4 Q of Nike profit jumps 14 percent, shares soar (AP)

PORTLAND, Oregon - profit of the Nike Inc. fourth quarter increased by 14% to beat expectations as strong sales of sports footwear and sportswear worldwide offset the higher costs.

Nike has warned investors recently that the highest production cut in its profit margins by the rest of the year and in 2012. The company raised its prices year last to offset cost pressures, but the popularity of the label remained strong and shoppers continued to buy more Nike products even at higher prices.

"We delivered exceptional results in extraordinary times," Mark Parker, CEO of Nike said Monday.

Nike has reported that it earned 594 million dollars, or $1.24 per share for the quarter ended May 31. The 522 million, or $1.06 per share, it has obtained in the same quarter last year. Income increased by 14% to 5.77 billion.

Results top hand beat $1.16 per share on revenue of 5.53 billion that analysts surveyed by FactSet were anticipating.

Nike shares jumped $3.65, or more than 4%, $69.02 after normal business hours.

Revenue from Nike improved in all markets around the world except for the Japan, which is struggling in the economic downturn and the result of the earthquake and tsunaumi.

Income in North America, its largest market, increased by 22% to $ 2.1 billion as it sold more of its products running, training, and basketball. The company said that improved product lines and previous shipments of the summer has helped boost sales. Income in China, its second largest market, increased by 21%.

Nike also continued its growth in emerging markets such as the Brazil and the Mexico where income has increased by 25%. Business was much milder in Western Europe, where them revenue increased 5 percent and other parts of Europe, where it has increased by 1% due largely to the benefit of exchange rates.

For the full year, Nike earned 2.13 billion dollars, or $4.39 per share, compared to 1.9 billion dollars, or $3.86 per share, for the previous year.

Nike, unlike many other consumer products companies, has overcome the economic downturn well.

While revenues and slower profit the company during the down the global economy, consumers continued to tributary to its popular name everywhere in the world. Nike focus on innovative products and connect with consumers, along with global reach and tight operations, gave the edge he needs grow, analysts say.

"Consumer confidence is still slightly warm," said Morningstar analyst Paul Swinand. But "sporting are less volatile."

Nike officials are in relying on the strength of the brand to propel forward it. The company plans to expand its price increases to a broader range of products starting this spring to balance the costs more high freight, workers, materials.

"Global appetite for sports has never been stronger," said Parker

Nike said orders for products shipped between June and November are up to 15 percent over the same period last year. Investors generally view this as a measure of what retailers think consumers can have an appetite for the upcoming season.

Nike is organizing a Conference for investors Tuesday where will examine the results and discuss its long-term strategy.

American Express quarterly profit misses estimate (Reuters)

By Maria Aspan and Joseph a. Giannone Maria Aspan and Joseph a. Giannone - 1 h 17 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express (AXP) Co(N) reported quarterly earnings misses little Wall Street estimates and said it would cut 550 jobs as it handles more customer services on the Internet.

Shares of the company were 2.7 in afternoon trading after that the lender of credit card and payment processing network said it earned $ 1.1 billion, or 88 cents per share, in the fourth quarter. Which included a charge of 74 million, or 6 cents per share, for the deletions of jobs and the closure of customer service centres.

To the exclusion of the charge, profit the company of 94 cents per share missed estimates average analysts by a penny, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/s

The earnings miss is an unpleasant surprise to some investors, taking into account the positive trends on the spending volume and credit. American Express Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault cited "record levels" customer spending on their credit cards and credit thereof losses continued to shrink.

The job losses also relaunched investor concerns that financial regulation could hurt the company's future growth.

"You always want to streamline your existing operations to be more efficient... but if they expect a robust growth environment, you can see significant head count reductions pas said Ventures Intrepid payments consultant Eric Grover.".

Investors are wary of the potential effect of the U.S. financial regulation on American Express. Company's shares fell 8 percent last month, before largely after the Federal Reserve has proposed rules that would reduce fees that merchants pay banks whenever a customer buys something with a debit card.

