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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – The U.S. current-account deficit, a measures of the nation’s debt to other countries, widened 26% in the fourth quarter. The deficit widened to $128.2 billion from a revised $101.5 billion in the third quarter. The U.S. recorded a larger deficit in goods such as oil and a smaller surplus in primary income. The current account reveals if a country is a net lender or debtor. The current account deficit was 2.6% of GDP in the fourth quarter. That’s up from 2.1% in the third quarter and well below a peak of 6.3% in 2005.

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Pivotal Research Group analyst Brian Wieser reiterated his negative view of Facebook Inc. Wednesday, writing that the social-networking giant is “exhibiting signs of systemic mismanagement” following a series of security and public-relations issues involving user data, content moderation, and political advertising. Facebook shares are down 0.8% in premarket trading Wednesday, after falling 9.2% so far this week. “Investors have to consider whether or not the company will conclude that it has grown in a manner that has proven to be untenable or whether it needs to significantly improve how it is managed,” he wrote. That leads to the possibility that Facebook could “depress the size of the company” or introduce personnel changes, both of which Wieser said present new risks to investors. Wieser is one of two analysts who rates Facebook at sell, and he has a $152 price target on the stock. The stock closed Tuesday at $166.31. Facebook shares are up 21% over the past 12 months, while the S&P 500 is up 16%.

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Shares of Match Group Inc. are down 1.2% in premarket trading Wednesday after an analyst at Guggenheim downgraded the stock to neutral. Guggenheim’s Jake Fuller wrote that while Tinder Gold, a paid feature launched late last year, brought in a big wave of new paying members, he believes Match will see a “lull” until it introduces its next big paid Tinder feature. “In our experience, multiples for sub-based models can come under pressure in periods of slowing growth,” Fuller wrote. He’s also concerned about Match Group’s valuation, with shares up 40% since the company reported results Feb. 7, compared with a 4% gain for the Nasdaq Composite Index in that time. Fuller prefers IAC/InterActiveCorp , which owns more than 80% of Match Group shares. “While we cannot isolate the discount embedded in IAC for Match, IAC’s current market value does imply a discount of ~16% to the combined value of the Match and ANGI [Homeservices Inc.] stakes,” he wrote.

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General Mills Inc. said Wednesday it had net income of $941 million, or $1.62 a share, in its fiscal third quarter to Feb. 25, up from $357.8 million, or 61 cents a share, in the year-earlier period, boosted by a tax benefit from the December revamp. Adjusted per-share earnings came to 79 cents, a penny ahead of the FactSet consensus of 78 cents. Sales rose 2% to $3.88 billion, also ahead of the FactSet consensus of $3.87 billion. The company, which recently announced the proposed acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc., said it will continue to pursue a consumer first strategy aimed at boosting profitability. It is also planning actions to offset rising freight costs, further cost cuts and actions aimed at increasing revenue. Chief Executive Jeff Harmening said he was disappointed with the the company’s bottom-line results. “Our third-quarter operating profit fell well short of our expectations, and cost pressures are impacting our full-year outlook,” he wrote. “Like the broader industry, we’re seeing sharp increases in input costs, including inflation in freight and commodities. Because of our improved volume performance, we’re also incurring higher operational costs.” Shares fell almost 4% premarket and are down 16% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 16%.

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Troubled department-store chain Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it has completed previously announced private offers to exchange some of its older bonds for fresh debt and reached agreement to amend the terms of other borrowings. The company, which has used a series of measures in recent years to reduce its debt burden, said about $214 million of old senior unsecured notes and about $180 million of old senior secured notes have been cancelled and replaced by convertible PIK (payment-in-kind) notes, which can be converted into stock. Interest on those notes can be paid in kind, meaning Sears has the option to repay them with fresh notes. The company has also agreed to amend the terms of other bonds and loans. The actions are expected to reduce its quarterly cash interest expenses by about $15 million. The company’s most active bonds, the 8.00% notes due in December of 2019, last traded at 33 cents on the dollar, according to MarketAxess. Shares were not active premarket, but have fallen 75% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 15%.

