BioScrip Inc. of Elmsford, a specialty pharmaceutical healthcare business, today reported higher fourth-quarter profits and revenues.

BioScrip had net income of $2.52 million, or 6 cents a share, on revenue of $309.2 million. For the comparable quarter a year earlier, it had a net loss of $28 million, or 75 cents a share, on revenue of $292.1 million.

The company said it set up a $25.7 million reserve in the earlier quarter.

For fiscal 2007, BioScrip had net income of $3.32 million, or 9 cents a share, on revenue of $1.2 billion. For fiscal 2006, it had a net loss of $38.3 million, or $1.03 a share, on revenue of $1.15 billion.

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., the company with research operations in Pomona, earned $32.5 million, or 30 cents a share, during the fourth quarter of last year.

Revenues were $668.7 million, the company reported this morning.

In the fourth quarter of calendar year 2006, Barr, the parent company of Rockland-based Barr Laboratories Inc., changed its fiscal year to end on Dec. 31 instead of June 30. Also, in October 2006, Barr bought Pliva d.d., a Croatian generics pharmaceutical company, for $2.4 billion.

Because of these two moves, the comparison of year-to-year figures is not meaningful, the company said.

Barr shares rose 50 cents yesterday to close at $49.19.

USA Bank of Port Chester lost $4.3 million, or 75 cents a share, for the year ended Dec. 31. A year earlier, the company lost $4.5 million, or $1.11 a share. Assets at Dec. 31 were $169.9 million. USA Bank opened in December 2005 and has a branch in Port Chester at 601 N. Main St.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, which has its headquarters in Eastview, lost $13.1 million during the fourth quarter of last year, compared with a loss of $31 million a year earlier, the company reported this morning.

On a per-share basis, the company lost 19 cents a share, compared with 51 cents in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Revenues rose to $64.73 million, from $10.25 million.

Regeneron shares closed at $18.46 yesterday, down 20 cents.

The company announced in November it would receive an $85 million upfront payment from French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis SA as part of an agreement to develop therapeutic antibodies for arthritis and cancer.

Regeneron and Bayer HealthCare AG are working on a treatment for eye disease in the elderly.

Spar Group Inc., a marketing company in Greenburgh, earned $1.5 million, or 8 cents a share, during the fourth quarter of last year, compared with a loss of $105,000, or a penny a share, a year earlier, the company reported this morning.

Revenues rose 16 percent to $18.4 million from $15.8 million, the company said.

Gary Raymond, the company’s president and chief executive, said Spar’s international revenue is growing strongly and the company has just begun executing a strategy to increase its U.S. revenue.

“As the world retail market becomes increasingly competitive we see many opportunities in the near and long term for our services to help existing and potential clients differentiate themselves in crowded retail markets,” he said.

Universal American Corp., a life and health insurance holding company based in Rye Brook, reported net income of $56.3 million for the fourth quarter, or 61 cents per share. That compares to net income of $64 million, or $1.06 per share, a year earlier. The prior year results included income from discontinued operations and the gain on sale of the Canadian operations of $49.9 million. Net income from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2006 was $14.1 million. Total revenues from continuing operations for the fourth quarter of 2007 rose 205 percent to $1.0 billion.

IntegraMed America Inc., the Purchase-based company that runs fertility centers and vein clinics, reported it earned $864,000 during the fourth quarter of 2007, a drop of 47 percent from the final quarter of 2006.

On a per-share basis, the company earned 10 cents, compared with 20 cents a year earlier. But the 2006 results included a special income tax benefit of 821,000, or 10 cents a share.

Revenues rose 40 percent to $45.29 million, the company said.

Jarden Corp., the consumer products company in Rye, reported this morning that it lost $11.2 million, or 15 cents a share, during the fourth quarter of last year, largely due to costs related to with the acquisition of K2 Inc. and stock-based compensation costs.

During the last quarter of 2006, Jarden, which markets Mr. Coffee, Sunbeam and Oster products, earned $35.7 million, or 52 cents a share.

Adjusted net income was $68.7 million, or 89 cents a share, during the most recent quarter, compared with $54.8 million, or 80 cents a share, a year earlier. That is computed not using generally accepted accounting principles.

Sales increased 38 percent to $1.5 billion, the company said.

