Realogy Meets Tempered Views

Investors were fearing for the worse in Realogy's(H Quote) third-quarter earnings report. But the residential brokerage firm hit earnings estimates and maintained its guidance for the remainder of the year.

Realogy, which owns several notable franchises such as Coldwell Banker and Sotheby's International Realty, earned $87 million, or 34 cents a share in the third quarter. That was down sharply from earnings of $227 million, or 91 cents a share, a year earlier, reflecting the slowdown in U.S. home sales.

Adjusting for certain items, the company earned 52 cents a share, matching analysts' average estimate, according to Thomson First Call. ...