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☆ Beyond Meat keeps losses in check with cost cuts; shares rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Beyond Meat (BYND.O) reported upbeat quarterly results on Wednesday as the plant-based meat company benefited from easing supply chain pressures and cost controls, sending its shares up 9% in extended trading. However, the company said most markets and channels were negatively impacted by continued softness in demand in the plant-based meat category as inflation-hit consumers tighten their purse strings. Total operating expenses in the first quarter fell to $63.9 million, from $97.8 million a year earlier. Analysts on average expected the company to post a loss of $1.01 cents per share, as per Refinitiv IBES data. Net revenue fell 15.7% to $92.2 million in the first quarter but beat expectations of $90.8 million.

☆ Robinhood beats revenue estimates as rate hikes bolster interest income
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Manya Saini | Thomson Reuters | Manya Saini Reports On Prominent Publicly Listed U.S. Financial Firms Including Wall Street S Biggest Banks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 10 (Reuters) - Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD.O) blew past Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue on Wednesday, as the U.S. Federal Reserve's rapid rate hikes boosted the online brokerage's interest income. Net interest revenue came in at $208 million in the first quarter ended March 31, compared with $55 million a year earlier. Meanwhile, monthly active users decreased to 11.8 million, compared with 15.9 million a year earlier. Transaction-based revenue declined 5% in the reported quarter to $207 million from last year. The Menlo Park, California-based company reported revenue of $441 million, compared with $299 million a year earlier.

☆ PayPal raises full-year profit above estimates on e-commerce strength, cost cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

While a cost-of-living crisis has now begun to squeeze budgets, particularly of lower income households, consumer spending has remained remarkably steady in the face of a looming economic slowdown. The company's payments volume rose 12% on a forex-neutral basis to $354.5 billion in the first-quarter ended March 31. The upbeat forecast echoes expectations of card giants Visa (V.N) and Mastercard (MA.N) that have remained largely upbeat about spending volumes on pent-up travel demand and resilient consumer spending. The company has said in the past that it is focused on lowering expenses with executives cautioning that inflation was impacting discretionary consumer spending. The payments firm earned a profit of $1.17 per share on an adjusted basis in first-quarter, compared with 88 cents last year.

☆ AMC earnings a hit on Wall Street as 'Ant-Man' attracts more moviegoers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (AMC.N) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue on Friday, as a string of hit films including the latest installment of Marvel's "Ant-Man" drove more moviegoers to theaters. Shares of the Leawood, Kansas-based company, which operates over 900 theaters globally, rose nearly 4% in trading before the bell. AMC has been trying different combinations to attract audiences to its theaters, including options where moviegoers can choose different seating options to meet their viewing preferences. Revenue for the quarter was $954.4 million, compared with analysts' expectation of $948.5 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta and Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

May 4 (Reuters) - Paramount Global Inc (PARA.O) missed first-quarter revenue estimates on Thursday amid a weak advertising market in its TV business and cut its dividend. The company incurred a $1.7 billion charge in connection with its plan to integrate Showtime into its Paramount+ streaming service and remove certain programming. Paramount Global said its dividend cut to 5 cents per share will result in approximately $500 million in annualized cash savings. Paramount+, the company's flagship streaming platform, added 4.1 million subscribers during the quarter, compared with 9.9 million in the preceding quarter. Sales for its TV media segment declined by 8% from a year earlier and advertising revenue fell by 11%.

Paramount invested in original content to try to attract subscribers to its streaming platform, but is up against competition from established players such as Netflix (NFLX.O) and Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Disney+. Paramount+, the company's flagship streaming platform, added 4.1 million subscribers during the quarter, compared with 9.9 million in the preceding quarter. Sales for its TV media segment declined by 8% from a year earlier, and advertising revenue fell by 11%. Investment in original content and expansion of its streaming platform are consuming cash at the owner of the CBS network. The operating loss was $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared with an operating income of $775 million a year earlier.

