Tupperware (TUP) issued Q4 numbers after the bell on Monday. Sales were higher by 10% once benefits from currency exchange were eliminated. Adjusted earnings per share increased 16% to $1.22. According to Earnings.com, net income came in 18 cents better than the average estimate.

Bravo! Tupperware, which counts Newell Rubbermaid (NWL) and Avon Products (AVP) as colleagues, is also doing well with cash flow. In fact, you'll notice from the release that management is increasing its stock buyback by $200 million.

Continue reading Tupperware Reports Strong Q4

Tupperware Reports Strong Q4 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WD-40 (WDFC), whose related stocks include Church & Dwight (CHD) and Clorox (CLX), did a good job of courting earnings growth through efficiency. According to yesterday's post-market release, the consumer products concern saw its bottom line jump 22% to 56 cents per diluted share. According to Earnings.com, that was five pennies better than the expectations of Wall Street's smart guys.

Unfortunately, sales growth was not in the cards. The top line experienced a decrease of 7%. Furthermore, according to Reuters, revenues came in softer than projections. It would have been really nice to see at least a little increase in sales, or perhaps an in-line performance, to go along with the improved bottom line. Wasn't meant to be.

Continue reading WD-40 Tops Q1 Estimates, but Needs Better Sales Growth

WD-40 Tops Q1 Estimates, but Needs Better Sales Growth originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Del Monte (DLM) had a fine second quarter. Net sales went up by over 6%. Earnings per share more than doubled to 31 cents. Analysts were expecting only 21 cents of per-share profit, according to Earnings.com.

Management seems to be striking a proper balance between pricing strategies and the need for volume growth. That's a tough thing to do, and it can't always be done, but Del Monte is obviously utilizing its brand equity to full advantage. Smart marketing campaigns have helped to highlight the company's trademarks and communicate product value.

Continue reading Del Monte delivers a good second quarter

Del Monte delivers a good second quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Clorox (NYSE: CLX), a consumer-products business that counts Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) as related stocks, may have seen a sales drop of 1% in its fiscal first quarter, but that didn't stop it from posting a nice bottom-line growth rate. Clorox made $1.11 per share in Q1, and that represents a 23% increase. What a way to start a new corporate year!

According to Reuters, expectations were for 95 cents per share. That's a wonderful beat. Plus, sales volume went up 1%. Helping to drive things along was a healthy gross margin, as well as the dreaded H1N1 virus. Clorox has done well over the years associating its brand with sanitizing effectiveness, so when a pandemic rears its ugly head, the trademark is prepared to leverage such reputation to drive value.

Continue reading Clorox starts its new year off right

Clorox starts its new year off right originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Avon Products (NYSE: AVP) had a difficult third quarter. Currency translations helped to drive a 4% decrease in net revenue. Excluding that effect, sales were up 7%. Net income decreased a big 31% to 36 cents per share.

However, according to Reuters, adjusted earnings of 42 cents per share beat analyst projections by two pennies. Such news didn't seem to matter to the market. At the time of this writing, Avon was down 1.9% on significant volume.

Continue reading Avon sold on Q3 news, but think long term

Avon sold on Q3 news, but think long term originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB), a consumer products entity whose colleagues include Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), is up today on third-quarter results. At the time of this writing, my screen was showing shares of Kimberly-Clark higher by a little under 6%.

According to the corporate press release, sales declined 1.7%. Not a great start, but Kimberly-Clark highlighted a better metric: organic sales increased 3%, helped along by price increases. Luckily, sales volume didn't fare too badly; they were essentially flat.

Continue reading Kimberly-Clark high on Q3 data

Kimberly-Clark high on Q3 data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Del Monte Foods (NYSE: DLM), a supermarket brand whose colleagues include ConAgra (NYSE: CAG) and Kraft (NYSE: KFT), was way up in afternoon trading. When a stock like Del Monte gains 9% on great volume, you know something big must have happened. Well, it was the company's fiscal Q1 results that made investors want to buy today. After checking over the news, I can honestly say that I see the market's point.

Sales increased 12% during the quarter, and earnings from continuing operations calculated out to 30 cents per share, a huge improvement over the loss observed in the comparable period. According to Earnings.com, Wall Street was only looking for a measly four pennies for the bottom line.