Jarden shares closed at $24.65 yesterday, up $1.24.

CMS Bancorp Inc. of White Plains, the parent of Community Mutual Savings Bank, said it had a net loss of $130,000, or 7 cents a share, on net interest income of $1.3 million in the fourth quarter. For the comparable period a year earlier, it had a net loss of $13,000 on net interest income of $950,000.

The bank converted to stock ownership on April 4 last year. The company attributed the higher losses to higher legal and compensation-related expenses and a $15,000 loan loss reserve provision.

CMS Bancorp said it would consolidate its Greenburgh and White Plains branches at a new location at the Crossroads Shopping Plaza in Greenburgh, and open a new branch in Mount Kisco. The changes are scheduled for the second quarter.

Reduced expenses helped Drew Industries Inc. of White Plains squeeze more profits out of flat sales in the fourth quarter, the company said yesterday.

A supplier of components for recreational vehicles and manufactured housing, Drew said it had net income of $6.48 million, or 29 cents a share, on net sales of $137.8 million. For the comparable quarter a year earlier, it had net income of $3.65 million, or 17 cents a share, on net sales of $138.1 million.

Drew had lower cost of sales and interest expenses. A cost-reduction program last year eliminated more than 120 salaried workers, closed 18 factories, and consolidated those operations with other factories.

For 2007, it had net income of $39.8 million, or $1.80 a share, on net sales of $668.6 million. For 2006, it had net income of $31 million, or $1.42 a share, on net sales of $729.2 million.

The company said it couldn’t predict how the national economic slowdown would affect sales in 2008. January sales were off 4 percent year over year.

The company reported a 43 percent increase in revenues to $13 million for the second quarter of its fiscal 2008, compared with $9.1 million a year earlier.

The operating loss of $2.8 million was $1.6 million less than a year earlier.

Paul Intlekofer, president and chief executive officer of Nutrition 21, said in a statement released by the company: “We are pleased with the progress that was achieved during the quarter in terms of growing revenues strongly while meaningfully reducing our operating loss. Going forward, we look to make consistent progress on top-line revenues, while we place continued emphasis on achieving profitability in an optimal timeframe.”

Acorda Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company in Hawthorne, reported this morning it lost $13.72 million during the fourth quarter of 2007, nearly double the $7 million loss a year earlier.

On a per-share basis, the company lost 48 cents in the quarter that ended in December, up from a loss of 30 cents during the last quarter of 2006.

But sales rose to $11.19 million, from $7.69 million.

Acorda markets Zanaflex, a treatment for involuntary muscle movements caused by multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries. It is trying to develop Fampridine-SR, another drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Acorda shares closed Friday at $22.93, up 6 cents.

Weak sales of cough and cold medicines drove profit at Prestige Brands Holdings Inc. of Irvington down 6 percent to $8.4 million, or 17 cents a share, in the quarter that ended in December, the company reported this morning.

Revenues were essentially flat at $80.2 million, compared with $80.1 million a year earlier.

The company, which markets an eclectic mix of consumer products, including Comet cleansers, Murine eye drops and SprayGel Mildew Stain Remover, said operating income for its fiscal third quarter was $22.9 million, a drop of $1.6 million, or 7 percent, from a year earlier.

The company last October joined other marketers of certain cough and cold medicines for young children in removing the products from the shelves. The product withdrawals came amid concerns that the medicines do not work and can have risky side effects.
Prestige shares closed at $8.02 yesterday, up 42 cents.

Acorda Therapeutics Inc. said today it will release financial results for the fourth quarter and the year on Monday, a week earlier than previously announced.

The Hawthorne-based biotechnology company also said it won’t hold a conference call to discuss the earnings report, citing its disclosure Wednesday to sell 2.75 million shares of stock.

Bunge Ltd., the White Plains company that processes oilseeds and sells fertilizer, margarine and other products, said this morning its profit dropped 12 percent to $230 million during the fourth quarter of last year, largely due to the costs of closing facilities in the United States and Europe and other charges.

On a per-share basis, the company earned $1.82, a 14 percent drop from the $2.12 the company reported for the last quarter of 2006.

The company said the results for the last quarter of 2007 included $25 million of charges related to the closing of the processing centers. The total segment operating loss, which includes one-time gains and charges, was $95 million.

