U.S. Movers: Big Lots, Cott, Family Dollar, Heinz, Valero

Mukesh Buch
03 Mar, 2011
New York City

Big Lots fourth quarter net income gained 4.5% to $110.06 million. H.J. Heinz third quarter net income increased 20% to $273.78 million. Royal Bank of Canada first quarter net income surged 23% to C$1.84 billion. The Kroger fourth quarter net income soared to $278.8 million.

[R]11:30 AM New York – Big Lots fourth quarter net income gained 4.5%. H.J. Heinz third quarter net income increased 20% to $273.78 million. Royal Bank of Canada first quarter net income surged 23%. The Kroger fourth quarter net income soared to $278.8 million. Valero gained after it estimated quarterly earnings of 30 cents a share.[/R]

Of 30 the stocks in the Dow, 29 increased and 1 decreased.

Of the stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, General Electric Company led the gainers with a rise of 2.46% followed by increase in Alcoa Inc. of 2.22%, in Bank of America Corporation of 1.88%, in E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company of 1.79%, in American Express Company of 1.74%.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the lone decliner, fell 0.10%.

Other Movers

Big Lots, Inc. ((BIG)) gained 2.4% or 96 cents to $40.85 after the home appliances retailer reported fourth quarter net sales increased 4.1% to $1.52 billion from $1.46 billion last year. Net income in the quarter grew 4.5% to $110.06 million or $1.46 per share compared to net income of $105.37 million or $1.27 per share a year ago.

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. ((CETV)) increased 5% to $20.01 after Time Warner Inc increased its stake in the company to 34.4% according to a filing with the SEC.

Cott Corporation ((COT)) fell 0.1% or 1 cent to $7.99 after the soft drink and beverage maker said fourth quarter net revenue rose 37% to $529 million from $386 million a prior year. Net income in the quarter rose to $15.1 million or 16 cents per diluted share compared to $14.0 million or 17 cents per share a year ago.

For the full year revenue increased 13% to $1.6 billion from $9.8 billion a prior year. Net income decreased to $54.7 million or $0.63 per diluted share compared to $81.5 million or $1.08 per diluted share a year ago.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. ((CQB)) declined 2.8% or 45 cents to $15.10 after the producer and distributor of bananas and other produce said fourth quarter revenues fell 12% to $773 million from $879 million in the comparable quarter last year. Net loss in the quarter narrowed 26% to $20 million or 43 cents per diluted share compared to net loss of $27 million or 60 cents per share last year.

Copart, Inc. ((CPRT)) fell 1% or 41 cents to $40.76 after the junk car auctioneer said second quarter total service revenues and vehicle sales for the second quarter rose 17.4% to $207.38 million from $176.60 million in the same quarter last year. Net income in the quarter rose 6% to $37.9 million or 46 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $35.7 million or 42 cents per share for the year-ago quarter.

Constellation Software Inc. rose 0.2% or 15 cents to $54.00 after the enterprise software company reported fourth quarter revenues increased 30% to $171.5 million from $131.9 million last year. Net income generated in the quarter was $17.9 million or 84 cents per diluted share compared to net loss of $10,000 or breakeven per share last year.

CVR Energy, Inc. ((CVI)) soared 6.4% or $1.21 to $20.04 after the independent petroleum refiner and marketer of transportation fuels reported fourth quarter net sales climbed 25% to $1.15 billion from $921.9 million a year earlier. Net income in the quarter fell 76% to $2.3 million or 3 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $9.5 million or 11 cents per share last year.

DineEquity, Inc. ((DIN)) surged 5.9% or $3.29 to $58.70 after the restaurants operator reported fourth quarter total revenue fell to $299.8 million from $355.2 million a prior year. Net loss in the quarter rose to $58.1 million or $3.33 per diluted share compared to $48.1 million or $2.84 per share a year ago.

For the full year revenue decreased to $1.33 billion from $1.41 billion a prior year. Net loss in the year was $29.9 million or $1.74 per diluted share compared to net income of $9.2 million or $0.55 per diluted share a year ago.

Foot Locker, Inc. ((FL)) gained 2.9% or 57 cents to $19.99 after the specialty athletic footwear and apparel retailer said fourth quarter total sales increased 5.1% to $1.39 billion from $1.33 billion in the same quarter last year. Comparable-store sales increased 7.3% for the fourth quarter of 2010.

