D&B Profit Falls 1%

Business information provider D&B(DNB Quote) Wednesday reported its first-quarter earnings fell 1.2% from the year-ago period, on higher tax charges.

The Short Hills, N.J.-based company earned $51.5 million, or 75 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $52.1 million, or 73 cents a share, a year ago. Adjusted for noncore gains and charges, earnings were $55.7 million, or 81 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of $56.1 million, or 81 cents a share.

First-quarter revenue, after the effect of foreign exchange, rose 7.6% from the year-ago period to $367.2 million, slightly higher than analysts' expectation of $366.3 million. ...