4:16PM Career Education beats by $0.18, reports revs in-line (CECO) 19.66 -2.15 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.38 per share, $0.18 better than the First Call consensus of $0.20; revenues fell 5.2% year/year to $431.8 mln vs the $435.5 mln consensus. Total student population was up 1% from 2007 to 98,000 students, Total online population was up 14% from 2007 to 36,300. Co says, "2008 was a year of progress for our organization and I am proud of our results. We exceeded our 2008 earnings and cash flow objectives while executing on our fundamental strategy of positioning the company to deliver our previously communicated 2010 milestones. We entered 2009 in a very strong financial position and will continue to invest in and improve our operating model with a heightened emphasis on generating greater revenue growth."
4:15PM Sup Energy Svcs beats by $0.10, beats on revs (SPN) 14.98 +0.31 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $1.09 per share, $0.10 better than the First Call consensus of $0.99; revenues rose 18.8% year/year to $491.8 mln vs the $482.1 mln consensus. Excluding the items impacting general and administrative expenses and earnings from equity-method investments, and applying the new effective income tax rate of 35.25%, fourth quarter adjusted net income was $85.9 million, or $1.10 adjusted diluted earnings per share. "In response to changing market conditions, our 2009 capital expenditures budget is $272 million, a 40% reduction as compared with $454 million in 2008. Our capital expenditures plan can be adjusted based on market factors. Despite anticipated lower activity in domestic land markets, we believe we can maintain market share for production-related services, given our investments in new coiled tubing and cased hole wireline equipment during the past two years."
4:09PM Red Robin Gourmet beats by $0.10, beats on revs (RRGB) 13.16 +0.16 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.43 per share, excluding $0.05 of charges for asset impairment, $0.10 better than the First Call consensus of $0.33; revenues rose 8.1% year/year to $198.6 mln vs the $196.3 mln consensus. The Company currently expects that traffic will remain negative in fiscal year 2009. In addition to the general macro economic pressures, the extent of the traffic declines may also be influenced by prior-year marketing activities, which create more difficult comparisons during certain periods. The Company also expects certain costs, such as minimum wage increases and select commodity cost increases, to continue to put pressure on restaurant-level profitability. Based on these factors, the Company currently anticipates that without any menu price increases, restaurant-level operating margins could decline by 50 to 100 basis points during fiscal year 2009, even after considering the benefit from reduced national advertising contributions and other cost reduction activities.
4:09PM Century Aluminum misses by $0.07, reports revs in-line (CENX) 2.87 -0.30 : Reports Q4 (Dec) loss of $0.54 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.07 worse thanthe First Call consensus of ($0.47); revenues fell 6.9% year/year to $402.2 mln vs the $402.9 mln consensus. Co says, "We continue to believe the factors supporting the long-term growth of aluminum demand remain in place. We expect that Century's improved liquidity and streamlined cost position will enable us to weather the current global financial crisis and prepare the co for renewed profitable growth once aluminum markets stabilize and recover. We have further options to enhance both our cost position and liquidity, and will implement them as appropriate to protect the long-term value of the co."
4:04PM Wright Medical beats by $0.10, reports revs in-line; guides Q1 EPS above consensus, revs below consensus; lowers FY09 guidance (WMGI) : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.31 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.10 better than the First Call consensus of $0.21; revenues rose 16.4% year/year to $120.1 mln vs the $119.8 mln consensus. Co issues mixed guidance for Q1, sees EPS of $0.17-0.19 vs. $0.16 consensus; sees Q1 revs of $120-123 mln vs. $128.04 mln consensus. Co issues mixed guidance for FY09, sees EPS of $0.85-0.92 vs. $0.75 consensus (down from prior guidance of $0.96-1.02); sees FY09 revs of $500-510 mln vs. $515.11 mln consensus (down from prior guidance of $510-520 mln)
9:03AM Copa Holdings beats by $0.08, beats on revs (CPA) 29.49 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $1.20 per share, $0.08 better than the First Call consensus of $1.12; revenues rose 21.6% year/year to $346.1 mln vs the $339.8 mln consensus.
8:51AM Apache misses by $0.44, misses on revs (APA) 67.09 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.82 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.44 worse than the First Call consensus of $1.26; revenues fell 35.8% year/year to $1.94 bln vs the $2.22 bln consensus. Co says, "With a number of development projects coming on line in the first half of 2009, we are projecting production growth of 6 to 14% in 2009, depending on capital availability. We are striving to keep our discretionary spending in line with 2009 cash flow to retain our financial flexibility." In 2008, production declined 5% to 534,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day as a result of the June 3 pipeline explosion and fire at APA's Varanus Island hub offshore Western Australia as well as the impact of two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Had those events not occurred, 2008 production would have increased 2%. APA produced 1.6 bln cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas and 265,000 barrels of liquid hydrocarbons per day in 2008, compared with 1.8 Bcf and 262,000 barrels per day in 2007. In Q4, Apache produced 1.5 Bcf of gas per day and 262,000 barrels of liquid hydrocarbons per day. Apache replaced 122% of production in 2008, including 118% through drilling.
