Business news

Ameriprise Financial Inc. swung to a fourth-quarter profit of $237 million, or 90 cents a share. The financial services provider lost $369 million, or $1.69 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 70% to $2.3 billion.

Ameristar Casinos posted a smaller fourth-quarter loss. It lost $63.3 million, or $1.10 per share, compared with a loss of $101.1 million, or $1.77, a year ago. Revenue dipped 1 percent to $291.3 million. Ameristar has a casino in St. Charles.

Black & Decker said fourth-quarter profit fell on expenses related to its acquisition by Stanley Works. Earnings slipped to $33.9 million, or 55 cents per share, compared with $43.7 million, or 72 cents, a year earlier. Sales dropped 6 percent to $1.3 billion.

Cisco Systems Inc. reported a jump in second-quarter profit that beat Wall Street’s estimates. The networking-gear giant reported a profit of $1.85 billion, or 32 cents a share, compared with $1.5 billion, or 26 cents, a year ago. Revenue was $9.8 billion.

Comcast Corp.’s fourth-quarter earnings rose. Earnings were $955 million, or 33 cents per share, up from $412 million, or 14 cents, a year ago. Revenue rose 2.9 percent to $9.06 billion.

Honda Motor Co.’s third-quarter profit soared sixfold on cost cuts and strong sales of green vehicles, boosting the Japanese automaker’s full-year forecast. Profit rose to $1.49 billion. But revenue slipped to $24.8 billion.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., the O’Fallon, Mo.-based maker of silicon wafers, posted a fourth-quarter loss on lower demand for renewable energy components and costs to expand into development. The loss was $7.1 million, or 3 cents a share, compared with net income of $70.3 million, or 31 cents, a year ago. Sales fell 16 percent to $356.7 million.

Town and Country-based Savvis Inc. reported a widening fourth-quarter loss. The firm, which recently announced the departure of CEO Phil Koen, reported a loss of $5.4 million, or 10 cents a share, compared with a loss of $300,000, or 1 cent, in the same quarter of 2008. Fourth-quarter revenue declined 1 percent to $219.8 million. For the full year, the company reported a slight improvement, posting a loss of $20.8 million, or 39 cents a share, compared with a loss of $22 million, or 41 cents, in 2008. Savvis also reported a 2 percent increase in full-year revenue — $874.4 million in 2009 versus $857 million in 2008. (Tim Barker)

Time Warner Inc. said improving results at its movie studio and cable networks boosted fourth-quarter revenue. It earned $627 million, or 53 cents per share, compared with a loss of $16 billion, or $13.41, a year ago. Revenue rose 2 percent to $7.32 billion.

Visa Inc. said its profit rose 33 percent in the fiscal first quarter. The payment processing giant reported net income of $763 million, or $1.02 per share, compared with $574 million, or 74 cents, a year ago. Revenue climbed 13 percent to $1.96 billion.

Young Innovations Inc., an Earth City-based dental equipment supplier, said fourth-quarter earnings rose to $3.5 million, or 44 cents per share, compared with $3.1 million, or 40 cents, a year ago. Revenue rose 2.5 percent, to $24.5 million. Healthy demand for consumable products — including preventive, infection control, endodontic and home care lines — led to increased fourth-quarter sales, the company said. Sales of diagnostic products declined from the prior-year quarter but at a slower rate than the last few quarters. For the year, earnings increased 11 percent, to $13.5 million, compared with $12.2 million in 2008. Revenue fell 1.4 percent to $97.7 million. (Tim Bryant)

Riding strong overseas growth, especially in China, restaurant operator Yum Brands Inc. posted a 6 percent gain in fourth-quarter profit. The company, which owns the Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut chains, earned $216 million, or 45 cents per share, up from $204 million, or 43 cents, a year ago. Revenue fell 1 percent to $3.37 billion.

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