Profit at automotive retailer CarMax Inc. rose 72 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter from a year earlier even though sales fell 28 percent. The earnings beat Wall Street expectations. Shares of CarMax rose 6.18 percent, or 77 cents, to close at $13.23 on the New York Stock Exchange. For the quarter that ended Feb. 28, Goochland County-based CarMax said it earned $37.5 million, or 17 cents per share, compared with $21.8 million, or 10 cents, in the year-ago quarter. The company, which opened its 100th used-car store in February, said total sales fell to $1.47 billion from $2.04 billion.

Ten of Virginia’s top 20 revenue-producing public companies combined to spend more than $100,000 a day lobbying the federal government last year, records show. As CEOs grappled with a sliding U.S. economy and then-candidate Barack Obama targeted corporate influence in Washington, eight Virginia-based companies—including the Richmond area’s Altria Group Inc., Genworth Financial Inc. and Dominion Resources Inc.—each spent more than $1 million in 2008 trying to influence lawmakers.

Automotive retailer CarMax Inc. hit a milestone this week, opening its 100th store. On its way to triple digits, the chain, which started in 1993 as a brainchild of Circuit City Stores Inc., has made a name for itself for its style of selling cars. But as different as CarMax is from other dealers, the Goochland County-based Fortune 500 company has been unable to escape the tough economic times that have swamped the automobile industry.

Six years ago when Anna Hanback was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer, she decided to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. So she organized a bake sale at the Virginia House of Delegates, where she works as the human resource director. The first event raised $500. The next year she added a silent auction. Each year the event grew.

CarMax Inc. has been named one of the top companies to work for by Fortune magazine for the fifth year in a row. The Goochland County-based used-car retailer jumped to 31st on the list, up 15 places from last year. It was the only Richmond-area company named to the list.

CarMax Inc. yesterday reported a $21.9 million loss in the third quarter as it took a $23.8 million write-down on bonds. It was the chain’s first loss since the fourth quarter of 2000.

Auto retailer CarMax Inc. says it swung to a $21.9 million loss in the third quarter due to slumping sales and loan loss write-downs in its auto finance arm. The Richmond-based company says it lost 10 cents per share in the quarter that ended Nov. 30. The company reported earnings of $29.8 million, or 14 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

CarMax Inc. will report third quarter financial results tomorrow that will reflect how the company did in the midst of one of the toughest economic climates on record for auto dealers. Wall Street will be looking to see how the Goochland County-based automotive retailer can adjust to a slump in vehicle demand and tight credit markets, and whether job cuts, a change in lending practices, and reduced spending and inventory will improve performance.

Automotive retailer CarMax says its ability to line up financing for qualified customers is unchanged despite the weakening economy. The Goochland County-based company today said financing options are available through its own CarMax Auto Finance arm and third-party lenders, whom it identified as a group of leading financial institutions. Chief Executive Tom Folliard said in a release that the outside lenders recently reaffirmed their willingness to provide more financing for the chain’s customers. CarMax, the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, operates 99 stores in 46 markets.

Automotive retailer CarMax Inc. is laying off 610 employees nationwide, or about 4 percent of its work force, because of slowing sales. The layoffs include 15 workers at its two stores in the Richmond area. The cuts will take place in the reconditioning departments at 60 of its 99 stores, said Trina Lee, a spokeswoman for the Goochland County-based company.

A stagnating economy kept customers away from CarMax Inc.‘s dealerships across the country this summer, the Goochland County-based automobile dealer reported yesterday. During the three months ending Aug. 31, the used-car company saw a 17 percent dip in traffic, compared with last year, according to its second-quarter earnings report.

CarMax Inc. will announce second quarter earnings Monday at a time when the automobile industry is going through some of its most difficult times in decades. With credit markets tightening and sales of once-popular SUVs almost stagnant, the industry has seen major drops in sales. These factors could affect earnings when the Goochland County-based automotive retailer releases its financial numbers Monday morning.