http://www.rttnews.comGlobal financial news, market analysis, economics and forex newsen-usSat, 21 Nov 2009 07:45:01 GMTFood products maker The J. M. Smucker Co. Friday reported a sharp rise in second-quarter profit, helped by 52% revenue growth and higher margins, both led by Folgers Coffee Co. acquisition. Adjusted earnings came in better than analysts' estimate. Boosted by the strong first-half performance, the company lifted its fiscal 2010 adjusted earnings per share outlook and confirmed its full-year sales forecast.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136582Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:19:43 GMTWomen's specialty retailer Ann Taylor Stores Corp. reported Friday better-than-expected profit for the third quarter, compared to a loss last year, helped by strong gross margin growth as well as cost saving initiatives, despite a drop in quarterly revenues. The company projects total sales dollars in the fourth quarter to be slightly below that of the third quarter, while it expects gross margin performance to be considerably stronger than the levels achieved in the fourth quarter last year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136550Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:56:33 GMTHomebuilder DR Horton Inc. on Friday reported a net loss for the fourth quarter that narrowed from last year, helped by fewer charges. Quarterly revenues dropped 42% year-over-year, reflecting lower home sales as market conditions in the homebuilding industry continued to be challenging. However, the company's net sales orders for the quarter increased 26% from last year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136488Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:20:14 GMTLondon-based pubs and bars operator Fuller, Smith & Turner Plc (FSTA.L) reported Friday an increase in first-half profit, as revenues grew 10% helped by an excellent performance of its core business as a result of acquisition of new pubs as well as good weather. Results for the period also reflect reduced costs of borrowing. Looking forward, the company remains cautious about the outlook for the UK economy and expects its second half to be significantly tougher than the first.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136224Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:50:20 GMTUK-based Rotork Plc (ROR.L) said Friday, in an interim management statement for the period from 1 July to 20 November 2009, that its third-quarter order intake declined 3.4% year-over-year, yet affirmed that group revenues and margins remained strong. The group expects to achieve profits for the current year at the upper end of market forecasts. Further, Rotork revealed its finance director Bob Slater intends to retire by March 2010 end and will be succeeded by Jonathan Davis.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136220Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:40:07 GMTWomen's specialty retailer AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (ANN) is scheduled to report its third-quarter results before the market opens Friday, with analysts forecasting earnings of $0.07 per share on revenues of $473.85 million. In the year-ago period, the company reported a breakeven per share on a non-GAAP basis, and net sales of $527.2 million.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1136158Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:34:23 GMTBusiness and financial management solutions provider Intuit Inc., Thursday reported a wider first quarter loss, hurt by higher operating loss and expenses, however, better than what analysts expected. Bolstered by Employee Management Solutions' Payroll service and the Financial Institutions segment, revenues rose from last year, comfortably beating estimates.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135850Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:36:45 GMTRoss Stores, Inc. (ROST), Thursday said its third quarter profit rose sharply from a year ago, helped by higher margins and a 12% increase in quarterly sales reflecting strong comparable store sales. Quarterly earnings were in line, while sales beats estimates. The off-price retailer, however,said it is maintaining its fourth quarter earnings forecast at its prior level, which is also below current Street expectation. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135428Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:14:01 GMTContract driller of oil and gas wells Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (HP) reported Thursday a 59% year-over-year drop in profit for the fourth quarter, hurt by a significant drop in quarterly revenues amid sharply lower rig utilization across operating segments. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135400Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:51:33 GMTVideo game and entertainment software retailer GameStop Corp. on Thursday reported a 12% increase in profit for the third quarter, helped by sales growth of new video game software and used video game products. Looking ahead, GameStop said that the holiday season has started strong and reiterated its earnings outlook for the fourth quarter. The company also tightened its earnings forecast range for the full year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135393Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:44:50 GMTDick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (DKS) reported Thursday a significant increase in third-quarter profit, reflecting mainly a 7.1% growth in net sales as well as a decline in interest expense. The company also provided earnings per share outlook for the fourth quarter and raised its non-GAAP earnings projection for the full year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135294Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:47:22 GMTSuntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP), a Chinese manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic, or PV, module, Thursday reported lower third-quarter profit, hurt by a decline in revenues. The company also raised its PV shipment target for fiscal 2009. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135293Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:47:19 GMTHigh-end kitchen products retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. announced Thursday better-than-expected results, reporting a profit for the third quarter compared to a loss last year, boosted by higher margins and lower expenses, despite charges and a 3% decline in quarterly revenues. Comparable store sales by also increased 1.7%. Non-GAAP earnings per share significantly topped analysts' expectations. The company also raised its earnings and revenue forecast for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2009.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135188Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:05:49 GMTPatterson Companies, Inc. on Thursday reported a 5% increase in profit for the second quarter from last year on higher sales that were boosted by acquisitions, in addition to cost-control measures in recent periods, including company-wide salary reductions enacted in the preceding first quarter. On a per share basis, earnings for the quarter matched analysts' consensus estimate. Looking ahead, the dental and veterinary products distributor maintained its earnings outlook for fiscal year 2010.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135168Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:56:30 GMTBroad-line retailer Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday a narrower net loss in its third quarter, on an attributable basis, mainly reflecting growth in Kmart's comparable store sales. On an adjusted basis, the company reported a narrower-than-expected loss, and top line, despite a decline, beat market projections. Further, the company said it expects to record an additional charge in the fourth quarter, related to planned store closures.