Net income in the quarter surged 148% to $57 million or 36 cents per share compared to net income of $23 million or 14 cents per share in the prior-year quarter, driven by significant growth in comparable-store sales and gross margin.

Annual total sales increased 4% to $5.05 billion from $4.85 billion in the year-ago. Comparable-store sales rose 5.8% in 2010. For fiscal year 2010 net income soared 252% to $169 million or $1.07 per share compared to $48 million or $0.30 per share in the previous year.

Genesis Energy, L.P. ((GEL)) fell 0.07% or 2 cents to $28.91 after the oil and gas company said fourth quarter net revenue increased to $602.2 million from $436.2 million a prior year. Net loss in the quarter widened to $74.6 million or 2 cents per diluted share compared to $5.9 million or 8 cents per share a year ago.

For the full year revenue increased to $2.1 billion from $1.4 billion a prior year. Net loss in the year was $48.4 million or 49 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $8.0 million or 51 cents per diluted share a year ago.

Family Dollar Stores Inc. ((FDO)) decreased 1.6% to $49.50 after it rejected hostile offer from activist investor Nelson Peltz and said the offer undervalues the company.

Greif, Inc. ((GEF)) plunged 2.4% or $1.59 to $63.77 after the packaging product company reported first quarter net sales increased 33% to $943.8 million from $709.7 million last year. Net income in the quarter increased 67% to $41.4 million or $0.71 per Class A share compared to net income of $24.8 million or $0.43 per Class A share in the previous year.

H.J. Heinz Company ((HNZ)) rose 0.3% or 17 cents to $49.15 after the food company said third quarter sales climbed 1.5% to $2.72 billion versus $2.68 billion in the comparable period. Net income in the quarter improved 20% to $273.78 million or 84 cents per diluted share compared to net income of $228.53 million or 72 cents per share last year.

Kraton Performance Polymers Inc. ((KRA)) increased 2.2% or 78 cents to $35.61 after the producer of styrenic block copolymers stated fourth quarter sales revenues increased 21% to $288.17 million from $250.71 million in the same period last year. Net income generated in the quarter was $10.3 million or 32 cents per diluted share compared to a loss of $1.52 million or 7 cents per share last year.

NACCO Industries, Inc. ((NC)) rose 0.04% or 5 cents to $119.55 after the company involved in the lift truck, housewares, and mining industries reported fourth quarter revenues rose 26% to $866.2 million from $687.6 million last year. Net income in the quarter dropped 9.6% to $38.4 million or $4.59 per share compared to net income of $42.5 million or $5.12 per share a year ago.

Royal Bank of Canada ((RY)) soared 6% or $3.56 to $62.17 after the Canada based financial services company reported first quarter net income surged 23% to C$1.84 billion or C$1.24 per diluted share compared to C$1.49 billion or C$1.00 per share a year ago.

Sauer-Danfoss Inc. ((SHS)) surged more than 25% to $38.01 after the maker of mobile hydraulic systems estimated 2010 sales increase of 10% and earnings of at least $3 a share.

The Kroger Co. ((KR)) advanced 1.6% or 37 cents to $22.89 after the food retailers reported fourth quarter total sales increased 7.4% to $19.9 billion from $18.6 billion a prior year. Net income in the quarter soared to $278.8 million or 44 cents per diluted share compared to $255.4 million or 39 cents per share a year ago.

For the full year revenue increased 7.1% to $82.2 billion from $76.7 billion a prior year. Net income surged to $1,116.3 million or $1.74 per diluted share compared to $70.0 million or $0.11 per diluted share a year ago.

United Natural Foods, Inc. ((UNFI)) gained 2.4% or $1.01 to $42.70 after the natural, organic and specialty food distributor second quarter revenues rose 24.1% to $1.11 billion from $898.2 million last year. Net income in the quarter increased 19.6% to $18.7 million or 39 cents per share compared to net income of $15.6 million or 36 cents per share a year ago.

Valero Energy Corp ((VLO)) surged as much as 5% to $28.10 after the independent refiner estimated fiscal first quarter profit of as much as 30 cents a share.