Market Update

U.S. Major Averages Set to Advance for Fourth Consecutive Week

Barry Adams
24 Nov, 2023
New York City

Market indexes headed higher in early trading, and trading volume is expected to be thin as traders stayed away for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq Composite are set to close higher for the fourth week in a row, the longest winning stretch since June.

Investors have been piling in stocks for the last six weeks in the hopes that the Federal Reserve is done raising rates for now.

Despite the multiple rate hikes totaling 500 basis points over the last eighteen months, the U.S. economy is still expanding at 2%, suggesting that rates are not restrictive enough.

The Federal Reserve is attempting to strike a delicate balance between moderate economic and job market growth and keeping inflation under control.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury drifted lower from the 2007 high reached in September above 5% and declined after three inflation reports showed inflation is cooling but still above the Fed's target rate of 2%.

In Wednesday's trading, the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds drifted just above 4.4%, and the yields edged slightly higher in Friday's trading.

Stock exchanges are scheduled to close at 1 p.m. ET after being closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

U.S. Indexes and Yields

The S&P 500 index edged up 0.3% to 4,571.02, and the Nasdaq Composite increased 0.1% to 14,305.08.

For the week, the S&P 500 is up 0.9% and the Nasdaq Composite is up 1.0%. 

The yield on 2-year Treasury notes increased to 4.94%, 10-year Treasury notes inched higher to 4.46%, and 30-year Treasury bonds edged up to 4.59%.

Crude oil decreased $0.33 to $76.77 a barrel, and natural gas prices fell 5 cents to $2.86 a thermal unit.

Gold increased $3.70 to $1,995.53 an ounce after the U.S. dollar eased and worries of oil-driven inflation receded following the decline in oil prices.

The dollar index, which weighs the U.S. dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, edged lower to 103.66.

 

Europe Movers: Barclays, Luxury Stocks, Mining Stocks, Trakm8

Inga Muller
24 Nov, 2023
Frankfurt

European stocks extended their rally for the third week in a row, and the euro and bond yields edged higher after comments from Bundesbank president Joachim Nagel suggesting interest rates are likely to stay higher well into 2024.

The DAX index increased 0.1% to 16,006.53, the CAC-40 index rose 0.08% to 7,283.55, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 7,471.34.

For the week, the DAX index increased 0.8%, the CAC-40 index rose 0.7%, and the FTSE 100 index declined 0.4%.

Luxury stocks in Paris were under pressure after one of the largest wealth managers in China said it was deeply insolvent because of loans to property developers.

The Zhongzhi Enterprise Group said its liabilities are between 420 billion yuan and 460 billion yuan, while its total tangible assets were estimated at 200 billion yuan, making the company insolvent.

Kering SA declined 0.8% to €402.80, Richemont dropped 1.7% to CHF 111.60, and LVMH fell 0.8% to €705.80.

Barclays PLC gained 0.7% to 141.30 pence, and a report suggested that the UK-based bank is looking to cut as many as 2,000 jobs as part of a plan to save as much as £1 billion over the next few years.

Trakm8 Holdings PLC dropped 5.2% to 14.70 pence after the telematics data technology company reported its half-year results.

Mining companies traded down after base and precious metal prices softened due to ongoing demand growth worries.

Anglo American decreased 1% to 2,207.77 pence, Glencore fell 1% to 445.0 pence, and Antofagasta dropped 0.7% to 1,414.50 pence.

Bundesbank President Nagel's Comments Lift Euro and Bond Yields

Bridgette Randall
24 Nov, 2023
Frankfurt

Movements in the bond and currency markets and investor views on inflation and rate expectations dictated the trading sentiment in the European stock markets.

Yields on bonds in the region rose after comments from Bundesbank president Joachim Nagel suggesting that interest rates are likely to stay higher for longer in 2024.

President Nagel said that the European Central Bank should be cautious and resist attempts to trim rates earlier than needed, and he added that he was skeptical of the "hard landing" risks rooted in the recent interest rate hikes.

