PROFITS: NOW, THAT'S MORE LIKE IT

摘要

Is Corporate America getting its groove back? That question had analysts buzzing as first-quarter earnings began rolling in last month. Confounding warnings that uncertainties over the Iraq war, rising energy costs, and a bitterly cold winter that stunted retail sales would also crimp profits, the 900 companies on BusinessWeek's Corporate Scoreboard beat expectations. Profits climbed 33% from the first quarter last year, while revenues rose a better-than-expected 11%―the first double-digit jump since the first quarter of 2001. Meanwhile, profit margins widened to 6.4%, up from 5.3% a year ago―better than in any quarter since the third quarter of 2000.