Conagra Sees Higher Profit Despite Rising Costs
March 22 2018 - 10:07AM
Dow Jones News
By Annie Gasparro
Conagra Brands Inc., the maker of Hunt's ketchup and Slim Jim
meat snacks, said it expects a higher annual profit this year
despite rising costs for ingredients and shipping.
For its fiscal year ending in May, Conagra projects adjusted
earnings of up to $2.05 per share, up from previous guidance of
around $1.89 per share.
Chief Executive Sean Connolly said Conagra's investments in
marketing its products and introducing new ones have helped
sales.
"Our efforts are paying off, and our businesses are gaining
momentum," he said.
Shares rose 1.2% in early Thursday morning trading.
Conagra's comparable sales fell 2.2% in the latest quarter, as
growth in its refrigerated and frozen foods, such as Healthy Choice
entrees, was offset by declines in its dry goods segment, which
include Peter Pan peanut butter and Orville Redenbacher's
popcorn.
Like its peers, such as General Mills Inc. and Campbell Soup
Co., Conagra is grappling with higher food costs and a shortage in
trucking capacity in the U.S. In the latest quarter, its adjusted
gross margin fell to 30%, from 31.6% in the prior year. But Conagra
is working to offset that with productivity savings, and had warned
about the impact of rising costs last month.
Conagra has been modernizing some of its older brands like
Reddi-wip dessert topping and Hebrew National hot dogs to make them
relevant to Americans who have shifted to newer, smaller brands
that they see as fresher and healthier. Comparable sales of its
refrigerated and frozen foods, where most of that work has focused,
rose 3% in the quarter.
Sales of Conagra's dry groceries are still struggling. Sales
fell 6% on a comparable basis, though that was also partly because
retailers were selling through existing inventory that Conagra had
shipped in the prior quarter when stores were stocking up ahead of
last fall's hurricanes.
Conagra has also acquired smaller brands that reflect the latest
eating trends toward snacks and fresher food. Conagra bought
Angie's Boomchickapop, a flavored popcorn, and Sandwich Bros., a
Wisconsin-based frozen mini-sandwich business.
Net income for the latest quarter rose to $362.8 million.
Excluding nonrecurring items, such as the benefit of a lower tax
from recent tax legislation, adjusted earnings per share came to 61
cents, above analysts' projection of 56 cents, according to
FactSet. Revenue rose 0.7% to $1.995 billion, in line with
analysts' expectations.
Write to Annie Gasparro at annie.gasparro@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 22, 2018 09:52 ET (13:52 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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