Nagel's comments lifted bond yields in the region and also supported the advance in the euro.

The German economy suffered a slight contraction in the third quarter from the previous quarter, the Federal Statistical Office, or Destatis, reported Friday.

GDP decreased 0.1% in the third quarter after adjusting for season and calendar factors. The statistical office confirmed today the preliminary estimate reported in October.

Real GDP decreased by 0.4% from a year ago, and the German economy almost stagnated in the first half of the year due to the weakness in business investment and consumer spending.

A separate survey showed German business confidence improved for the fourth month in a row as the companies were less pessimistic about the current business conditions and immediate future outlook.

The Ifo Business Climate Index improved to 87.3 in November from 86.9 in October, the Ifo Institute reported Friday.

Elsewhere in the region, the producer price index declined 7.8% in October, following a downwardly revised 8.5% decrease in September, the National Statistics Institute, or INE, reported Friday.

Producer prices declined for the eighth month in a row after energy prices continued to decline from a year ago and fell 23.4% in the month after dropping 25.4% in September.

 

Europe Indexes and Yields

The DAX index increased 0.1% to 16,006.53, the CAC-40 index rose 0.08% to 7,283.55, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 7,471.34.

For the week, the DAX index increased 0.8%, the CAC-40 index rose 0.7% and the FTSE 100 index declined 0.4%. 

The yield on 10-year German bonds increased to 2.64%; French bonds traded lower to 3.20%; the UK gilts increased to 4.29%; and Italian bonds inched higher to 4.40%.

The euro rebounded to $1.090, the British pound at $1.255, and the U.S. dollar at 88.38 Swiss cents.

Brent crude increased $0.12 to $81.54 a barrel, and the Dutch TTF natural gas edged higher by €0.46 to €46.38 per MWh.

 

Europe Stock Movers

Luxury stocks in Paris were under pressure after one of the largest wealth managers in China said it was deeply insolvent because of loans to property developers.

The Zhongzhi Enterprise Group said its liabilities are between 420 billion yuan and 460 billion yuan, while its total tangible assets were estimated at 200 billion yuan, making the company insolvent.

Kering SA declined 0.8% to €402.80, Richemont dropped 1.7% to CHF 111.60, and LVMH fell 0.8% to €705.80.

Barclays PLC gained 0.7% to 141.30 pence, and a report suggested that the UK-based bank is looking to cut as many as 2,000 jobs as part of a plan to save as much as £1 billion over the next few years.

Trakm8 Holdings PLC dropped 5.2% to 14.70 pence after the telematics data technology company reported its half-year results.

Mining companies traded down after base and precious metal prices softened due to ongoing demand growth worries.

Anglo American decreased 1% to 2,207.77 pence, Glencore fell 1% to 445.0 pence, and Antofagasta dropped 0.7% to 1,414.50 pence.

Europe Movers: Endesa, Energy Stocks, Ericsson, Jet2, P Z Cussons, Stellantis, Virgin Money

Inga Muller
23 Nov, 2023
Frankfurt

Market indexes in Frankfurt and Paris edged higher after the downturn in the private sector eased, and Bundesbank president Joachim Nagel said rates may be near terminal levels.

The DAX index increased 0.1% to 15,973.91, the CAC-40 index rose 0.2% to 7,277.51, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.01% to 7,463.66.

The yield on 10-year German bonds increased to 2.57%; French bonds traded lower to 3.13%; the UK gilts increased to 4.18%; and Italian bonds inched higher to 4.33%.

Energy stocks traded higher despite the fact that crude oil prices continued to decline for the second day in a row after the OPEC+ postponed its meeting as oil-producing nations struggled to decide output levels for the next two months.

BP plc increased 1.4% to 472.65 pence, Shell PLC gained 0.6% to 2,573.50 pence, Repsol SA advanced 0.8% to €13.90, and TotalEnergies SA added 1.4% to €62.74.