American Express does not have a debit card company, credit card expenses are some of the highest in the industry and investors are concerned that he will lose business as merchants ask customers to pay with debit cheaper cards.

EDF indirectly rules "will have a negative impact on AmEx - this is a big problem," said Grover. "If merchants are able to discount, AmEx is going to get hit in a masterly way, and they will have to lower their prices."

American Express shares were down 3.1% to $44.91 in afternoon trading.

MOVEMENT OF JOBS AROUND

Sandler O'Neill analyst Michael Taiano, said that society can chose to reinvest more marketing profit and technology rather than reserve them for gains.

He told American Express scared investors by the income tax return on Wednesday, but waiting Street until Monday for a full explanation of manufacturing. Fourth-quarter results were not due until Monday.

"The problem with something like this is give you the number to the bottom line without all the details and people start to wonder," said.

Including restructuring costs, profit American Express will increase by almost half of the previous year of 716 million, or 60 cents per share. Decrease in loan losses leaves the company reduce the amount of money set aside for doubtful debts, boost profit.

More client American Express handling of day-to-day business by means of the Internet and their smartphones, reduce the number of calls to the company's service centres. The company said that he left many customer service vacancies after employees leave, which means he pays now rent and other costs of real estate for centres which are too big for its own purposes.

Approximately 3,500 jobs will be affected by changes in the service to customer, including about 3,000 will be moved to different locations. The company closes a customer service centre in Greensboro, North Carolina and send jobs to his three other U.S. customer service locations, Fort Lauderdale (Florida); Phoenix, Arizona. and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Society will relocate some jobs in Madrid to Britain and the Argentina and move support services for its map Japanese company in the Japan of the Australia.

American Express spokeswoman Joanna Lambert said some affected employees in the U.S. would be able to relocate to other centres for customer service jobs, and others would be able to work from home. American Express has informing employees of changes on Wednesday.

The company said that blows should generate additional costs of 60 million to $ 80 million this year, the future real estate closings and employee compensation-related. It provides complete the process by the end of the year.

Starting next year, American Express expects slaps to reduce spending 70 million per year.

(Statement by Joseph a. Giannone and Maria Aspan.) (Editing by Matthew Lewis, Robert MacMillan and John Wallace)

Electrical retail group Kesa lowers profit guidance (AFP)

London (Reuters) - British Kesa Electricals retailer warned Wednesday that annual profits will be at the lower end of expectations of investors due to winter weather conditions and increased competition in key markets.

"Adjusted pre-tax profit (is) currently should be before last year and towards the lower end of market expectations," the group said in a trading update.

Market expectations are currently an annual profit of 98 million and EUR 119 million.

KESA said group sales on a like-for-like basis, the effect of the new floor, surface pickling sank by four per cent between November 1st and January 18, 2011.

The group, whose businesses include retail chains electric Comet in Britain and Darty in France, adverse weather conditions in major markets said had affected sales by approximately two per cent.

"In a context of increased competition, France Darty and other businesses delivered a robust performance, offset by a milder commerce Comet and companies developing," Chief Executive Thierry Falque-Pierrotin said in the statement.

"We remain confident in our strategy and commitment to our plans to implement the Darty concept in all our markets and we have implemented a number of additional measures to improve revenues and reduce costs," he added.

But the Comet would perform poorly this year, partly because of the recent UK Government VAT tax hike.

"Since the introduction of the increase in VAT on 4 January we have so far seen trends sales soften," said Kesa.

"In light of these factors, we expect now that the comet will deliver a loss of small detail for the year".

Goldman profit slides: bond trading wilts (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. posted a 53% decrease in favour of the fourth quarter as commercial revenue dropped, dashing hopes that the Wall Street Bank had gone upstream of a difficult debt markets business climate.

Bond trading income including base and currencies, dragged 39 percent for the third quarter as concerns the European sovereign debt and increase yields of U.S. Treasury kept investors away.

