Dow component Caterpillar (CAT ) and McDonalds (MCD) are both spiking in the premarket after smashing expectations, in both cases reporting numbers above the highest Wall Street estimate.
Confirming the rebound in global sales, its first up month since 2012, Caterpillar reported 1Q adjusted EPS $1.28, more than double the consensus estimate of 62c, on revenue of $9.82b, higher than the estimate of $9.27 billion, and above the highest Wall Street forecast of $9.59BN.That said, on a GAAP basis, EPS fell to $0.32 from $0.46 a year earlier.
Despite the strong quarterly performance, in the first earnings statement since federal agents raided three of its offices in March, CAT cut its full year EPS forecast, and now it expects earnings per share of $2.10 for 2017, down from a previous full year forecast of $2.30, citing higher restructuring costs. On the other hand, CAT boosted its top line guidance, and now sees full year revenues of $38b-$41b, up from the previous guidance of $36b-$39b, and above Wall Street’s estimate est. $38.2 billion.
“Restructuring costs expected in 2017 are significantly higher than the prior outlook primarily due to ongoing manufacturing facility consolidations,” CAT said in its earnings report, adding that it expects to incur about $1.25bn in restructuring costs this year, up from $750m in its previous outlook, including recently announced plant closures in Illinois and in Belgium.
What the market focused on was CAT’s upbeat statement on rising sales, driven by strength out of China, as reported yesterday:
“There are encouraging signs, with promising quoting activity in many of the markets we serve and retail sales to users turning positive for both machines and Energy and Transportation for the first time in several years,” said outgoing chief executive Jim Umpleby in a statement. “While we are raising the full-year outlook for sales and revenues, there continues to be uncertainty across the globe, potential for volatility in commodity prices, and weakness in key markets.”
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