Stellantis NV rose 0.5% to €18.65 after the Italian-American-French automotive company repurchased 50 million common shares from Dongfeng Motor for about €934 million.

Endesa SA decreased 2.7% to €18.79 after the Spanish utility company trimmed its profit and dividend estimates.

L M Ericsson AB decreased 1% to kr51.81 after the Swedish telecom group completed the sale of €500 million of green bonds.

Jet2 PLC declined 4.4% to 1,081.0 pence after the travel and holiday company reported its interim results.

A higher travel passenger count and a higher holiday package price contributed to the increase in revenue and profit in the period.

Revenue in the first half ending in September increased 24% to £4.4 billion from £3.6 billion, net income advanced 39% to £496 million from 356 million, and diluted earnings per share rose 231 pence from 139.10 pence a year ago.

The company hiked its quarterly cash dividend to 4 pence from 3 pence a year ago.

However, the company offered a cautionary view of the upcoming winter holiday season, as available seat capacity is up 21% from a year ago to 4.49 million, and the average load factor is down 1.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

The company reiterated its pre-tax earnings between £480 million and £520 million, before adjusted for foreign currencies for the full-year ending in March 2024.

PZ Cussons plc rose 1.4% to 139.90 pence after the company said its performance continues to be in line with management expectations and reiterated its fiscal 2024 outlook.

Virgin Money UK plc decreased 3.7% to 151.20 pence after the company reported a drop in annual profit.

European Markets Extended Weekly Gains, Eurozone Private Sector Weakness Eased

Bridgette Randall
23 Nov, 2023
Frankfurt

European markets traded higher, and bond yields extended the recent decline ahead of the release of the minutes of the latest meeting of the ECB rate-setting committee.

Benchmark indexes in Frankfurt and Paris advanced after a private survey showed a slight easing of the downturn in the private sector in the Euro Area.

The HCOB Eurozone Composite PMI inched higher to 47.1 in November from 46.5 in October, according to the preliminary estimate released by S&P Global.

Despite the slight improvement, business activities decelerated for the sixth month in a row due to the weakness in manufacturing and services.

Market sentiment was also bolstered after ECB Governing Council member and President of Bundesbank Joachim Nagel, at an event in Milan, said interest rates may be nearing peak rates and future rate hikes will be determined by the incoming economic data.

"I do believe we are close to that level we see as the terminal rate," said Nagel on Wednesday. 

"There are still some risk factors that could trigger another inflation round," added Dr Nagel. 

  

Europe Indexes and Yields

The DAX index increased 0.1% to 15,973.91, the CAC-40 index rose 0.2% to 7,277.51, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.01% to 7,463.66.

The yield on 10-year German bonds increased to 2.57%; French bonds traded lower to 3.13%; the UK gilts increased to 4.18%; and Italian bonds inched higher to 4.33%.

The euro continued to rebound and approached the high last seen in late August after the U.S. rate hike worries receded.

The euro rebounded to $1.092, the British pound at $1.255, and the U.S. dollar at 88.27 Swiss cents.

Brent crude decreased $0.88 to $81.07 a barrel, and the Dutch TTF natural gas edged higher by €0.48 to €45.10 per MWh.

 

Europe Stock Movers

Energy stocks traded higher despite the fact that crude oil prices continued to decline for the second day in a row after the OPEC+ postponed its meeting as oil-producing nations struggled to decide output levels for the next two months.

BP plc increased 1.4% to 472.65 pence, Shell PLC gained 0.6% to 2,573.50 pence, Repsol SA advanced 0.8% to €13.90, and TotalEnergies SA added 1.4% to €62.74.

Stellantis NV rose 0.5% to €18.65 after the Italian-American-French automotive company repurchased 50 million common shares from Dongfeng Motor for about €934 million.

Endesa SA decreased 2.7% to €18.79 after the Spanish utility company trimmed its profit and dividend estimates.

