
Raytheon [RTN] on Thursday reported strong second quarter earnings due in large part a benefit from a recent modification to a joint venture with a French company as well as performance improvements, pension tailwinds and accounting changes.Net income soared 40 percent to $709 million, $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) from $505 million ($1.65 EPS) a year ago, rocketing well above consensus estimates of $1.66 EPS, which appears to have excluded the benefit from the changes to the joint venture as…