Visits: 5
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:
Travelers – The insurer reported quarterly profit of $2.54 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $2.26 a share. Revenue also topped Wall Street forecasts. Travelers saw growth in both personal and business insurance, as well as strong retention numbers.
Blackstone – The private-equity firm’s economic net income beat Street forecasts by 2 cents a share at 76 cents per share, while revenue was above estimates, as well. Assets under management surged 18 percent from a year ago to a record $457 billion.
Bank of New York Mellon – The bank beat estimates by 2 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.06 per share. Revenue was below Street projections. The company characterized its revenue growth as only “modest” but added that it is confident it can boost revenue performance.
Danaher – The science and medical technology company beat estimates by 2 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.10 per share. Revenue also came in above forecasts and Danaher raised its full-year forecast.
Textron – The aircraft and defense systems maker reported adjusted profit of 61 cents per share, falling short of the 76 cents a share consensus estimate. Revenue also missed forecasts, on declines in its industrial and systems businesses. Textron gave forward guidance that falls below analysts’ forecasts.
Philip Morris – The tobacco producer beat estimates by 16 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly earnings of $1.44 per share. Revenue also exceeded forecasts. Shipment volumes were helped growth in so-called “heat but not burn” smoking products.
Snap-On – The tool and equipment maker fell a penny a share short of forecasts, with quarterly profit of $2.85 per share. Revenue also missed expectations. The company noted “sales turbulence” in one of its key units, but said it saw overall “encouraging progress” in other areas.
Constellation Brands — Chief Executive Officer Rob Sands is stepping down on March 1. He’ll remain with the company as executive chairman, and will be succeeded by the spirits maker’s president, Bill Newlands.
Visa – Visa is raising its quarterly dividend to 25 cents per share from 21 cents, an increase of 19 percent. The increased dividend will be paid on December 4 to shareholders of record as of November 16.
Alcoa – Alcoa reported adjusted quarterly profit of 63 cents per share, well above the consensus estimate of 36 cents a share. Te aluminum producer’s revenue also came in above forecasts. Alcoa saw higher aluminum prices during the quarter, prompted by supply disruptions, and the company also announced a $200 million stock buyback program.
Sealed Air – Sealed Air cut its annual earnings forecast, with the industrial gas maker citing a negative impact from currency translation as well as higher costs.
Shire — Japanese regulators approved Takeda Pharmaceutical’s $62 billion acquisition of the British drugmaker. The deal has already gotten clearance from the U.S., Brazil, and China, and awaits clearance from the European Union.
SAP – SAP raised its outlook following a 41 percent jump in third quarter cloud revenues. The business software maker now expects revenue growth of 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent this year, up from the prior range of 6 percent to 7.5 percent. It also raised the lower end of its profit forecast range. Some analysts are expressing concern about profit margins, however.
Novartis – Novartis is buying U.S. drugmaker Endocyte for $2.1 billion or $24 per share in cash. That represents a 54 percent premium over Endocyte’s Wednesday closing price of $15.56. Endocyte specializes in radiopharmaceutical drugs, which carry radioactive substances directly to cancer cells.
Facebook – Facebook thinks a recent hack of 30 million user tokens was done by spammers seeking to make money through deceptive advertising, according to The Wall Street Journal.
EBay – The online marketplace operator is suing Amazon.com, alleging the online retail giant of illegally poaching eBay sellers using its internal messaging system. Amazon said it is investigating the accusation.
Gap – Gap was downgraded to “underweight” from “neutral” at JPMorgan Chase, which points to sales weakness at the apparel seller’s flagship Gap stores as well as profit margin pressures.