Earnings: DuPont, Pfizer, Coca-Cola

Dow firms: DuPont

DOVER, Del. -- DuPont Co. offset falling sales and prices by cutting costs, and the chemical maker reported larger-than-expected third-quarter profits yesterday.

DuPont has reduced spending by $900 million so far this year, just short of its full-year goal of $1 billion.

Reduced costs led to a surprise profit of $409 million, or 45 cents per share, for the quarter ending Sept. 30, compared with $367 million, or 40 cents, in last year's third quarter.

The results easily beat the consensus Wall Street estimate of 33 cents a share.

Still, revenue fell to $6.1 billion from $7.4 billion in the same period last year.

DuPont operates a large plant in Chesterfield County that employed more than 3,100 workers as of Jan. 1. The company announced in May that it would cut 450 to 500 of the jobs.

Pfizer

TRENTON, N.J. -- Pfizer Inc. posted a higher third-quarter profit yesterday as sharp cost cuts made up for a dip in sales.

The maker of cholesterol fighter Lipitor, impotence treatment Viagra and smoking-cessation drug Chantix slashed costs on everything from manufacturing and marketing to research and development. That helped produce a profit of $2.88 billion, up 26 percent from $2.28 billion a year earlier.

Pfizer had sales of $11.62 billion in the quarter, down 3 percent.

With its recent acquisition of Wyeth, Pfizer now operates a consumer-products manufacturing plant in Henrico County and employs about 1,200 people in the Richmond area.

Coca-Cola

The Coca-Cola Co. said yesterday that its third-quarter profit inched higher, though sales fell as consumers continued to limit soft-drink purchases and the stronger dollar took a toll on revenue.

The world's biggest beverage maker said it earned $1.896 billion, or 81 cents per share, compared with $1.890 billion, or 81 cents, a year earlier.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said revenue fell to $8.04 billion from $8.39 billion. Worldwide case volume -- the amount of product shipped -- grew 2 percent in the quarter, but in North America, case volume fell 4 percent.

United Technologies

HARTFORD, Conn. -- United Technologies Corp. continued to feel the recession in aerospace and real estate markets as nearly all its businesses posted declines in the third quarter. But the company said yesterday that markets are stabilizing, though at lower levels.

The conglomerate that runs jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney, Otis elevator, Sikorsky Aircraft and other business said it earned $1.06 billion, or $1.14 per share, in the three months ended Sept. 30, down 17 percent from $1.27 billion, or $1.33, a year ago.

Revenue fell 11 percent to $13.38 billion from $15.09 billion.

Caterpillar

Caterpillar expects sales of its big yellow-and-black equipment to improve next year as the world economy staggers out of a recession that slammed third-quarter earnings.

Already, signs are emerging that demand for its machinery is picking up in Asia. And Caterpillar, which generates about 70 percent of its sales overseas, wants its dealers prepared for an upturn.

The world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment earned $404 million, or 64 cents per share, in the third quarter, compared with $868 million, or $1.39, a year earlier.

Major local employer: Supervalu

MINNEAPOLIS -- Grocery chain Supervalu says the recession is still hurting its bottom line as food prices remained low, stores closed and strained customers continued to pare spending despite deep discounting.

The operator of Albertsons, Jewel-Osco and Save-A-Lot stores has been hurt in recent quarters as competition has heated up for shoppers who are cutting their spending, on even essentials such as food.

Supervalu Inc. reported yesterday that its fiscal second-quarter profit tumbled 42 percent. The company said quarterly earnings amounted to $74 million, or 35 cents per share, down from $128 million, or 60 cents, in the same quarter last year.

Supervalu operates a large distribution center in Hanover County.