IBT Staff Reporter

Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO) reported a 16 percent drop in first quarter profit on Friday, citing lower revenues in its newspaper publishing, magazine publishing and television broadcasting divisions.

Engineering and construction firm KBR Inc. (NYSE: KBR) reported that its first fiscal quarter profit rose 7.4 percent on Friday, helped by government and infrastructure operations for Iraq related contracts.

Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) posted a wider than expected loss for its first fiscal quarter, but the deficit was narrower compared to the previous year.

Shares of leading Internet portal Yahoo, Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO), shot up more than 15 percent in pre-market trading on Friday after a published report stated that software giant Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) is seeking to renew formal acquisition talks.

Shares of chain restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) rose sharply higher Wednesday after the firm said late Tuesday that first quarter profit rose 56 percent on increased same-store sales, more customer visits and a higher full year outlook.

Shares of Dow Jones & Co.(NYSE: DJ), which publishes The Wall Street Journal, were slightly down on Wednesday, a day after talk of a $5 billion bid for the firm by News Corp. sent shares soaring more than 50 percent.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE: FDP) reported that its first quarter profits more than tripled due to improved operations and gains from the sale of certain business units, sending shares rocketing in Tuesday trading.

Shares of MAF Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: MAFB) skyrocketed on Tuesday after agreeing to be acquired by National City Corp. (NSYSE: NCC) for $1.9 billion.

Shares of Circuit City Inc. (NYSE: CC) slumped in Tuesday trading after the retailer predicted a loss for the first quarter of 2008, and withdrew its previously issued outlook for the full year.

Strong first quarter earnings and a projections above estimates boosted shares of wireless chip maker Atheros Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR) in trading on Tuesday.

Banking holding company Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: SUSQ) announced it agreed to pay $860 million in cash and stock to acquire smaller rival Community Banks Inc. (NASDAQ: CMTY) as it expands in new territories.

Diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) reported a higher first-quarter profit on Friday, citing stronger sales of industrial power equipment. The firm also boosted its full year earnings forecast, sending shares up more than 11 percent.

Teledyne Technologies Inc. (NYSE: TDY) reported an increase in earnings and raised its full-year guidance above Wall-Street estimates on Wednesday, driven by higher margins in each of its segments.

Shares supplemental health insurance provider Aflac Inc. (NYSE: AFL) as the company posted first quarter earnings that exceeded estimates, as strong U.S. sales offset its declining Japan sales.

Toolmaker Black & Decker Corp. (NYSE: BDK) reported a lower first quarter profit on Wednesday, but still managed to beat analysts’ expectations, sending shares of the firm higher.

Investors sent shares of Sun Microsystems, Inc.(Nasdaq: SUNW) down more than 11 percent in Wednesday trading after the technology company’s third quarter report late yesterday indicated lower-than-expected sales.

The world's largest online retailer, Amazon Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) said late Tuesday that its first quarter profit more than doubled, sending shares of the company up more than 20 percent in Wednesday trading.

Shares of financial services company American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) got a boost from investors on Friday, a day after the company reported that first quarter profit rose 21 percent, beating Wall Street expectations.

Shares of chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) dipped slightly in Friday trading after the semiconductor company posted a greater-than-expected first quarter loss and slower sales.

Shares in Germany’s Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) rose over 4 percent on Friday after its supervisory board chairman said he would step down yesterday as the company tries to restore its image in the midst of a series of bribery and corporate corruption accusations.

As part of the continuing shakeout in the sub-prime lending industry, H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) announced Friday that it will sell its Option One Mortgage Corp. unit to focus on its core financial services.

Shares of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), the world’s largest Internet search provider, rose in Friday trading after beating analysts’ estimates with a 69 percent jump in first quarter profit.

Computer peripheral maker Logitech International SA (NASDAQ: LOGI) dipped in Thursday trading as the company reported lower than expected revenue on low webcam sales.

Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) reported strong first quarter earnings, boosted by sales in emerging markets and better than expected margins, sending shares rising in Thursday trading.

Shares of biotechnology firm Amgen, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMGN) shot up 4 percent Thursday, after results of a study for its Aranesp anemia drug for patients with small-cell lung cancer yielded no difference in survival rates than for patients who did not use the drug.

Shares of online broker E*Trade Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: ETFC) fell Thursday, a day after the firm’s first-quarter earnings report showed a profit that beat Wall Street expectations but also included lower guidance for the full fiscal year.

Bankrupt carrier Northwest Airlines announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with its retirees.

Investors sent shares of Internet portal Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) plummeting more than 11 percent on Wednesday, after the firm posted weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue.

Linear Technology Corp. (NASDAQ: LLTC) jumped in trading on Wednesday following an announcement that it would buy back $3 billion of its shares.