Continue reading Del Monte up big on Q1 data

Del Monte up big on Q1 data originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ), a food company that shares space at the supermarket with products from Kraft Foods, Inc. (NYSE: KFT), ConAgra (NYSE: CAG), and Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB), issued first-quarter data on Thursday. Even though the effect of currency translations continues to put a cloud over the top-line performance, management did end up beating earnings expectations.

Net sales came in flat, and net income was 67 cents per share. Analysts were expecting 5 cents less, according to Earnings.com. Shareholders should be happy about that. When I covered Heinz's last quarter, I noted that expectations were essentially beat by a penny.

Continue reading Heinz wins analyst game in Q1, generates higher level of cash

Heinz wins analyst game in Q1, generates higher level of cash originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX), a famous supermarket brand similar to companies such as Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), reported Q4 earnings today. Excluding certain factors, Clorox increased its per-share profit by 18% to $1.35.

The dollar continues to wreak havoc on companies with international exposure (there's a whole lot of them, of course). Including currency translations, Clorox's top line was flat. Without the effect (and excluding the impact of a private-label business that the company exited), sales increased 3%. The company utilized price increases to help offset the tough times. Unfortunately, volume decreased 2% during the quarter.

Continue reading Clorox increases prices -- and profit -- in Q4

Clorox increases prices -- and profit -- in Q4 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), whose colleagues at the supermarket include companies like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Clorox (NYSE: CLX), did all right in the second quarter. Sales were inhibited by currency rates: they dropped by well over 5%. The bottom line, on the other hand, fared a lot better. The company made $1.07 per share compared to 92 cents per share in the year-ago period. However, the previous year's quarter had 6 cents of charges to take into account, so the adjusted earnings in 2008 actually comes out to 98 cents. This makes the growth rate a modest 9%. The market was expecting $1.05 per share according to Earnings.com, so management beat by two pennies.

I was surprised a little by how the stock sold off on Thursday after the earnings report. Shares of Colgate-Palmolive closed down over 5% on very active volume.

Continue reading Colgate-Palmolive beats estimates in Q2

Colgate-Palmolive beats estimates in Q2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has vast holdings, but its strategy is simple: Support a deep pipeline of new drugs and medical devices with an aggressive acquisition strategy and cost controls," notes blue chip investor Richard Moroney.

In his Dow Theory Forecasts, he adds, "And despite the recession, J&J has kept its financial footing, remaining one of the few companies with the top credit rating of AAA." Here's his long term outlook.

"This year the U.S. pharmaceutical market is expected to contract for the first time in 50 years as fewer people visit doctors or start new therapies for chronic conditions.

"Beyond 2009, an economic recovery should reinvigorate J&J, though it is too early to determine whether health-care reform will help or harm the company.

Continue reading Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): A triple A play

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): A triple A play originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced Q2 earnings on Thursday. Shareholders of the confection company should definitely appreciate the growth reported. Net sales increased almost 6%. On an adjusted basis, earnings per share went up a whopping 48% to 43 cents.

According to Earnings.com, analysts were expecting only 35 cents per share. Hershey's management went the extra distance on this one. Not only was the magnitude of the beat impressive, but as Reuters points out, Hershey raised its guidance for the full fiscal year, something that is obviously a positive signal to the marketplace.

Continue reading Hershey destroys the analysts in Q2

Hershey destroys the analysts in Q2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB), a consumer-products company that counts Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) as colleagues, announced Q2 results on Thursday. The performance wasn't spectacular, but management successfully defended the bottom line from the recession by instituting pricing strategies that leveraged the brand equity of the company's portfolio.

The bottom line fell, of course, but probably not as far as it would have if there weren't any pricing mechanisms in place. Earnings per share came in at 97 cents. This was six cents lower than last year's adjusted Q2 income. Revenues were challenged by dollar fluctuations, dropping well over 5%. However, here's the silver lining: organic sales increased almost 3%, even with volumes on the decline.

Continue reading Kimberly-Clark up on Q2 numbers

Kimberly-Clark up on Q2 numbers originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Consumer-products concern WD-40 (NASDAQ: WDFC) had something of a rough third quarter. According to the press release, which was issued on Wednesday after the bell, sales were down over 16%. The company made 41 cents per diluted share. This was 8 cents less than the previous year's Q3 performance.