L M Ericsson AB decreased 1% to kr51.81 after the Swedish telecom group completed the sale of €500 million of green bonds.

Jet2 PLC declined 4.4% to 1,081.0 pence after the travel and holiday company reported its interim results.

A higher travel passenger count and a higher holiday package price contributed to the increase in revenue and profit in the period.

Revenue in the first half ending in September increased 24% to £4.4 billion from £3.6 billion, net income advanced 39% to £496 million from 356 million, and diluted earnings per share rose 231 pence from 139.10 pence a year ago.

The company hiked its quarterly cash dividend to 4 pence from 3 pence a year ago.

However, the company offered a cautionary view of the upcoming winter holiday season, as available seat capacity is up 21% from a year ago to 4.49 million, and the average load factor is down 1.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year.

The company reiterated its pre-tax earnings between £480 million and £520 million, before adjusted for foreign currencies for the full-year ending in March 2024.

PZ Cussons plc rose 1.4% to 139.90 pence after the company said its performance continues to be in line with management expectations and reiterated its fiscal 2024 outlook.

Virgin Money UK plc decreased 3.7% to 151.20 pence after the company reported a drop in annual profit.

S&P 500 and Nasdaq Extend November Gains, Crude Oil Drops After OPEC+ Postpones Meeting

Barry Adams
22 Nov, 2023
New York City

Market indexes extended weekly gains, and the yield on Treasury bonds edged higher.

The yield on 10-year Treasury notes rebounded from a two-month low and traded above 4.4%, still lower than the 2007 high of 5% reached in October.

In yesterday's trading, yields traded down for short- and long-term maturities after the Fed's latest meeting minutes did not provide any conclusive direction for rate cuts.

Policymakers supported a restrictive monetary stance because inflation is cooling but still far higher than the target rate of 2%.

On the earnings front, Nvidia reported a multi-fold increase in revenue and earnings after strong demand from cloud computing companies to process generative AI drove sales higher.

On the economic front, durable goods orders fell 5.4% in October from the previous month, when orders rose 4.0%.

Durable goods orders are seasonally adjusted but not adjusted for price changes, and from a year ago, orders rose 4.0%.

The decline in durable goods orders was the second largest since April 2020, after orders for transportation equipment fell 14.8% from 11.6% in September.

Moreover, non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft decreased 0.1% following a revised 0.2% fall in September, a closely watched barometer for capital spending by businesses.

Financial markets are closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday and will close early on Friday.

 

Weekly Mortgage Applications Rebound

Mortgage application volume increased 3% last week from the previous week, according to the seasonal index published by the Mortgage Bankers Association. 

Demand finally began to rise at the fastest pace in two months after hitting a 28-year low in late October, and applications increased to their highest levels in six weeks but remained at very low levels.

Mortgage applications rose for the third week in a row in the week ending November 17.

Applications to purchase a home increased by 4% from the previous week, and refinance applications increased by 2%.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $726,200 or less decreased to 7.41% from 7.61%, with points decreasing to 0.62 from 0.67 for loans worth 80% of the property.

The effective rate decreased from last week.

Despite the recent rebound in mortgage demand, applications are still down 20% from a year ago, when mortgage rates were 75 basis points lower.

 

U.S. Indexes and Yields

The S&P 500 index has rallied 8% in November, and the Nasdaq Composite has advanced 11% in the period after the market rally resumed from a pause on Tuesday.

The S&P 500 index edged up 0.4% to 4,557.83, and the Nasdaq Composite increased 0.7% to 14,293.43.

The yield on 2-year Treasury notes increased to 4.86%, 10-year Treasury notes inched higher to 4.36%, and 30-year Treasury bonds edged higher to 4.52%.

Crude oil decreased $1.32 to $76.44 a barrel, and natural gas prices fell 2 cents to $2.87 a thermal unit.

Gold decreased $6.98 to $1,991.43 an ounce after the U.S. dollar eased and worries of oil-driven inflation receded following the decline in oil prices. 

