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Latest earnings news
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April 24, 2000: 1:40 p.m. ET
American Express, Merck beat Street; Priceline.com reports smaller loss
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - American Express Co., Merck & Co. and Lexmark International Group Inc. Monday reported earnings that edged past Wall Street forecasts, Northrop Grumman easily beat estimates, and Priceline.com reported a smaller-than-expected loss. The news was a little  worse for gum company Wrigley and railroad CSX.
American Express profit up on higher sales
American Express Co. Monday reported first-quarter earnings of $1.44 a diluted share, two cents above average forecasts on Wall Street and well above its year-earlier results of $1.26 a share. Sales rose 16 percent to $5.3 billion at the financial services company, whose stock is one of 30 in the Dow Jones industrial average. (Click here for full story)
Merck & Co. tops forecasts
Merck & Co. Inc. reported first-quarter earnings rose to 63 cents a diluted share, topping Wall Street forecasts of 62 cents a share and its year-earlier results of 54 cents a share. Sales grew 17 percent to about $8.9 billion, the biggest U.S. drug maker said. (Click here for full story)
Priceline has smaller-than-expected loss
Priceline.com Inc. reported a loss of $7.3 million, or 4 cents a diluted share, excluding one-time items, versus forecasts for a loss of 6 cents a share, according to First Call, which tracks estimates by analysts on Wall Street. The consumer Web site lost $16.8 million, or 12 cents a diluted share, excluding special items, a year earlier. (Click here for full story)
CSX falls short of estimates
Troubled railroad CSX Corp. reported first-quarter earnings of $29 million, or 14 cents a diluted share, compared with $75 million, or 36 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. First Call's consensus estimate was 15 cents a share, an estimate that had fallen steadily since the company admitted to financial problems in December. (Click here for full story)
Northrop Grumman's profit zooms past Street
Northrop Grumman, the nation's fifth-largest defense contractor, reported first-quarter earnings of $173 million, or $2.47 a diluted share, compared with $104 million before extraordinary items, or $1.50 a share, in the year-earlier quarter. First Call's consensus estimate was $1.80 a share.
Wrigley's can't meet estimates
Chewing-gum producer William Wrigley Jr. Co. reported first-quarter earnings of $74.6 million, or 65 cents a diluted share, compared with $69.6 million, or 60 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. First Call's consensus estimate was $67 cents a share.
Hershey's earnings up
Hershey Foods Corp., the largest U.S. chocolate company, reported first-quarter earnings of $66.7 million before extraordinary items, or 48 cents a diluted share, compared with $50.5 million before extraordinary items, or 35 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. First Call's consensus estimate was 44 cents a share.
Ashland's earnings up, but don't meet estimate
Chemical and oil company Ashland Inc. reported earnings of $25 million before extraordinary items, or 35 cents a share, for the quarter ended March 31, compared with earnings of $6 million after unusual items, or 8 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. First Call's consensus estimate was 36 cents a share.
Lexmark beats the Street
Computer printer maker Lexmark International Group Inc. reported net earnings of $80.2 million, or 59 cents a diluted share, versus $67.8 million, or 48 cents a share, a year earlier and Wall Street forecasts of 58 cents a share, according to First Call. (Click here for full story) 
-- compiled by Tatiana Helenius and Mark Gongloff
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