Ralph Lauren shares sink after same-store sales decline

Ralph Lauren Corp. shares sank 6% in Thursday premarket trading after it reported fiscal third-quarter same-store sales declines. The clothing and accessories company had a net loss of $81.8 million, or $1 per share, compared with income of $81.3 million, or 98 cents per share, for the same period last year. Adjusted EPS was $2.03, exceeding the $1.87 per share FactSet consensus. Sales totaled $1.64 billion, down from $1.71 billion last year but ahead of the $1.63 billion FactSet consensus. Same-store sales fell 5% globally, and fell 10% in North America. The company attributed sales declines in North America to a number of factors including brand exits, reduced promotional activity and lower consumer demand. Ralph Lauren expects fourth-quarter revenue to fall 8% to 10%. Ralph Lauren shares are up nearly 28% for the past three months while the S&P 500 index is up 9.5% for the period.

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Allergan will pay Teva $700 mln to settle dispute

Allergan PLC will pay Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. $700 million to dismiss a dispute between the two companies, according to a Thursday financial filing. The payment will result in an one-time pre-tax charge of $465 million in Allergan’s fourth quarter. The two companies have been involved in a working capital dispute, and Teva has previously suggested adjustments of $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion, according to an Allergan financial filing from November. Once the two companies dismiss their working capital dispute arbitration, they will release “actual or potential claims” under a July 2015 agreement, according to the filing. Teva shares rose 0.9% in premarket trade and Allergan shares rose 0.3%. Teva shares have surged 45.6% over the last three months and Allergan shares have declined 2.3%, compared with a 9.5% rise in the S&P 500 and a 11.6% rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average .

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Mastercard’s stock rises toward record levels after profit and revenue beat expectations

Shares of Mastercard Inc. jumped 1.6% toward a record high in premarket trade Thursday, after the payments and credit card company reported fourth-quarter profit and revenue that beat expectations. Net income fell to $227 million, or 21 cents a share, from $933 million, or 86 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, such as the negative one-time effect of tax-reform legislation, earnings per share came to $1.14, above the FactSet consensus of $1.12. Revenue rose 20% to $3.31 billion, beating the FactSet consensus of $3.25 billion. Gross dollar volume increased 13% to $1.4 trillion, switched transactions rose 17% to 17.7 billion and cross-border volumes grew 17%. The company said the increases were partially offset by an increase in rebates and incentives. The stock was trading at $171.75 ahead of the open, above the Jan. 26 record close of $170.34. It has soared 61% over the past 12 months through Wednesday, while the S&P 500 has climbed 24%.

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Time Warner reports better-than-expected Q4 earnings on strength of Warner Bros., HBO

Shares of Time Warner Inc. rose less than 1% in premarket trade on Thursday after the media and entertainment company reported fourth-quarter earnings that surpassed Wall Street’s expectations. Net income was $1.39 billion for the quarter, or $1.75 per share, compared with $293 million, or 37 cents per share during the same quarter a year ago. Adjusted per-share earnings were $2.66, above FactSet’s consensus of $1.44. Time Warner’s revenue increased 9% $8.61 billion, up from $7.89 billion a year ago, thanks, in part, to growth at Turner and Home Box Office. Time Warner’s Warner Bros. film division accounted for the lion’s share of revenue with $4.05 billion, followed by Turner’s $3.12 billion and HBO’s $1.68 billion. FactSet’s consensus on revenue was $8.42 billion. Time Warner shares have declined more than 1% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 index has gained roughly 24% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up more than 31%.

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McKesson shares rise after Q3 profit, revenue beats; upbeat outlook

McKesson Corp. shares rose 0.7% in premarket trade Thursday after the company reported third-quarter profit and revenue beats and an upbeat 2018 outlook. Earnings for the latest quarter rose to $903 million, or $4.33 per share, from $633 million, or $2.85 per share in the year-earlier period. Adjusted earnings-per-share were $3.41, compared with the FactSet consensus of $2.95. The latest results exclude a $1.78 tax benefit due to corporate tax reform. Revenue rose to $53.62 billion from $50.13 billion, compared with the FactSet consensus of $51.98 billion. McKesson attributed its third-quarter results to a lower share count, growth across several business units, profits from acquisitions and a lower tax rate, including tax benefits unrelated to corporate tax reform. McKesson expects 2018 EPS of $7.65 to $9.00, compared with the FactSet consensus of $6.08, and 2018 adjusted EPS of $12.50 to $12.80, compared with the FactSet consensus of $12.26. Company shares have surged 20.9% over the last three months, compared with a 9.5% rise in the S&P 500 and a 11.6% rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average .

