EARNINGS REPORTS: LOCAL COMPANIES POST QUARTERLY EARNINGS.

Shares of Calabasas-based Tekelec rose 20.4 percent to an all-time high Thursday after the telecommunications equipment producer reported second-quarter earnings well above analysts' expectations.

The issue jumped $9.56 to $56.31 a share on heavy trading of 3.55 million shares, or more than 10 times its 30-day average. Tekelec's previous high close came July 18, when it hit $47.875.

After the market closed Wednesday, the maker of diagnostic systems for phone networks said its profit was $3.37 million, or 24 cents a share, compared with a loss of $1.41 million, or 12 cents, a year earlier. Sales rose 49 percent to $25.1 million from $16.9 million. The results beat an average estimate of 13 cents a share, based on a survey of five analysts by IBES International Inc.

In other earnings news involving local companies:

Shares of Camarillo-based AML Communications Inc. fell 19.4 percent after the maker of wireless telecommunications products reported sharply lower earnings of $113,000, or 2 cents a share, for its first quarter ended June 30, compared with $628,000, or 10 cents a share in the year-ago quarter, as sales dropped 31.5 percent to $2.52 million. The issue declined $1.19 to finish the quarter at $4.94.

Calabasas-based THQ Inc. more than doubled second-quarter profits to $994,000, or 14 cents a share, on a 1.5 percent gain in sales to $12.27 million. Stock of the video-game producer lost 75 cents to end at $11.50.

Woodland Hills-based 20th Century Industries reported a 1.3 percent decline in earnings to $31.5 million, or 44 cents a share, as the number of vehicles insured grew by 19,810 to 1.05 million. 20th Century shares rose 6 cents to finish at $22.19.

Printer equipment specialist Eltron International Inc. reported a 19 percent rise in profits to $3.4 million, or 43 cents a share, on a 21 percent rise in sales to $27.5 million. Stock of Simi Valley-based Eltron fell 87.5 cents to end at $31.

Camarillo-based View Tech posted earnings of $176,892, or 3 cents a share, compared with a loss of $171,672. Sales grew 36 percent to $12.2 million for the communications equipment provider, and its stock rose 37.5 cents to finish at $3.375.

Ventura-based Biopool International reported a 9.3 percent decline in profits to $350,000, or 4 cents a share, on a 103 percent rise in sales to $4.2 million. Stock of the blood-test specialist was off 3 cents to end at $2.375.

After the market closed, three companies reported results:

Van Nuys-based Pinkerton Inc. announced an 11 percent decline in earnings to $2.7 million, or 31 cents a share, due to a one-time gain of $1.9 million in the 1996 period. Revenues rose 15 percent to $230.8 million.

Chatsworth-based K-Swiss reported a loss of $379,000, compared with a loss of $731,000 in the year-ago period. Sales for the shoe maker were up 9.2 percent to $28.4 million.

Valencia-based 3D Systems Corp. posted a loss of $279,681, or 2 cents a share, compared with profits of $801,068 in the year-ago period, with the loss due to a previously announced $500,000 expense for severance benefits. The imaging systems specialist posted a 15 percent gain in sales to $43.3 million.