By Nathalie Tadena In a light earnings week ahead, supermarket giant Kroger Co. (KR), high-end apparel designer Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. (KORS) and pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD) are among the companies expected to release their latest quarterly results. Meanwhile, a trio of price reports from the U.S. Labor Department next week will provide economists with insight on inflation. On Wednesday, Eastman Kodak Co. (EKDKQ) will ask the bankruptcy court to reject an ownership claim from Apple Inc. (AAPL) on certain patents Kodak may try to sell in its bid to raise funds to exit Chapter 11 protection. Quarterly Earnings Due From Kroger, Kors Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters project Kroger to post growth in its top and bottom lines when the nation's largest grocery retailer releases its first-quarter results on Thursday. While other supermarkets have complained of losing customer sales--because of higher gasoline prices, unemployment and a generally sluggish economic recovery--it appears they might actually be losing them to Kroger. In March, Kroger reported strong fourth-quarter sales and also issued an upbeat outlook for the year, despite persistent economic headwinds. Meanwhile, Michael Kors is expected to release results on Tuesday. In March, the fashion house raised its fourth-quarter guidance amid strong demand for luxury goods. However, the company had also warned that difficulties in its transition to a new distribution facility have caused delays to wholesale and retail customers. Smithfield, the largest U.S. pork producer by volume, will report on Thursday. Analysts expect Smithfield to post another quarter of weaker earnings as the company continues to contend with higher costs, though sales are expected to improve. The company has said it has taken positions in futures markets to control its costs for feed and, to a lesser extent, revenue from sales. Convenience-store operator Casey's General Stores Inc. (CASY) and financial software company FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS) are also due to report next week. Reports Due on Import, Producer and Consumer Prices The Labor Department will release May data for import prices on Tuesday. The cost of goods imported into the U.S. fell 0.5% in April, the first decline since October, as fuel prices retreated. Meanwhile, data on producer prices and consumer prices will be released Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. The Producer Price Index, which measures the price of goods at the wholesale level, showed U.S. wholesale prices fell 0.2% in April as energy costs declined. The Consumer Price Index, which measures the price of a fixed market basket of goods and services purchased by consumers, was unchanged in April from the prior month. Kodak Seeks Patent Ruling On Wednesday, Eastman Kodak will ask the New York bankruptcy court to reject an ownership claim from Apple Inc. (AAPL) on certain patents Kodak may try to sell in its bid to raise funds to exit Chapter 11 protection. Apple, however, has balked at Kodak's attempt to put the matter before a bankruptcy judge, saying a district court is the appropriate venue for the matter. Kodak has accused Apple of trying to thwart its patent sale process, which would serve as the foundation for the company's restructuring plan. It is trying to get a bankruptcy judge to declare Apple has no interest in 10 of its patents. Starbucks K-Cup Packs to Hit Cafes Next Week Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) will start selling single-serve K-cup coffee pods for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.'s (GMCR) Keurig brewers in some stores on Tuesday. Starbucks began selling its branded K-cups in such retailers as grocery stores about six months ago, and has said it has seen "robust" sales. For Starbucks, the move to K-cups is part of its overall strategy of becoming a broader consumer products company rather than relying so heavily on its cafe sales. Starbucks is also coming out with its own single-serve espresso brewer called Verismo by the end of the year. For Green Mountain, the increased retail presence could give its sales a boost during a typically slower season for coffee. Plus, the further backing by Starbucks could help Green Mountain's struggling stock. Financial Stability Oversight Council Meeting Set for Monday The next meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council is scheduled for Monday, the Treasury Department said. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will lead the meeting, which is closed to the public. Known as FSOC, the council comprises top financial regulators and was created by the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law. The council includes the heads of the Treasury, Federal Reserve, Securities & Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and other agencies, and was formed to help coordinate regulatory action and head off another financial crisis. Conferences Among the significant conferences next week are Macquarie Financials Conference on Monday and Tuesday in New York; Morgan Stanley Financials Conference Tuesday and Wednesday in New York; REITWeek: NAREIT's Investor Forum Monday through Wednesday in New York; William Blair and Co LLC Growth Stock Conference Tuesday through Thursday in Chicago and Deutsche Bank Global Industrials and Basic Materials Conference Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago. -Write to Nathalie Tadena at nathalie.tadena@dowjones.com --Marie Beaudette, Annie Gasparro, Eric Morath and Dow Jones Newswires staff contributed to this report.