☆ Kellogg lifts annual forecasts on price hikes, resilient demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - Kellogg Co (K.N) on Thursday forecast a smaller drop in annual profit and raised the lower end of its sales outlook on the back of consistent price hikes and resilient demand for its cereals and snacks. Shares of the Michigan-based company rose marginally in premarket trading after the Corn Flakes maker beat market expectations for first-quarter revenue and profit. The Pringles maker's strong outlook reflects comments from peers PepsiCo Inc (PEP.O) and Hershey Co (HSY.N), who also lifted their annual forecasts in recent months boosted by price increases. However, organic volumes declined by 1.9% in the first quarter, while overall prices rose 15.6%. Net sales in the first quarter rose 10.4% to $4.05 billion, beating analysts' estimate of $3.95 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ India's HDFC beats Q4 profit estimates on home loan demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HDFC said profit after tax rose to 44.26 billion rupees ($541.09 million) for the three months ended March 31, from 37 billion rupees a year earlier. Analysts, on average, had expected profit after tax of 38.86 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. The lender said it provided individual loans worth 93.40 billion rupees during the quarter, compared with 83.67 billion rupees a year earlier. HDFC is on track to merge with India's largest private lender HDFC Bank Ltd (HDBK.NS). The RBI in April allowed HDFC and HDFC Bank selective regulatory relief in order to smooth out the merger between the two entities.

☆ Insurer AIG exceeds profit estimates on strong underwriting gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 4 (Reuters) - American International Group Inc (AIG.N) beat market estimates for first-quarter profit on Thursday, as record underwriting gains cushioned the blow from lower alternative investment returns. AIG, one of the world's biggest commercial insurers, said net premiums written in its general insurance for the quarter ended March grew 5% to $6.97 billion. Total consolidated net investment income rose 9% to $3.5 billion, partially offset by lower alternative investment income, AIG said. The New York-based company's general insurance underwriting income rose 13% to $502 million, its strongest first-quarter underwriting results, the insurer said. The general insurance accident year combined ratio was 88.7%, compared with 89.5%, a year earlier.

May 4 (Reuters) - Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) on Thursday reported stronger-than-expected sales of $1.9 billion for its COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter, driven by a surge of revenue deferred from 2022, but left its 2023 sales expectations unchanged. Moderna said it continued to expect COVID vaccine sales of $5 billion for the year based on advance purchase agreements. Moderna expects an additional $3 billion in deferred vaccine revenue in the second half of 2023. The results came two days after the company's rival Pfizer reported better-than-expected COVID vaccine sales for the first quarter and maintained its expectations for full-year sales. Moderna had generated around $36 billion in sales over the last two years from its COVID vaccine, its only commercial product and one of the most widely used shots for the virus.

☆ Kraft Heinz lifts profit outlook on price hikes, easing costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Aatrayee Chatterjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) -Kraft Heinz Co raised its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday on the back of higher prices and sustained demand for its packaged food items as raw material costs, which have plagued the industry, also ease. FILE PHOTO: A Heinz Ketchup bottle sits between a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese and a bottle of Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce on a grocery store shelf in New York March 25, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoShares of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese maker were up 3.9% in early trading after it also reported better-than-expected quarterly results. The strong outlook echoes comments from peers PepsiCo Inc and Mondelez, who have also lifted annual forecasts supported by price increases. Excluding one-off items, Kraft Heinz earned 68 cents per share, topping analysts’ estimate of 60 cents per share, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

May 3 (Reuters) - Etsy Inc (ETSY.O) on Wednesday beat market expectations for quarterly revenue, benefiting from demand for products such as personalized gifts offered on its e-commerce platform as well as higher transaction fees, sending the company's shares up about 2% in extended trading. Net revenues rose 10.6% to $640.9 million in the quarter ended March 31, compared with analysts estimate of $622.1 million, as per Refinitiv IBES data. The company forecast second-quarter revenue between $590 million and $640 million, while analysts expected $625.4 million. Etsy's first-quarter adjusted EBITDA, a measure of profitability, came in at $170.3 million, while analysts on average were expecting $166.6 million. Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Block investors may seek clarity on Cash App after Hindenburg report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Manya Saini | Thomson Reuters | Manya Saini Reports On Prominent Publicly Listed U.S. Financial Firms Including Wall Street S Biggest Banks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 3 (Reuters) - Jack Dorsey-led Block Inc's (SQ.N) first-quarter results will likely see investors zoom in on the payments firm's Cash App business following U.S. short-seller Hindenburg Research's allegations including inflated user count. Morgan Stanley analysts in April said that some bearish investors remain uncertain about the amount of gross profit that is generated by "potential illicit activity" on the Cash App platform. "Eventually, bears suspect a meaningful amount of gross profit might come under pressure if regulators crack down on Cash App, and also think this makes it hard to accept that Cash App can be a legitimate, trusted bank in the long-term," they added. Block has touted Cash App as an alternative to traditional banking services. Cash App reported 51 million monthly active customers as of Dec. 31, of which 44 million were verified.

