Carnival raises quarterly dividend 12%

Carnival Corp. said Thursday that it has raised its quarterly dividend 12% to 45 cents per share, up from 40 cents per share. Payment date is December 15, 2017 for stockholders of record as of November 24, 2017. Dividends payable in pounds sterling will be converted from U.S. dollars according to the Bank of England in London exchange rate as of noon on December 1, 2017. Carnival shares are nearly flat in Thursday premarket trading and up 29.6% for the year so far. The S&P 500 index is up 14.4% for 2017 to date.

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Quest Diagnostics: Proposed lab test cuts won’t hurt outlook

Quest Diagnostics Inc. said on Thursday that despite greater-than-expected proposed cuts to Medicare reimbursement for lab tests, the company should still meet the guidance it has set for coming years. Quest shares rose 0.9% in premarket trade. Though Quest disagrees with the proposed cuts, which it said do not represent market-based rates, “In whatever form CMS might implement [the Protecting Access to Medicare Act], we remain confident in our ability to meet the long-term commitments outlined at our 2016 Investor Day,” said Chief Executive Steve Rusckowski, referring to the raised outlook for profit and revenue growth between 2017 and 2020 that the company set in November 2016. Quest third-quarter earnings declined to $161 million, or $1.15 per share, from $192 million, or $1.34 per share in the year-earlier period. Adjusted earnings-per-share were $1.39, above the FactSet consensus of $1.35. Revenue rose to $1.93 billion from $1.89 billion, above the FactSet consensus of $1.92 billion. The company also narrowed its 2017 outlook due to the impact of three recent hurricanes. It now expects revenue of about $7.71 billion, compared with previous outlook of $7.69 billion to $7.74 billion, and adjusted EPS of $5.62 to $5.67, compared with previous outlook of $5.62 to $5.72. Quest shares have dropped 16.3% over the last three months, compared with a 3.5% rise in the S&P 500 .

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J.C. Penney revamps its fine jewelry department with smartwatches and new bridal presentation

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. said Thursday that it will launch sales of smartwatches for the holidays, starting October 30. Brands will include Samsung, LG and Garmin. Wearables will be priced in the range of $155 to about $350, with an expanded assortment online. The retailer has also introduced a new Modern Bride concept, including new fixtures and merchandise presentation. Modern Bride began as a collaboration with Conde Nast in 2011. The fine jewelry department has been given a new trademark, JCPenney Co. Fine Jewelry, Est. 1902, and training for associates working in that department has been revamped in order to improve customer service. J.C. Penney shares are down 1.1% in Thursday premarket trading, and down more than 60% for the past year. The S&P 500 index is up 19.5% for the last 12 months.

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Genuine Parts earnings fall short in ‘disappointing’ quarter

Shares of car parts retailer Genuine Parts Co. fell about 3% in premarket trade Thursday, after third-quarter profit fell short of estimates and the company lowered profit guidance for the full year. The Atlanta-based company said it had net income of $158.4 million, or $1.08 a share, in the quarter, down from $185.3 million, or $1.24 a share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted per-share earnings came to $1.16, below the FactSet consensus of $1.28. Sales rose to $4.1 billion from $3.9 billion, matching the FactSet consensus. “While we are disappointed with this quarter’s results, we are excited about the opportunities ahead and we move forward with a deep sense of urgency as we focus on maximizing shareholder value and positioning the Company for long-term success,” Chief Executive Paul Donahue said in a statement. The company raised its full-year sales growth forecast to 4% to 4.5% from a prior 3% to 4%, reflecting revenue to be added through acquisitions. But it lowered its profit outlook to $4.55 to $4.60 a share from a prior $4.70 to $4.75. Shares had gained 2.6% in 2017 through Wednesday, while the S&P 500 has gained 14.4%.

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28 of 30 Dow stocks trading lower premarket

All 30 of the Dow Jones Industrial Average components have traded premarket, and 28 of them are trading lower, as Dow futures slump 107 points. The biggest percentage decliner is Nike Inc.’s stock , which dropped 1.8% after a downgrade at Goldman Sachs. The next biggest decliners were shares of Apple Inc. , which shed 1.7% after the independent cellular connection feature of its Apple Watch was abruptly cut off in China, and American Express Co. , which was shedding 1.4% after the company reported third-quarter results late Wednesday and said CEO Kenneth Chenault will step down. Of the two gainers, shares of Verizon Communications Inc. rose 2% and Travelers Cos. inched up less than 0.1%, after both companies reported better-than-expected results earlier Thursday.

