HJ Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) recently learned inadvertently how strong its brand was with consumers.

The company had announced that it was going to change the label on its flagship brand of ketchup. It seemed entirely reasonable and appropriate to drop the pickle from the label and replace it with a tomato.

Little did the company expect to encounter outrage from consumers, who launched a "Save the Pickle" campaign, complete with a blog, and an organized letter and e-mail avalanche.

Continue reading Heinz can't shake the pickle

Heinz can't shake the pickle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aeropostale Inc. (NYSE: ARO) strong Q2 results were in line with analysts' expectations.
• BHP Billiton Ltd. (NYSE: BHP) reported a record annual profit on demands for commodities in China.
• Burger King Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BKC) beat Q4 expectations despite struggling with commodities costs.
• Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) reported that it easily beat earnings expectations for the second quarter.
• GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) reported strong Q2 results despite a decline in gross margins.
• Hershey Co. (NYSE: HSY) narrowed its 2008 guidance due to rising costs of commodities.
• HJ Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) Q1 results topped analysts' estimates and raised its full-year guidance.
• JDS Uniphase Corp. (NASDAQ: JDSU) offered disappointing quarterly results and Q1 guidance.
• Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD) reported better-than-expected Q2 results and boosted its forecast.
• Novatel Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: NVTL) fell short of estimates, leading to a new 52-week low.
• Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS) reported a smaller-than-expected Q2 loss and forecast lower operating margins.
• Staples Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS) warned of lower profits due to continued challenging market conditions.
• Zumiez Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) warmed of weakness in the second half, including lower same-store sales.

For more earnings highlights from this week, see: Home Depot, Lehman, Hewlett-Packard, Gap, BJ's and others

Upcoming quarterly reports include Big Lots (NYSE: BIG), Borders (NYSE: BGP), Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP), Tivo (NASDAQ: TIVO), Novell (NASDAQ: NOVL), Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD), and Tiffany (NYSE: TIF).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Hershey, Heinz, Burger King, Foot Locker, Saks and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ) must be doing something right, as the food products company reported Q1 earnings that grew six percent this morning. Never one to be in a pickle, the company reported that double-digit growth in ketchup sales, soups, beans and its "Smart Ones" healthy frozen meals. Add some productivity increases into the mix in the face of rising commodity prices and Heinz's results seem pretty impressive.

Heinz's net income rose to over $205 million, or 64 cents, while sales jumped 9% to $2.25 billion, in-line with Wall Street forecasts.

Did its markets just go ketchup crazy and start eating healthy frozen meals instead of unhealthy ones? According to Heinz, the company witnessed sales of its top-15 brands grow by more than 11%, with ketchup growth at 13% and beans, soups and Smart Ones product sales soaring by 25%. Not bad.

Heinz also seemed to have very good luck in international emerging markets, where sales spiked 15% for the quarter. Although commodity costs rose 4.7%, the food company offset that somewhat by raising product prices about 2.8% while increasing productivity to apparently cover the balance. Now, if the company could only "increase productivity" a few percent every single quarter, that would be a neat feat and its numbers would probably reflect that effort.

Heinz (HNZ) earnings meet forecasts, raises outlook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Sale of U.S. drinks business: The company is expected to announce a sale of its U.S. drinks business, which includes 7-Up and Snapple. The New York Times reported that it is currently unclear which bidder is in the lead for the unit - bids came from a group led by Cott, a consortium that included Thomas H. Lee Partners and TPG and a third consortium led by Blackstone Group and KKR. Other possible candidates for the unit could include The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) or Tootsie Roll Industries Inc (NYSE: TR), in a deal that could value the unit as high as $16B. Other sources believe Kraft Foods Inc (NYSE: KFT) and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (NYSE: WWY) could be potential bidders; Kraft, JP Morgan believes, would have an edge over Wrigley due to greater funding, flexibility and synergies.

Continue reading Cadbury to update investors tomorrow

Cadbury to update investors tomorrow originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.