Stocks, Quarterly Earnings | featured news

Google recently announced its Q2 2011 earnings on July 14, 2011. [1] For the quarter, total advertising revenues surged by about 33% over Q2 2010 values driven by increased paid clicks as well as higher cost-per-click rates over the same quarter last year.

Caterpillar drove the Dow Jones industrial average higher Friday after the company reported a huge gain in first-quarter earnings. The world's largest maker of mining and construction equipment rose 2.5 percent after its earnings increased more than five-fold. The company also raised its sales and profit forecast for the year.

Apple Inc's quarterly results again smashed Wall Street's expectations, fueled by record iPhone and Mac sales, offsetting lower-than-expected sales of its iPad tablet computer.

The online travel website has seen better quarters, with higher taxes, increased spending on technology and content, and a push and pull between airlines and global distribution systems that took a toll in the last quarter of 2010. The stock was down more than 18% Friday at $21.06.

Apple receives vote of confidence as analysts raise their price target for the company's shares a day after it unveils record profits and revenues.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc posted a 53 percent decline in quarterly profit on Wednesday, in part reflecting lower results in fixed-income trading.

Ford Motor Co F.N posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit of $2.6 billion and said it was on track for higher earnings and lower debt in 2011, sending its shares up 3 percent in premarket trade.

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IBM increased its quarterly dividend by 18% and will look buy back $8 billion worth of stock.