Lancaster Colony (LANC) Reports Q2 EPS Of $1.08 Vs. $0.74 Last Year.

Halliburton Co. (HAL) reported fourth quarter income from continuing operations of $183 million, or $0.41 per share, compared to $146 million or $0.34 per share in the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial expected the company to earn $0.48 per share for the quarter.

Quarterly revenues recorded by the company declined 5% to $5.2 billion from $5.5 billion in the year-ago quarter. WallStreet analysts had revenue consensus of $4.73 billion for the quarter.

Friday before the bell, biotechnology company Neurobiological Technologies Inc. (NTII) announced the fast-track status granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Viprinex for its intended use in patients suffering from ischemic stroke.

The company said that Viprinex, an investigational drug, is under development for decreasing disability in patients with acute non-hemorrhagic stroke, when treated within 6 hours of symptoms.

Viprinex was earlier studied in approximately 2,000 patients in various clinical studies in the U.S. and Europe, Neurobiological Technologies noted.

The fast-track designation provides for expedited regulatory review for new drug candidates demonstrating the potential to address unmet medical needs for the treatment of serious or life-threatening conditions.

NTII closed Thursday's regular trading session at $3.80.

Friday, First Albany downgraded shares of Guidant Corp. (GDT) to Neutral from Buy, given the company's pending merger with Johnson & Johnson, Inc. (JNJ). The brokerage indicated that the company would merge with Johnson & Johnson for $76 per share or $25.4 billion, with the closure of the deal expected by the third quarter of 2005.

Analyst Jason Mills noted that the company's 2004 sales at $968.2 million exceeded his estimate of $949.4 million. With regard to the specific products, the analyst noted that high power CRM came in-line with expectations, while emerging therapy and coronary stent sales exceeded expectations. Pressured by a shift in mix towards high power CRM, the analyst noted that low power CRM came in below his estimates.

The analyst further elaborated that the company's high power CRM grew by 18% worldwide and 15% in the U.S., although below market expectations due to St. Jude Medical, Inc.'s (STJ) entry into the CRT-D segment in July.

In the foreseeable future, the analyst expects robust growth in excess of 20%. In terms of margin growth, the analyst noted that gross margins were ahead of expectations and also up sequentially, while operating margins were in-line with his expectations.

Aided by strong sales and lower R&D expenditure, the analyst noted that the company's earnings of $0.70 per share beat his estimate by $0.02. As such, the analyst increased his price target for Guidant to $76 from $69 to reflect the per share valuation of the Johnson & Johnson acquisition offer. That said, the analyst cautioned that any hitch to culmination of the planned merger would act as significant risk to his price target.

On Thursday, the stock closed at $72.

Friday before the bell, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), an oil and gas exploration and production company, reported higher fourth quarter net income, including charges, on revenues that rose from last year.

Net income, including charges, for the quarter was reported at $405 million or $1.64 per share, compared to $294 million or $1.17 per share in the year-ago quarter. On average, 29 analysts polled by First Call/ Thomson Financial estimated earnings for the quarter at $1.86 per share.

The charges for the fourth quarter of 2004 includes an impairment in Qatar, certain legal settlements and charges related to the implementation of the refocused strategy, which amounted to a fall of $96 million after taxes, or $0.39 per share. For the fourth quarter of 2003, net income included $32 million after taxes or $0.13 per share, associated with a decline in Canadian tax rates offset partly by impairments and restructuring costs.

Quarterly sales were recorded at $1.6 billion, compared to $1.2 billion in the corresponding quarter last year. Sales volume during the quarter was 46 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), compared to 49 million BOE in 2003.

The Houston-based company registered cash flow from operations, before changes in assets and liabilities, for the fourth quarter of 2004 of $1.03 billion, in comparison with $728 million in the prior year quarter.

For the full year 2004, Anadarko Petroleum registered net income, including items, of $1.6 billion or $6.36 per share, increasing from net income of $1.29 billion or $5.09 per share in the previous year. 29 analysts had a consensus earnings estimate of $6.92 per share for 2004.

Fiscal 2004 revenues climbed to $6.09 billion from revenues of $5.12 billion in fiscal 2003. Sales volumes of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids for 2004 were 190 million BOE, declining from 192 million BOE in 2003.

