Earnings, Better-than-expected | featured news

Toymaker Hasbro sees its results beat market expectations, despite seeing its losses widen as it continues cost-cutting efforts.

Citigroup Inc reported a higher-than-expected 31 percent rise in first-quarter profit on Monday as it drew down loss reserves for mortgage loans, and revenue from its securities and investment banking business swelled.

Better-than-expected results from both media and telecommunications businesses pushed Vivendi SA to bump up its full-year guidance, easing pressure on the company as it pursues a strategic review that could lead to asset sales.

Shares of security software vendor AVG Technologies are trading sharply higher Thursday on better-than-expected Q3 financial results. For the quarter, AVG posted revenue of $95.3 million, up 34% from a year ago, and ahead of the Street at $85 million.

General Motors Co on Wednesday posted a far stronger-than-expected profit and said it was targeting a return to break-even levels in its money-losing European operations by mid-decade after a loss of as much as $1.8 billion in that region this year.

AT&T Inc pulled back its outlook for business services this year, sending its shares down 3 percent despite its better than expected quarterly profit as it reduced costs from customer upgrades to smartphones such as the Apple Inc iPhone.

U.S. stock futures rose as better-than-expected earnings reports from Research In Motion and Oracle late Thursday reinforced confidence in the ability of companies to increase profits next year.