8:39AM XTO Energy misses by $0.10, misses on revs (XTO) 34.36 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.68 per share, $0.10 worse than the First Call consensus of $0.78; revenues rose 23.3% year/year to $1.96 bln vs the $2.06 bln consensus. Fourth quarter daily gas production averaged 2.17 billion cubic feet (Bcf), up 30% from fourth quarter 2007 daily production of 1.67 Bcf. Daily oil production for the fourth quarter was 63.5 thousand barrels, a 30% increase from the fourth quarter 2007 level of 48.8 thousand barrels. During the fourth quarter, natural gas liquids production was 15.4 thousand barrels per day, a 7% increase from the fourth quarter 2007 rate of 14.5 thousand barrels per day. "Looking ahead, we have hedged 80% of projected production volumes at an equivalent price of about $10.70 per Mcfe to protect our financial returns in 2009. Given these commodity hedges and even with the current price environment, we anticipate another record year of cash flow generation. Our capital budget of $3.2 billion is designed to deliver efficient growth of 14% for the year, while building the infrastructure needed for the future." The Company is targeting annual production growth of 14% for 2009.
8:36AM Goldcorp beats by $0.01, misses on revs (GG) 32.56 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.12 per share, $0.01 better than the First Call consensus of $0.11; revenues fell 10.4% year/year to $609 mln vs the $626.9 mln consensus.
8:31AM Gamestop narrows JanQ guidance to high end; guides FY09 above consensus (GME) 24.87 : GameStop is narrowing its previously announced Q4 (Jan) EPS guidance to the high-end of the previous range. EPS is now expected to range from $1.33-1.34 vs consensus of $1.33. For the first time in the company's history, quarterly sales exceeded $3 bln as total sales were $3.5 bln vs consensus of $3.46 bln. Co expects to outperform the retail sector again in FY09 despite the global recession. Co projects 2009 growth as follows: Revs up 10-12% which computes to $9.68-9.86 bln vs consensus of $9.67 bln. Co expects EPS to rise 18-22%, which computes to approx $2.83-2.92 vs consensus of $2.77.
7:37AM Pride Intl beats by $0.08, misses on revs (PDE) 15.78 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $1.13 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.08 better than the First Call consensus of $1.05; revenues rose 28.9% year/year to $621.6 mln vs the $630.6 mln consensus. "Pride International is well-positioned to successfully operate in this more difficult offshore business climate. Our revenue backlog, currently $8.6 billion, excluding performance bonus opportunities, is expected to provide annual revenues of between $1.5 and $2.0 billion for each of the next four years. In addition, our capital structure remains strong, and we have only nominal debt maturities of approximately $30 million in each of the next three years. With our business transformation nearly complete, we will continue positioning the company as a unique offshore drilling choice for investors with an increasing emphasis in deepwater." Although the urgency by some customers to contract deepwater rigs has diminished in early 2009, primarily due to the difficult global economic environment, which has contributed to the abrupt decline in crude oil prices since mid 2008, deepwater activity is expected to remain healthy.
7:34AM Diana Shipping reports EPS in-line, beats on revs (DSX) 13.63 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.72 per share, in-line with the First Call consensus of $0.72; revenues rose 43.1% year/year to $84.3 mln vs the $81.9 mln consensus. Co attributes increase in revenues to an increase in prevailing time charter rates and the increase in operating days due to the enlargement of the Company's fleet. "In a challenging economic environment, Diana Shipping achieved solid growth in revenues and earnings for the fourth quarter and full year 2008. While business conditions remain unsettled, we are well-positioned to operate our business successfully and to seize upon opportunities that may emerge in the coming year. We have cultivated and expanded our relationships with some of the strongest charterers in the industry. Our balance sheet is healthy and not over-leveraged. And our young, efficient fleet provides a significant competitive advantage. We believe the current dislocations in the dry bulk marketplace will offer many opportunities for companies with good revenue visibility, strong capital and liquidity, and management teams with a disciplined approach to managing risk and creating value. We fully intend to take advantage of those opportunities for the long-term benefit of our shareholders."
7:33AM Noble Energy beats by $0.12 (NBL) 48.64 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.91 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.12 better than the First Call consensus of $0.79; revenues fell 37.8% year/year to $573 mln.