The dollar index, which weighs the U.S. dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, edged lower to 103.62.

 

U.S. Stock Movers

Nvidia Corp. declined 1.7% to $490.75 after the company reported a surge in quarterly earnings and sales.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 206% to $18.1 billion from $5.9 billion, net income soared 12-fold to $9.2 billion from $680 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $3.71 from 27 cents a year ago.

The advanced chipmaker estimated revenue in the fourth quarter to be $20 billion, with a band of 2%, a gross margin of 74.5%, and a non-GAAP gross margin of 75.5%.

The company continues to benefit as businesses and the government transition from general-purpose computing to accelerated computing and generative AI.

HP Inc. decreased 2.3% to $27.21 after the personal computing and equipment company reported quarterly results.

Revenue in the fiscal fourth quarter decreased 5% to $13.8 from $14.8 billion; the company swung to a net income of $974 million from a loss of $23 million; and diluted earnings per share of 97 cents from a loss of 2 cents a year ago.

Fresenius Medical Care increased 0.4% to €27.71 after the dialysis service provider lifted its annual outlook.

Revenue in the third quarter declined 3% to €4.9 billion from €5.03 billion, net income fell to €84 million from €230 million, and net income dropped to 29 cents from 7 cents a year ago.

The company reiterated its 2023 revenue to grow at a low to mid-single-digit percentage rate from €19.4 billion in 2022.

The German company also said it had resolved its legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense and finalized its settlement for payment of dialysis services provided under the Tricare program to members of military service, their dependents, and retirees.

The company sought to receive payment for services provided under the Tricare program on or before January 11, 2023.

As a consequence of the settlement agreement, Fresenius anticipates a positive impact on operating income of €175 million in the fourth quarter.

Dick's Sporting Goods increased 2.2% to $121.59 after the specialty retailer reported quarterly results.

Comparable store sales rose 1.7% on top of a 6.5% increase in the quarter a year ago.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 2.8% to $3.04 billion from $2.95 billion, net income decreased 12% to $201 million from $228 million, and diluted earnings per share fell to $2.39 from $2.45 a year ago.

The company repurchased 3.5 million shares for $388 million in the third quarter.

The company lifted its 2023 comparable store sales outlook to a range of 0.5% to 2.0%, up from the previously estimated flat to 2.0% increase.

 

European Markets Mixed After Mid-year UK Budget Review

European markets advanced, and investors focused on the upcoming OPEC+ meeting this weekend.

Benchmark indexes in London, Paris, and Frankfurt headed higher after the U.S. Federal Reserve's early November meeting minutes showed policymakers are still looking for more signals for the sustained decline in inflation.

Moreover, most participants preferred to keep the monetary policy stance restrictive, despite the cooling of inflation, but economic growth is still stronger than expected and wages are still rising faster than needed to slow inflation down to 2%.

Brent crude oil price was steady ahead of the OPEC+ meeting this week, and traders are anticipating Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend voluntary production cuts again.

 

UK Mid-year Budget Offers Mixed Bag of Tax Breaks and Minimum Wage Increase

The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, delivered the 2023 Autumn Budget, offering a cut to national employee National Insurance to 10% from 12% to 27 million workers.

The government also announced changes to benefits programs, tax cuts for businesses, and a 9.8% rise in the minimum wage to £11.44 from April 2024.

Hunt also confirmed the 4.5 billion in funding for eight sectors of manufacturing to boost investment in the critical sector of the economy. Overall, the manufacturing industry employs about 2.6 million people and generates 43% of all UK exports.

The Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent arm of the government, sharply downgraded the economic growth estimate to 0.6% this year and 0.7% next year from the previous estimates of 1.8% and 2.5% released in March.

 

Europe Indexes and Yields

The DAX index increased 0.4% to 15,957.82, the CAC-40 index rose 0.4% to 7,260.73, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.2% to 7,469.57.

