3.4 percent in after hours trading. (Source: Reuters)

23 Jan 14. Teledyne reported fourth quarter 2013 sales of $596.6m, compared with sales of $567.4m for the fourth quarter of 2012, an increase of 5.1%. Net income from continuing operations was $54.9m ($1.44 per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with net income from continuing operations of $43.9m ($1.17 per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2012, an increase of 25.1%. Net income attributable to Teledyne, including discontinued operations, was $54.9m ($1.44 per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $46.2m ($1.23 per diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2012, an increase of 18.8%. (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)

21 Jan 14. Rockwell Collins Inc, which makes electronics systems for
aircraft, reported a lower quarterly profit, but raised its full-year outlook, saying government-related sales would not fall as much as previously expected. Net income in the quarter totalled $131m, or 96 cents a share, in the fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with $132m, or 94 cents a share, a year earlier. There were fewer outstanding shares in the most recent quarter. Analysts had expected 94 cents a share, on average, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Total sales rose 1 percent to $1.07bn, the company said. Commercial system sales rose 3 percent to $521m,