A bigger fleet and strong use rate helped boost Seaspan’s (NYSE: SSW) third-quarter revenues 14.5% to $212.9 million. During the quarter, the shipping firm added two vessels, bringing its year-to-date additions to seven and its total operating fleet to 84. Fleet use was a near perfect 99.3% for the quarter.

Seaspan’s distributable cash jumped 21% to $117.5 million, easily covering its $13.4 million in dividends declared this quarter.

Despite the strong performance, management is cautious for 2016, citing strong headwinds for the container shipping industry from China’s slowing economy, which will affect Seaspan’s two main Asian trade routes to South America and Europe. Seaspan is currently a Hold.

Westpac Holdings (NYSE: WBK) announced full-year 2015 adjusted earnings rose 3% to AUD7.82 billion ($5.6 billion), its lowest increase since 2009 as lending growth was offset by an increase in bad-debt charges.

Management admitted that despite business growth, higher competition and tighter regulations have dragged down profits. Australia’s top four banks are now required to strengthen their capital ratio to buffer against a possible downturn in Australia’s housing market. Westpac raised about AUD3.5 billion ($2.5 billion) in capital to increase its common equity Tier 1 capital ratio to 9.5%, up from 9% in August. Buy Westpac up to $34.

HCP (NYSE: HCP) posted third-quarter revenues growth of 10.3% to $658 million. Adjusted funds from operations (FFO) enjoyed a 5.6% boost to $365.8 million, or $0.79 per share, which provided a strong coverage ratio of 71.5% for the $0.565 quarterly dividend.

For full-year 2015, management expects adjusted FFO per share to range from $3.12 to $3.18, compared to $3.04 per share in 2014. GIE’s #1 REIT is a Buy up to $44.

Third-quarter earnings for Novartis (NYSE: NVS) slid 42% to $1.81 billion after paying $390 million to settle a lawsuit that the company allegedly gave kickbacks to pharmacies. Core net income, which excludes these one-time charges, fell 2% to $3.06 billion. Net revenues for the quarter dropped 6% to $12.27 billion.

Overall, business performance was mixed. Revenues for its eye-care division, Alcon, fell 2% to $23 billion because of increased competition and cheaper generics while its generic division, Sandoz, posted sales growth of 9% to $2.3 billion.

The weak performance was mainly due to a strong U.S. dollar. On a common currency basis, revenues were up 6% and core net income rose 13%. Buy Novartis under $100.

Lower sales volume and the unfavorable currency exchange hurt Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), with third-quarter revenues sinking 12% to $6.9 billion. Earnings fell 9.4% to $1.94 billion, or $1.25 per share. Sales of cigarettes were down 1.5% to 218.9 billion units.

However, the company believes its campaign to expand its smokeless cigarette, iQOS, to more cities will lift earnings for the year.

As a result, management raised its earnings estimates for the full year to a range of $4.35 to $4.40 per share, up from $4.32 to $4.42 per share. Yielding 4.7%, Philip Morris is a Buy up to $90.