The yield on 10-year German bonds increased to 2.58%; French bonds traded higher to 3.14%; the UK gilts increased to 4.14%; and Italian bonds inched higher to 4.33%.

The euro continued to rebound and approached the high last seen in late August after the U.S. rate hike worries receded.

The euro rebounded to $1.095, the British pound at $1.254, and the U.S. dollar at 88.42 Swiss cents.

Crude oil dropped as much as 4% after this weekend's OPEC+ meeting was postponed to November 30 after Saudi Arabia struggled to convince other oil producers to curb production. 

Moreover, the U.S. oil inventories rose by 8.701 million barrels, more than twice the expected increase.   

Brent crude decreased $1.84 to $80.60 a barrel, and the Dutch TTF natural gas edged higher by €1.05 to €45.11 per MWh.

 

Europe Stock Movers

Sage Group jumped 11.1% to 1,114.0 pence after the UK-based software firm launched a stock repurchase plan and reported strong revenue growth in its latest fiscal year. 

Kingfisher plc declined 6.2% to 216.30 pence after the home improvement retailer lowered its profit outlook for the second time in three months.

Casino Guichard Perrachon SA decreased 0.3% to €0.81 after the grocery retailer estimated 2023 losses in its core French business.

ThyssenKrupp AG rose 6.7% to €7.07 after the German industrial engineering and steel company estimated profit in the fiscal year 2024.

The company reported a net loss of €2 billion in the fiscal year 2023.

Fresenius SE increased 0.4% to €27.71 after the dialysis service provider lifted its annual outlook.

The German company also said it had resolved its legal dispute with the U.S. government.

FOMC Minutes: Members Prefer Restrictive Monetary Stance

Brian Turner
21 Nov, 2023
New York City

Market indexes were little changed and lacked direction after the release of the minutes of the meeting ending on November 1.

Committee participants stressed that the current inflation "remained unacceptably high" and that further evidence would be required for them to be confident that the inflation was on a path to the 2% objective of the central bank.

A few participants noted that nominal wages are still rising at levels above the assessed levels, consistent with the sustained level of 2% inflation objective.

Investors looking for clues for the Federal Reserve to lower rates were disappointed, as most participants supported the continuation of restrictive policy and said that "the current stance of monetary policy was restrictive and was putting downward pressure on economic activity and inflation."

Most investors are anticipating the Federal Reserve holding rates for the third time in a row after the December meeting, providing a stable rate outlook all the way to the end of January 2024, when policymakers are scheduled to gather again.

U.S. Stocks Advance After 10-year Treasury Yields Drop to a 2-month Low

Barry Adams
22 Nov, 2023
New York City

Market indexes in early trading scaled higher, and investors looked to the bond market.

The yield on 10-year Treasury notes declined to a two-month low and traded around 4.4%, sharply lower than the 2007 high of 5% reached in October.

Yields traded down for short- and long-term maturities after the Fed's latest meeting minutes did not provide any conclusive direction for rate cuts.

Policymakers supported a restrictive monetary stance because inflation is cooling but still far higher than the target rate of 2%.

On the earnings front, Nvidia reported a multi-fold increase in revenue and earnings after strong demand from cloud computing companies to process generative AI drove sales higher.

Investors are also awaiting reports on durable goods orders and weekly jobless claims later in the day, and financial markets are closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday and will close early on Friday.

 

Weekly Mortgage Applications Rebound

Mortgage application volume increased 3% last week from the previous week, according to the seasonal index published by the Mortgage Bankers Association. 

Demand finally began to rise at the fastest pace in two months after hitting a 28-year low in late October, and applications increased to their highest levels in six weeks but remained at very low levels.

Mortgage applications rose for the third week in a row in the week ending November 17.

Applications to purchase a home increased by 4% from the previous week, and refinance applications increased by 2%.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $726,200 or less decreased to 7.41% from 7.61%, with points decreasing to 0.62 from 0.67 for loans worth 80% of the property.

The effective rate decreased from last week.

