As we noted earlier this morning, Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: ADM) reported strong fiscal fourth quarter numbers this morning. The company showed ourth quarter income more than doubled from last year, and traders have been pushing the stock higher in early morning trading. As of 8:45 the stock is now trading up 4.0% in premarket trading.

We are going to be covering this morning's call in its entirety, so be sure to refresh your screen frequently as we will be updating this page regularly.

8:50 am - Getting ready for this mornings call to get under way.

8:55 am - About 5 more minutes and then we should be getting under way with this mornings call

9:01 am - getting under way now, just going through all the SEC regulatory comments now

9:03 am - Patricia Woertz, CEO , going over some full year numbers: 20% increase in yearly revenues, and 65% increase in yearly EPS

9:05 am - COmpany bought back 15.4 million shares of stock during the year

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) investors have something to cheer about today: the company announced first quarter, fiscal 2007 results that were exactly what analysts hoped they'd be. 26 cents a share, or $205 million, up 18% from the year-earlier quarter, on revenues of $2.4 billion, up 22% from the year prior.

In about 10 minutes, the analyst earnings call will begin. I'll be live blogging the call.

2:02 p.m. (All times Pacific.) The call has begun. Disclaimers... and the call is turned over to Jim Donald, CEO. As I mentioned, comparable store sales increased 6%; he breaks it down to 4% from number of transactions, 2% from value of transaction (connected to the increase in prices perhaps?).

2:02 p.m. The company opened 728 stores (awed voice) over two stores a day. The company is focused on balanced growth, and targeted investments. "Our food program this quarter was a significant contributor to our revenues... we have remained focused on expanding our lunch program..." 69% of company-operated U.S. retail stores now have lunches. Adds approximately $300,000 in average annual revenues to one store (big!). 1200 stores now offer warm breakfast items; aggressive plans to roll out warming platform over next couple of years. The warm sandwiches add (I think I heard this right) $135,000 in average annual revenue to one store. Both warm breakfast sandwiches and lunch programs are planned to be in all company-owned U.S. stores in a few years.

2:06 p.m. Raves over the Starbucks Card -- helps promote customer loyalty, it's huge, a great gift. I must admit I just bought my sister-in-law a Starbucks Card for her birthday...

United Parcel Service Inc. released Q3 2006 earnings today. Despite high fuel prices during much of Q3, UPS posted strong number in domestic and international package shipments. This good news was offset by problems in the supply chain and freight segment caused by the inability to integrate recently acquired Motor Cargo into the UPS system.

CFO Scott Davis presented financial highlights. Overall, UPS revenue was up over $1 billion from Q3 205, totaling $11.66 billion. Operating profit was $1.58 billion for the quarter. Average daily package volume was up from 14.3 million in Q3 2005 to 15.1 million in Q3 2006. Diluted EPS stand at $0.96, up 12%. UPS generated $4 billion in cash from operations; repurchased 26.5 million share; paid $1.6 billion in dividends; invested $2.3 billion in capital expenditures; and contributed $1.5 billion to UPS-sponsored pension plans.

CEO Mike Eskew spoke about his vision for UPS: "A company that can handle any weight shipment anywhere in the world via any mode of transport with time definite delivery." Q3 was "stronger than anticipated" despite supply chain and freight segment problems. Revenue in this segment totaled $2 billion, with an operating loss of $19 million. Eskew anticipates 1200 job cuts in this segment in Q4, leading to $10-20 million in severance expenses. He expects $100 million in cost savings from this segment in 2007. UPS is working at top speed to improve service levels in this segment, and is shifting its thinking from "filling up empty aircraft to effectively managing space available."

The US Package segment had a good quarter earning $1.21 billion on $7.4 billion in revenue. Daily ground volume increased 3.6%. Next Day Air shipment volume rose 1.0%. Total revenue per package gained 3.4% UPS has tentaively settled a lawsuit in California for $87 milion, while realizing $81 million in savings from reduced workmen comp. claims.

The International Package segment saw a 22% jump in profits, from $318 million in Q3 2005, to $387 million in Q3 2006. Revenue for Q3 2006 totaled $2.25 billion. YTD volume growth in this segment is 12%. Average daily package volume is 1.8 million. Total package volume grew 20%. UPS opened its first retail centers in China and plans to expand from its center of operations in Shanghai. UPS also concluded a 5-year deal to deliver Italian Post's international express mail.

Even accounting for fluctuations in fuel prices, CEO Eskew still expects full year diluted EPS growth of 11%. UPS is forecasting a good holiday shopping and shipping season both domestically and internationally.

McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) issued Q3 2006 results this morning (19 October), timed to coincide with market opening. Overall, CEO Jim Skinner had positive news to report, though that may have been because negative consumer news was not included in today's public remarks. McDonald's posted "strong operating results" for Q3. Financial highlights included:

Global sales up almost 6%. This is the highest quarterly increase in two years. This increase marks 41 consecutive months of sales growth at McDonald's.

