U.S. Movers: CenterPoint Energy, Dollar Tree, priceline.com, Target, TJX

Mukesh Buch
27 Feb, 2013
New York City

CenterPoint Energy fourth quarter net surged 15% and Dollar Tree net soared 54%. priceline.com net climbed 28% and Target net slid 2%. TJX net slipped 5% and AES net dropped 27%.

[R]11:40 AM New York – CenterPoint Energy fourth quarter net surged 15% and Dollar Tree net soared 54%. priceline.com net climbed 28% and Target net slid 2%. TJX net slipped 5% and AES net dropped 27%.[/R]

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ((CNP)) rose 14 cents to $20.84 after the holding company stated net operating revenue in the fourth quarter ending in December edged down to $2.14 billion from $2.15 billion in the same period of last year. Net income in the quarter surged 15% to $134 million or 31 cents a diluted share compared to $117 million or 27 cents a share a year ago earlier.

The energy company expects earnings per diluted share for 2013 in the range of $1.22 to $1.30.

Dollar Tree, Inc. ((DLTR)) surged 9.4% to $3.89 to $44.97 after the deep discount store retailer reported net sales in the fourth quarter ending in January surged 15.4% to $2.25 billion from $1.95 billion in the same period of last year. Comparable store sales increased 2.4%

Net earnings in the quarter soared 54% to $288.6 million or $1.01 a diluted share compared to $187.9 million or 80 cents a share a year ago period.

The company estimates sales for the first quarter in the range of $1.84 billion to $1.89 billion and diluted earnings per share are between 53 cents and 58 cents.

For the full year, the company estimated sales between $7.79 billion and $7.97 billion and diluted earnings per share are in the range of $2.54 to $2.74.

Joy Global Inc ((JOY)) increased 1.9% or $1.09 to $61.05 after the mining equipments maker stated net sales in the first quarter ending on January 25 rose 1% to $1.15 billion from $1.14 billion in the same period of last year. Net income in the quarter edged lowered to $142.1 million or $1.33 a diluted share compared to $142.3 million or $1.33 a share a year ago earlier.

The mining equipments maker said bookings in fiscal 2013 declined 29% to $1 billion from $1.43 billion and backlog at the end of the first quarter dropped to $2.4 billion compared to $2.6 billion a year ago period.

The company expects full year earnings per diluted share between $5.75 and $6.35 and revenues in the range of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion.

priceline.com Inc ((PCLN)) gained 2.8% or $19.34 to $698.57 after the online travel company said total revenues in the fourth quarter ending in December increased 20% to $1.19 billion from $990.8 million in the same period of last year. Net income in the quarter climbed 28% to $288.7 million or $5.63 a diluted share compared to $225.7 million or $4.41 a share a year ago earlier.

The group''s gross profit for the quarter surged 29.7% to $940 million and International operations gross profit climbed 37.3% to of $836 million.

Target Corporation ((TGT)) slipped 2% or $1.32 to $62.74 after the specialty retailer reported total revenues in the fourth quarter ending on February 2 jumped 6.8% to $22.73 billion from $21.29 billion in the same period of last year. Comparable store sales for the quarter rose 0.4%.

Net earnings in the quarter slid 2% to $961 million or $1.47 a diluted share compared to $981 million or $1.45 a share a year ago.

The retailer said gross margin rate in the quarter declined 27.8% from 28.4% in the fourth quarter of last year. U.S. credit card segment fourth quarter average receivables decreased 4.6% to $6.1 billion.

The company expects fiscal 2013 earnings per share in the range of $4.70 to $4.90 and for the fiscal first quarter earnings per share between $1.22 and $1.32.

The TJX Companies, Inc ((TJX)) rose 7 cents to $43.74 after the apparel and home fashions retailer reported revenue in the fourth quarter ending on February 2 climbed 15% to $7.72 billion from $6.71 billion in the same period of last year. Comparable store sales for the quarter increased 4%.

Net income in the quarter slipped 5% to $604.8 million or 82 cents a diluted share compared to $475.3 billion or 62 cents a share a year ago period.

The company said today that beginning with the fiscal 2014 second quarter it will no longer report monthly sales.

For the fiscal year, the company expects diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $2.66 to $2.78 and consolidated comparable store sales growth of 1% to 2%.

For the first quarter, the retailer expects diluted earnings per share to be in the range of 59 cents to 62 cents and comparable store sales growth of 0% to 2%.

The AES Corporation ((AES)) advanced 2.8% or 31 cents to $11.26 after the electricity generation and distribution business maker reported total revenue in the fourth quarter ending in December increased 3% to $4.64 billion from $4.13 billion in the same period of last year. Net income in the quarter dropped 27% to $323 million or 31 cents a diluted share compared to $445 million or 18 cents a share a year ago earlier.

The company estimated fiscal year adjusted earnings per share in the range of $1.24 to $1.32.