Despite the recent rebound in mortgage demand, applications are still down 20% from a year ago, when mortgage rates were 75 basis points lower.

 

U.S. Indexes and Yields

The S&P 500 index edged down 0.2% to 4,537.41, and the Nasdaq Composite decreased 0.7% to 14,184.93.

The yield on 2-year Treasury notes increased to 4.86%, 10-year Treasury notes inched higher to 4.36%, and 30-year Treasury bonds edged higher to 4.52%.

Crude oil decreased $2.09 to $75.65 a barrel, and natural gas prices fell 1 cent to $2.83 a thermal unit.

Gold increased $3.71 to $2,002.24 an ounce after the U.S. dollar eased.

The dollar index, which weighs the U.S. dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, edged lower to 103.62.

 

U.S. Stock Movers

Nvidia Corp. declined 1.7% to $490.75 after the company reported a surge in quarterly earnings and sales.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 206% to $18.1 billion from $5.9 billion, net income soared 12-fold to $9.2 billion from $680 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $3.71 from 27 cents a year ago.

The advanced chipmaker estimated revenue in the fourth quarter to be $20 billion, with a band of 2%, a gross margin of 74.5%, and a non-GAAP gross margin of 75.5%.

The company continues to benefit as businesses and the government transition from general-purpose computing to accelerated computing and generative AI.

HP Inc. decreased 2.3% to $27.21 after the personal computing and equipment company reported quarterly results.

Revenue in the fiscal fourth quarter decreased 5% to $13.8 from $14.8 billion; the company swung to a net income of $974 million from a loss of $23 million; and diluted earnings per share of 97 cents from a loss of 2 cents a year ago.

Fresenius Medical Care increased 0.4% to €27.71 after the dialysis service provider lifted its annual outlook.

Revenue in the third quarter declined 3% to €4.9 billion from €5.03 billion, net income fell to €84 million from €230 million, and net income dropped to 29 cents from 7 cents a year ago.

The company reiterated its 2023 revenue to grow at a low to mid-single-digit percentage rate from €19.4 billion in 2022.

The German company also said it had resolved its legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense and finalized its settlement for payment of dialysis services provided under the Tricare program to members of military service, their dependents, and retirees.

The company sought to receive payment for services provided under the Tricare program on or before January 11, 2023.

As a consequence of the settlement agreement, Fresenius anticipates a positive impact on operating income of €175 million in the fourth quarter.

Dick's Sporting Goods increased 2.2% to $121.59 after the specialty retailer reported quarterly results.

Comparable store sales rose 1.7% on top of a 6.5% increase in the quarter a year ago.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 2.8% to $3.04 billion from $2.95 billion, net income decreased 12% to $201 million from $228 million, and diluted earnings per share fell to $2.39 from $2.45 a year ago.

The company repurchased 3.5 million shares for $388 million in the third quarter.

The company lifted its 2023 comparable store sales outlook to a range of 0.5% to 2.0%, up from the previously estimated flat to 2.0% increase.

U.S. Movers: Burlington Stores, Dicks Sporting, Fresenius, HP, Nvidia

Scott Peters
22 Nov, 2023
New York City

Nvidia Corp. declined 1.7% to $490.75 after the company reported a surge in quarterly earnings and sales.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 206% to $18.1 billion from $5.9 billion, net income soared 12-fold to $9.2 billion from $680 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to $3.71 from 27 cents a year ago.

The advanced chipmaker estimated revenue in the fourth quarter to be $20 billion, with a band of 2%, a gross margin of 74.5%, and a non-GAAP gross margin of 75.5%.

The company continues to benefit as businesses and the government transition from general-purpose computing to accelerated computing and generative AI.

"“Large language model startups, consumer internet companies, and global cloud service providers were the first movers, and the next waves are starting to build.

Nations and regional CSPs are investing in AI clouds to serve local demand, enterprise software companies are adding AI copilots and assistants to their platforms, and enterprises are creating custom AI to automate the world’s largest industries," said founder and CEO of Jensen Huang in a statement to investors.