Sales rose 82 percent to $14.02 billion, the company said.

Bunge shares closed yesterday at $123.58, up $2.24. The shares are up 6.16 percent on the year.

Montebello-based Provident New York Bancorp, the parent company of Provident Bank, reported today that its profit increased nearly 28 percent during the first quarter of its fiscal 2008.

The company said it had a profit of $5.9 million during the quarter that ended in December, compared with a profit of $4.6 million a year earlier. On a per-share basis, the company earned 15 cents, up from 11 cents.

George Strayton, the president of the bank — which is now the largest locally-based financial institution in the tri-county area — said Provident showed improvement in its interest income, interest expense, non-interest expense and non-interest income. He called those metrics “the four pillars of net income� — or profitability.

“By staying focused on our core business and sound banking practices, we are not burdened with the credit problems associated with subprime loans,� he said in a statement released by the company. “We continued to direct our efforts toward strengthening our customer relationships with a full array of loan products and deposit services.�

Provident shares rose 36 cents to close at $12.15 today. The company released the earnings report after the stock market closed.

Just over one half of 1 percent of the company’s loans were classified as non-performing, meaning the borrowers were not making timely payments.

LeCroy Corp., the Chestnut Ridge company that supplies equipment to measure the strength of computer chip signals, earned $1.2 million during the second quarter of its fiscal 2008, compared with a loss of $7.7 million a year earlier, the company reported this morning.

The company reported those figures based on a computation that relies on generally accepted accounting principles.

On a per-share basis, the company earned 10 cents in the quarter that ended in December, compared with a loss of 67 cents for the last quarter of fiscal 2007.

Revenues were up to $40.6 million from $38.1 million.

On a non-GAAP basis, the company earned $2.4 million, compared with a loss a year earlier of $300,000.

Tom Reslewic, the company’s president and chief executive, said the company’s revenue growth got a boost from improvements in its product distribution and cost cutting.

He said sales of oscilloscopes — the company’s main product — were higher than ever in Europe and grew steadily in the United States. Sales in Asia, except for Japan, were also strong, he said.

LeCroy expects revenues for all of 2008 to be in the range of $155 million to $165 million.

Par Pharmaceutical Cos. Inc., which employs about 400 people in Chestnut Ridge, earned $1.3 million, or 4 cents a share, during the third quarter, compared with $4.4 million, or 13 cents a share, during the third quarter of last year, the company reported this morning.

Revenues were up to $212.7 million from $174 million.

The company said its results during this year’s quarter were affected by $16.2 million in costs related to business development in Strativa, which is Par’s branded drug division.

Without those costs, the profit would have been $11.1 million, or 32 cents a share.

The results from last year’s third quarter included $7.1 million in severance costs and a gain of $1.2 million from the sale of product rights.

Without the special expenses and gains last year, Par, which is based in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., earned $8 million, or 23 cents a share.

Universal American Corp., a health insurer and managed care company based in Rye Brook, estimated that it expected to earn $1.83 and $1.95 a share in 2008. The company’s guidance for revenues next year was $4.88 billion to $5.4 billion. More than 2 million seniors rely on the company for their health or prescription drug coverage after Universal American’s acquisition of MemberHealth LLC in September.

Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., an Israeli generic-drug maker beset with financial problems and litigation that has operations in Hawthorne, released unaudited financial statements today that showed the company earned $14 million during the first nine months of the year on revenues of $126 million.

In the nine months ending Sept. 30, Taro said, it had about $10 million in one-time charges and non-recurring expenses.

Taro warned the results don’t provide a complete financial snapshot of the company, which is still in the progress of finalizing its 2006 annual financial statement.

Taro estimated net sales in 2006 were about $184 million, resulting in a net loss for the year of about $141 million. The result differs from prior estimates made by the company, Taro said, due mainly to increased amounts for impaired assets.

Taro also said it expects to schedule a shareholder meeting to vote on a proposed merger with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. in the first quarter. Taro previously said it hoped to hold the meeting before Nov. 30.

Sun invested about $59 million since May to help Taro avoid default, Taro said.

As of Sept. 30, Taro said, it had $224 million in total debt and $50 million in cash on hand.