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Shares of Winnebago Industries Inc. surged 3% in premarket trade Wednesday, after the recreational vehicle maker beat fiscal second-quarter revenue expectations, amid strength in its towable business. Net income for the quarter to Feb. 24 rose to $22.1 million, or 69 cents a share, from $15.3 million, or 48 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. The company said recent tax legislation resulted in an earnings benefit of 7 cents per share. The FactSet EPS consensus was 64 cents. Revenue rose to $468.4 million from $370.5 million, above the FactSet consensus of $444.3 million. Motorized revenue increased 1.5% to $202.0 million, above the FactSet consensus of $200.4 million, while towable revenue jumped 55% to $266.4 million, beating expectations of $242.5 million. The company said it was “committed” to passing a portion of the tax savings from recent tax legislation to its employees, in the form of a bonus and other wage adjustments, a charitable donation and accelerating facility improvements. The stock has tumbled 22% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 has gained 1.2%.

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General Mills Inc. said Wednesday it had net income of $941 million, or $1.62 a share, in its fiscal third quarter to Feb. 25, up from $357.8 million, or 61 cents a share, in the year-earlier period, boosted by a tax benefit from the December revamp. Adjusted per-share earnings came to 79 cents, a penny ahead of the FactSet consensus of 78 cents. Sales rose 2% to $3.88 billion, also ahead of the FactSet consensus of $3.87 billion. The company, which recently announced the proposed acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc., said it will continue to pursue a consumer first strategy aimed at boosting profitability. It is also planning actions to offset rising freight costs, further cost cuts and actions aimed at increasing revenue. Chief Executive Jeff Harmening said he was disappointed with the the company’s bottom-line results. “Our third-quarter operating profit fell well short of our expectations, and cost pressures are impacting our full-year outlook,” he wrote. “Like the broader industry, we’re seeing sharp increases in input costs, including inflation in freight and commodities. Because of our improved volume performance, we’re also incurring higher operational costs.” Shares fell almost 4% premarket and are down 16% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 16%.

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Southwest Airlines Co. cut its outlook for first-quarter revenue per available seat mile (RASM) to be in line with a year ago from previous guidance of a 1% to 2% increase, primarily because the competitive fair environment continues to pressure passenger revenue yields and lower-than-anticipated travel demand from the timing of the spring-break holidays. the stock slipped 0.6% in light premarket trade Wednesday. The air carrier said the “sub-optimal” flight schedule resulting from the retirement of its Boeing 737-300 classic fleet also hurt passenger revenue yields and load factors. The cost outlook has improved, as the company now expects first-quarter operating expenses per available seat mile (CASM) to be flat to up 1% and fuel costs to be about $2.10 per gallon. In January, Southwest said it expected unit costs, excluding fuel and oil expense and special items, to rise 0.5% to 1.5% and fuel costs of $2.10 to $2.15 per gallon. Separately, Southwest said it has recast certain 2016 and 2017 financial information to reflect the adoption of new accounting rules, but said it expects the impact of the new revenue standard to be “immaterial” to its first-quarter RASM comparisons. The stock has shed 8.1% over the past three months through Tuesday, while the NYSE Arca Airline Index has gained 2.6% and the S&P 500 has tacked on 1.2%.

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A suspect in the Austin bombings is dead, according to reports early Wednesday from KVUE and CBS Austin. Austin’s police department had been responding to an officer-involved shooting, according to the report from KVUE, an ABC station in that Texas city. Austin has been on edge over what is believed to be a serial bomber, who has killed two people and injured several in five incidents over the past month, including a blast early Tuesday at a FedEx facility in San Antonio.

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From:: Stock Market News

A suspect in the Austin bombings is dead, according to a report early Wednesday from KVUE, which cited law-enforcement sources. Austin’s police department had been responding to an officer-involved shooting, according to the report from from KVUE, an ABC station in that Texas city. Austin has been on edge over what is believed to be a serial bomber, who has killed two people and injured several in five incidents over the past month, including a blast early Tuesday at a FedEx facility in San Antonio.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News