Dell (NDAQ:DELL) posted net income for its fiscal Q4 ended Feb. 2 of $673 million, or $0.30 a share, and revenue was $14.4 billion. In the same quarter last year, Dell reported net income of $1.01 billion, or $0.43 a share, on revenue of $15.18 billion.

American International Group (NYSE:AIG), the world's largest insurer by market value, said Q4 earnings rose sharply from a year ago. Net income was $3.44 billion, or a $1.31 share, compared with $444 million, or $0.17, a year ago. AIG also expanded its stock buyback plan by $8 billion. AIG says it intends to buy $5 billion worth of common stock during 2007.

Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK) reported higher full-year profit, helped by gains in its core insurance operations -- a welcome relief from two years of billion-dollar payouts for hurricane claims. Buffett said the company's net worth rose by $16.9 billion, or 18.4%, in 2006. While Geico had a blockbuster year, Berkshire’s non-insurance businesses also did well, with earnings up 38%.

Struggling apparel giant Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) said that their Q4 net profit fell 35% on lower or flat sales at its two main casual clothing chains and dependence on holiday season discounts. The global retailer, which is searching for a new chief executive after the January departure of Paul Pressler, said net income dropped to $219 million, or $0.27 a share, from $337 million, or $0.39 per share, a year earlier.

Motorola (NYSE:MOT) said it received notice that Carl Icahn and three of his entities have filed to buy more than $2 billion, or 4.4%, of the company's common stock, potentially making the financier Motorola's second biggest institutional holder. Motorola has a market capitalization of $45.56 billion, based on Wednesday's closing share price of $18.52.

Business software maker Oracle (NDAQ:ORCL) will buy Hyperion Solutions for $3.3 billion in cash, renewing a shopping spree aimed at toppling rival SAP. The deal announced Thursday will give Oracle an arsenal of Hyperion products that are widely used by SAP's customers. Santa Clara-based Hyperion represents the largest prey to be devoured by Oracle since it gobbled up Siebel Systems for $6.1 billion a little over a year ago. Redwood Shores-based Oracle will pay $52 per share for Hyperion. The price represents a 21% premium above the most recent closing price of Hyperion's stock, which has traded between $26.65 and $45.18 during the past year. Hyperion shares surged $8.69, or 20.3%, to $51.53 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, where Oracle shares gained $0.39, or 2.4%, to $16.83.

Retailer Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) reported higher Q4 profit as sales were aided by new stores and goods sold exclusively at the chain. Earnings rose 29%, coming to a total of $484.6 million, or $1.48 a diluted share for the quarter ended Feb. 3, compared with $374.9 million, or $1.08 a diluted share, a year earlier. The earnings topped analyst consensus forecasts, which had projected a quarterly profit of $1.43 a share.
 
Sears Holdings (NYSE:SHLD) reported higher Q4 profit, helped by property sales and higher operating income at its Sears and Kmart divisions. The Hoffman Estates, Ill., company said earnings rose 27%, as margins improved despite weaker sales at established stores. Earnings for the quarter ending Feb. 3 totaled $820 million, or $5.33 a share, from $648 million, or $4.03 a share, in the same period last year.

Shares of Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) fell to a two-year low after the company provided a weak fiscal-year 2008 forecast, citing ongoing challenges in the U.K. retail environment and an oversupply of Australian wine. The world's largest wine maker by volume estimates fiscal 2008 earnings before items of $1.30 to $1.40 a share, or net income of $1.21 to $1.31 a share. Sales are expected to decline 12% to 14%, hurt by a change in the way it reports its Crown Imports joint venture. Constellation shares fell as low as $18.92, setting a two-year low for the stock. Previously, the stock fell as low as $19.65 in November 2004. The stock was among the biggest moves in the market on Thursday.

Swiss Re said General Electric (NYSE:GE) would divest its stake worth around 3.5 billion Swiss francs ($2.9 billion), selling half to Swiss Re and placing the other half in the market. Swiss Re had waived a lock-up period on the shares, which General Electric had received as part of the payment for its reinsurance units, which it sold for $7.4 billion to the Swiss reinsurer last year.