Prestige Brands Holdings Inc., an Irvington-based consumer products company that markets Comet cleanser, Compound W wart remover and Chloraseptic sore throat treatments, said that a 6 percent jump in quarterly profits resulted primarily from lower interest expense.

Interest costs for Prestige and other companies have fallen with interest rates near historic lows after Federal Reserve cuts to stimulate the economy.

Prestige reported net income of $8.3 million, or 17 cents a share, during its fiscal first quarter, up from net income of $7.8 million, or 16 cents a share, a year earlier.

“While our first quarter results were in line with our expectations, our outlook for the full year continues to be cautious in light of the prevailing macroeconomic environment,” Chief Executive Officer Mark Pettie said in a written statement.

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc., the Purchase-based air cargo carrier, continued to face an uncertain market for air freight shipments in a weak economy during the second quarter.

But the company reported a major jump in quarterly profits as the result of cost cuts, efficiency gains and the retirement of older aircraft.

Net income of $11.3 million, or 54 cents a share, during the quarter jumped from net income of $1.5 million, or 7 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenues of $240 million fell from $438.8 million a year earlier.

“Our strong second-quarter results, like our record first-quarter performance, reflect the actions we have taken to transform our business, improve efficiency and minimize our commercial risk,” William J. Flynn, president and chief executive officer, said in a written statement.

Atlas said that profits rose despite the company’s decision to operate a smaller aircraft fleet. Atlas also faced an increase in aircraft maintenance costs and a reduction in charter fuel prices.

Flynn said that global airfreight traffic has shown signs of “incremental improvement” in recent months but added that the timing is “uncertain” for an economic recovery. The quarterly results of Atlas provides a good window to economic activity since its aircraft fleet carries cargo shipments around the world.

DHS Systems LLC, a military contractor based in Orangeburg, and Brazilian medical supply distributor Oscar Iskin have been awarded a $1.2 million contract by the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro to provide two mobile field hospitals.

AboveNet Inc., a White Plains-based telecommunications company that provides high-speed data links, announced plans for a two-for-one stock split after its shares jumped 195 percent this year.

AboveNet’s stock has soared in response to increasing demand for its services from financial firms, media companies and other corporate customers. AboveNet’s system delivers network and Internet services in 15 top U.S. markets and London.

Acorda Therapeutics Inc., a Hawthorne-based biotech company, reported a bigger quarterly loss as it awaits regulatory action on a new multiple sclerosis drug that is designed to make walking easier for the disease’s victims.

The net loss of $23.3 million for the second quarter, or 62 cents a share, compared to a net loss of $18.8 million, or 58 cents a share a year earlier.

Acorda is currently seeking U.S. approval for the multiple sclerosis drug, known as Fampridine-SR, from the Food and Drug Administration. Acorda, which has been working on the development of the drug since the mid-1990s, recently reached agreement with another biotech company, Biogen Idec of Cambridge, Mass., to handle the marketing and regulatory approvals for the Fampridine-SR medication in foreign markets.

Acorda already sells Zanaflex, a treatment for involuntary muscle movements caused by multiple sclerosis and spinal injuries. During the second quarter, gross sales of Zanaflex capsules and Zanaflex tablets totaled $14.8 million, up from $13.1 million a year earlier.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Tarrytown-based biotech company, reported a smaller second-quarter loss and increased revenues after it increased shipments of a new drug.

Arcalyst, Regeneron’s only marketable drug, was approved last year for treatment of a rare auto-inflammatory condition known as CAPS. The company said that shipments of Arcalyst rose to $5.4 million during the quarter, up from $1.6 million a year earlier.

Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals said they have submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European regulators to approve the use of pre-filled syringes with their Relistor constipation drug. The medication itself has already received regulatory approval.

Progenics, an Eastview-based biotech company, partnered with Wyeth in 2005 to jointly develop and sell Relistor, an injectable drug designed to treat constipation caused by painkillers. If regulators approves the use of the pre-filled syringes, the drug could be available in that form in the United States and Europe by the first half of next year and be easier to administer to patients, according to the companies.

Verizon Wireless said that recent improvements at cell cites covering New Rochelle and Grand View-on-Hudson will mean expanded wireless services for customers in those areas. Verizon Wireless said the improvements will allow consumers and businesses to use mobile devices to gain faster access to email or corporate data, download music and view high-quality videos.

MBIA Inc., the Armonk-based bond insurer, said that Theodore “Ted” Shasta has joined the company’s board of directors. Shasta, 58, also was appointed to MBIA’s audit committee. Shasta is a former senior vice president and partner of Wellington Management Company, an investment advisor with more than $400 billion in client assets under management.

Sbarro Inc., the Italian fast food chain, said that it has signed a contract to keep Pepsi as its exclusive beverage supplier in over 600 locations nationally. Sbarro will continue to offer carbonated and non-carbonated beverages through fountains in its restaurants, including Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mountain Dew, Lipton and Tropicana. Purchase-based PepsiCo Inc. has been the beverage supplier to Melville-based Sbarro for the past 14 years.

