General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) reported its results for the third quarter.  Net income for the company was $1.7 billion ($1.03 per share) vs. $2 billion ($1.20) per share) the year earlier. Revenue rose 8% to $36.7 billion from the year-ago quarter.

“GM delivered a solid quarter thanks to our leadership positions in North America and China, where we have grown both sales and market share this year. But solid isn’t good enough, even in a tough global economy,” said Dan Akerson, chairman and CEO. “Our overall results underscore the work we have to do to leverage our scale and further improve our margins everywhere we do business.”

Competitors to Watch: Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE:TM), HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD. (NYSE:HMC), Daimler AG (DDAIF), Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (NSANY), Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), Volkswagen AG (VLKAY), Tata Motors Limited (NYSE:TTM), Spartan Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPAR), and Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE:FSS).

Dean Foods Company (NYSE:DF) reported a drop to a loss in the third quarter driven by higher costs.  Reported a loss of $1.5 billion ($8.39 per diluted share) in the quarter. Dean Foods Company had a net income of $24.3 million or 13 cents per share in the year earlier quarter. Revenue  rose 11.3% to $3.4 billion from the year earlier quarter. DF reported adjusted net income of 18 cents per share. By that measure, the company beat the mean estimate of 15 cents per share. It beat the average revenue estimate of $3.32 billion.

“The third quarter marks a return to growth for Dean,” said Gregg Engles, Chairman and CEO. “Consolidated adjusted operating income increased 5% and adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 39% in the quarter. While Fresh Dairy Direct continued to face challenges in the quarter, WhiteWave-Alpro posted exceptional results and corporate costs declined due to our focus on reducing SG&A costs, resulting in the return to growth in the quarter.”

Competitors to Watch: Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY), Tofutti Brands Inc. (AMEX:TOF), Synutra Intl., Inc. (NASDAQ:SYUT), Smart Balance, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMBL), Mead Johnson Nutrition CO (NYSE:MJN), Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC (NYSE:WBD), Pepsi (NYSE:PEP), Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), Kraft (NYSE:KFT), Kellogg (NYSE:K), ConAgra (NYSE:CAG) and The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAIN).

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) reported net income above Wall Street’s expectations for the second quarter.  Net income for the clothing company rose to $233 million ($2.46 per share) vs. $205.2 million ($2.09 per share) in the same quarter a year earlier. This marks a rise of 13.5% from the year earlier quarter. Revenue rose 24% to $1.9 billion from the year earlier quarter. RL beat the mean analyst estimate of $2.24 per share. It beat the average revenue estimate of $1.84 billion.

“Our momentum in the first half of the year demonstrates the incredible vitality of our brand and the growing desirability of our products around the world,” said Ralph Lauren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The progress we are making with our international development and the acceptance of our vibrant accessories merchandise confirms that we are paving important new avenues of growth. At the same time, demand for our products in more developed markets has been very strong. Customers around the world understand that Ralph Lauren stands for the highest quality products that withstand the test of time, and this is reflected in our strong performance over the last six months.”

Competitors to Watch: Liz Claiborne, Inc. (NYSE:LIZ), The Warnaco Group, Inc. (NYSE:WRC), Maidenform Brands, Inc. (NYSE:MFB), Jones Apparel Group, Inc. (NYSE:JNY), Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN), Guess?, Inc. (NYSE:GES), Coach, Inc. (NYSE:COH),  Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. (NYSE:PVH), V.F. Corporation (NYSE:VFC). Frederick’s of Hollywood Group Inc. (AMEX:FOH), Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRA), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF), Fossil, Inc. (NASDAQ:FOSL), Piquadro S.p.A. (NYSE:PQ), Wet Seal (NASDAQ:WTSLA), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF), Gap (NYSE:GPS), Express (NYSE:EXPR), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) and Limited Brands (NYSE:LTD)

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