gpn:

Net income for the quarter ended Feb. 28, rose to $30.1 million, or 36 cents per share, from $21.6 million, or 27 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue grew 15 percent to $225.2 million from $195.5 million in the prior-year quarter.

On average, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial forecast a quarterly profit of 34 cents per share on revenue of $217.7 million.

Chairman, President and CEO Paul R. Garcia said, "We are once again pleased with our solid quarterly financial results, which primarily reflect continued strength in our North American direct merchant channels and our DolEx-branded consumer money transfer channel. We also continue to achieve solid progress toward completing our announced Asia-Pacific joint venture with HSBC."

Based on its results in the year to date, Global Payments raised its guidance for fiscal 2006 adjusted earnings per share to between $1.48 and $1.51 on revenue of $896 million to $903 million.

Street estimates call for earnings of $1.48 per share on revenue of $891.9 million, according to Thomson Financial.

merx: +3 to 13

4:10PM Merix beats by $0.12, ex items; guides above consensus (MERX) : Reports Q3 (Feb) earnings of $0.14 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.12 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.02; revenues rose 90.3% year/year to $95.1 mln vs the $89.2 mln consensus. Co issues upside guidance for Q4, sees EPS of $0.11-0.15, ex items vs. $0.02 consensus; sees Q4 revs of $91.0-95.0 mln vs. $88.79 mln consensus.

4:10PM Cognos reports $0.10 above consenus; guides Q1 and Y07 EPS below consensus (COGN) 38.09 : Reports Q4 (Feb) earnings of $0.48 per share, $0.10 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.38; revenues fell 1.2% year/year to $253.1 mln vs the $238.3 mln consensus. Co issues downside guidance for Q1, sees EPS of $0.20-0.24, excluding $0.05, vs. $0.29 consensus; sees Q1 revs of $210-218 mln vs. $216.41 mln consensus. Co issues downside guidance for FY07, sees EPS of $1.43-1.50, excluding $0.23, vs. $1.51 consensus; sees FY07 revs of $940-960 mln vs. $951.96 mln consensus.

txi: +4 after er, -4 after cc. 10 swing close @60

cc happened at 2:30pm, while er before market open.

cement is gone...

ful +6 to 50

H.B. Fuller Co.'s (FUL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) first-quarter profits more than doubled because of lower manufacturing costs and a better product mix, the paint and adhesive company said on Tuesday.

Net income rose to $15.3 million, or 52 cents a share, from $6.5 million, or 22 cents, a year earlier.

Analysts, on average, expected the St. Paul, Minnesota, company to earn 27 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Because of the strong first quarter and increased confidence, the company now expects fiscal 2006 earnings to range between $2.55 and $2.65 a share, beating the average analyst forecast of $2.11, according to Reuters.

H.B. Fuller's new outlook includes recent acquisitions of the Roanoke Companies Group and Henkel's insulating glass sealant assets.

For 2007, the additions are expected to boost diluted earnings per share between 12 cents and 18 cents a share, the company said.

also, today, tif -2 to 38, acn -2 to 29