Earnings Reports Archive

Apple Earnings Soar as I Expected

Apple eally blew away Wall Street with its latest quarterly earnings, topping expectations and seeing shares soar as a result. Those of you who listened to my strong buy recommendation ahead of this earnings report are sitting on a nice profit as a result.

Bed Bath and Beyond Earnings Help Boost Market

Higher oil prices and a better-than-expected earnings report from Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) sent stocks higher today.

Lennar Corp. Helps Pull Market Back from Bad Jobless Report

The stock market got spooked this morning by a report that jobless claims rose well above the consensus estimates. But the downward push was quickly reversed when homebuilder Lennar Corp (LEN) reported a 63% increase in orders for new home sales over the first quarter.

Some Restaurant Stocks Prove Healthy Even in a Soft Economy

Yesterday, Darden Restaurants (DRI), operator of Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse, reported better than expected earnings. Here's why this restaurant stock deserves a place in your portfolio.

Kroger Reports Increase in Earnings, But Stock Is Hampered by Falling Gas Prices

Kroger Co. (KR), one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains, reported an increase in both profits and earnings today. But in addition to supermarkets, Kroger operates 798 gas stations, and the company was hurt by falling gas prices in the first quarter.

California Jobless Rate May Hit 11.5%

The economy in my native state of California is in free fall.

Research In Motion Is Still a Hold

Blackberry-maker Research In Motion (RIMM) reported earnings after the bell yesterday and the results were pretty good.

Jobless Claims Fall

We finally had a week of falling jobless claims. This breaks a streak of 21 straight weeks of higher claims; 19 of those weeks were records.

FedEx Drops on Lousy Guidance

One year ago, I listed FedEx (FDX) as a stock to sell immediately. Since then, the stock is down about 35%, and I don't see things getting much better any time soon. The company just announced earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter (ending in May). The earnings report was pretty good--64 cents per share compared with Wall Street's consensus of 51 cents a share. The problem, however, was the company's future guidance.

Don't Believe the Inflation Headlines

This morning, the government reported on consumer inflation for May. The Labor Department said that consumer prices rose just 0.1% last month which was less than the 0.3% expected by Wall Street economists.

Looking Ahead to Earnings Season

The second-quarter earnings season is shaping up to better than many analysts expect. Not too long ago, the S&P 500 was forecast to have its second-quarter earnings decline by 20%. But thanks to a decaying U.S. dollar, plus some economic "green shoots," the second-quarter earnings are now expected to decline by 12%.

Retail Sector Gets a Boost From Children's Clothing Stocks

The Children's Place and Buckle were among the clothing retailers that reported improved earnings today. See why these retail stocks are among my best stocks to buy now.

Buckle's Earnings Surge 44%

This has been a very tough environment for retailers, but my favorite teen retailer continues to do very well. Buckle (BKE) just reported outstanding first-quarter earnings of 58 cents a share.

Lowe's Knows Earnings Surprises

Lowe's (LOW), the home improvement store, just reported quarterly earnings of 32 cents a share. That's a good bit down from the 41 cents from a year ago. However, the expectations on Wall Street were for just 25 cents a share, so this was an encouraging report.

Preview of Week Ahead on Wall Street

On Monday, the major homebuilders will release their May housing index. It will be interesting to see if there's been more activity in this crucial sector. Then on Tuesday, Home Depot (HD), TJX (TJX), Medtronic (MDT) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) are due to report earnings. We'll also get a report on housing starts.

Wal-Mart's Q1 Earnings

Wal-Mart (WMT) reported first-quarter earnings today. On surface, the results don't appear to be that strong, but when you look at the details, I think Wal-Mart is doing quite well.

Fluor Rallies on Q1 Profits

The stock market is soggy again today as traders are taking profits on the market's incredible run since early March. Fluor (FLR), one of my top Blue Chip Growth stocks, is having a good day after it posted healthy profits for the first quarter.

This Is a Stock-Pickers' Market

Over the last two months, the stock market has put on an impressive rally. Shares of nearly every stock have soared. However, I want to caution investors that not all stocks will continue to enjoy the gains to come.

