Alaska Air and UPS shares slip despite improved net profit, United Continental makes minor gain

Alaska Air (-0.3%) slipped despite the group reporting a 39.7% year-on-year improvement for 3Q2010, to USD122.4 million or USD3.21 per diluted share. Operating profit for the period also made a significant improvement, rising 35.4% to USD216.4 million. The result was on a 10.3% increase in revenue, to USD1,068 million, outweighing the 5.4% rise in operating costs, to USD851.1 million.