Earnings roundup: Visa, Trident Microsystems

Among the earnings stories for Monday, April 28, from AP Financial News:

NEW YORK (AP) _ Visa Inc., the world's largest credit and debit card processor, said Monday its profit rose 28 percent in the first three months of the year as customers around the world charged more to their cards.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) _ Trident Microsystems Inc., which makes chips for high-definition TV sets, said Monday swung to a fiscal third-quarter net loss as revenue declined amid growing competition and research and other costs increased.

DALLAS (AP) _ Flowserve Corp., which provides fluid motion and control products, said Monday its first-quarter profit more than doubled, helped by higher sales and an improved gross margin.

HOUSTON (AP) _ FMC Technologies Inc., which makes oil drilling equipment, fluid-control systems and other products, said Monday its first-quarter profit jumped by nearly a third on strong growth at the company's core energy businesses.

PLANO, Texas (AP) _ Rent-A-Center Inc., the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, said Monday its first-quarter profit more than doubled from a year-ago quarter that was weighed down by a heavy litigation expense.

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) _ Manitowoc Co., a manufacturer whose products range from cranes to ice-cube makers to ships, said Monday its first-quarter profit jumped 60 percent on sales improvements at all of its business divisions.