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Apple’s stock falls toward biggest loss in a month after Apple Watch snag in China,

Apple Inc.’s stock dropped 1.5% in premarket trade Thursday, putting it on track to suffer the biggest decline in a month, amid a broad selloff in the large-cap technology sector. Also weighing on Apple was a report in The Wall Street Journal that the new Apple Watch’s independent cellular connection feature was abruptly cut off in China, without explanation, after a brief availability with one telecom company. The stock’s premarket price decline of $2.36 would shave about 16 points off the price of the Dow Jones Industrial Average , and Dow futures were down 90 points. Futures for the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 were down 0.6%. Apple’s stock decline would be the biggest since the stock fell $2.68, or 1.7%, on Sept. 21. The stock had climbed 5.8% over the past three months through Wednesday, while the Nasdaq 100 had gained 3.4% and the Dow had climbed 7.0%.

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Imax Q3 earnings estimates lowered at B. Riley due to disappointing ‘Marvel’s Inhumans’ results

Imax Corp.’s third quarter box office revenue came in above B. Riley analyst Eric Wold’s expectations, but the premium film exhibitor’s earnings will likely be hurt by the poor performance of its experiment with “Marvel’s Inhumans.” Box office revenue was $215.5 million, above Wold’s initial projection of $183.6 million and his increased September projection of of $210.4 million. “Inhumans” was initially scheduled as part of Marvel Studios’ film slate, but after being relegated to the small screen, Walt Disney Co.’s TV division partnered with Imax to premiere the first two episodes of the ABC TV show in Imax theaters. The partnership was marketed as the first time a TV show had premiered on Imax screens. The poor result of the partnership, however, drove Wold to lower Imax EBITDA estimates for the third quarter. “Even with the box office and expected revenue upside from our prior estimates, we expect the weak theatrical box office results for ‘Marvel’s Inhumans’ to weigh on third quarter EBITDA and EPS,” Wold wrote in a note to investors. Imax will report earnings before the market opens on Oct. 26. Shares of Imax have declined 33% in the year to date, while the S&P 500 index is up more than 14% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up more than 17%.

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Verizon shares gain premarket after company reports Q3 earnings above expectations

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. were up nearly 2% in premarket on Thursday after the company reported third quarter profit and revenue above Wall Street expectations. The wireless, internet and TV provider reported net income of $3.74 billion, or 89 cents per share, compared with $3.75 billion, or 89 cents per share during the same period a year ago. Per share earnings excluding special items was 98 cents, above FactSet’s 97 cents per share consensus. Revenue for the quarter was $31.72 billion, up from $30.94 billion. FactSet’s consensus on revenue was $31.44 billion. Verizon said it added 66,000 Fios internet subscribers and lost 18,000 subscribers in video, which the company said reflects the shift from traditional linear video to internet streaming. Verizon said Fios revenue increased 4.8%. In wireless, Verizon added 30,000 postpaid customers, after a loss of 107,000 customers in the year earlier period. Shares of Verizon are down nearly 9% in the year to date, while the S&P 500 index is up more than 14% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up more than 17%.

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Corbus Pharma shares surge 21% on mid-stage results for inflammatory disease drug

Corbus Pharmaceutical Holdings Inc. shares surged 21.4% in premarket trade on Thursday after the company reported positive results from a phase 2 trial of its autoimmune disease drug. The drug, anabasum, is intended for the rare inflammatory condition dermatomyositis, which is associated with an itchy and painful rash and progressive muscle weakness, according to the Mayo Clinic. In the clinical trial, which enrolled 22 adults and lasted 16 weeks, the drug outperformed the placebo in the primary efficacy outcome and in multiple secondary efficacy outcomes, the company said. There were also no signs of safety issues, Corbus said. Currently, “we have little to offer patients with moderate to severe disease activity except immunosuppressive therapies with often limited efficacy and significant side effects,” said Dr. Victoria Werth, a principal investigator in the study and a professor of dermatology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Corbus Pharma shares have surged 6.9% over the last three months to $7.00 per share, compared with a 3.5% rise in the S&P 500 .

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Winnebago’s stock surges after profit and sales beat, new stock buyback program

Shares of Winnebago Industries Inc. surged 3.6% in premarket trade Thursday, after the recreational vehicle maker beat fiscal fourth-quarter profit and sales expectations, and launched a stock buyback program. Net income for the quarter to Aug. 26 rose to $24.92 million, or 79 cents a share, from $13.1 million, or 49 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. The FactSet EPS consensus was 71 cents. Revenue rose to $454.9 million from $263.3 million,. That beat the FactSet consensus of $439.9 million. Motorized revenue fell 4.4% to $226.2 million, while towable revenue increased to $228.7 million from $26.6 million, boosted by the addition of $193.4 million in revenue from the Grand Design acquisition. The company authorized a $70 million stock repurchase program, which would represent about 5% of Winnebago’s market capitalization as of Wednesday. “We made significant progress in Fiscal 2017 to transform Winnebago Industries into a larger, more profitable outdoor lifestyle company offering a full line of RVs,” said Chief Executive Michael Happe. The stock has run up 40% year to date through Thursday, while the S&P 500 has gained 14%.

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