KKR and Clayton in $7.5 B Deal with PetSmart

Mukesh Buch
19 Nov, 2014
New York City

PetSmart net flat and KKR and Clayton plans to bid for $7.5 billion. Smucker net jumped 3% but revenues dropped 5%. Lowe''s profit surged 17%. La-Z-Boy net climbed 17%. Staples profit soared 60% and sales fell 3%. Stage Stores net loss narrowed. Target net jumped 3%.

[R]12:05 PM New York – PetSmart net flat and KKR and Clayton plans to bid for $7.5 billion. Smucker net jumped 3% but revenues dropped 5%. Lowe''s profit surged 17%. La-Z-Boy net climbed 17%. Staples profit soared 60% and sales fell 3%. Stage Stores net loss narrowed. Target net jumped 3%.[/R]

Tollbooth Index dropped 0.6% or 58.50 to 9,789.04.

Earnings Review

PetSmart, Inc ((PETM)) jumped 3.6% or $2.66 to $76.25 after the pet retailer stated net sales in the third-quarter ending on November 2 increased 2.6% to $1.7 billion from a year ago period. Comparable store sales in the quarter were flat.

Net income in the quarter was flat at $92.2 million and diluted earnings per share jumped 4.5% to 92 cents from 88 cents in the same period a year ago.

Private equity firms KKR & Co LP and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC plans for a joint bid for more than $7.5 billion, as the company already fronting pressure from Jana and other investors.

The J.M. Smucker Company ((SJM)) rose 3 cents to $102 after the branded food products maker said net sales in the second-quarter ending in October dropped 5% to $1.48 billion from a year ago period.

Net income in the quarter jumped 3% to $158.3 million or $1.55 a diluted share compared to $153.4 million or $1.46 from a same quarter last year.

Lowe''s Companies, Inc ((LOW)) soared 5.9% or $3.45 to $61.98 after the home improvement retailer reported net sales in the third-quarter ending in October climbed 5.6% to $13.7 billion from a year ago period. Comparable store sales in the quarter jumped 5.1%.

Net earnings in the quarter surged 17.3% to $585 million or 59 cents a diluted share compared to $499 million or 47 cents from a same quarter last year.

The company forecasted total sales for the year to jump 4.5% to 5% and comparable sales to increase 3.5% to 4% and diluted earnings per share estimated to $2.68.

La-Z-Boy Inc ((LZB)) surged 7.2% or $1.63 to $24.21 after the reclining chairs and upholstery products retailer said sales in the second-quarter ending on October 25 jumped 3.8% to $365.6 million form a year ago period.

Net income in the quarter climbed 16.8% to $19.5 million or 37 cents a diluted share compared to $16.7 million or 31 cents from a same quarter last year.

Staples, Inc ((SPLS)) climbed 9.3% or $1.20 to $13.95 after the office products retailer reported total sales in the third-quarter ending on November 1 dropped 2.5% to $5.96 billion from a year ago period.

Net income in the quarter soared 60.3% to $216.8 million or 34 cents a diluted share compared to $135.2 million or 21 cents from a same quarter last year.

Stage Stores Inc ((SSI)) surged 18.5% or $2.92 to $18.66 after the off-price retailer stated net sales in the third-quarter ending on November 1 rose 2.3% to $364.2 million from a year ago period.

Net loss in the quarter narrowed to $5.3 million or 17 cents a diluted share compared to $10.9 million or 34 cents from a same quarter last year.

Target Corporation ((TGT)) jumped 4.6% or $3.13 to $70.64 after the discount stores operator reported sales in the third-quarter ending on November 1 increased 2.8% to $17.73 billion from a year ago period. Comparable store sales in the U.S. Segment in the quarter rose 1.2%.

Net income in the quarter jumped 3.1% to $352 million or 55 cents a diluted share compared to $341 million or 54 cents from a same quarter last year.

The retailer said sales from the Canadian segment climbed 43.8% and comparable sales increased 1.6 % from the same period a year ago.