Monsanto Rises on Demand Spike, PepsiCo Beats Estimates on Frito-Lay Sales

Mukesh Buch
04 Oct, 2017
New York City

Acuity Brands issued cautious outlook on demand. IDT Corp net swung to a loss. Monsanto net swung to profit on higher demand for corn and soybean. PepsiCo profit was ahead of estimates on strong sales in Frito-Lay snacks. RPM International revenues jumped.

[R]2:25 PM New York – Acuity Brands issued cautious outlook on demand. IDT Corp net swung to a loss. Monsanto net swung to profit on higher demand for corn and soybean. PepsiCo profit was ahead of estimates on strong sales in Frito-Lay snacks. RPM International revenues jumped.[/R]

Tollbooth Index decreased 23.15 or 0.2% to 12,674.22.

Earnings Review

Acuity Brands, Inc ((AYI)) decreased 1.8% or $3.06 to $166.60 after the lighting solutions said revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in August jumped 3.5% from a year ago to $957.6 million.

Net income in the quarter surged 9% to $90.5 million or $2.15 per diluted share from $82.9 million or $1.89 in the same quarter last year.

IDT Corporation ((IDT)) slumped 2.6% or 39 cents to $14.36 after the communications and payment services provider stated revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in July soared 7.3% from a year ago to $395 million.

Net in the quarter swung to a loss of $9.8 million or 41 cents per diluted share from profit of $11 million or 48 cents in the same quarter last year.

Monsanto Company ((MON)) gained 39 cents to $120.10 after the agricultural products provider reported revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in August advanced 3.8% from a year ago to $2.7 billion.

Net in the quarter swung to profit $20 million or 5 cents per diluted share from a loss of $191 million or 44 cents in the same quarter last year.

Monsanto said growth in the profit and sales was driven by higher demand for corn and soybean seeds.

PepsiCo, Inc ((PEP)) increased 44 cents to $109.57 after the food and beverages maker reported revenues in the third-quarter ending on September 9 rose 1% from a year ago to $16.2 billion.

Net income in the quarter soared 8% to $2.1 billion or $1.49 per diluted share from $2 billion or $1.37 in the same quarter last year.

The food and beverage maker said higher profit was driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana and benefited from lower costs.

Pepsi lowered negative impact of net revenue growth to approximate year-to-date growth rate from the earlier estimate to at least 3% decline, core earnings per share of $5.23 and $10 billion in cash flow from operating activities.

RPM International Inc ((RPM)) fell 92 cents to $52 after the paints and coatings manufacturer said revenues in the first-quarter ending in August advanced 7.5% from a year ago to $1.4 billion.

Net income in the quarter increased 3.2% to $116.4 million or 86 cents per diluted share from $112.8 million or 83 cents in the same quarter last year.

“Sales growth guidance for the balance of fiscal 2018 in our industrial and consumer segments in the mid-single-digit range and in specialty segment in the low- to mid-single-digit range. We maintain full-year earnings per share guidance of $2.85 to $2.95 per diluted share,” said chief executive officer Frank Sullivan.