The Australian toll road company’s net profit for the six months to Dec. 31 rose to A$93.2 million from A$74.7 million a year earlier.

Proportional earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization–a measure closely watched by analysts–increased 7.5% to A$390.0 million, beating a Goldman Sachs forecast of A$377.5 million.

Transurban declared an interim dividend of 14.5 cents per security and stuck to its guidance for the full year of at least 29 cents.

It said the upgrade of the M2 tollway in Sydney is about half-finished and expected to reach completion in the first half of 2013. The Capital Beltway project in the U.S. is over 80% done and on track for completion by the end of 2012, it said.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/transurban-profit-up-on-traffic-volumes-cost-cuts-2012-02-06

American, whose parent filed for bankruptcy protection in November, said traffic rose 1.4% in January while capacity slid 2.1% on the year. As fuel prices climb, airlines have been reining in capacity to stay as close to demand levels as possible. Load factor–a measure of plane fullness–rose to 78.5% from 75.8%.

American Airlines said domestic capacity fell 4.4% as domestic traffic slid 1.1%. International traffic grew 5% and capacity improved 1.2%.

On Nov. 29, AMR filed for Chapter 11 protection after a decade of trying to avoid it while competitors slimmed down their cost structures in their own bankruptcy-court restructurings.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/amrs-american-air-traffic-up-14-in-january-2012-02-06

Lu said the company plans to add 2,000 staff this year to boost its cloud computing, sales and customer service. It has around 25,000 employees currently, he said.

The once-frosty relations between Beijing and Taipei have thawed since China-friendly Kuomintang took over Taiwan’s government in 2008. Among the business ties between the two sides on the telecom front, Chunghwa Telecom agreed to build an undersea cable, connecting Taiwan and China across the Pacific, with China Telecom Corp.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/chunghwa-telecom-to-expand-workforce-by-8-in-2012-2012-02-04

Durcan had been Micron’s president and chief operating officer. On Saturday he was also appointed to the company’s board of directors.

Micron’s board also announced Robert E. Switz would succeed Appleton as chairman of the board, and that Mark W. Adams had been appointed president. Switz has served as a director since 2006 and is the former chairman and CEO of ADC Telecommunications. He has previously served as chair of the Micron Board’s Audit and Governance committees. Adams joined the company in 2006 and served most recently as vice president of worldwide sales.

The announcements come as the company remains shaken by the loss of its longtime leader. Appleton was a popular executive and one of the most prominent figures in the semiconductor industry.

Appleton was widely characterized as something of a daredevil, a stunt flyer who had survived a previous crash and raced motorcycles, monster cars and off-road vehicles. He also cut a maverick figure in the industry, shepherding Micron through a turbulent battle against much larger Asian competitors in the boom-and-bust market for memory chips.

“We are deeply saddened by Steve’s loss and will miss his hand at the helm,” Durcan said in the company’s statement. “I have provided the board my ongoing commitment to work with the management team and continue to move the company forward.”

–Shara Tibken and Don Clark contributed to this article.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/micron-technology-appoints-mark-durcan-as-ceo-2012-02-04

Corning’s prediction, ahead of its annual investor meeting in New York on Friday, signals confidence that it can grow its top line by selling more fiber-optic cable, smartphone cover glass and other products. Reduced demand for LCD glass — the product that represents the bulk of the company’s profit and sales — has crimped its financial performance of late.

“We now expect the telecommunications, specialty materials, environmental technologies and life sciences business segments to be the primary drivers of increased sales and profits going forward,” Chief Financial Officer Jim Flaws said in a statement.

The company said it expects LCD glass sales to be flat through 2014. Corning also reiterated its recent comments that LCD glass price declines are weighing on the company’s profitability.

Shares were up 1.5% to $13.13 in recent premarket trading.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/corning-sees-non-lcd-operations-driving-growth-2012-02-03

Hirtler-Garvey has been a member of the youth-focused apparel retailer’s board since August 2005 and has served as chairman of the board’s audit committee as well as the company’s lead independent director. She most recently served as the chief risk executive for Ally Financial Inc. and has held several management positions at Bank of America Corp. (BAC).

