Industrials

3M reported a surprise fourth-quarter profit on industrial and transportation growth and reaffirmed its fiscal view.

Caterpillar blew away Wall Street expectations after revealing a fourth-quarter profit up 58% year-over-year. 

United Technologies reaffirmed its fiscal 2012 earnings guidance.

Red-hot shares of Smith & Wesson surged 20% after the gun maker’s quarterly results and more bullish guidance blew Wall Street’s expectations out of the water.

Private-equity giant the Carlyle Group is reportedly on the verge of scooping up DuPont’s auto paint business in a deal worth almost $5 billion.

DowDuPont, the entity to be created by the merger of DuPont with Dow Chemical, said the chief executives of the two companies would get a combined $80 million in "golden parachute" payments after DowDuPont splits into three.

Stanley Black & Decker has sold its hardware and home improvement group to consumer products maker Spectrum Brands for $1.4 billion in cash.

Caterpillar weighed in with a 49% leap in third-quarter earnings, but the economic bellwether slashed its 2012 financial targets due to continued global uncertainty.

The German engineer will not be able to spin off its lighting division next month because of legal action by a handful of investors challenging the move.

Dow Chemical's quarterly profit growth of 17% trailed forecasts and the company unveiled plans to sell off another $3 billion to $4 billion of assets.

Shares of Texas Industries jumped 12% on Friday after a report that the building materials company is exploring a sale.

The U.S. has signaled a clash with Syria would rely on the Tomahawk missiles Raytheon sells for $1 million each.

Import prices dropped 0.5% in March from February, in line with expectations. Export prices dropped 0.4% for the month, compared to expectations of a 0.1% rise.

Dow Chemical said it will sell its polypropylene licensing and catalyst business to smaller peer W.R. Grace & Co for $500M.

"March Against Monsanto" held protests in 52 countries Saturday, calling attention to alleged dangers of genetically modified foods and a corporation that may have taken its influence too far.

The $625 million deal is a bid to boost exposure in emerging markets, and gives the cigarette maker a 25% stake in an Algerian joint venture.

The $625 million deal is a bid to boost exposure in emerging markets, and gives the cigarette maker a 25% stake in an Algerian joint venture.

The buyout comes just 15 months after the British vacuum pump maker's IPO.

A large UPS cargo plane crashed near Birmingham, Ala. early Wednesday morning, killing both the pilot and co-pilot.

U.S. fertilizer company Mosaic reported a lower quarterly profit as phosphate and potash prices slipped.