Headline News

Rite Aid Corporation (RAD)

Rite Aid Quarterly Loss Narrows

Rite Aid said it posted a third quarter loss of $83.9 million, or 10 cents a share, compared with a prior-year loss of $243.1 million, or 30 cents a share. Revenue declined 1.8% to $6.35 billion primarily because of store closings and a drop in front-of-the-store sales.
The loss was smaller than analysts had expected.

Dec 17 · 11:41:00 AM · Source: Company News
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by Larry Etter

General Mills (GIS)

General Mills Fiscal Q2 Earnings, Future View Up

Cereal maker General Mills said its fiscal second quarter profit rose to $565.5 million, or $1.66 a share, from $378.2 million, or $1.09 a share, a year earlier. Excluding a gain from commodity hedges, earnings were $1.54 a share. Sales rose 1.7 percent to $4.08 billion as a 4 percent increase in the U.S. retail segment, the company's largest business, helped offset a 16 percent decline in the bakeries and food service unit.
Earnings were above analyst expectations.

Dec 17 · 11:04:00 AM · Source: Company News
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by Larry Etter

Costco (COST)

Costco Reports Flat Earnings, $.60 Per Share

Costco reported for the 1st-quarter 2010 earnings of $266 million, or $.60 per share, on sales of $17.3 billion. That compares to the prior year earnings of $263 million, or $.60 per share, on sales of $16.92 billion.
Same-store sales rose 3 percent, which is encouraging. However, much of that increase was from overseas and was helped by the weaker dollar.

Dec 10 · 9:23:00 PM · Source: NY Times
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by Rich Pike

Philip Morris (PM)

Philip Morris Intl Declares Dividend

Philip Morris Intl declared a regular quarterly dividend in the amount of $.58 per share payable January 11, 2010 to shareholders of record on December 28, 2009, ex-dividend date December 23, 2009.
At today's $48.88 stock price the dividend yield is 4.75%.

Dec 9 · 1:06:00 PM
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by Rich Pike

Procter & Gamble (PG)

P&G Chairman Lafley to Retire in January

Proctor & Gamble announced that A.J. Lafley will step down as chairman effective Jan 1, to be replaced by his CEO successor, Bob McDonald. McDonald took over as CEO in July. Lafley, who took over amid profit warnings and diving stock prices in June 2000, helped right P&G by emphasizing innovation and a "consumer is boss" focus, which included spending more time in personal observation and interviews with consumers.
McDonald took over with P&G sales struggling in the recession, but the company turned in better-than-expected first-quarter results in October and forecast a better outlook for the full year. McDonald has pledged to aggressively win back market share from lower-priced competitors and store brands; P&G has cut prices across its broad portfolio, stepped up advertising focused on offering value, and added both cheap versions of its products and new premium-priced items.

Dec 8 · 8:33:00 PM · Source: Yahoo Finance
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by Rich Pike

Reynolds American (RAI)

Reynolds offers buyouts to manufacturing workers

Townhall.com is reporting that Reynolds is offering buyouts to about 1,800 workers at its North Carolina factories to cut costs. Reynolds spokeswoman Jan Smith says there are other productivity improvements and cuts it could make in manufacturing, depending how many employees take the buyout, which includes severance pay.
Here is another sign that the unemployment rate is going to have trouble improving as another company announces plans to cut back. In the long run this is good for Reynolds' stock as they make sure they reduce costs as much as possible considering cigarette sales are declining.

Dec 4 · 3:45:00 PM · Source: Townhall.com
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by Rich Pike

Reynolds American (RAI)

Reynolds American Shares Up on Analyst Upgrade

Shares of cigarette maker Reynolds American Inc. rose Friday after Citigroup analyst Adam Spielman upgraded the stock to a "Buy" based on projections of profit and dividend growth. The analyst raised his target price on the stock to $59.
Reynolds American, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., is the second-biggest U.S. cigarette maker after Marlboro-maker Altria Group Inc. Reynolds makes brands such as Camel, Kool, Misty, Capri and others.

Dec 4 · 3:07:00 PM · Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer
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by Rich Pike

Kraft Foods (KFT)

Kraft takes $16.3B offer to Cadbury shareholders

Kraft Foods Inc. took its $16.3 billion hostile takeover offer for Cadbury PLC straight to shareholders of the British candy company on Friday. Under British regulations, Cadbury has two weeks to give a formal response to the offer before shareholders. "We remain confident that the unique combination of Kraft Foods and Cadbury would create a significant growth opportunity for both businesses," Kraft CEO and Chairman Irene Rosenfeld said in a statement. "That's why we believe this offer is in the best interest of both companies' shareholders."
If Kraft is successful, the deal would create a global giant with an estimated $50 billion in combined revenue. Kraft already is the world's second-largest food maker after Nestle. Cadbury is an attractive acquisition. It is one of the world's largest confectionary companies and has strong international reach, with a key presence in emerging markets.

Dec 4 · 2:25:00 PM · Source: Yahoo Finance
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by Rich Pike

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