The company has also raised quarterly dividend 29% to $0.18 per share, payable on March 23, 2005, to stockholders of record on March 9, 2005.

APC closed Thursday's regular trading session at $65.76.

Triumph Group Inc. (TGI) reported third quarter income from continuing operations of $3.9 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to $2.6 million, or $0.17 per share, for the same period last year. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial expected the company to earn $0.39 per share for the quarter.

Net sales from continuing operations for the third quarter of fiscal 2005 totaled $171.3 million, an increase of 17% over $146.8 million last year. WallStreet analysts had revenue consensus of $172.48 million for the quarter.

Woodhead Industries Inc. (WDHD), reported net income for fiscal 2005 first quarter of $1.2 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.1 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, reported for the same period last year.

On average, 3 analysts polled by First Call / Thomson Financial expected the company to report earnings of $0.11 per share for the quarter.

Total revenues for the fiscal 2005 first quarter were $48.7 million, up 8% from $45.1 million in fiscal 2004 first quarter.

Looking forward, the company expects to report earnings of $0.12 per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2005, on anticipated revenues of about $57 million. 

For fiscal 2005, the company expects to report earnings in the range of $0.70 to $0.72 per share, on anticipated total revenues of about $226 million.

Friday, First Albany initiated coverage of Motive Inc. (MOTV) with a Buy rating and set a price target of $14. Analyst Scott Zeller the stock is attractive at these levels and said the company is most closely identified with its use as software for self-service automation in the broadband market for DSL and cable subscribers.

The analyst sees positive catalysts like solid 2004-Q4, fragmented broadband market with good growth opportunities, company's term licensing model providing above-average revenue visibility better sales execution and marketing versus competition and attractive valuations.

Accordingly, the brokerage estimates 2005 earnings per share at $0.34. On Thursday the stock closed at $10.30.

We alerted readers at 12:22 that Procter & Gamble (PG) had agreed to acquire Gillette Co. (G) for around $57 billion. Under the terms of the deal, P&G will swap 0.975 share of its stock for each Gillette share. Gillette is now up 5.45 on 113K shares Friday morning on Instinet, but Procter & Gamble is down 1.83 on 13K shares.

Gillette Co. climbed to the upside in the later half of Thursday morning and rose further going into the close, to finish up by 0.85 at $45.85. The stock rose above a 6-week range and closed at a new high for the year.

T.Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW) reported its fourth quarter net income of $97 million or $0.71 per share, compared to $69 million or $0.53 per share in the same quarter last year. Analysts expected $0.66 per share.

Net revenues for the quarter increased to $345 million from $281 million in the year-ago quarter. analysts anticipated $337.54 million.

Wachovia Securities Is Increasing CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX) 2005 Estimate To 3.12 From 2.85

Archer Daniels Midland reported net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2004, including charges, of $314 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to net income of $221 million, or $0.34 per diluted share, reported for the same quarter last year.

Net income for the quarter includes a gain of $45 million, or $0.07 per share, the company stated.  Analysts expected the company to report earnings of $0.39 per share for the quarter.

Net sales and other operating income for the quarter decreased 1% to $9.06 billion from $9.19 billion reported for the prior year quarter.

IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (IDXX) posted net income for the fourth quarter at $16.9 million or $0.49 per share, compared to net income of $12.4 million or $0.34 per share in the prior year quarter.

On average, 4 analysts polled by First Call/ Thomson Financial estimated earnings for the quarter at $0.48 per share.

Fourth quarter revenues were up 16% to $144.3 million from $124.8 million in the previous quarter last year.

Looking ahead, the company expects full year 2005 earnings to be in the range of $2.20 to $2.25 per share, on revenues of $630 to $640 million.

Boas News,

Acho uma excelente iniciativa.

Quanto ao cheque, não tem problema ser um cheque pré-datado para 20/12/2045 ? ... só para nos organizarmos melhor aqui em caixa ?

um abraço,

Já agora uma sugestão, se vais fazer isto todos os dias, o titulo inicial do topico podia ser qualquer coisa como:

Noticias USA  [28/01/2005]

um abraço,