rising profits

Gas and petroleum company, Santos (ASX:STO) have reported their first half (1H) earnings to the stockmarket.

• Underlying profit was $283 million, up 20 percent. (analysts forecasts was $270 million)
• Underlying profits excluded asset sales in the previous first half, sale of 15 percent of Santos stake in Gladstone QLD LNG project.
• Net profit was down to $262 million from $504 million or 48 percent, for the corresponding period.

Australian stockmarket operator (ASX) have announced their full year profit results.

• ASX Ltd's net profit: $339.2 million, down 4 percent. (from $352.3m)
• Investor activity fallen from reduced risk appetite and uncertainty of impact of European debt crisis
• Operating Revenue: $610.4 million down 1.2 percent.
• Underlying profit: $346.2 million, down 2.9 percent
• Only the second time the company's profits have fallen since listing in 1998.

Insurance provider and wealth & fund manager, AMP (ASX:AMP) have released their 1H first half profit results.

• $383 million: first half net profit increased 10 percent compared to the corresponding period ($349 million).
• $497 million (+7 percent): Underlying profit up from $459 million. The underlying profit metric removes some impact of market volatility and cost relating to merger ($4 billion acquisition of AXA Pacific).

Diversified industrial conglomerate, Wesfarmers (ASX:WES), have released their Full Year results. The company owns interests in retail, resources, insurance and chemicals assets.

• Full year net profit increased 11 percent to $2.126 billion.
• Wesfarmers revenue increased to $58 billion, rising 5.8 percent.
• Growth spurred on by once struggling supermarket: Coles division.

Australian engineering and construction services business, Forge Group (ASX:FGE) have announced their financial report to the Australian sharemarket.

• Full year net profit $70.1 million (+24 percent)
• Revenue $780.6 million (+84 percent)
• Order book of $900 million, assets of $478.4 million, with cash of $137.9 million (+124 percent)

Australian banking giant, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) have released their full year results.

• Commbank net profit $7.09 billion (+11 percent)
• Full year dividend payout: $3.34 per share. $5.3 billion paid to shareholders, or 75 percent of this year's CommBank income.
• CBA holds 25 percent of the Australian home lending market with $351 billion loans on June 30.

Diversified property developer, GPT Group (ASX:GPT) has announced its profit results for the half year.

• 1H Net profit: $275.5 million (+13 percent on previous corresponding period)
• The listed property trust, shed 70 jobs to cut costs, with 10 new roles created. One of costs of $6.6 million to job justs but would increase operating income by $2 million in 2012 with an increase of $10 million in 2013.

Australian telecommunications giant, Telstra (ASX:TLS) announced its profit results for the year to June 30.

• First annual profit growth since 2009.
• Revenue $25.5 billion, up 1.1%
• EBITDA $10.2 billion, up 0.8%
• Net Profit $3.4 billion, up 5.4%
• Earnings per share 27.5 cents, up 1.4%
• Results show Telstra's refocusing away from declining business lines to mobile