Dillard’s shares fall after earnings miss

Dillard’s Inc. fell 10% in Thursday premarket trading after the retailer reported second-quarter earnings that missed expectations. Losses for the quarter totaled $17.1 million, or 58 cents per share, after net income of $12.1 million, or 35 cents per share, for the same period the previous year. The FactSet consensus was for EPS of 18 cents. Sales totaled $1.46 billion, down from $1.49 billion last year and ahead of the $1.44 billion FactSet consensus. Same-store sales fell 1% for the quarter. Sales of women’s clothing rose slightly, but shoes were below trend, the company said. “Significant markdowns led to a disappointing loss as we dealt with inventory, which was up 2% at quarter end,” said Chief Executive William Dillard in a statement. Dillard’s shares are up 26.7% for the last three months and up 17% for the year so far. The S&P 500 index is up 10.5% for 2017 to date.

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Blue Apron shares climb after revenue beat, better customer revenue

Shares of Blue Apron Holdings Inc were climbing 4% in premarket trade Thursday after the meal-kit company beat second-quarter revenue expectations, in its first report as a public company. It reported a net loss of $31.6 million, or a loss of 47 cents per share, after net income of $5.5 million in the year-earlier period. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting a loss per share of 27 cents. Revenue was $238.1 million, up from $201 million in the year-earlier period and above the FactSet consensus of $235.8 million. The number of customers fell 9% quarter-over-quarter, with 943,000 customers, compared to 1 million customers in the year-earlier period, which Blue Apron attributed to a reduction in marketing by $26.1 million. However, average revenue per customer increased to $251 for the second quarter, up from $236 in the previous quarter, but below $264 in the year-earlier period. The number of orders per customer also increased to 4.3, from 4.1 in the previous quarter. Shares of Blue Apron have fallen 23% in the past month, while the S&P 500 has gained 2%.

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Invitation Homes to merge with Starwood Waypoint to create $11 billion rental company

Invitation Homes , which went public in February, is merging with StarWood Waypoint Homes to create a company with a combined market value of $11 billion, the companies announced Thursday. The two companies, which both own and operate single-family rental homes in the U.S., have signed a definitive agreement to merge in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction, with each Starwood Waypoint Homes share converted into 1.614 Invitation Homes shares. The new company will still have the name Invitation Homes, with Fred Tuomi, the current chief executive of StarWood Waypoint Homes as CEO. Bryce Blair, the CEO of the current Invitation Homes will be chairman. The combined shares are expected to continue trading under Invitation Homes’ ticker, “INVH.” Invitation Homes also reported second-quarter earnings Thursday, with net income of $5.5 million, or 2 cents per share, after reporting a loss of $19.7 million in the year-earlier period, or a loss per share of 6 cents. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting earnings per share of 2 cents. It reported revenue of $242 million, in line with the FactSet consensus. Shares of both Invitation Homes and Starwood were still inactive in premarket trade Thursday. Invitation Homes shares have lost 3% in the past three months, while Starwood’s stock has gained 1.2% and the S&P 500 has gained 3%.

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Kohl’s stock jumps premarket after earnings beat

Shares of Kohl’s Corporation surged 7% in premarket trading Thursday after the retailer reported earnings that beat Wall Street estimates. Net income for the second quarter was $208 million, or $1.24 per share, versus $140 million, or 77 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. Same-store sales rose 0.4% compared to a year ago, while overall sales in the quarter totaled $4.144 billion, down from $4.18 billion a year ago. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.24, versus $1.22 a year ago, and beating the FactSet consensus of $1.19. Foot traffic “accelerated” in the second quarter, CEO Kevin Mansell said in a release. Kohl’s shares are down 15% in the year to date, compared to a 10.5% gain for the S&P 500 [s:spx].

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Battery maker Energizer names Timothy Gorman CFO with immediate effect

Battery maker Energizer Holdings Inc. said Thursday it has named Timothy Gorman as its chief financial officer with immediate effect. Gorman joined the company in 2014 and has served as interim CFO since June 8. The executive has also done stints at PepsiAmericas. Gorman will be paid a base salary of an annualized $520,000, and will be eligible for a target bonus of 75% of his base salary, depending on the company’s financial results. Shares were not active premarket, but have fallen 7% in 2017, while the S&P 500 has gained 10.5%.

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U.S. Navy destroyer sails within reach of disputed Chinese territory: Reuters

A U.S. Navy destroyer on Thursday came within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese island in the South China Sea as it carried out a “freedom of navigation operation,” according to Reuters. Citing U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the newswire said USS John S. McCain sailed close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, an area which China is in a territorial dispute over with its neighbors. The operation comes as tensions in the region remain escalated, with U.S. President Donald Trump seeking China’s cooperation in adding pressure on North Korea. Investors have in recent days fled so-called risk assets on concerns a dispute between the U.S. and North Korea will end in a full-fledged war.

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Lego ousts CEO Padda after just 8 months in the job

Toy giant Lego Group has axed Bali Padda, its first non-Danish chief executive, after just eight months in the role, replacing him with Niels Christiansen, former chief executive of Danfoss, a Danish industrial group. Padda, who is British, took up the role as Lego CEO in January and will step down on Oct. 1, when he will take on a special advisory role with the company. Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, executive chairman of Lego Brand Group, said incoming CEO Christiansen is “a great leader” who will help the company “to flourish and bring play experiences to more children around the world.” Knudstorp told the Financial Times that Padda’s short time at Lego isn’t down to his performance, but because the company was looking for someone younger. Padda is 61 years old, whereas Christiansen is 51.

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U.K. house prices grow at slowest rate in 4 years: RICS

House prices in the U.K. rose at the slowest rate in over four years in July, hurt by lingering political uncertainty, recent tax changes and a limited number number of homes for sale, according to an industry body. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said Thursday that headline price growth across the U.K. slid to 1% from 7% in June, marking the softest reading since early 2013. “There continues to be much uncertainty in the market following the election and other political issues but there are signs that this may be beginning to settle,” said Simon Bainbridge, director at real estate agent Savills in Darlington, in the RICS release. The outlook for the next 12 months also remains weak, with 28% of the respondents predicting a rise in prices. That was the least positive reading since July 2016 in the aftermath of the Brexit result. London was among hardest-hit regions, with prices continuing to fall in the British capital, according to the RICS survey.

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North Korea says it plans to fire four missiles at Guam: report

North Korea’s military said it is developing detailed plans to fire four missiles at Guam and expects to present them to their leader Kim Jong-un by mid-August, according to media reports late Wednesday. In the escalating war of words, North Korea said it is “seriously examining” a plan to fire four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missiles simultaneously at the U.S. territory of Guam, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. Guam is home to several U.S. military installations including Andersen Air Force Base. The new threat on Guam follows a less detailed one late Tuesday after President Donald Trump’s remark that further threats from North Korea would be met with “fire and fury”. The Dow Jones Industrial Average , the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite Index all finished lower for a second day on Wednesday amid the saber rattling.

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