☆ Restaurant Brands beats quarterly estimates on higher pricing, traffic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International Inc (QSR.TO) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue and profit on Tuesday, boosted by higher prices and increased traffic at its Burger King and Tim Hortons chains. Restaurant Brands' Burger King chain has been able to attract younger customers to its restaurants through a newly released viral "Whopper Whopper" jingle. Restaurant Brands in February named its chief operating officer, Joshua Kobza, as CEO in a turnaround plan for its struggling Burger King brand. According to location analytics firm Placer.ai, Burger King saw positive week-over-week visit growth for the majority of weeks since January 2023. Excluding items, Restaurant Brands earned 75 cents per share, compared with estimates of 64 cents, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ Lazard reports surprise loss on dealmaking slump, cuts jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company also warned of an uncertain outlook for the year and said it would eliminate around 10% of its workforce in 2023, which could result in additional costs of around $95 million. M&A volumes nearly halved in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to data from Dealogic. "Slower M&A activity resulted in significantly lower revenues in the quarter and the outlook for the year remains uncertain," said Lazard CEO Kenneth Jacobs. On an adjusted basis, Lazard reported a loss of $23 million, or 26 cents per share, compared with a profit of $115 million, or $1.05 per share, a year earlier. Analysts had expected a profit of 26 cents per share, as per Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ Lazard reports loss as dealmaking slumps, cuts jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 28 (Reuters) - Lazard Ltd (LAZ.N) on Friday reported a loss in the first quarter as sluggish dealmaking due to economic uncertainty, exacerbated by the banking crisis last month, eroded the investment bank's fees. Its cost-saving measures resulted in a $21 million charge in the first quarter. Global dealmaking activity shrank to its lowest level in more than a decade in the first quarter, with M&A volumes nearly halving from a year earlier, according to data from Dealogic. As a result, Lazard's operating revenue from its financial advisory business fell 29% to $274 million in the first quarter. "Slower M&A activity resulted in significantly lower revenues in the quarter and the outlook for the year remains uncertain," said Kenneth Jacobs, the company's chief executive.

☆ India's Axis Bank reports wider-than-expected Q4 loss on Citi deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Axis reported a loss of 57.28 billion rupees ($700.1 million) for the three months ended March 31, compared to a profit of 41.18 billion rupees a year earlier. Analysts had forecast the bank to report a loss of 8.06 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. It reported a standalone operating profit, which excludes provisions and contingencies, of 91.68 billion rupees, compared to 64.66 billion rupees a year earlier. The bank's net interest income, the difference between interest earned and expended, grew 33% to 117.42 billion rupees. Provision and contingencies for the quarter stood at 3.06 billion rupees, down from 9.87 billion rupees a year ago.

☆ Hasbro revenue beats as gaming boost offsets slowing demand for toys
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Hasbro, Inc. logo is seen on a toy for sale in a store in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew KellyApril 27 (Reuters) - Hasbro Inc (HAS.O) topped Wall Street expectations for quarterly revenue on Thursday as players snapped up its "Magic: The Gathering" game sets, helping counter slowing demand for its toys and action figures. Hasbro is also banking on the August release of "Baldur's Gate 3" video game to boost gaming revenue in the third quarter. In contrast, rival Mattel Inc (MAT.O) on Wednesday posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss, pinched by retailers trimming orders for its Barbie and Hot Wheels toys. Hasbro reported net revenue of $1.00 billion in the first quarter, down 14% from a year earlier, but better than analysts' estimates of $878.4 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ Hertz results beat estimates on strong rental car demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 27 (Reuters) - Hertz Global Holdings Inc (HTZ.O) on Thursday beat analyst estimates for quarterly results as more people rented cars to commute to office and travel outstation, sending the company's shares up nearly 4% before the bell. Demand for rentals remains strong as more companies mandate work from office and people resume their travel plans after a long pandemic-induced hiatus. "Hertz reported better-than-expected results as they continue to benefit from strong consumer demand for travel and the ongoing recovery in business travel," said Tigress Financial Partners analyst Ivan Feinseth. The company posted an adjusted quarterly net income of 39 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31, compared with Refinitiv IBES estimates of 21 cents. It, however, struggled with costlier maintenance and labor charges to keep its fleet on the road.

