SAN FRANCISCO – Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trading in Thursday's session are Adobe Systems Inc., Bear Stearns Cos., and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Adobe Systems (ADBE) is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 35 cents a share, according to a survey of analysts by Thomson Financial.
Bear Stearns (BSC) is expected to post earnings of $3.50 a share for the second quarter.
Del Monte Foods Co. (DLM) is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 22 cents a share.
Enersys Inc. (ENS) is expected to post earnings of 19 cents a share for the fourth quarter.
Global Crossing Ltd. (GLBC) is expected to report a second-quarter loss of $2.44 a share.
Goldman Sachs (GS) is expected to post earnings of $4.79 a share for the second quarter.
Somanetics Corp. (SMTS) is expected to report second-quarter earnings of 14 cents a share.
Late Wednesday, a Food and Drug Administration panel unanimously rejected Acomplia, a weight-loss drug from French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis SA (SNY) , based on safety concerns. See full story.
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CA Inc. (CA) named William McCracken chairman, succeeding Lewis Ranieri, effective immediately. McCracken, founder of Executive Consulting Group LLC, joined the CA board in February 2005. Ranieri, CA's chairman since 2004, will remain a director for the Islandia, N.Y., information-technology-management-software firm.
Capstone Turbine Corp. (CPST) reported a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $8.5 million, or 6 cents a share, versus a net loss of $11.8 million, or 12 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The Chatsworth, Calif.-based maker of microturbine systems said revenue in the quarter ended March 31 fell 23 percent to $5.8 million.
Casey's General Stores Inc.'s (CASY) fiscal fourth-quarter net income climbed 59 percent to $16.6 million, or 33 cents a share, from $10.4 million, or 21 cents a share, a year earlier. Earnings from continuing operations were 36 cents a share. Excluding a one-time benefit from Casey's grocery and other merchandise, earnings from continuing operations were 30 cents a share. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected earnings of 26 cents a share. The Ankeny, Iowa, convenience store operator said revenue for the period ended April 30 grew 14 percent to $1 billion from $883.4 million.
Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) reported the results from its internal review of the company's historical stock option granting practices. Citrix said the review determined that from 1996 until mid-1998, it "followed processes and procedures that likely led to the setting of grant dates retrospectively for many stock options granted to employees and executives." However, the company said it determined that there was no "intentional wrongdoing" by any current executive related to stock option grants and procedures from the period 1996 through 2006. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Citrix previously announced that it plans to restate results from fiscal 2004 and 2005 and for the interim quarterly periods for 2005 and 2006 to reflect the additional non-cash stock-based compensation expense and related tax effects.
Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) said its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose from the period a year earlier. El Segundo, Calif.-based CSC said net income for the quarter ended in March rose to $249.7 million, or $1.42 a share, from $158.8 million, or 84 cents a share a year earlier. Meanwhile revenue rose 4 percent to $4.05 billion. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected $4.09 billion in revenue for the quarter. Late last month CSC delayed filing results for the quarter and year ended in March, to allow time to finalize the company's accounting for tax liabilities. The company said that the impact of recently discovered errors in its accounting from 2000 through 2006 is a "reduction of net income of $22.2 million and $90.7 million for fiscal years 2007 and 2006, respectively," and "earnings-per-share reductions of $0.12 and $0.48 for fiscal years 2007 and 2006, respectively." CSC said it expects earnings for its current, first quarter, excluding certain items of between 65 cents a share and 75 cents a share, and revenue between $3.7 billion and $3.8 billion.
C. R. Bard Inc. (BCR) increased its quarterly dividend 7 percent to 15 cents a share. The dividend is payable on Aug. 3 to shareholders of record as of July 23, the Murray Hill, N.J.-based medical device maker said.
EnerSys (ENS) reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $10.6 million, or 22 cents a share, down 9 percent from $11.7 million, or 25 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The Reading, Pa.-based maker of industrial batteries said that revenue for the three months ended March 31 rose to $413.6 million from $353.2 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had forecast, on average, fourth-quarter earnings of 19 cents a share. Additionally, EnerSys said it expects adjusted per-share earnings for the first quarter to range between 24 cents and 28 cents, excluding an expected charge of $10 million, or about 14 cents a share, from European restructuring actions.
