Polaris continues to deliver better-than-expected results, benefiting from persistent demand in response to well-received product launches and healthy growth in recently acquired businesses. While our narrow moat is predicated on strength in the firm’s brand and traditional product categories, we believe acquisitions and expansion into adjacent businesses could act as a major catalyst for earnings…
Stronger-than-expected oil and gas volume highlighted Freeport-McMoRan’s third quarter on the operating front. However, lower copper and gold prices pressured cash flow and net debt rose in the quarter. We expect still-lower prices and continue to doubt Freeport can meaningfully deleverage unless it undertakes significant asset sales and cuts its dividend. Production and cost figures…
With a portfolio of leading brands and an expansive global distribution network, Kimberly-Clark continues to withstand the challenges resulting from intense competitive activity and lackluster macro conditions. Management raised the lower end of its full-year adjusted earnings per share expectations to $5.65-$5.75 (from $5.60 and compared with our forecast of $5.71), partly reflecting a lower…
Anixter reported third-quarter revenue and net income that imply 2013 results will be below street expectations, primarily because of emerging-market customer (13% of quarterly sales) project delays into the fourth quarter and early 2014. Additionally, heavy-truck manufacturing customers have delayed their anticipated business improvement into 2014, relative to prior expectations for strong sales in late…
KPN reported third-quarter results that were generally in line with our expectations, and we are maintaining our fair value estimate and moat rating for now. While the firm has chosen to classify E-Plus, the German operation it agreed to sell to Telefonica, as a discontinued operation, we are including the division as we think there…
Roche reported top-line results for the third quarter that put it on track to meet our expectations for the full year. Roche’s oncology drug portfolio and diagnostics segment form the basis of its personalized medicine strategy, feeding into the firm’s strong intangible assets and wide economic moat. At constant currencies, Roche’s sales were up 8%…
