Portland based Columbia Sportswear posted a record first quarter with sales up 4% over last year. Sales totaled $543.8 million producing a record profit of $36 million. CEO Tim Boyle cited strength in Europe as well as the SOREL brand's spring launch for Columbia's solid start to the year. (PBJ)

Oregon’s largest employer, Intel, had first quarter revenue of $14.8 billion. Profits for the first quarter were up 45% over last year, to $3 billion, or 61 cents per share. The Data Center Group, the focus for the company’s future growth, had revenue of $4.2 billion, up 6% year-over-year. The company approved another $10 billion for the share buyback program that now totals $15 billion. In the first quarter, the company repurchased $1.2 billion, or 35 million shares, of its stock. Here in Oregon, the company employs 19,300 people. (PBJ)

Consumer sentiment continued higher in April according to the University of Michigan. The Consumer Sentiment Index hit 97. "Although the partisan divide has slightly narrowed in recent months, it still reflects a very pessimistic economic outlook among Democrats and a very optimistic outlook among Republicans," the report commented.

With Northwest Quadrant Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor I am Troy Reinhart.