11.   Still, much of the earnings improvement came through cost-cutting.

12.   The company began using clustering and other strategies more recently than its rivals, and thus may see more earnings improvement going forward.

13.   While many managed health-care companies are expected to report earnings improvement from the previous quarter, only a few will beat year-earlier results.

14.   Analysts said the selling reflects investors growing skepticism about the speed of the economic recovery, and their doubts about an earnings improvement by late this year.

15.   He said the company should see continued earnings improvement in the third and fourth quarters.

16.   Honda forecasts double-digit earnings improvement to record levels this fiscal year for the second straight year.

17.   The company also cited higher capacity utilization as a reason for its strong earnings improvement.

18.   Toshiba and Fujitsu announced results in the last hour of trading, both indicating earnings improvements in the current fiscal year.

19.   Selected second-liners were active gainers on speculation about mergers and aquisitions, and earnings improvements, dealers said.

20.   Shiseido officials told a briefing that the earnings improvement was based on an increase in sales abroad, along with lower inventories and improved profitability of local sales units.