Sharp declines in shipments of manufactured homes and recreational vehicles continue to hurt Drew Industries Inc., a White Plains-based company that supplies components to those economically sensitive industries.

Drew’s net income of $2.6 million, or 12 cents a share, during the second quarter, fell sharply from net income of $9.2 million, or 42 cents a share, a year earlier. The company blamed the lower profits on a 33 percent drop in net sales to $101 million during the quarter.

Consumers have been reluctant to spend on big-ticket items in a slow economy marked by job insecurity and rising unemployment. That reduction in consumer spending contributed to a 44 percent drop in industry-wide wholesale shipments of travel trailers and 43 percent decrease in industry-wide production of manufactured homes during the quarter.

The slowdown has had ripple effects on parts suppliers such as Drew.

“Last year at this time many of our customers began to significantly cut back production schedules in response to lower demand from dealers,” Jason Lippert, president and chief executive officer of Drew’s subsidiaries, Lippert Components and Kinro. “While there are uncertainties, it appears that many of our customers will continue to produce five days a week for the next couple of months. Beyond that it is difficult to anticipate demand, particularly during the winter months.”

Drew said that it has responded to the challenging economy by cutting costs through plant consolidations, work force reductions and efficiency gains within its operating units.

The cost reduction moves boosted second quarter results by more than $2 million and and are expected to lead to full-year savings of nearly $10 million, according to the company.

Drew also reduced its total debt by more than $5 million to a total of $1 million.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. of White Plains said that it sold its W hotel in San Francisco to Keck Seng Investments Limited in Hong Kong for $90 million. Starwood, whose network includes nearly 1,000 hotels in 100 countries, said that it also agreed to a management contract to continue operating the San Francisco hotel as a W.

AFP Imaging Corp., an Elmsford-based supplier of medical imaging systems, said that it sold its Italian Quantitative Radiology subsidiary to Cefla Capital Services SpA in a stock transaction.

Cefla’s dental group, based in Imola, Italy, is a major manufacturer of dental equipment. AFP said that it will use the proceeds from the sale to reduce debt, increase working capital and better position the company for expansion. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Spar Group Inc., a marketing services company based in Tarrytown, reported net income of $236,000, or 1 cent a share during the second quarter, up from net income of $3,000 a year earlier.

“Second quarter revenues continued to be affected by weak global economic conditions, with our overseas operations experiencing the greater impact,” Gary Raymond, president and chief executive officer, said in a written statement.

IBM Corp. said that it has signed a five-year contract to provide information technology services to Amtrak, the passenger train operator.

IBM also will support the infrastructure for Amtrak’s reservation system that handles ticket orders through the Web, telephone, and ticket counters. The contract continues a relationship between IBM and Amtrak that dates back to 1994. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

In her new position, Beraud will be responsible for marketing in North America and Latin America, as well as PepsiCo’s beverage joint ventures in North America that include partnerships with Unilever in ready-to-drink teas and Starbucks in coffee. Earlier in her career, she worked for 13 years at Limited Brands, including a stint as chief marketing officer of its Victoria’s Secret brand.

Michael Marinaccio, dean of the School of Business at Monroe College, will present a free workshop on writing business plans and sticking to them on Aug. 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The event will be sponsored by the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Cross Cultural Solutions at Two Clinton Place in New Rochelle. On street parking is available. Attendees will have time to network and light refreshments will be served. Reservations are requested but not required and can be made by calling 914-632-5700.

Acadia Realty Trust, a White Plains real estate investment trust that specializes in retail shopping centers, felt the effects of a slower economy during the second quarter.

Acadia said that earnings per share from continuing operations dropped to 18 cents during the quarter, down from 30 cents a year earlier. Funds from operations slipped to 30 cents a share from 38 cents a year earlier as the company faced lower occupancy and declining rents.

Universal American Corp., a Rye Brook-based health insurer, reported a sharp drop in profits during the second quarter as it faced investment losses and costs related to a complicated restructuring of its business.

Net income of $4.9 million, or 6 cents a share, dropped from net income of $28.4 million, or 32 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenues were nearly unchanged at $1.2 billion.

Universal American has not escaped fallout from the global financial crisis. The company disclosed last year that it had been hurt by exposure to troubled subprime mortgage investments and Lehman Brothers, the Manhattan-based investment bank that filed for bankruptcy in September.

During the second quarter, the company disclosed that it faced $3.5 million of pretax losses on securities sold and also recorded an additional $4.5 million of impairments.

The company said that it is pursuing a strategy to restructure its investment portfolio to reduce “credit and concentration exposures.” Universal American added that it transferred more than $450 million of assets to a reinsurer—a company that provides insurance to other insurance companies—in connection with the reinsurance of the life and annuity business.

Richard A. Barasch, chairman and chief executive officer, said the company’s core health care businesses continue to perform well. Membership in the company’s Medicare Advantage HMO health plans jumped 16.8 percent to 63,400 members.

The company added that it is taking steps to prepare the company for possible changes that may result from the approval of a health care reform plan in Congress.

“Although we do not yet know exactly what all of the changes will be, we are building and refining the skill sets that are necessary to continue to offer products and services of value to our members,” Barasch said.