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Hershey earnings and sales miss consensus

Hershey Co. reported fourth-quarter net income of $181.1 million, or 85 cents per share, up from $116.9 million, or 55 cents per share, for the same period last year. Adjusted EPS was $1.03, below the $1.07 FactSet consensus. Sales totaled $1.94 billion, down from $1.97 billion and missing the $1.96 billion FactSet consensus. Hershey attributed the sales decline, in part, to the timing of shipments and the launch of the Hershey’s Cookie Layer Crunch bar in the prior year. Hershey expects 2018 net sales to grow 5% to 7% and organic sales to increase in the range of slightly up to 2%. Adjusted EPS is expected to be in the $5.33 to $5.43 range. The candy and snacks company is evaluating the cash benefit of new tax reform laws. Hershey shares are unchanged in Thursday premarket trading, and up 5% for the past year. The S&P 500 index is up nearly 24% for the last 12 months.

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UPS beats profit and sales expectations, but shares fall

Shares of United Parcel Service Inc. fell 1.2% in premarket trade Thursday, although the package delivery giant reported fourth-quarter profit and revenue that beat expectations. The company swung to a profit of $1.10 billion, or $1.27 a share, from a loss of $239 million, or 27 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Tax-reform legislation added 30 cents to net EPS. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted EPS came to $1.67, above the FactSet consensus of $1.66. Revenue rose 11% to $18.83 billion from $16.93 billion, topping the FactSet consensus of $18.19 billion, as revenue from the company’s U.S. domestic package, international package and supply chain and freight businesses all rose above expectations. For 2018, the company expects adjusted EPS of $7.03 to $7.37, surrounding the FactSet consensus of $7.21. UPS projects capital expenditures of $6.5 billion to $7.0 billion in 2018, which will mostly be spent on investments in new technology, aircraft and automated capacity. The stock has climbed 20.9% over the past 12 months, while the Dow Jones Transportation Average has gained 19.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has rallied 31.5%.

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ConocoPhillips profit tops estimates, raises quarterly dividend

ConocoPhillips said Thursday it had net income of $1.6 billion, or $1.32 a share, in the fourth quarter, after a loss of $35 million, or 3 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted per-share earnings came to 45 cents, just ahead of the FactSet consensus of 44 cents. The company did not provide a revenue number. It said earnings were boosted by a non-cash tax benefit of about $900 million, resulting from the revaluation of deferred taxes following the new taxbill. The company said it is raising its quarterly dividend by 7.5% to 28.5 cents a share, payable March 1 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 12. The company has also agreed to buy a 22% stake in the Western North Slope of Alaska from Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for $400 million in cash. For 2018, it expects production of 1,195 to 1,234 MBOED, up about 5% from 2017. Capex is expected to come to $5.5 billion. Shares fell 0.5% premarket and are up 22% in the last 12 months, underperforming the S&P 500’s 24% gain.

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Boston Scientific reports Q4 profit, revenue matches

Boston Scientific Corp. reported fourth-quarter profit and revenue matches early Thursday. The company reported a loss of $615 million, or a loss of 45 cents per share, after earnings of $124 million, or 9 cents per share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted earnings-per-share were 34 cents, matching the FactSet consensus. Revenue rose to $2.41 billion from $2.19 billion, matching the FactSet consensus. Boston Scientific expects 2018 EPS of 93 cents to 98 cents, compared with the FactSet consensus of 97 cents, and 2018 adjusted EPS of $1.35 to $1.39, compared with the FactSet consensus of $1.38. The latest results include an estimated one-time net income tax charge of $861 million, mostly due to repatriation of overseas earnings, and partly offset by the company’s newly lower U.S. corporate tax rate. Boston Scientific shares were inactive in premarket trade on Thursday. Company shares have risen 0.4% over the last three months, compared with a 9.5% rise in the S&P 500 and a 11.6% rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average .

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U.S. 10-year yield jumps above 2.75%, highest since April 2014

U.S. yields continued higher on Thursday, with the rate on the 10-year benchmark note rising 4 basis points to 2.75%. The gain comes after a choppy session on Wednesday when yields initially popped after the Federal Reserve struck a hawkish in its policy statement, but then ended little changed on the day. UBS on Thursday lifted its forecast for U.S. 10-year yields to reach 2.9% by the end of 2018, up from a previous prediction of 2.7%. For 2019, UBS raised the forecast to 3% from 2.85% previously.

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