Ecolab Inc., the St. Paul-based cleaning and pest-control giant, says its net sales jumped 74 percent to $3 billion in the third quarter, RTTNews.com reports. Net income was also up 54 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.

Rising enrollments for Medicare and Medicaid plans helped boost Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group in the second-quarter. The biggest U.S. health insurer says net income rose 5.5 percent to trump Wall Street expectations.

The Minneapolis-based for-profit education provider reports total active student enrollment in the second quarter fell 4.6 percent and new enrollment declined by 6 percent. Capella says third-quarter enrollment could increase for the first time in nearly two years.

The Winona-based operator of industrial hardware supply stores reported its net income rose to $112.3 million with help from new store openings and the installation of new industrial vending machines. However, second quarter sales failed to meet Wall Street expectations.

The St. Paul-based maker of cleaning products is feeling the effects of its merger with the water treatment company Nalco Holding. Revenue was up 85 percent in the first quarter, but the cost of integrating the two companies sent earnings downward.

Strong sales of Spam and Jennie-O products helped the Austin-based meat producer meet Wall Street expectations. Hormel's third quarter earnings rose to $111.2 million, or 41 cents per share, in the third quarter ended on July 29 compared to $98.5 million, or 36 cents per share, a year earlier.

Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp reported high-than-expected quarterly profit as revenue rose and set aside less money for bad loans. The fifth-largest U.S. commercial bank posted a net income of $1.42 billion in the second-quarter.