Fourth Quarter Earnings | featured news

Japan's economy grew at a faster than expected pace last quarter, as steady exports to Asia and support from government stimulus measures prevent another downturn in the region's largest economy.

The New York Times Co. said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings more than tripled, helped by cost cutting, an improving ad market and lower pension costs.

The publisher of The New York Times, The Boston Globe, the International Herald Tribune and 15 other daily newspapers had its smallest ad revenue decline in a year. Ad revenue dropped 14.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the same period of 2008, compared with a 26.9 percent year-over-year decline during the third quarter.

Exxon Mobil Corp. on Monday said last year's profit of $19.3 billion was its smallest since 2002 as higher oil prices squeezed profit margins in its refining business....

At the end of last year, the economy likely grew for the second straight quarter - possibly at the fastest pace in nearly four years....

Samsung reports strong profits in the fourth-quarter of 2009 thanks to increased sales of flat screen televisions and mobile phones.

Microsoft Corp posted a bigger-than-expected 60 percent jump in quarterly profit, helped by strong sales of Windows 7, and said it expected business technology spending to recover this year.

Ford, the only U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy court, clawed its way to a $2.7 billion profit in 2009 and expects to stay in the black in 2010. It was the automaker's first annual profit in four years.

Internet giant Yahoo posts a $153m profit in the fourth quarter, but says sales are continuing to fall.

Texas Instruments fourth-quarter profit soared on stronger sales and sharply higher margins, and the chip maker said its first quarter could surpass its fourth quarter, rather than the typical seasonal slowdown.

Apple Inc. rocketed to its most profitable quarter ever over the holidays, as huge sales of the iPhone — and a new way the company accounts for the device — led to a nearly 50 percent jump in net income.