GLIMMERS OF HOPE FOR U.S. CORPORATE PROFITS
GLIMMERS OF HOPE FOR U.S. CORPORATE PROFITS
Companies in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index have come a long way since reporting a collective loss at the end of 2008. Third-quarter numbers so far indicate operating profits of about $137 billion, and more companies are beating analysts' estimates. But net income is still well off peaks in most industries.
table (available online)
Standouts: A lot of big companies reported triple-digit growth.
S&P 500 COMPANIES WITH THE BIGGEST EARNINGS UPTURN*
NET INCOME
ONE-YEAR
IN MILLIONS
CHANGE
$300
1,775%
3,588
581
61
559
LSI
53
361
935
337
Iron Mountain
43
282
3,188
277
363
263
186
243
578
221
*Among companies reporting by Nov. 4 for the third quarter of calendar year 2009
Data: Capital IQ
Copyright 2009 BusinessWeek