It was, however, 3 cents better than what the analysts were looking for, according to Earnings.com. Gross margin, it should also be noted, improved significantly. Driving this positive element of the story were efficiencies in the supply chain, price increases, and the drop in the price of oil.

Continue reading WD-40 beats earnings, aided by drop in oil price

WD-40 beats earnings, aided by drop in oil price originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of Del Monte (NYSE: DLM) are up over 9% in early afternoon trading. And the volume is doing gangbusters business. The market is responding to the company's fourth-quarter results. The numbers did tell an overall fun story.

To begin with, revenues saw a big jump of 20%. As many news items have pointed out, price increases helped out. It should also be pointed out that the company's press release indicated that an extra week skewed things a bit. That's okay, though, it was still a good top-line performance. Earnings per share from continuing divisions came in at $0.35, which meant that Del Monte grew the bottom line by 75% (a couple elements affecting the perception of this profit expansion was a better tax situation linked to a positive change in California tax code and a $0.04 per-share transformation expense recorded in Q4 2008). Analysts said the company might earn $0.26 per share. That's a pleasant difference, isn't it?

Continue reading Del Monte's Q4 rocked -- buy or sell on the news?

Del Monte's Q4 rocked -- buy or sell on the news? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm always looking for a catalyst that is going to take Disney (NYSE: DIS) to the next level. The stock hasn't been a great performer over time. Just today, the Mouse issued a press release detailing its latest merchandising plans.

Merchandising falls under the consumer products division. Now, one would expect that this segment would always be rocking considering the brand equity inherent in all of Disney's intellectual properties. Well, let's remind ourselves of how the segment did during the last earnings report. In the second quarter, operating income for consumer products dipped 24%. For the six-month period, operating income was down by 13%. Double-digit declines: nobody likes them. Management commentary about the division specifically stated that lower royalty revenue from merchandise helped to drive the performance. As can be seen, Disney needs some good ideas and strategies to return this segment to growth.

Continue reading Can Disney license its way to a stock rebound?

Can Disney license its way to a stock rebound? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) might not have the best growth rates going these days, but truth be told, I thought the company's Q3 report was acceptable given everything that is going on.

Yes, sales declined by 8%, driven by currency effects. Organic sales, however, increased 1%. Earnings per share increased 2% to 84 cents. This beat Wall Street forecasts by four pennies according to this source.

Continue reading Procter & Gamble beats in Q3, had a passable quarter

Procter & Gamble beats in Q3, had a passable quarter originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 May 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Revenues, however, didn't fare so well. They fell 7%. Not only did the economy affect sales, but the dreaded currency-translation phantom that has been haunting the top lines of all businesses that are exposed to international transactions made its dreaded appearance on Energizer's earnings report. A conservative stance on the part of retailers and their inventory levels was also mentioned as a negative driver for sales in the release.

Continue reading Energizer beats in Q2, but is the stock powerful enough for your portfolio?

Energizer beats in Q2, but is the stock powerful enough for your portfolio? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WD-40 (NASDAQ: WDFC), whose consumer-product colleagues include Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Clorox (NYSE: CLX), issued its second-quarter report on Wednesday after the market closed. The numbers were a bit rusty (yes, the bad pun was on purpose!).

First, we have a big net-sales drop of over 20%. Then, we have a 50% decline in net income, with earnings coming in at 25 cents per share. And finally, we see that the 25-cent per-share number missed estimates by two pennies according to this source. Management blamed the bad results in part on the weak global economy and on currency translations.

Continue reading WD-40 disappoints analysts in Q2

WD-40 disappoints analysts in Q2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shareholders of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) received some not-so-cool news on Wednesday. The consumer-products business was subjected to a downgrade courtesy of Linda Bolton Weiser of Caris & Co. The analyst changed the designation on Colgate-Palmolive from "Buy" to "Above Average." The effects of currency translations is what she's worried about. She believes that they could be a drag on earnings.

If you're a long-term shareholder, I probably wouldn't worry too much about this downgrade. The stock didn't react much to the news, dropping only modestly at the end of the trading session on Wednesday (it was down like 0.3%). Obviously Colgate-Palmolive, like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Clorox (NYSE: CLX), and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB), has great potential as a core investment because of its brand portfolio.

Continue reading Colgate-Palmolive downgraded on currency exposure

Colgate-Palmolive downgraded on currency exposure originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.