Acuity Brands, Intuitive Surgical, MannKind Rise; UniFirst Plunges

Mukesh Buch
02 Apr, 2014
New York City

Acuity Brands net soared 32% after sales climbed 12%. Jos. A. Bank net slipped 4%. Monsanto net surged 13% and sales jumped 7%. UniFirst net fell 4% but revenues rose 3%.

[R]1:25 PM New York – Acuity Brands net soared 32% after sales climbed 12%. Jos. A. Bank net slipped 4%. Monsanto net surged 13% and sales jumped 7%. UniFirst net fell 4% but revenues rose 3%.[/R]

Acuity Brands, Inc ((AYI)) jumped 2.9% or $3.90 to $137.36 after the lighting fixtures provider reported net sales in the second-quarter ending in February climbed 12.2% to $546.2 million.

Net income in the quarter soared 32.4% to $32.7 million or 75 cents a diluted share compared to $24.7 million or 57 cents.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc ((ISRG)) extended gains for the second day by 3.8% or $18.49 to $512.09 after the surgical instruments maker received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its da Vinci Xi Surgical System.

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc ((JOSB)) rose 8 cents to $64.44 after the apparel and accessories retailer net sales in the fourth-quarter ending in February slid 0.4% to $356.1 million. Total comparable brand sales increased 1.8%.

Net income in the quarter slipped 3.5% to $27.4 million or 98 cents a diluted share compared to $28.4 million or $1.01.

Monsanto Company ((MON)) gained 1.7% or $1.92 to $115.51 after the agricultural products provider reported net sales in the second-quarter ending in February jumped 6.6% to $5.83 billion.

Net income in the quarter surged 12.8% to $1.67 billion or $3.15 a diluted share compared to $1.48 billion or $2.74.

MannKind Corporation ((MNKD)) vaulted 76.6% or $3.08 to $7.10 after the biopharmaceutical company said Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted 13-to-1 to to recommend AFREZZA® inhalation powder to be approved by the FDA for Type 1 diabetes.

UniFirst Corp ((UNF)) plunged 9.2% or $10.41 to $102.30 after the workplace uniforms provider said revenues in the second-quarter ending on March 1 increased 2.9% to $344 million.

Net income in the quarter fell 3.7%% to $25.6 million or $1.27 a diluted share compared to $26.6 million or $1.33.