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

• Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) shares rose after it reaffirmed its full-year earnings and sales outlook.
• Automatic Data Processing Inc. (NASDAQ: ADP) will have low double-digit EPS growth, predicts one analyst.
• AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) posted a decline in earnings but a small rise in sales, sending shares lower.
• Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings and higher revenue.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) rallied to a new 52-week high after topping analysts' Q2 earnings expectations.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) reported better-than-expected Q3 results and raised its full-year guidance.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ...

Earnings highlights: AutoZone, Carnival, CarMax, ConAgra, General Mills, RIM ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading What keeps Carnival execs awake on the high seas?

What keeps Carnival execs awake on the high seas? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shares of cruise ship operator Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) are soaring today after the company posted better than expected earnings for its fiscal third quarter.

As we noted Monday in our earnings preview, analysts had been expecting the company to show earnings of $1.18 per share for the quarter, but Carnival easily beat out those estimates with a reported $1.33 per share.

Continue reading Carnival Corp. sails on strong earnings

Carnival Corp. sails on strong earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Carnival Corporation third quarter earnings preview

Carnival Corporation third quarter earnings preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Short City Update: Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean: all stopped out

Short City Update: Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean: all stopped out originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Like a sailboat waiting for a gust of wind, Carnival (NYSE: CCL) hasn't had any means of propulsion lately; in fact, they've been anchored by swine flu and sluggish travel demand," notes value investor Nathan Slaughter.

Nevertheless, in his Half-Priced Stocks, he remains optimisticbullish, noting "Eventually these storm clouds will clear." Here's his bullish long-term outlook for the cruise ship opertor.

"Fortunately, these negatives are macro-level factors, not company-specific issues. All things considered, the world's largest cruise operator is performing admirably in this tepid environment.

Continue reading Carnival (CCL): Clear sailing ahead?

Carnival (CCL): Clear sailing ahead? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) Q2 earnings were in line with expectations but sales beat.
• Best Buy Inc. (NYSE: BBY) beat earnings estimates for Q1, but on horrible metrics, sending shares lower.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) lower Q2 earnings beat expectations and previous guidance, boosting shares.
• CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) Q1 profit and sales dropped, but still beat expectations, sending shares higher.
• Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) posted a smaller-than-expected Q2 net loss and shares rose.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more

Earnings highlights: FedEx, Best Buy, RIM, Adobe, Smucker, Discover and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Both J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) and Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) topped earnings expectations in their respective quarterly reports Thursday, and shares of both ended the day higher.

Smucker said results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended April 30, 2009, included the operations of Folgers Coffee Co. since the completion of the merger in November. Adjusted income per share for the quarter was $1.02, a year-over-year increase of 40%. For the full year, it was $3.77 per share, an increase of 20%.

Continue reading Smucker and Carnival shares rise on earnings beats

Smucker and Carnival shares rise on earnings beats originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: A win that felt too quiet (BRK-A, BAC, CCL, SNDK, SLM, WLP)

Closing Bell: A win that felt too quiet (BRK-A, BAC, CCL, SNDK, SLM, WLP) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Carnival (NYSE: CCL) closed at $23.73. CCL is scheduled to report Q2 EPS on June 18. CCL June 24 straddle is priced at $1.85, July 24 straddle is priced at $3.30. CCL June option implied volatility is at 63, July is at 57; verses its 26-week average of 63, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement after EPS.

CBOE Volatility Index S&P 500 Options (CBOE-VIX) at 28.11; 10-day moving average is 29.40.

ISE Sentiment Index-ISEE closed at 125 on 6/11/09. ISEE 10-day moving average is 130.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Options Update: Carnival June volatility flat into EPS & booking volume originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Swine Flu outbreak keeps chugging along as the number of people affected rises.

Shares of all travel-related companies have been sickened by the threat of a really bad pandemic, as opposed to a mild flu with a lot of media hype. And the market concerns can hardly be sneezed at. During the hellish Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, when tens of millions died, the bug circumnavigated the globe once in a milder form before mutating into the more virulent and deadly form that killed so many.