Preview of This Week on Wall Street

This week will probably be quieter than the previous few weeks since earnings season is almost over. The big news this week will be the reports on wholesale and consumer inflation. If the news shows that inflation is creeping up, this could mean big trouble for the bond market.

Pantry Posts Huge Earnings Surprise, Nordic American Tanker Declares Dividend

Pantry (PTRY), one of my favorite Quantum Growth stocks, reported earnings of 10 cents a share this morning. That was 28 cents better than Wall Street's forecast. The company is the leading convenience store operator in the southeastern U.S. Since their March low, shares of Pantry are up more than 80%.

Preview for this Week on Wall Street

Earnings season is beginning to wind down. The two big news items this week will be the release of the bank stress test results on Thursday and the employment report on Friday. We may see the first signs that the economy is stabilizing.

More Great Earnings

The roll call of great earnings reports continues. After the bell yesterday, we got a great report from Dolby Labs (DLB) which has been one of our top-performing Quantum Growth stocks. Dolby beat Wall Street's consensus by a stunning 30%.

There's Nothing Neutral about Neutral Tandem

Apparently no one told Neutral Tandem (TNDM) that we're in a recession. The company just posted earnings of 27 cents a share, four cents more than estimates. Wall Street is very pleased and the stock has been up by as much as 14% in today's trading. I have to admit that I wasn't surprised by TNDM's results. In fact, I wrote on April 17: "The next earnings report will come out in two weeks and I'm expecting another big gain."

First Solar Heats Up

At one point today, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) hit $79.13 making it a 50% gainer on the day. The shares have backed off slightly, but today is still an outstanding day for Green Mountain. But that isn't the only one of my favorite stocks soaring. Shares of First Solar (FSLR) have been up by as much as 25% in today's market.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' Blow-Out Quarter

After yesterday's close, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) released a phenomenal earnings report. Profits more than doubled to 50 cents a share from 23 cents a share one year ago. Get ready for the shares to soar today. Two weeks ago, I highlighted the stock as a great rising company. I said that it's similar to the kind of young company that Starbucks (SBUX) used to be.

Preview for this Week on Wall Street

This is the final week of April. We're going to more earnings reports plus we're going to get our first peak at how well the economy did in the first quarter. On Monday, Baidu (BIDU), Southwestern Energy (SWN) and Verizon (VZ) report earnings. On Tuesday, the report for consumer confidence is released.

Hershey's Sweet Quarter

ITT Educational Services Beats the Street and Guides Higher

ITT Educational Services (ESI) is having a very good decade. The stock finished 1999 at $7.72 (adjusted for a split). Today it's at $105 which translates to a 1,200% gain while the rest of the stock market is down.

More Strong Earnings from Apple

Apple (AAPL) reported good earnings yesterday. The company sold 11 million iPods last quarter while analysts were expecting 10 million. The company earned $1.33 a share, 24 cents more than consensus. For this quarter, Apple sees EPS coming in between 95 cents and $1, though Apple is notorious for setting very low guidance.

Still More Earnings

The earnings are coming fast and furious now! One of my top Emerging Growth stocks, Conceptus (CPTS) is up strongly this morning. The health company reported a loss of 14 cents a share which was better than expectations. The stock is up about 14% today. Conceptus is an outstanding buy.

Biotech Earnings Shine

After yesterday's closing bell, Gilead Sciences (GILD) reported first-quarter earnings of 66 cents a share, seven cents more than Wall Street was expecting. Sales rose 21% to just over $1.5 billion.

Caterpillar Posts First Loss in 16 Years

Lately, I've been talking about how investors can no longer trust the stock stalwarts of old. Starbucks (SBUX) used to be a stock that investors could trust without question. Not anymore. Caterpillar (CAT) is a similar story. I have the stock rated "Strong Sell," and said I wouldn't be surprised to see a quarterly loss. That's exactly what happened. The company posted a loss of 19 cents a share which is down from a profit of $1.45 one year ago. Caterpillar also slashed its full-year earnings and sales forecast. Avoid this stock!

