AGL Resources (NYSE:
ATG -
News) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $47 million, or 60 cents a share, and said it expects a profit of $2.75 to $2.85 a share for fiscal 2007. The Atlanta-based energy services provider also said its board has approved an 11% hike in its annual dividend rate to $1.64 a share.
Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:
ATK -
News) reported third-quarter earnings rose 8.8% on 17% higher revenue. Earnings reached $51.2 million, or $1.53 a share, from $47.1 million, or $1.26, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose to $900.3 million from $770 million. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced consensus estimates of $1.32 a share on revenue of $844 million. ATK lifted its estimate of earnings for fiscal 2007 to $5.10 to $5.15 a share, from its previous estimate of $4.95 to $5.05. And it now estimates sales at $3.5 billion, up from an earlier estimate of more than $3.45 billion.
American Standard Cos. Inc. (NYSE:
ASD -
News) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $114.3 million, or 56 cents a share, up from a year-ago profit of $64.4 million, or 30 cents a share. On an adjusted basis, excluding certain items, the company earned $104.5 million, or 51 cents a share, in the latest quarter. Sales at the Piscataway, N.J., maker of air conditioning systems as well as bath and kitchen products rose to $2.7 billion in the three months ended Dec. 31 from $2.55 billion in the same period a year earlier. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Financial was for a profit of 51 cents a share in the December period. Looking ahead, the company forecast adjusted earnings of $3.15 to $3.25 a share for fiscal 2007 on sales growth of about 8%. For the first quarter, it sees adjusted earnings of 48 to 52 cents a share with sales rising about 6%. Wall Street's current consensus estimate is for a profit of $3.08 a share for the year and 48 cents a share in the March period. The company also announced a restructuring plan calling for the separation of its three businesses.
Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE:
ADM -
News) said higher prices for the biofuel offset rising corn costs in its fiscal second quarter. Overall corn processing operating profits rose $99 million for the quarter to $335 million. "Increased starch, sweetener and ethanol selling prices contributed to the earnings improvement and were partially offset by increasing net corn costs," the company said. The Decatur, Ill.-based company also said fiscal second-quarter earnings rose to $441.3 million, or 67 cents a share, from $367.7 million, or 56 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter ending December increased 18% to $10.98 billion from last year's $9.3 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had been expecting earnings of 60 cents a share and revenue of $9.52 billion, on average.
Armor Holdings Inc. (NYSE:
AH -
News) said fourth-quarter net income rose to $37.8 million, or $1.02 a share, from $37.6 million, of $1.04 a share, during the same period in the prior year.
AstraZeneca (NYSE:
AZN -
News) announced plans to cut 3,000 jobs over the next three years. It will take $500 million in charges, of which $300 million will be in cash, the drugmaker said. The company also reported that its fourth-quarter profit before tax jumped 25% to $2.1 billion, after sales climbed 14% to $7.15 billion. The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical said sales of its top five growth products -- Nexium, Seroquel, Crestor, Arimidex and Symbicort -- rose 23% to $3.7 billion. It hikes its dividend 32% for the year to $1.72 a share and plans to buy back $4 billion in shares during 2007. AstraZeneca said 2007 earnings are seen in the range of $3.80 to $4.05 a share, excluding the impact of U.S. sales of Toprol XL and any productivity initiatives.
Brink's Co. (NYSE:
BCO -
News) reported fourth-quarter net income more than doubled due to earnings from discontinued operations. Fourth-quarter net reached $126.6 million, or $2.71 a share, from $47.7 million, or 83 cents, in the year-earlier period. Shares outstanding fell 19% to 46.7 million. Earnings from continuing operations were 71 cents a share against 11 cents as profit and revenue rose in both of Brink's operating units. Revenue rose 14% to $755.9 million from $663.1 million. A survey of analysts by Thomson Financial produced consensus estimates of 62 cents of profit on $723 million of revenue.
Carbo Ceramics (NYSE:
CRR -
News) reported fourth-quarter earnings of $15 million, or 61 cents a share, up from a year-ago profit of $10.4 million, or 43 cents a share. Revenue rose in the latest three months to $87 million from $63.6 million a year earlier.
