Earnings roundup: US Steel, Office Depot

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PITTSBURGH (AP) United States Steel Corp. says its first-quarter earnings fell 14 percent as higher sales failed to offset declines in its European and tubular businesses and pretax charges.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) Office Depot Inc., the nation's second biggest office-supply chain, said Tuesday its first-quarter profit dropped 55 percent due to North American sales declines, but results still managed to top Wall Street's expectations. Its shares rose 7 percent on premarket trading.

BERLIN (AP) Automaker Daimler AG said Tuesday that its first-quarter profit slipped 32 percent from last year, when its results were lifted by a one-time gain from the transfer of shares in Airbus' parent company.

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NEW YORK (AP) Pacific Capital Bancorp's profit surged 41 percent in the first quarter as the bank bolstered its profitable tax-refund loan business, the company said Tuesday.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) G&K Services Inc., which makes and rents workplace uniforms, said Tuesday its fiscal 2008 third-quarter profit fell 12 percent on a jump in the company's tax rate.

TROY, Mich. (AP) ArvinMeritor Inc., which makes parts for commercial and light vehicles, said Tuesday it swung to a fiscal second-quarter profit on foreign currency translation gains and higher international sales.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Aircraft component maker Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. said Tuesday its first-quarter profit rose 21 percent, helped by increased revenue and operating efficiencies.