Comscore Jump; Barracuda, Diamond Foods Drop

Mukesh Buch
30 Sep, 2015
New York City

Actuant tumbled 38% after the company lowered fiscal outlook. Avnet agreed to acquire Germany-based Orchestra Service. Barracuda Networks net swung to a loss. Costco profit soared 10%. Diamond Foods net swung to profit. Pfizer lifted revenues forecast.

[R]1:10 PM New York – Actuant tumbled 38% after the company lowered fiscal outlook. Avnet agreed to acquire Germany-based Orchestra Service. Barracuda Networks net swung to a loss. Costco profit soared 10%. Diamond Foods net swung to profit. Pfizer lifted revenues forecast.[/R]

Tollbooth Index jumped 100.51 or 1% to 10,057.

Earnings Review

Actuant Corporation ((ATU)) surged 9.3% or $1.64 to $19.19 after the diversified machinery products maker said total sales in the fourth-quarter ending in August plunged 15% from a year ago to $300.4 million.

Net income in the quarter tumbled 37.9% to $22.1 million or 37 cents per diluted share compared to $35.6 million or 51 cents from the same quarter last year.

For the year, the company lowered revenues forecast to decline between 1% and 4% or in the range of $1.16 billion to $1.20 billion and earnings per share between $1.20 and $1.40.

Avnet, Inc ((AVT)) jumped 2.9% or $1.11 to $42.13 after the electronic components distributor agreed to acquire Germany-based storage solutions provider Orchestra Service GmbH.

Barracuda Networks Inc ((CUDA)) tumbled 33.8% or $7.96 to $15.59 after the security and storage solution provider said total revenues in the second-quarter ending in August soared 14.1% from a year ago to $78.4 million.

Net in the quarter swung to a loss of $2.2 million or 4 cents per diluted share compared to profit of $0.7 million or 1 cent from the same quarter last year.

Costco Wholesale Corporation ((COST)) gained 85 cents to $144.57 after the discount stores operator reported net sales in the fourth-quarter ending in August rose 1% from a year ago to $34.99 billion.

Comparable store sales in the quarter decreased 1% but comparable store sales in the U.S. jumped 2% while sales in Canada declined 10% and international sales slumped 7%.

Net income in the quarter surged 10% to $767 million or $1.73 per diluted share compared to $697 million or $1.58 from the same quarter last year.

Comscore, Inc ((SCOR)) soared 9.1% or $3.78 to $45.25 after the enterprise software services provider agreed to merge with Rentrak Corporation on a stock basis. Rentrak stock surged 20% to $52.08.

Diamond Foods, Inc ((DMND)) declined 4.4% or $1.39 to $29.95 after the packaged food company net revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in July jumped 7.9% from a year ago to $201.8 million.

Net in the quarter swung to profit $7.9 million or 25 cents per diluted share compared to a loss of $1.9 million or 6 cents from the same quarter last year.

Pfizer Inc ((PFE)) increased 1.1% or 34 cents to $31.36 after the biopharmaceutical company lifted revenues forecast for the year after acquisition of hospital products maker Hospira Inc for about $15.2 billion.

Pfizer estimated revenues for the year in the range of $46.5 billion to $47.5 billion from the prior guidance of $45 billion to $46.5 billion.

The company lowered earnings per share forecast for the year between $1.29 and $1.38 from earlier estimated range of $1.38 to $1.47 per share.

Paychex, Inc ((PAYX)) gained 1.5% or 71 cents to $46.72 after the outsourcing services provider reported total revenues in the first-quarter ending in August jumped 8% from a year ago to $723 million.

Net income in the quarter soared 22% to $209.1 million or 58 cents per diluted share compared to $171.3 million or 47 cents from the same quarter last year.

Paychex forecasted revenues for the year to jump between 7% and 8% and net income to gain in the range of 8% to 9%.