Earnings roundup: Heartland Express, Software AG

Among the earnings stories for Tuesday, April 22, from AP Financial News:

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) _ Trucking company Heartland Express Inc. said Tuesday its first-quarter earnings tumbled 35 percent, on soaring fuel costs and a year-ago period that benefited from more significant asset sales.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) _ Germany's Software AG said Tuesday that its first-quarter net profit and sales rose on demand for its database programs and services, despite fears of a weakening world economy.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of VNUS Medical Technologies Inc. sunk on Tuesday, a day after the medical device maker reported first-quarter results that beat the Street, but an analyst downgraded the stock citing its recent uptick.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of Anixter International Inc. tumbled Tuesday, after the electronics and cable distributor posted first-quarter results roughly in line with Wall Street's expectations when investors had been expecting an upside.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Owens & Minor shares rose Tuesday after the medical and surgical supply distributor said its first-quarter profit more than doubled, surpassing analyst expectations.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ Carlisle Cos., which makes truck brakes, tires, wheels and construction and roofing materials, said Tuesday it swung to a loss in the first quarter, hurt by an impairment charge and escalating raw material costs.

OSLO, Norway (AP) _ Norsk Hydro on Tuesday reported a 80 percent decline in first-quarter profits with the weak dollar and soaring energy costs eating away at the margins of the Norwegian aluminum and power generation group.