Burlington Stores soared 20% to $165.06 after the discount retailer reported strong quarterly results, and comparable store sales rose 6% from a year ago.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 12% to $2.28 billion from $2.04 billion, net income advanced to $48.55 million from $16.78 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to 75 cents from 26 cents a year ago.

Total merchandise inventories declined 8% to $1.32 billion from $1.45 billion, but store-level inventories rose 2%.

During the third quarter, the company repurchased 348,948 shares of its common stock for $52 million, and $78 million were still available in the stock repurchase plan.

For the fiscal fourth quarter, the retailer is estimating total sales to increase between 5% and 7% and comparable sales to fall in the range between a decline of 2% and zero.

The company estimated total sales in fiscal year 2024 to increase 11%, including a 2% increase because of the 53rd week, and adjusted earnings per share in the range of $5.52 and $5.67, including 20 cents of expected incremental expenses related to the recently acquired Bed Bath & Beyond leases.

Dick's Sporting Goods increased 2.2% to $121.59 after the specialty retailer reported quarterly results.

Comparable store sales rose 1.7% on top of a 6.5% increase in the quarter a year ago.

Revenue in the third quarter increased 2.8% to $3.04 billion from $2.95 billion, net income decreased 12% to $201 million from $228 million, and diluted earnings per share fell to $2.39 from $2.45 a year ago.

The company repurchased 3.5 million shares for $388 million in the third quarter.

The company lifted its 2023 comparable store sales outlook to a range of 0.5% to 2.0%, up from the previously estimated flat to 2.0% increase.

The retailer also lifted its 2023 diluted earnings per share outlook to $11.45 from $12.05 and raised its full-year non-GAAP outlook to $12.0 to $12.60, up from the previous estimate between $11.50 and $12.30.

Fresenius Medical Care increased 0.4% to €27.71 after the dialysis service provider lifted its annual outlook.

Revenue in the third quarter declined 3% to €4.9 billion from €5.03 billion, net income fell to €84 million from €230 million, and net income dropped to 29 cents from 7 cents a year ago.

The company reiterated its 2023 revenue to grow at a low to mid-single-digit percentage rate from €19.4 billion in 2022.

The company raised its 2023 operating earnings to grow at a low single-digit percentage rate from €1.54 billion in 2022, from the previous outlook of flat to a decline in the low single-digit percentage rate.

The German company also said it had resolved its legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense and finalized its settlement for payment of dialysis services provided under the Tricare program to members of military service, their dependents, and retirees.

The company sought to receive payment for services provided under the Tricare program on or before January 11, 2023.

As a consequence of the settlement agreement, Fresenius anticipates a positive impact on operating income of €175 million in the fourth quarter.

HP Inc. decreased 2.3% to $27.21 after the personal computing and equipment company reported quarterly results. 

Revenue in the fiscal fourth quarter decreased 5% to $13.8 from $14.8 billion, the company swung to a net income of $974 million from a loss of $23 million, and diluted earnings per share of 97 cents from a loss of 2 cents a year ago. 

Personal Systems net revenue fell 8% to $9.4 billion on the ongoing weakness in consumer and enterprise demand, and Printing net revenue fell 3% to $4.4 billion. 

HP estimated fiscal first quarter 2024 diluted earnings per share between 60 cents and 70 cents and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share in the range between 76 cents and 86 cents. 

The company estimated 2024 diluted earnings per share in the range between $2.68 and $3.08 and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share $3.25 and $3.65.   

HP generated $1.9 billion of free cash flow in the fourth quarter, which included net cash provided by operating activities of $2 billion adjusted for net investments in leases of $28 million and net investments in property, plant and equipment of $134 million.

HP’s dividend payment of $0.2625 per share in the fourth quarter resulted in cash usage of $0.3 billion. HP returned 14% of its fourth quarter free cash flow to shareholders.