Furniture Brands International Inc. (FBN) expects to post a loss of 3 cents to 7 cents a share in the second quarter, on sales down just under 12 percent. The St. Louis residential furniture company had expected sales to fall 15 percent. On average, analysts expect a loss of 8 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial. The company said business conditions remain challenging. Furniture Brands' shares closed Wednesday up 46 cents, or 3.4 percent, at $14.01.
Hewitt Associates Inc. (HEW) said it plans to consolidate facilities and to exit certain properties as part of its previously announced restructuring. The Lincolnshire, Ill.-based provider of human resources outsourcing and consulting services said it expects to record a pretax charge of between $30 million and $45 million over the next two or three quarters, beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. Additional restructuring and asset impairment charges are likely, related to the continued review of the real-estate portfolio, severance, and the renegotiation of certain contracts, the company noted.
Hoku Scientific Inc.'s (HOKU) materials unit signed a 10-year agreement worth up to $678 million to supply polysilicon to Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP) . Suntech makes photovoltaic cells and modules. The contract provides for an initial deposit of $2 million to Hoku and requires that Suntech make additional prepayments of $45 million. Hoku, which had revenue of $5.37 million in the fiscal year ended March 31, is building a $260 million polysilicon plant in Idaho with annual capacity of 2,000 metric tons. Hoku intends to seek debt capital of $150 million to finance the project.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) has agreed to move major operations to the World Trade Center site, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site, citing people familiar with the matter. The agreement may also include the relocation of the financial firm's headquarters, the Journal reported. In its agreement with the site's owner, the government Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, J.P. Morgan will take over development of Tower 5, the smallest of the five planned office buildings that will replace the Twin Towers, the report said. The company will pay around $300 million in exchange for a long-term lease and right to build and occupy the skyscraper, the Journal reported. J.P. Morgan's current headquarters are located on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
Ryland Group Inc. (RYL) named Larry Nicholson as chief operating officer. Nicholson most recently served as president of Ryland Homes' Southeast region. Ryland is a homebuilder based in Calabasas, Calif.
Spartech Corp. (SEH) reported second-quarter net earnings of $15.7 million, or 49 cents a share, up 13 percent from $13.9 million, or 42 cents a share, during the year-ago period. The engineering firm posted revenue of $377.4 million vs. $389.3 million. Additionally, Spartech said it still expects fiscal 2007 per-share earnings of $1.55 to $1.62 a share, before the impact of special items.
Steel Dynamics Inc. (STLD) said it has agreed to acquire The Techs, a flat-rolled-steel galvanizing company based in Pennsylvania, for $360 million. The company includes three hot-dip galvanizing facilities: GalvTech, MetalTech, and NexTech. Steel Dynamics, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Ind., said it expects the transaction to close by July 2.
TomoTherapy Inc. (TTPY) swung to a fiscal first-quarter profit of $3.89 million from a year-earlier loss of $1.53 million. On a per-share basis, after preferred stock accretion, the company's loss widened to $12.12 from $1.22. Excluding the preferred stock accretion, earnings were 9 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier loss of 4 cents a share. The Madison, Wis., medical device company's revenue grew 86 percent to $51.2 million, from $27.5 million in the year-earlier period ended March 31. TomoTherapy forecasts fiscal 2007 income of 15 cents to 20 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $210 million to $220 million.
United Technologies Corp. (UTX) said it is raising its quarterly dividend 21 percent to 32 cents a share. The dividend is payable Sept. 10 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 17. Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies is a provider of products and services to the aerospace and building industries.
Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. (WPI) said the Food And Drug Administration gave final approval to its 300-milligtam bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets, a generic for GlaxoSmithKine PLC's (GSK) Wellbutrin XL. The Corona, Calif., pharmaceutical company said it plans to launch the drug immediately.
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