- Unilever said that its profits increased 17 percent over the past quarter, reaching $1.8 billion, as the company pursued a strategy of focusing on fewer brands and cutting costs.
- Albertsons Inc. cut its forecasts for third-quarter and full-year 2002 earnings, saying that it was being impacted by an unexpected sales slowdown. Sales for the third quarter are expected to be down as much as two percent, the company said.
- CVS Corp. reported third quarter net income rose to $164.4 million, from $123.7 million a year earlier. Quarterly sales rose 8.6 percent to $5.88 billion. Sales at stores open at least a year increased 8.4 percent, with most of the growth coming from the prescription drug business.