Geiger, who also resigned as a member of the board, became the president and chief executive officer of Crumbs Bake Shop Inc. in November. Prior to that, Geiger served as Aeropostale’s chairman and chief executive from August 1998 until February 2010.

Aeropostale, which operates children’s and teen retail chains, saw its stock slump last year as its girls’ business failed to resonate with shoppers and it saw stiffer competition from its teen rivals, including Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF), which has become more promotional.

In November, Aeropostale Inc. reported its fiscal third-quarter profit fell 59% as the company booked sharply higher input costs, though earnings topped the its raised forecast.

Shares closed at $16.64 and were unchanged after hours. The stock is up 9.1% year to date.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/aeropostale-taps-hirtler-garvey-to-chair-board-2012-02-03

For the new year, the company forecast earnings of $5.04 to $5.20 a share on revenue growth of 4% to 6%, bracketing the $5.11 and 5% estimates from analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

The company, which provide information technology to the financial and insurance industries, has seen revenue grow in recent quarters on better results in its processing and services arm. But severance and debt-reduction charges have hurt its bottom line lately.

President and Chief Executive Jeffery Yabuki said revenue growth in the latest period was at its highest level in more than three years.

Fiserv reported a profit of $143 million, or $1.01 a share, up from $116 million, or 78 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding items such as amortization of acquisition-related assets and early debt extinguishment, adjusted earnings from continuing operations rose to $1.26 from $1.06. Revenue climbed 7.7% to $1.16 billion.

Analysts had most recently forecast earnings of $1.27 on revenue of $1.13 billion.

Processing-and-services revenue, which makes up most of the company’s business, rose 5.2%. Product revenue increased 18%.

Shares closed at $63.11 Thursday and were unchanged after hours. The stock is up 11% in the past three months.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fiserv-earnings-up-23-on-higher-revenue-2012-02-02

Net profit in the three months ended Dec. 31 fell to KRW196 billion (US$175.2 million) from KRW502.5 billion a year earlier, SK Telecom said.

The result was worse than the average KRW302.8 billion net profit forecast of five analysts recently polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

Operating profit also declined, falling 35.7% to KRW329.4 billion from KRW512.2 billion while sales fell 2.3% to KRW3.930 trillion from KRW4.023 trillion.

SK Telecom cut mobile phone fees late last year at the government’s behest, as part of a broad national campaign to fight inflation.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/koreas-sk-telecom-post-61-net-profit-drop-in-q4-2012-02-01

Newmont hopes to conclude the sale of the undeveloped Felton East/West and Lochbar/Bringalily South tenements in Queensland state’s Clarence-Moreton Basin within the first half of the year, the person said.

Denver, Col.-based Newmont is the world’s second-largest gold miner by output after Barrick Gold Corp. ABX +0.41% , and considers its regional coal assets in Australia to be non-core.

Newmont’s tenements in the Clarence-Moreton Basin lie around 10 kilometers from a rail line with access to Gladstone and Brisbane, and contain thermal coal that could be developed for export if capacity at either port becomes available.

The bituminous coal is low in sulfur, and has an energy content of around 6,000 kilocalories per kilogram after washing. Thermal coal is chiefly used to generate electricity.

Newmont last year appointed Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. to find a buyer for the two coal tenements.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/newmont-reportedly-in-coal-ops-sale-talks-2012-02-01

Last month, India’s cabinet approved the proposal by Disney–which currently owns 50.28% of UTV Software–to buy out other shareholders. Walt Disney reiterated Tuesday it will delist UTV Software, which it said would allow it to integrate UTV’s current operations into the company.

Disney Chairman Andy Bird said increasing the company’s reach in international markets was a cornerstone of its growth strategy.

“This acquisition expands our footprint significantly and allows us to more effectively build, monetize and brand multiplatform franchises, and deliver a rich library of content to the world’s second largest population,” he said.

The company said it would produce both UTV and Disney-branded local films.

UTV is also a major television producer in India with six owned channels and also has a mobile-gaming business.

Disney shares closed Tuesday at $38.90 and weren’t active after hours.

SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-agrees-to-buy-out-indias-utv-software-2012-01-31