But Bristol-Myers also signaled that its business was doing well by accounting measures that exclude special charges.

In theory, at least, pro forma earnings are intended to exclude one-time charges that have no real bearing on the long-term profitability of a company.

It also excluded other charges it found objectionable, like payroll taxes on employee stock options, contract termination fees and investment losses.

Operating profit, however, which excludes such one-time charges, rose 6.5 percent, to 170 billion yen ($1.57 billion), Honda said.

Priceline calculated its operating loss, excluding several special charges, at $25 million, or 15 cents a share.

But operating earnings, which exclude one-time charges and gains, rose 63 percent, to $992 million, as Bertelsmann's other businesses showed resilience.

Instead of excluding charges, for example, you have to average them out over a number of years.

Wall Street, however, excludes noncash charges for stock-option grants and some other items from its estimates.

The figures exclude one-time charges.

Operating earnings exclude so-called one-time write-offs and other special charges that can reduce earnings.