Covidien Plc (COV.N) reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on strong sales of its medical devices. The maker of surgical products, drugs and medical supplies said on Tuesday that net income rose to $535 million, or $1.07 a share, in the third quarter ended June 24 from $364 million, or 72 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding special items, earnings were $1.01 a share. Analysts on average had expected 95 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
