Earnings Roundup

Humana Inc HUM reported a rise in its fourth-quarter profit. Humana's quarterly profit climbed to $313 million, or $1.20 per share, from $174 million, or $0.63 per share, in the year-ago period. Its revenue rose to $9.06 billion, from $8.28 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $1.20 per share on sales of $9.26 billion. Hasbro Inc HAS reported a drop in its fourth-quarter profit. Hasbro's quarterly net earnings fell to $139.1 million, or $1.06 per share, from $140 million, or $0.99 per share, in the year-ago period. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $1.06 per share. Hasbro's net revenue climbed 4% to $1.33 billion, versus analysts' estimates of $1.34 billion. Lazard Ltd LAZ reported a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, but the bank lifted its quarterly dividend. Lazard's quarterly adjusted net income dropped to $1 million, or $0.01 per share, from 104 million, or $0.76 per share, in the year-ago period. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.37 per share. Lazard's operating revenue dropped 23% to $469 million. Its financial advisory fees declined 26% to $260 million. CNA Financial Corp CNA reported a decline in its fourth-quarter net income. CNA Financial's quarterly net income declined to $190 million, or $0.70 per share, from $302 million, or $1.09 per share, in the year-ago period. The company's net operating income came in at $0.71 per share. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.69 per share. Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP BWP reported a 16% decline in its fourth-quarter earnings. Boardwalk Pipeline's quarterly profit fell to $74.6 million, or $0.36 per unit, from $88.9 million, or $0.45 per unit, in the year-ago period. Its revenue dropped 1.7% to $296.9 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.41 per share on revenue of $315 million. Towers Watson and Co TW reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and issued upbeat earnings forecast for the full year. Towers Watson expects 2012 earnings of $5.05 to $5.15 per share, on revenue of $3.41 billion to $3.46 billion. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $5.02 per share on revenue of $3.44 billion.Towers Watson's quarterly net income attributable to controlling interests climbed to $65.4 million, or $0.92 per share, up from $48.6 million, or $0.65 per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding items, Towers Watson earned $1.35 per share. Its revenue surged 11% to $880 million. Towers Watson's benefits revenue gained 8% to $476 million. Analysts were expecting quarterly earnings of $1.20 per share on revenue of $845.8 million. HCA Holdings Inc HCA reported a rise in its fourth-quarter earnings. HCA's quarterly earnings surged to $1.94 billion, or $4.25 per share, from $283 million, or $0.65 per share, in the year-ago period. Its revenue rose to $7.77 billion, from $7.16 billion. HCA also approved a special cash dividend of $2 per share. HCA projects 2012 earnings of $3.35 to $3.55 per share, versus $2.85 per share in 2011. Loews Corp L reported a drop in its fourth-quarter profit. Loews' quarterly profit fell to $268 million, or $0.67 per share, from $466 million, or $1.12 per share, in the year-ago period. Its revenue dropped to $3.48 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.90 per share. Sysco Corp SYY reported a 3.1% drop in its fiscal second-quarter earnings. Sysco's quarterly profit declined to $250.1 million, or $0.43 per share, from $258.2 million, or $0.44 per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding one-time items, Sysco earned $0.46 per share. Its sales rose 9.2% to $10.2 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.44 per share on revenue of $10.1 billion. Randgold Resources Ltd GOLD reported a strong rise in its Q4 net profit. Randgold's board proposed to lift the annual dividend to $0.40 per share, up from $0.20 per share in 2010. Randgold's quarterly net profit attributable to shareholders climbed to $115.5 million, from $26.8 million, in the year-ago period. Its gold output in 2011 jumped 58% to 696,023 troy ounces. Harmony Gold Mining Co HMY reported a rise in its second-quarter net profit. Harmony Gold's quarterly net profit surged to 1.046 billion rand, from ZAR296 million, in the year-ago period. Its gold output climbed to 344,592 troy ounces from 323,275 ounces. Japan Tobacco Inc JAPAF reported a 67% surge in its FQ3 net profit. Japan Tobacco's quarterly net profit climbed to Y64.5 billion, from Y38.6 billion, in the year-ago period. Its revenue gained 23% to Y669.6 billion from Y542.6 billion. Japan Tobacco's operating profit jumped 73% to Y116.8 billion from Y67.5 billion. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp NTT reported a 56% drop in its net profit for the fiscal third quarter. NTT's quarterly net profit declined to Y62.76 billion, from Y143.10 billion, in the year-ago period. Its operating profit dropped 4.3% to Y323.95 billion from Y338.36 billion. NTT's revenue gained 3.2% to Y2.629 trillion from Y2.544 trillion. Suzuki Motor Corp SZKMY reported a decline in its net profit for the April-December period. Suzuki Motor's net profit for the period dropped to Y40.62 billion, from Y42.61 billion in the year-ago period. Its sales fell 6.7% to Y1.798 from Y1.928 trillion and operating profit dropped 5.1% to Y87.71 from Y95.46 billion. KT Corp KT reported a 12.5% rise in its fourth-quarter net profit. KT's quarterly net profit surged to KRW210.6 billion (US$188.6 million), from KRW187.1 billion, in the year-ago period. However, analysts were expecting a net profit of KRW208.5 billion. KT's operating profit dropped 17% to KRW287.6 billion. Its sales surged 25% to KRW6.379 trillion from KRW5.114 trillion. Julius Baer Group JBAXY reported a 27% drop in its full-year net profit. Julius Baer's net profit for the period dropped to 257.9 million Swiss francs ($279.8 million), from CHF352 million, in the year-ago period. Its adjusted net profit declined 21% to CHF400.5 million, versus analysts' estimates of CHF392 million. Sohu.com Inc SOHU reported an upbeat fourth-quarter profit. However, the company issued weak first-quarter forecast. Sohu.com projects Q1 adjusted earnings of $0.50 to $0.55 per share on revenue of $219 million to $225 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $1.13 per share on revenue of $238.2 million. Sohu.com posted its quarterly net income at $25 million, or $0.65 per share, down from $44 million, or $1.07 per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding one-off items, Sohu.com earned $1.36 per share. Its revenue climbed to $246 million from $232.8 million. However, analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of $1.24 per share on revenue of $243.8 million.