Earnings Roundup: Goldman, Best Buy

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NEW YORK (AP) Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on Tuesday said higher investment banking fees and smart bets in mortgage-backed bonds helped it easily beat Wall Street expectations for the fourth fiscal quarter.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. said Tuesday third-quarter profit jumped 52 percent, ahead of analyst expectations, boosted by an extra week of holiday shopping and sales of higher-priced items such as video game consoles and GPS devices.

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ST. LOUIS (AP) Plastics manufacturer Spartech Corp. said Monday its fourth-quarter earnings fell 86 percent as the weakened economy lessened demand for plastics in residential construction and other markets.

PHOENIX (AP) Auto parts retailer CSK Auto Corp. said Tuesday it swung to a third-quarter loss, hurt by lower customer traffic and higher operating, administrative and store closing costs.

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) FactSet Research Systems Inc., a provider of financial information and data, said Tuesday its fiscal first quarter earnings grew 24 percent on user and subscription growth.

ST. LOUIS (AP) Bakers Footwear Group Inc., which sells women's shoes, said Tuesday its fiscal third-quarter loss widened, as the company marked down sandals to clear inventory and traffic fell.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) Retailer Arcandor AG said Tuesday that its third-quarter operating profit increased more than ninefold, lifted higher by improved demand for package travel and tourism at its Thomas Cook unit.