Meanwhile, Indianapolis drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co. on Thursday reported a fourth-quarter profit compared with loss a year ago that reflected restructuring charges and tax expense from repatriated overseas earnings.
Amgen reported a fourth-quarter profit of $824 million, or 66 cents a share, compared with $689 million, or 53 cents a share, for the same period a year ago.
If not for one-time expenses and other special charges, Amgen said its earnings would have been $928 million, or 75 cents a share, a 24 percent increase over the fourth quarter last year.
Meanwhile, Eli Lilly's quarterly earnings totaled $701 million, or 64 cents per share, up from a loss of $2.4 million, or break-even on a per share basis a year earlier.
Sales increased 6 percent to $3.88 billion from $3.64 billion. The company said 10 newer products contributed $791.2 million to its sales and accounted for 20 percent of the total, versus 14 percent a year earlier.
But sales of the company's top drug, Zyprexa, continued to sag.
In the U.S., sales for the popular anti-psychotic decreased 15 percent because of slacking demand for the medication.
Worldwide, Zyprexa sales were down 5 percent, bringing in $1.03 billion compared with $1.09 billion in the fourth quarter last year.
Fourth-quarter reports compiled from wire services
* Peabody Energy Corp., the largest U.S. coal producer, said net income rose to $162.2 million, or $1.21 a share, from $67.9 million, or 51 cents, a year earlier.
* Consol Energy Inc., the third biggest, said fourth-quarter profit surged as record demand from utilities raised prices for the power-plant fuel. Profit at Pittsburgh-based Consol climbed to $87.6 million, or 94 cents a share, from $67.7 million, or 74 cents.
* United Parcel Service Inc. said fourth-quarter profit rose 21 percent as the company transported more goods worldwide. Net income increased to $1.05 billion, or 95 cents a share, from $866 million, or 76 cents, a year earlier. Sales rose 22 percent to $12 billion from $9.84 billion.
* AT&T Inc., in its first earnings report since the combination of SBC Communications Inc. and AT&T Corp., said net income rose to $1.66 billion, or 46 cents a share, from $688 million, or 21 cents, a year earlier. Sales gained 26 percent to $13 billion.
* Dow Chemical Co. said profit rose 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter as prices gained on demand for plastics used to make cars and insulate buildings. Net income climbed to $1.1 billion, or $1.12 a share, from $1.03 billion, or $1.06, a year earlier. Sales gained 9 percent to a record $11.9 billion.
* Caterpillar Inc. posted its strongest quarter ever Thursday. Fourth-quarter earnings surged 54 percent to $846 million, up from $551 million during the same period a year ago. Profit per share was $1.20 for the quarter, up from 78 cents from a year ago and ahead of the estimate of $1.10 per share by analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Revenues for the quarter that ended Dec. 31 rose 13 percent from $8.57 billion a year ago to $9.66 billion in 2005.
* Lockheed Martin Corp. said Thursday its fourth-quarter earnings grew 53 percent as the company's burgeoning information technology business and one-time gains helped make up for nearly flat sales in its aircraft division. Lockheed said profit in the latest quarter was $568 million, or $1.29 per diluted share, compared with $372 million, or 83 cents per share, in the year-ago period.
* Reader's Digest Association Inc. had a second-quarter loss after writing down the value of a business. The loss was $122.4 million, or $1.27 a share, compared with net income of $57.8 million, or 58 cents, a year earlier. Sales slipped 4.1 percent to $765.2 million.
* Marathon Oil Corp. said fourth-quarter net income almost tripled as prices soared and output of refined fuels and crude increased. Profit jumped to $1.27 billion, or $3.43 a share, from $429 million, or $1.23, a year earlier. Revenue rose 21 percent to $17.3 billion.