☆ Mastercard profit beats estimates as consumers weather tough economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gross dollar volumes, a metric that represents the total dollar value of all transactions processed by Mastercard, rose 15% on a local currency basis to $2.1 trillion. Pent-up demand from consumers tired of lockdowns also helped, driving a 35% surge in Mastercard's cross-border volumes - a gauge of travel demand that tracks spending on cards beyond the country of its issue. Earlier this week, Visa (V.N) beat profit estimates and bet on sustained growth at its payments business. Mastercard's total operating expenses on an adjusted basis rose 10% to $2.4 billion in the first quarter ended March 31. On an adjusted basis, Mastercard earned $2.80 in the quarter, sailing past Wall Street estimates of $2.72 per share, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ AbbVie's weak newer drug sales fan worries as Humira faces rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 27 (Reuters) - AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N) on Thursday missed quarterly revenue estimates for its newer treatments, fueling concerns over the drugmaker's attempts to cushion the blow to sales from blockbuster Humira losing patent exclusivity. The company's shares tumbled 6% in premarket trade as investors shrugged off a raised annual profit forecast. In the first quarter, Humira recorded sales of $3.54 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $3.58 billion. That helped Abbvie beat sales expectations. AbbVie had trimmed its full-year profit expectations earlier this month by 8 cents, citing a $150 million hit from acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D) and milestone expenses.

☆ India's LTIMindtree posts Q4 profit miss as costs rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, April 27 (Reuters) - India's LTIMindtree (LTIM.NS) reported a lower-than-expected fourth quarter profit on Thursday as expenses rose and margins shrank, while the industry grappled with falling client budgets and worries of a upcoming recession in the United States. The IT services and consulting firm's consolidated net profit came in at 11.14 billion rupees ($136.18 million) for the three months ended March 31, compared to 11.09 billion rupees year ago. Analysts, on an average were expecting a profit of 11.97 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Bigger rival Wipro Ltd (WIPR.NS) forecast weak IT services revenue, while Tech Mahindra Ltd (TEML.NS) reported a slump in profits. Revenue from operations rose 22% to 86.91 billion rupees.

☆ Mobileye lowers annual revenue forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 27 (Reuters) - Mobileye Global Inc (MBLY.O) on Thursday lowered its forecast for annual revenue, hurt by increasing competition from start-ups as well as automakers developing their own driver-assistance products. The autonomous driving technology company now expects revenue to range between $2.07 billion and $2.11 billion from $2.19 billion and $2.28 billion estimated previously. The timeline for autonomous vehicle deployment due to tough regulatory scrutiny and delayed commercial adoption of the technology has also left investors worried. Mobileye, however, posted revenue of $458 million in the first quarter, compared with analysts' estimates of $454.7 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Reporting by Yamini Kalia and Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'SouzaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Microsoft shares rallied 7.2% following upbeat quarterly earnings and sales, including of robust artificial intelligence products. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 228.96 points, or 0.68%, to 33,301.87; and the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 15.64 points, or 0.38%, at 4,055.99. The S&P 500 technology index (.SPLRCT) was the sole gainer among the benchmark's 11 major industry sectors, adding 1.7%. Of the 163 S&P 500 companies that reported first-quarter profit through Wednesday morning, 79.8% topped analysts' expectations, as per Refinitiv IBES data. It helped push the S&P 500 bank index (.SPXBK) down 1.4% on the day.

SummarySummary Companies Microsoft up as quarterly results top estimatesAlphabet gains on buyback plans, ad sales beatActivision Blizzard down as UK blocks Microsoft dealIndexes: Dow slips 0.01%, S&P up 0.30%, Nasdaq climbs 1.23%April 26 (Reuters) - The tech-heavy Nasdaq advanced on Wednesday as strong results from Microsoft and Alphabet offset concerns over rising interest rates and their effect on the U.S. economy. Earnings forecasts have improved, with analysts expecting a 3.2% contraction in first-quarter profit for S&P 500 companies compared with a 5.2% decline estimated at the start of the earnings season. Of the 163 S&P 500 companies that reported first-quarter profit through Wednesday, 79.8% topped analysts' expectations, as per Refinitiv IBES data. PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) gained 14.2% as the regional lender beat estimates for first-quarter profit and managed to stabilize deposit outflows. The S&P index recorded five new 52-week highs and seven new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 42 new highs and 300 new lows.

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