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1135163Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:53:15 GMTPennon Group Plc (PNN.L), a sewerage and waste management company, reported Thursday an increase in first-half profit, reflecting higher revenues, a decline in finance costs as well as lower tax charges. In addition, the company has proposed an interim dividend, up 3% from the prior year. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134948Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:03:20 GMTIdentification solutions and specialty products manufacturer Brady Corp. (BRC) reported Thursday a 41.6% year-over-year drop in profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, hurt by restructuring charges as well as a 15.8% decline in quarterly net sales, despite gross margin improvement of 160 basis points amid the ongoing cost-reduction initiatives. Adjusted earnings per share for the quarter dropped, but came in above analysts' expectations. The company also reaffirmed its earnings forecast for the full-year 2010.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134928Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:49:07 GMTMelrose Plc (MRO.L) said Thursday, in its interim management statement for July-to-date 2009, that its current trading is marginally ahead of management expectations for 2009. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134918Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:39:00 GMTNational Grid Plc (NGG, NG.L), an electricity and gas distribution company with operations in the UK and U.S., reported Thursday a surge in pre-tax profit for the first half, reflecting higher one-time items as well as lower operating costs, despite a decline in revenues. Further, the company said its current performance remains in line with expectations, and that its outlook for the full year 2010 remains strong.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134867Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:53:32 GMTBroad-line retailer Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) is slated to release third-quarter results before the market opens Thursday. On average, six analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect the company to post loss of $1.09 per share for the quarter, with estimates ranging between losses of $1.46 and $0.78 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Sales for the quarter are estimated to be $9.92 billion, representing a 6.9% fall from last year.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134866Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:43:35 GMTSABMiller Plc (SAB.L), the world's second biggest brewer by volume, reported Thursday a decline in profit for the first half, affected by lower revenues and the weakness of major operating currencies against the US dollar. Revenues for the period dropped 21%, and the company said it expects the current trading conditions to continue in the second half. In addition, SABMiller said it has begun a major business capability programme, through which the company expects to lower costs progressively by about 40% year-on-year in each of the financial years 2011 to 2013.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134865Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:43:14 GMTInvestec plc (INVP.L), a specialist banking and asset management group, Thursday reported a decline in profit for the first half of the fiscal, hurt largely by higher impairment losses on loans and advances.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134794Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:17:57 GMTWednesday, apparel maker Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. said its profit for the third quarter rose from a year ago, helped by stronger than expected revenue and gross margin in all businesses, as well as a shift in planned advertising expenditures of $5 million from the third quarter into the fourth quarter. Looking ahead, the company also said it expects fourth quarter earnings below current Street estimates, while lifting its full year earnings estimate range.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134393Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:32:41 GMTGymboree Corp., a specialty retailer, Wednesday reported a modest increase in third quarter profit on higher sales, reflecting improvements in retail operation and lower expenses. Earnings for the quarter came in above estimates, while sales fell marginally short. However, looking ahead, Gymboree said it currently expects earnings to come in below analysts expectation.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1134321Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:23:53 GMTSpecialty retailer Limited Brands Inc. is slated to release its third-quarter results after the market closes on Wednesday. The company currently expects third-quarter results to range between breakeven and a loss of $0.04 per share, which was revised in October from previous expectations of a loss of $0.07 to $0.12 per share. In the same quarter a year ago, the Columbus, Ohio-based company had reported net income of $4.2 million or $0.01 per share.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133919Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:47:51 GMTFood retailer Metro Inc. (MRU-A.TO) reported Wednesday an increase in fourth-quarter profit, helped by a 2.3% growth in sales. The company also announced today the creation of dunnhumby Canada, an exclusive joint venture with international consulting and marketing service organization, dunnhumby.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133779Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:24:35 GMTWomen's specialty retailer Chico's FAS Inc. on Wednesday reported a surge in profit for the third quarter from last year, helped by higher sales and margins. Consolidated comparable store sales for the quarter increased 12.8%. On a per share basis, earnings beat analysts' consensus estimate. Following the announcement of the results, the company's shares are up 10% in the pre-market trading.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133774Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:22:02 GMTWarehouse club operator BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. reported Wednesday a 37.4% year-over-year drop in profit for the third quarter, hurt by charges as reserve for legal claim settlements, despite revenue growth. The latest quarter results included charges, while the year-ago results included a net gain. However, non-GAAP earnings per share for the quarter grew 15%, and came in line with analysts' expectations. The company also slashed its earnings outlook for the full year 2009.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133717Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:04:02 GMTDefense contractor Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) reported Wednesday an significant increase in profit for the third quarter, helped mainly by revenue growth and lower financial expenses on currency hedging activity. Additionally, the board declared a dividend of $0.36 per share.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133496Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:15:16 GMTLand Securities Group Plc (LAND.L), a real estate investment trust, said Wednesday that its net asset value per share for the first half ended September 30, decreased by 2.7% from March 31, 2009, mainly due to valuation deficit as well as a cash payment to terminate interest-rate swaps. The company also said it is confident that property values will rise over the next five years from the low point in July 2009.http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1133392Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:53:20 GMT