Earnings roundup: Toll Brothers, Smithfield Foods

Among the earnings stories for Thursday, Dec. 4, from AP Financial News:

Top stories:

Toll Brothers Inc. said Thursday its fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed slightly as it took fewer write-downs on land values, but warned that fiscal 2009 revenue will fall significantly below 2008 levels.

Other stories:

SMITHFIELD, Va. (AP) — Pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. on Thursday reported a 76 percent drop in its fiscal second-quarter earnings, as high feed costs linked to skyrocketing grain prices hurt its hog and Butterball turkey operations.

MISSION WOODS, Kan. (AP) — Layne Christensen Co., which provides drilling and construction services, said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 23 percent as record revenue offset higher costs.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Williams-Sonoma Inc. reported a fiscal third-quarter loss Thursday, as declining same-store sales and weakness across its brands dragged down results.

LAUREL, Miss. (AP) — Sanderson Farms Inc. said Thursday it lost nearly $52 million in its fiscal fourth quarter, hurt by declining chicken prices and some inventory adjustments.

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y. (AP) — Sirona Dental Systems Inc., which makes digital X-ray systems for dentists, said Thursday it swung to a loss in the fiscal fourth quarter after it wrote down the value of its products.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (AP) — Tax preparer Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. said its fiscal second-quarter loss narrowed slightly as it was able to cut some expenses.

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