7:03AM Conns raises Q4 guidance to a range of $0.66-$0.68 (vs $0.57 consensus), from previous range of $0.53-$0.58 (CONN) 14.05 : Co announces it expects to report diluted EPS, excluding potential fair value and goodwill adjustments, in a range of $0.66-$0.68 (vs $0.57 consensus), which is up from previous range of $0.53-$0.58. This strong performance in the current quarter was driven by a 22.3% increase in net sales, on a 12.5% same store sales gain, as product margins improved as compared to the quarter ended October 31, 2008, and expense leverage improved on the strong sales gains. Driven by the continued volatility in the financial markets, the co expects to record an additional non-cash decrease in the fair value of its interests in securitized assets for the quarter ended January 31, 2009, though the decrease is not expected to be as large as the decrease recorded in the quarter ended October 31, 2008. The co reported that the credit portfolio recovery is progressing very well after experiencing the negative impacts of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, with the portfolio performing in-line with its expectations.
6:36AM Barnes Group beats by $0.08, misses on revs; guides FY09 EPS in-line (B)10.29 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.19 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.08 better than the First Call consensus of $0.11; revenues fell 25.1% year/year to $265.4 mln vs the $282.2 mln consensus. Co issues in-line guidance for FY09, sees EPS of $1.20-1.50 vs. $1.36 consensus. Co says, "Our focus for 2009 is on maximizing cash flow generation by aggressively managing our working capital and improving operating performance in a significantly slower demand environment. We will continue to carefully fund lean enterprise activities and seek opportunities to leverage existing capabilities to meet the needs of our customers and position our businesses for long-term sustainable growth. We believe that our diversified portfolio of businesses, strong balance sheet, and our recent cost-saving actions position the co to manage through these challenging economic times."
6:13AM Hornbeck Offshore beats by $0.26, beats on revs; guides FY09 EPS below consensus (HOS) 14.01 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $1.31 per share, $0.26 better thanthe First Call consensus of $1.05; revenues rose 19.7% year/year to $121 mln vs the $114.9 mln consensus. Co issues downside guidance for FY09, sees EPS of $3.50-$3.97 vs. $4.06 consensus. Primary reasons for the increase in revenues, operating income, net income and EBITDA were the incremental contribution of vessels added to the co's fleet in 2008, continued favorable market conditions for new generation offshore supply vessels and a full-quarter contribution from the HOS Achiever, the co's first multi-purpose support vessel that was placed in service in October 2008.
6:04AM Newmont Mining beats by $0.01, misses on revs (NEM) 42.76 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.26 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.01 better than the First Call consensus of $0.25; revenues fell 4.8% year/year to $1.34 bln vs the $1.42 bln consensus. Co said, "We are pleased with the strong financial results for the fourth quarter and for 2008. These results, combined with the operating results previously announced, continue to demonstrate our commitment to consistently delivering on our plans. In the first part of 2009, we secured $1.7 billion in additional liquidity to improve our financial flexibility and to purchase the remaining 33.33% interest in Boddington, thereby giving Newmont full access to one of the largest gold projects in the world. We are excited about Boddington's potential and look forward to capitalizing on this unique opportunity. As we turn our attention to 2009, our focus remains on operational and project execution, as well as disciplined capital investments."
1:46AM O'Reilly Auto beats by $0.07, beats on revs; guides Q1 EPS in-line; guides FY09 EPS above consensus (ORLY) 27.74 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.37 per share, excluding acquisition-related charges, $0.07 better than the First Call consensus of $0.30; revenues rose 84.5% year/year to $1.11 bln vs the $1.05 bln consensus. Co issues in-line guidance for Q1, sees EPS of 0.36-0.40, excluding non-recurring items, vs. $0.40 consensus. Co issues upside guidance for FY09, sees EPS of $1.83-1.87, excluding non-recurring items, vs. $1.79 consensus. Comparable store sales for O'Reilly stores open at least one year increased 6.2% and 2.6% for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2008, respectively. Comparable store sales for CSK stores open at least one year increased 0.8% for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2008, and decreased 1.7% for the portion of CSK's sales in 2008 since the July 11 acquisition. Consolidated comparable store sales for stores open at least one year increased 4.0% and 1.5% for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2008, respectively. Co forecasts consolidated comparable store sales for Q109 and FY09 to increase 2.0-4.0% and 2.0-4.0%, respectively.
12:38AM McCormick reaffirms FY09 EPS guidance (MKC) 30.80 : Co reaffirms guidance for FY09 (Nov), sees EPS of $2.24-2.28, includes impact of charges form restructuring program which are estimated to be $0.05 in FY09 and may not be comparable to $2.30 First Call consensus. On a comparable basis, excluding the impact of restructuring charges and unusual items, this is an increase of 7 to 9% versus 2008.
12:33AM Navios Maritime misses by $0.07, beats on revs (NM) 3.10 : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $0.03 per share, excluding non-recurring items, $0.07 worse than the First Call consensus of $0.10; revenues fell 30.9% year/year to $213.2 mln vs the $210.3 mln consensus.