Continue reading Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg

Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) ships return to Mexico

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) ships return to Mexico originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Short City: Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises

Short City: Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 May 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Late Tuesday, Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL) reported that it will temporarily cancel all stops in Mexico due to fears surrounding the swine flu. "We have decided to cancel calls at Mexican ports for all current sailings. Additionally, we will cancel calls in Mexico for all voyages departing Thursday, April 30 through Monday, May 4," the cruise line operator said in a statement.

Carnival isn't the only cruise line playing it safe. Sector peer Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) also announced plans to temporarily suspend port calls in Mexico. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended any travel restrictions to halt the swine flu's spread.

Continue reading Carnival Cruise Lines gives Mexico a wide berth on swine flu concerns

Carnival Cruise Lines gives Mexico a wide berth on swine flu concerns originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Accenture Ltd. (NYSE: ACN) said revenues and bookings both declined in the most recent quarter.
• Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) reported strong Q4 results in the wake of Circuit City's demise.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) sailed past analysts' Q1 projections, sending shares higher.
• ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) Q3 results topped analysts expectations and drove shares higher.
• DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) swung to a larger-than-expected Q4 loss and revenue slipped.
• DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) reported a bigger-than-expected Q4 loss as same-store sales declined.

Continue reading Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more

Earnings highlights: Best Buy, Walgreen, Tiffany, Research in Motion, KB Home and more originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Carnival (CCL) lifted by Q1 earnings

Carnival (CCL) lifted by Q1 earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Barclays upgraded Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) to Overweight from Equal Weight. The firm believes Spectra's valuation is attractive and that the dividend is secure.
• Soleil upgraded Sunoco (NYSE: SUN) to Buy from Hold on valuation following the recent pullback and maintains a $45 target on the stock.
  
• Friedman Billings upgraded O'Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ: ORLY) to Outperform from Underperform on valuation and the company's better than expected sales and earnings acceleration. The firm has a $38 target on the stock.
• Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) was removed from Goldman's Conviction Sell List.
  
• Intercontinental Hotels (NYSE: IHG) was raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies.
  
• Valspar (NYSE: VAL) was lifted to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.

Continue reading Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: SUN, DAI, BDX, ITRN ...

Analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations: SUN, DAI, BDX, ITRN ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wednesday, consumer products maker Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) delivered some bad news to investors when it slashed its current quarter profit outlook rather significantly.

It took the Street completely by surprise, and the shares got hammered to the tune of 27%.

Then yesterday, one of the quintessential companies that relies on consumer spending, Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL), announced that it too has lowered its profit guidance for 2009, to a range of $2.25 to $2.75 per share from its previous range of $2.50 to $3 per share.

The company said it expects full-year net revenue yields to fall 6% to 10% on a constant dollar basis compared with previous guidance of a drop of 1% to 5%.

Despite the weak outlook, the shares were up on a day when not much else was rising.

What gives?

Continue reading Carnival: They've got the fun, but no one is buying

Carnival: They've got the fun, but no one is buying originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Before the bell: Futures higher ahead of election; BA, PEP, C, GM, MA, WMT, HAL, MOT, CSIQ ...

Before the bell: Futures higher ahead of election; BA, PEP, C, GM, MA, WMT, HAL, MOT, CSIQ ... originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

• Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) beat earnings expectations for Q3, lifting shares.
• AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) topped Q1 estimates and maintained its full-year guidance.
• Carnival Corp. (NYSE: CCL) reported solid Q3 results that topped analysts' expectations.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) Q1 profits slumped on fuel costs and the economy, but revenues were higher.
• General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS) posted solid Q1 results and lifted its full-year guidance.
• Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) beat Q3 earnings expectations but revenue fell short of estimates.
• K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) reported a loss for Q4 but still beat analysts' expectations.
• Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) reported strong Q3 results, including a rise in same-store sales.
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) posted better-than-expected Q3 results amidst chaos on Wall Street.
• Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) beat Q1 expectations and annouced record operating margin rise.
• Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) reported better-than-expected results even as its net loss widened.

Upcoming quarterly reports include AutoZone (NYSE: AZO), Lennar (NYSE: LEN), Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY), Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE), Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM), and KB Home (NYSE: KBH).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Earnings highlights: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, FedEx, Kroger and others originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.