& #8226; Countrywide Financial Corp.

released its preliminary third-quarter operational data on Tuesday. Among the highlights: loan funding rose 59 percent from the year-earlier period to $146 billion; monthly purchase volume jumped 32 percent to a record $69 billion; home equity loan fundings advanced 21 percent to $3.8 billion; and net earned premiums from its insurance segment were $240 million, up from $195 million in the prior-year period. For the month of September, the Calabasas-based company said its average daily mortgage loan application activity rose 45 percent from September 2004 to $3 billion, and its total assets were $71 billion.

The company said it will report its hurricane-related loss estimates in its quarterly results on Oct. 27.

& #8226; California Pizza Kitchen Inc.

raised its forecast for third-quarter earnings to between 33 cents and 34 cents per diluted share from previous guidance of 32 cents to 33 cents per share. The new guidance excludes a 6 cent per diluted share charge associated with the closure of two restaurants. The L.A.-based casual dining restaurant chain also said its revenues increased 17.3 percent to $124.5 million for the third quarter ended Oct. 2, from $106.1 million a year earlier. Comparable store sales rose 7.1 percent, compared with an 8.7 percent rise in the prior-year quarter.

The company will release third-quarter results on Oct. 27.

& #8226; True Religion Apparel Inc.

said it expects third-quarter earnings of 29 cents to 30 cents per diluted share on revenue of about $35 million, up from previous guidance of earnings of 22 cents to 24 cents per diluted share on revenue of $29 million to $30 million. The Los Angeles-based jeans manufacturer also said it’s comfortable with the current consensus analysts’ estimates for fourth-quarter earnings of 20 cents a share on revenue of approximately $24.3 million.

The company will release third-quarter results on Nov. 10.