Earnings roundup: Sallie Mae, Cymer

Among the earnings stories for Tuesday, Oct. 20, from AP Financial News:

Top stories:

RESTON, Va. (AP) — The student lender best known as Sallie Mae is reporting a profit for the third quarter on a gain from debt repurchases and more student loan activity.

Other stories:

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Cymer Inc., which makes lights used by semiconductor manufacturers, said that its third-quarter profit more than doubled even though sales dropped because year-earlier results were depressed by unfavorable currency comparisons.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. said its third-quarter loss narrowed as lower research and development costs offset a decline in sales of the diabetes treatment Byetta.

NEW YORK (AP) — Petroleum driller Nabors Industries Ltd. said the oil business has started to pick up after a woeful third quarter that saw U.S. crude and natural gas stockpiles grow as Americans' thirst for energy waned.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — RC2 Corp. said that its third-quarter profit rose 22.4 percent to $13.6 million as the toy designer and marketer cut costs in the face of a 4.8 percent sales decline.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Media company Journal Communications Inc. says it returned to profitability in the third quarter as it continued aggressive cost-cutting efforts.

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Seagate Technology said that fiscal first-quarter net income more than tripled, as low costs more than offset a drop in revenue as well as restructuring and other charges.