Intel Earnings Plunge But Still Beat Expectations

Our two-day streak of staying above 8,000 came to an end today. The Dow pulled back 137.63 points to close at 7,920.18. The market was clearly hurt by the weak retail sales report that came out this morning. The big news after the close came from Intel (INTC). The chip company reported that its first-quarter earnings plunged 55% but that was well above Wall Street's forecast. The Street had obviously set the bar very low.

Wells Fargo Stuns the Street

Wall Street got a big surprise last week when Wells Fargo said that it expects to post first-quarter earnings of $3 billion. The earnings are due to more mortgages, plus the bank wants the government off its back.

AZZ Earns 81 Cents a Share

AZZ Inc. (AZZ) which is my longest-held stock in Emerging Growth, reported earnings this morning of 81 cents a share. That's a pretty strong number and it was two cents higher than Wall Street's estimate. Revenues rose 31% but despite that impressive growth, the revenue number was slightly below the Street's consensus. As a result, the stock is lower today, but I still rate the stocks a solid buy.

A Preview of First-Quarter Earnings

The upcoming first-quarter earnings season will be the seventh straight quarter of falling earnings for the S&P 500. The earnings outlook has deteriorated rapidly. On October 1, Wall Street expected the S&P 500's first-quarter earnings would rise by 25.7%. By January 1, Wall Street was looking for a decline of 12.5%. Now analysts expect a decline of 34.1%.

Tiffany & Co. Stock Benefits Even After Poor Earnings Release

In a not surprising announcement, Tiffany & Co (TIF) released earnings today that reflected the impact of the current economy on retailers specializing in luxury items. The company reported lower profits on fewer sales. Not expected, however has been the market reaction to the release. Trading in TIF as of midday lifted the stock up nearly 15%, as traders and investors viewed the earnings release and the Fiscal Year 2010 guidance as not as bad as expected.

Tiffany's Earnings Plunge 76%

The market continues to look strong today. At noon, we're up 319 points. Lately, I've been discussing how some high-end retailers are doing poorly while some at the low-end are thriving. Today Tiffany (TIF) reported that its quarterly profits fell 76%. Clearly, dismal holiday sales hurt their bottom line. As bad as their earnings were, they actually beat expectations so the stock is doing well today. For now, I rate Tiffany a hold. I rate Wal-Mart (WMT), which caters to more budget-minded shoppers, a strong buy.

Xerox Issues Profit Warning

Xerox (XRX) became the latest big-name company to warn of an earnings shortfall. The company said that its sales for January and February were 18% below last year's level. Earlier, Xerox had said to expect first-quarter earning between 16 and 20 cents per share. Now the company said that earnings will range between three and five cents per share. That's a major revision.

General Mills Earnings Tarnished

GIS took a hit after its recent earnings release. But General Mills' long-term prospects are good. Here's why.

FedEx and Oracle

There were two recent earnings reports that I want to highlight. The reason is that one was very good while the other wasn't so good, and that underscores the nature of today's market. Some companies and sectors will be big winners while others will be left behind. The first was from FedEx (FDX) which had an awful fiscal third quarter. Sales dropped by 14% and earnings plunged by 75%. The company also announced job cuts but it didn't specify how many.

General Mills Post Profit Decline

One of my favorite consumer stocks, General Mills (GIS), posted a decline for its fiscal third-quarter earnings. The stock is currently down in today's trading, but as I look over the earnings report, I think it's really good news. Getting to the numbers, General Mills earned 79 cents a share which was eight cents less than the Street's consensus. But here's the key--the company raised its full-year earnings forecast to a range of $3.87 to $3.89 a share.

Boots and Coots Delivers a Good Earnings Report

The market is having a nice rally this morning. I should you warn you that the real test will come in the final 30 minutes of the trading day (3:30 to 4). If we see continued buying going into the close, then we'll know there's more conviction to this market. As I've been saying, what I really want to see is a day with a weak opening followed by a strong and continued intra-day reversal. That will be a key sign that the bulls are starting to gain control of this market.

Emergent Biosolutions Up 13%

Shares of Emergent Biosolutions (EBS) are doing very well today on its earnings report. Actually, the company's earnings plunged but that's not what the market is reacting to. The company makes the BioThrax vaccine for anthrax which is mostly purchased by the U.S. government. Due to an order delay last quarter, Emergent's sales dropped by 60% and earnings dropped by 95%.