Both company-owned and franchise locations open at least 13 months showed improved profit margins for the third straight quarter. CEO Skinner mentioned McDonald's company wide customer-centric initiative Plan to Win as one of the reasons for increased profit and operating margins. Plan to Win covers 5 areas targeted for improvement: people, products, place, price, promotion.

Overall revenues increased 10%. While much of the growth has been fueled by increases in both market share and revenues in developing markets, McDonald's continues to show improvements in the North American market. CEO Skinner mentioned changes in McDonald's menu offerings to reflect increasing customer concern with healthier food choices as one of the reasons for McDonald's growth in this tough market. McDonald's European division also generated strong quarterly figures. Sales, number of customer visits and operating margins were all on the upswing.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) released Q3 2006 earnings at noon on Thursday, 19 October. CEO Jeffrey Kindler and Vice Chairman David Shedlarz spoke at some length about the very competitive operating environment facing Pfizer. Please recall that Pfizer's senior management team has only been in place for 11 weeks. This is the first quarter under their direction.

Financial highlights include Q3 revenue increase of 9%, and adjusted diluted EPS increase of 10% vs. Q3 2005. Q3 2006 revenues were $12.28 billion, up $1 billion form Q3 2005. Reported net income for Q3 2006 was $3.362 billion. CEO Kindler pronounced Q3 "a solid quarter in a tough operating environment." Both Kindler and Shedlarz forecast revenues and earnings will decline in 2007-2008, but do see a return to increased revenues and earnings in 2009.

Shedlarz specifically mentioned that Pfizer will NOT see modest revenue growth in this period as was previously forecast. One of the first tasks of Pfizer's new manangement team was to take a realistic look at the changes and challenges of Pfizer's current operating environemnt which includes short-term revenue restraints. Pfizer, as well as other pharmaceutical companies, face pricing pressure worldwide. Payers, particularly insurance companies, are trying to constrain rising costs of medicines.

In order to counteract these price restraints, Pfizer has initiated an across the board cost-cutting initiative. For 2006, Pfizer hopes to realize $2.5 billion in savings. with further measures in place to reduce 2007 and 2008 operating expenses to below 2006 levels. Pfizer hopes to realize $4 billion in cost savings in 2008. During this same period, R&D spending will increase, driving up operating expenses as much as 6%.

Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) will soon begin selling three popular brands of Motorola phones - the Razr, the Slvr and the new Krzr by early November. There is already a waiting list for customers who want a Krzr. Sprint is the #3 U.S. wireless provider. Its competitor, Cingular Wireless, is #2, and has been selling Motorola models for the past several years. Sprint shares closed up 19 cents at $17.06 on the news. Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) shares closed up 17 cents at $25.17.

In addition to increasing its wireless presence in the U.S. market, Motorola announced that it will provide the Miami Dade Police Department with one of the most advanced biometric ID systems in the country. The fingerprint system is the Motorola Printak Biometric Identification Solution (BIS). Not only is this new system faster, but it is also more accurate and can work with partial prints as well as palm prints. The Miami Dade police have solved seven cold homicide cases using the new biometric fingerprint system.

Motorola supplies more than 300 public safety agencies in over 40 countries with some of the most advanced ID systems available. Additionally, Motorola's new biometric ID systems can readily access data from and forward data to systems in other fingerprint databases.

Motorola is also demonstrating its MOTOwi4 system to offer users fixed, portable and mobile wireless connections and applications. Motorola's MOTOwi4 technology is being used by Sprint to build its WiMAX system throughout the U.S. Motorola's WiMAX system is also being used by U.S. armed forces in Pakistan.

Motorola investors will want to listen to Q3 earnings call scheduled for Tuesday, 17 October 2006, after the close of the market. Registration for the conference call is available at the Motorola site.

Amazon.com second quarter earnings did not make investors happy, with net income down sharply from 2005 thanks the severed relationship between the internet retailer and Toysrus.com to $22 million, or 5 cents a share. Investors had driven the stock down below its 52-week low by the time the hold music had come to an end and the conference call had begun. Here's a link to the company's report.

5:04 p.m. After the usual disclaimers, CFO Tom Szkutak ("Tom") takes over to do a dry recap of the results. He sounds very, very, very softspoken. Even, a little ... afraid? Maybe he's just a master of zen.

5:08 p.m. I have to turn my volume up to hear him. "We continue to invest in increased selection." The SKUs in warehouses have increased by 48%, and Tom points out the new grocery selection, as well as the addition of German sporting goods.

5:09 p.m. Revenue grew 23% excluding the impact of Toysrus.com in North America. Gross profit grew 11%, although the gross margin decreased. I think he said 174 basis points of 220 total bps decline -- a huge part of it, but the decrease would have been there regardless. That's interesting and I hope management explains the reason for those missing 50-some basis points in operating margin shortfall.

5:10 p.m. He says that international operating income and margins decreased due to low prices, including free shipping, and a change in mix.