Capella Education, the parent company of the for-profit Capella University, says its third-quarter net income was $5.1 million, down nearly 50 percent compared to the $9.9 million it earned in the July-September quarter last year, the Associated Press reports. Even as total enrollment, revenue and net income fell, new student enrollment at the Minneapolis-based provider of online post-secondary education rose 10.5 percent compared to last year -- the first increase in nearly two years, Reuters reports.

Inver Grove Heights-based CHS Inc. -- the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the United States -- reported net income of $405 million thanks to strong energy performance. Revenue increased nearly 5 percent to hit $11 billion. The Wall Street Journal notes CHS reported its second-quarter profit dropped 60 percent.

U.S. Bancorp, parent company of U.S. Bank, posted a record net income of $1.47 billion, a 16 percent jump from $1.27 billion a year-earlier, Bloomberg reports. “Earnings included continued strong mortgage-banking activity, which contributed to our growth in fee income, residential real estate loans and loans held for sale,” said CEO Richard Davis.

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.

St. Paul-based Ecolab posted second quarter sales that jumped 74 percent to $3 billion thanks to its December acquisition of liquid filtration giant Nalco, the Star Tribune reports. Excluding Nalco, sales rose 3 percent during the quarter. All combined, net income jumped an impressive 47 percent to $184.5 million, or 62 cents a share.

Reduced operating expenses over the summer months helped boost Xcel Energy Inc.'s third-quarter earnings, Dow Jones News reports. The Minneapolis-based utility earned $398 million, up nearly 18 percent from $338.3 million a year earlier.

The Minneapolis bank -- the fifth largest in the country -- reports profits are up significantly for the third quarter this year. The bank has grown its lending business and benefited as fewer borrowers fall behind.

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.