FSYS Misses Earnings, So Sell This Stock

On Thursday, Fuel Systems Solution (FSYS) came out with its fourth-quarter earnings report and the numbers were just plain awful. First, let me apologize for recommending this stock. Needless to say, I'm very upset with this company. Here are the details: Fuel Systems, a maker of alternative fuel components, posted lower quarterly earnings and forecast weak revenue for 2009. The shares slumped by about 25% on Friday. The company posted fourth-quarter net income of just $641,000, compared with $4.8 million a year earlier. Equally troublesome was that Fuel Systems forecast revenue of $330 million to $360 million for 2009 which was far below what I expected. That kind of guidance is just inexcusable.

Fuel Systems to Report after the Bell

Get ready for the closing bell today because that's when one of my favorite alternative energy stocks reports its fourth-quarter earnings. Over the last several quarters, Fuel Systems Solutions (FSYS) has developed a nice habit of embarrassing Wall Street's earnings forecasts and soaring dramatically higher the next day.

The Market Finally Rallies

After dropping for 11 of the past 12 sessions, the stock market finally put on a nice rally today. The Dow gained nearly 150 points to close at 6,875. In fact, if it weren't for some selling during the last 30 minutes, the Dow could have made a run back over 7,000 (see chart below). That final half hour is very important in gauging the market's confidence.

MasTec Reports Very Good Earnings

Wall Street seems to be enjoying a small relief rally this morning after yesterday's rout. One of my favorite Emerging Growth stocks, MasTec (MTZ) announced very strong earnings after the closing bell yesterday. The shares are doing very well this morning.

Great Earnings from Fluor and Flowserve

After the bell yesterday, two of my favorite stocks reported very good earnings. Fluor (FLR), a construction company heavily involved in oil and gas, reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.04 a share which was 12 cents better than forecasts. Operating profits rose 30% over last year. The company sees 2009's earnings between $3.90 and $4.20 per share.

Sprint Posts Loss

Here's a story that we're going to see more of. Sprint Nextel (S) cut costs but still posted a fourth-quarter loss of $1.6 billion. Still, that's a lot better than last year's loss of $29 billion.

Sohu.com's Earnings Rise Over 240%

Sohu.com (SOHU) reported outstanding earnings this morning. A few weeks ago, SOHU said to expect fourth-quarter earnings-per-share of $1.20 to $1.25. This morning, the company said it earned $1.35 a share. For last year's fourth quarter, Sohu.com earned 39 cents a share so that's growth of over 240%.

Timken Earns Seven Cents a Share

Timken (TKR), one of my Quantum Growth stocks, just reported disappointing earnings for the fourth quarter. The company lost 38 cents a share, however, if you just look at earnings from continuing operations, which is the key, the company earned a profit of seven cents a share. Still, that was 10 cents below Wall Street's forecast.

Golden State Blues

On Friday, California's State Employment Development Department announced that the state's unemployment rate rose to 9.3% in December, up from 8.4% in November, reaching the highest rate in 15 years. Over a million Californians lost their jobs last year. (More than 1.7 million of California's 37 million residents were unemployed in December, up from only 650,000 in the same month a year ago.) The state's annual deficit is now $42 billion, caused by a dramatic drop in tax revenues. This trend will likely push the state's deficit up to $50 billion later this year.

More Earnings Reports

A few weeks ago, I listed Yahoo (YHOO) as one of five big-name stocks to sell now. Here's what I wrote:

Insteel Beats the Street

Earnings season is getting off to a good start for my Quantum Growth Buy List. I like selected steel stocks in Quantum despite the tough environment for the industry. For the best steel stocks, the outlook isn't nearly as dire as some folks think.

AZZ Blows Past Estimates

This morning, one of my top Emerging Growth stocks, AZZ Inc. (AZZ), reported outstanding third-quarter earnings of 88 cents a share. That's seven cents more than Wall Street was expecting. The company also guided higher for 2009's earnings. AZZ now sees a range of $3.35 to $3.45 a share for this year, although their sales guidance wasn't as strong as I would have preferred. The stock is up nicely this morning.