With more than a billion users — almost half of all Internet surfers globally — Facebook continues to deliver stellar growth, reporting Q2 profit late Wednesday that beat already-lofty expectations. Earnings per share leapt 121% to 42 cents excluding various items. That soundly beat the consensus estimate of 32 cents, as polled by Thomson Reuters. Revenue rose 61% to $2.91 billion. That beat the consensus of $2.8 billion, though it
Big-cap biotech leaders Biogen Idec and Gilead Sciences easily beat second-quarter earnings estimates and received product approvals Wednesday, but their stocks reacted very differently. Biogen (BIIB) earnings rose 52% vs. a year earlier to $3.49 a share, topping analysts’ consensus by 66 cents. Sales grew 40% to $2.4 billion vs. the Street’s $2.16 billion. The company increased its full-year revenue range for 38%-41% growth from
Apple reported stronger-than-expected earnings growth late Tuesday, but fiscal Q3 sales of the iPhone and iPad lagged estimates as consumers and investors look ahead to the next smartphone models. The report “was of much less significance than past quarterly reports, as we believe investors are more focused on the ‘Fab Fall’ launch,” wrote analyst Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald. Apple (AAPL) is expected to unveil new,