Celgene (NasdaqGS:
CELG -
News) fourth-quarter earnings rose to $22.9 million, or 6 cents a share, from $3.93 million, or a cent a share, a year earlier. The company said adjusted earnings rose to $74.5 million, or 18 cents a share, from $10.2 million, or 3 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected, on average, fourth-quarter earnings of 18 cents a share on revenue of $268.4 million. The Summit, N.J., pharmaceutical company said total revenue rose 84% to $275 million from $149.3 million in the year-ago period, helped by sales of Revlimid and Thalomid. Product sales rose to $251.9 million from $128.7 million.
Children's Place Retail Stores (NasdaqGS:
PLCE -
News) said it earned $38 million in the third quarter as sales rose 25% to $550.4 million, according to preliminary data. The figures may be revised as the company continues to work on a restatement of past results to correct the accounting for stock option grants. Same-store sales rose 14% in the quarter, the Secaucus, N.J. retailer said in a statement. Thomson Financial was looking for sales of $548.5 million. The company said it now expects net income of $45 to $48 million in the fourth quarter. For January, same-store sales are expected to decline at a mid-single digit rate at its Children's Place stores and rise at a pace in the mid-twenties at Disney stores. For fiscal 2007, the company is expecting earnings of $3.55 to $3.65 a share.
Christopher & Banks Corp. (NYSE:
CBK -
News) said it expects earnings of 7 to 8 cents a share for the fourth quarter, below Wall Street's consensus estimate for a profit of 14 cents a share. The Minneapolis-based women's clothing retailer said aggressive markdowns in the quarter led to lower average unit retails.
Clorox (NYSE:
CLX -
News) said its second-quarter earnings rose 16%, boosted by record sales of its Fresh Step cat litter, higher sales of Kingsford grilling products and increased shipments of home-care products in Mexico and Argentina.
Concur Technologies Inc. (NasdaqGM:
CNQR -
News) reported first-quarter net earnings of $993,000, or 2 cents a share, up 53% from $648,000, or 2 cents a share, during the year-ago period. There were 40.2 million shares outstanding during the quarter compared with 36.5 million a year ago.
Cutera (NasdaqGS:
CUTR -
News) shares rose after the Brisbane, Calif.-based company reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $7.12 million, or 50 cents a share, up from $5.81 million, or 41 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding items, earnings came in at 55 cents a share. Revenue rose to $30.5 million from $24 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting earnings of 41 cents a share on revenue of $30.2 million. The company expects first-quarter earning of 21 cents a share, or 28 cents a share excluding items, on revenue of $26 million, and 2007 earnings of $1.30 a share, or $1.57 a share excluding items, on revenue of $126 million.
Dell (NasdaqGS:
DELL -
News) named company founder Michael Dell chief executive effective immediately, to replace Kevin Rollins. The Round Rock, Texas, computer company said Dell will retain his duties as chairman.
Eli Lilly (NYSE:
LLY -
News) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at Prudential Equity, which cited expectations for earnings growth of around 10% over the next four years as well as an attractive current valuation. "Due to low generic exposure and what we believe is an increasingly stable base business, we see Eli Lilly growing earnings at above average rates for the next several years," Prudential said.
Elizabeth Arden (NasdaqGS:
RDEN -
News) posted a fiscal second-quarter profit of $26.2 million, or 92 cents a share, as sales rose 18.8% to $410.8 million. Looking ahead, the New York-based beauty products provider lifted the lower end of its outlook for fiscal 2007 earnings to $1.15 to $1.20 a share from the prior projection of $1.10 to $1.20 a share.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (NasdaqGS:
GILD -
News) swung to a fourth-quarter loss of $1.67 billion, or $3.62 a share. In the same period the year before, the company posted net earnings of $281.6 million, or 59 cents a share.
Green Mountain Coffee (NasdaqGS:
GMCR -
News) shares jumped after the company reported first-quarter earnings of $2.4 million, or 30 cents a share, down from a year-ago profit of $3 million, or 38 cents a share. On a non-GAAP basis, the Waterbury, Vt.-based coffee provider earned $3.7 million, or 46 cents a share, in the latest quarter. Looking ahead, Green Mountain sees non-GAAP earnings of $2.11 to $2.17 a share in fiscal 2007.
Helmerich & Payne (NYSE:
HP -
News) reported first-quarter earnings of $110.8 million, or $1.06 a share, on operating revenue of $386.4 million. In the same period a year earlier, the company earned $50.8 million, or 48 cents a share, on revenue of $255.4 million. The latest results include a gain of 15 cents a share from the sale of portfolio securities, while last year's report reflects 2 cents a share in similar gains.
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