The largest international apparel and home fashions off-price retailer TJX Cos. posted improvements in inventory and cost controls helped boost its fourth-quarter profit by almost 47%.

Garmin Ltd., the company that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies, posted that its profit jumped 70% as sales doubled in the fourth quarter, easily beating Wall Street forecasts, on strong holiday demand for the company's digital navigation devices.

Fourth-quarter profit at Tim Hortons Inc rose 11.5 % as growth in same store sales helped to offset higher costs.

A global American beverage and snack company PepsiCo Inc. posts its 2008 profit outlook is unchanged from a previous forecast and that it plans to buy back 4.3 billion dollars in shares this year.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly application survey stated that mortgage application volume dropped 22.6 % during the week ending Feb. 15 as most interest rates grew.

U.K. stocks declined for the first time in three days, led by banks, after Alliance & Leicester Plc stated a slump in second-half profit and curtailed its growth target for this year and next.

Danish toy maker Lego posted that its last year earnings fell 20% due to higher taxes despite higher sales of its plastic building blocks.

General Mills Inc., the second-largest U.S. cereal maker, raised its fiscal 2008 profit forecast, citing sales growth and cost savings.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported fourth-quarter profit increased more than analysts estimated after it stepped up holiday discounts and added more brands of computers and flat-screen televisions.

Munich Re reported spending on claims and costs at its property and casualty unit grew last year on higher payments for natural disasters.

Barclays Plc increased its 2007 write-down on the value of risky assets to 1.6 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) but reported profits came in broadly as analysts expected.

Clear Channel Communications’ profit rose 4% in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared to 2006, to $1.84 billion-mostly because of the continuing strong performance of the company's outdoor division, which increased 13% to $936.7 million. This is the first time that Clear Channel Outdoor has gained more than Clear Channel Radio, where profits dropped 3% to $874.6 million.