Earnings roundup: Visteon, Lithia Motors

Among the earnings stories for Wednesday, April 30, from AP Financial News:

DETROIT (AP) _ Visteon Corp. reported Wednesday its first-quarter loss narrowed to $105 million, while the auto parts supplier continued to increase its business in Asia while it shrinks in North America.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of Lithia Motors Inc. soared Wednesday, after the car and truck dealer said it swung to a first-quarter loss on a drop in new vehicle sales, but issued a fiscal year profit prediction ahead of Wall Street estimates.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Shares of CommScope Inc., which provides communications infrastructure products, rose sharply Wednesday after the company reported first-quarter results far above Wall Street expectations, impressing analysts.

PARIS (AP) _ French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis on Wednesday reported a 12 percent drop in first-quarter adjusted net profit as the weak dollar and generic competition bit into sales of its sleep and cancer drugs.

CHADDS FORD, Pa. (AP) _ Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., which makes pain meds Percodan, Percocet and the Lidoderm patch, on Wednesday reported better-than-expected profit for the first quarter, and raised its outlook for the full year.

NEW YORK (AP) _ Time Warner Inc. said Wednesday it plans to spin off the rest of its cable TV business, answering investor pleas to further simplify the media conglomerate's sprawling corporate structure.

CHICAGO (AP) _ Kraft Foods Inc. reported a 13 percent drop in first-quarter profits Wednesday, but the results were better than expected and sales improved despite economic pressures and rising outlays for commodities and other manufacturing costs.