Oct 18 (Reuters) – Union Pacific Corp posted a
slightly better-than-expected 15 percent rise in profit, helped
by higher prices and growing shipments of chemicals and autos.

But the largest publicly traded U.S. railroad, which like
its peers is facing a slump in coal shipments, sounded a note of
caution on the fourth quarter on Thursday, saying the uncertain
economic environment could hit demand for its hauling services.

BOSTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) – A slowing world economy took a
toll on sales of products ranging from soft drinks to corporate
jets in the third quarter, leading top U.S. companies, including
PepsiCo Inc, IBM and Textron Inc, to
miss Wall Street’s sales targets.

Those misses sparked concerns among investors that corporate
America’s year-long streak of profit growth could be nearing an
end as CEOs run out of costs to cut and customers are
increasingly wary about spending.

By Scott Malone

(Reuters) – Textron Inc (TXT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) reported a weaker-than-expected 6.3 percent rise in third-quarter profit, citing weak demand for corporate jets and declines in sales to the military, and the diversified U.S. manufacturer’s shares fell more than 5 percent.

The world’s largest maker of business aircraft faced “very quiet” ordering activity at its Cessna jet unit in July and August and was unable to make money in the quarter on a new contract to provide drones to the U.S. military, Chief Executive Officer Scott Donnelly told investors on a conference call on Wednesday.

By Scott Malone

(Reuters) – Diversified U.S. manufacturer Textron Inc (TXT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported a weaker-than-expected 6.3 percent rise in third-quarter profit on weak demand for corporate jets and declines in sales to the military.

The world’s largest maker of corporate jets also raised its full-year earnings-per-share target on Wednesday, but the revised range of $1.95 to $2.05 was below analysts’ expectation of $2.10, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company’s previous forecast ranged from $1.80 to $2.

By Scott Malone

(Reuters) – Diversified U.S. manufacturer Textron Inc (TXT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported a weaker-than-expected 6.3 percent rise in profit on weak demand for corporate jets and declines in sales to the military.

The world’s largest maker of corporate jets raised its full-year earnings per share target, but the revised range of $1.95 to $2.05 was below analysts’ expectation of $2.10, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Its previous forecast ranged from $1.80 to $2.

BOSTON (Reuters) – How far can cost-cutting get you in a slowing economy?

That’s the question the U.S. manufacturing sector will answer over the coming weeks. Through the first half of the year, big industrial companies including General Electric Co (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), United Technologies Corp (UTX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) notched impressive profit growth despite shaky demand, largely thanks to their success in boosting productivity.

But that bit of management magic may have run its course – Wall Street expects manufacturers to report a sharp slowdown in earnings growth in the just-ended third quarter, as Europe’s deteriorating economy, slowing growth in Asia and the risk of the United States going over a self-imposed fiscal cliff cause customers to throttle back spending even further.

By Scott Malone

(Reuters) – Activist investor Carl Icahn on Thursday offered to buy all outstanding shares of U.S. truckmaker Oshkosh Corp (OSK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for $32.50, a 21 percent premium to their Wednesday closing price.

Icahn, who is already Oshkosh’s largest shareholder with a 9.45 percent stake, said that he plans to nominate a slate of directors for election at the company’s next annual meeting and that his offer would be subject to the election of those directors.

BOSTON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Jack Welch, the lionized former chairman of General Electric Co (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research), provoked cries of outrage in Washington on Friday when he appeared to accuse the White House of manipulating September job figures for political gains.

White House officials dismissed as “ludicrous” a tweet Welch sent to his more than 1.3 million followers that suggested U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration rigged the data as a way of recovering from a poor Wednesday night showing in a debate against Mitt Romney, his Republican challenger for the White House.

BOSTON/WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) – BOSTON/WASHINGTON,
Oct 5 (Reuters) – Jack Welch, the former chairman of General
Electric Co, provoked cries of outrage in Washington on
Friday when he suggested that the White House manipulated
September job figures for political gains.

White House officials dismissed as “ludicrous” a tweet Welch
sent to his more than 1.3 million followers that gave the
impression President Barack Obama’s administration may have
rigged the data as a way of recovering from a poor showing at
Wednesday night’s debate with Mitt Romney, his Republican
challenger for the White House.

BOSTON/WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) – Jack Welch, the
lionized former chairman of General Electric Co, provoked
cries of outrage in Washington on Friday when he appeared to
accuse the White House of manipulating September job figures for
political gains.

White House officials dismissed as “ludicrous” a tweet Welch
sent to his more than 1.3 million followers that suggested U.S.
President Barack Obama’s administration rigged the data as a way
of recovering from a poor Wednesday night showing in a debate
against Mitt Romney, his Republican challenger for the White
House.