"Things were just dead" in December, while "it's that much more active" in January, Chief Financial Officer David Viniar said in a telephone conference.

Profit fell for a third quarter right and income did not estimated decline of the year in banking investment and most of the other business segments. Viniar said backlog of investment bank Goldman business for the third quarter, which can curtail revenues in the current quarter.

Goldman shares fell 3%, on the actions of other banks.

"If Goldman Sachs cannot display performance solid, then good luck to anyone another attempt," said Simon Maughan, an analyst with MF Global in London.

Results plays a year that has tested Goldman Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and the reputation of the Bank for the smartest to Wall Street bankers.

Goldman has been criticized for activities such as management of an offer by company social networking Facebook Inc. and its marketing of a mortgage-linked which led him to pay $ 550 million to settle allegations of civil fraud from regulators in July.

Nevertheless, the company said that pay on close to 40 per cent of the income for the year in the form of compensation and benefits, a higher percentage than in 2009, although 2010 profit fell 37% and income decreased by 13%.

Compensation per employee fell by 14% to approximately $431,000.

DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT

Quarterly net income after payment of dividends to preferred shares fell to 2.23 billion dollars, or $3.79 per share, of 4.79 billion dollars, or $8.20 per share, a year earlier. Net income has decreased 10% $ 8.64 billion.

Excluding one-time items, profit was $4.11 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.On this basis, analysts expected income average of $3.76 per share on revenue of $ 9 billion.

"This is a very difficult environment," said Keith Davis, an analyst of Farr, Miller & Washington, who holds shares in Goldman. "Absence of what we saw of JPMorgan, Goldman results not would not have been a surprise." "JPMorgan raised the bar".

Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co reported in the past week decreased from 58% and 8%, respectively, in fixed income securities quarterly income.

The results prompted questions about how much money banks can make bond trading in 2011. Fixed income accounted for approximately half of the income before the credit crunch, but it is supposed to account for less in the future.

Blankfein, said in a statement the Bank is "see signs of growth and economic activity" in 2011.

Viniar has refused to discuss the relationship of Goldman with Facebook, including his decision this week to limit investment private Facebook stock non-U.S. investors.

PAYMENT RATIO TO STUDENT

Bank of quarterly investment income fell 10 per cent from one year to 1.51 billion, while Goldman earned on Morgan Stanley's Crown as the top of mergers and acquisitions advice.

Goldman made more money to trade for its own account. Income investing and lending increased by 11% in the third quarter, represents 23% of the total net revenue.

Viniar said new regulations may limit some of the investment and bank lending.

The Bank said its average value at risk, or the amount that he could lose agenda for trade with a confidence level of 95% 100, 120 million, 1 percent in the third quarter and 34% less than a year earlier.

For all 2010 Goldman profit after dividends to preferred shares fell to 7.71 billion dollars, or $13.18 per share of 12.19 billion dollars, or $ 22.13. Net income fell to 39.16 45.17 billion billion.

Long known for generous paid places employees, said Goldman have benefits and total pay 5 per cent to 15.38 billion in 2010.

As a percentage of income, compensation and benefits totaled 39.3% in 2010, 35.8% in 2009, but more than 6 percentage points lower than the average of the last decade.

Goldman finished 2010 with 35,700 employees, 32 500 a year earlier, said Viniar staffing could grow by a percentage to be mid - to high - sales in 2011.

In afternoon trading, Goldman shares were $5.17 $169.51 at the New York Stock Exchange.

In spite of the weak, Goldman shares are much better than those of many rivals.

Its shares are back to levels they were when the financial crisis exploded in September 2008.

Shares of Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Corp., including the report of the results later this week, also fell on Wednesday. The Standard & Poor Financials Index fell by 1.7%.

(Additional reporting by Maria Aspan, Ben Berkowitz, Christian Plumb, Jonathan Spicer and Dan Wilchins in New York and Steven Slater in London; editing by John Wallace, Martin Howell)

Expected from strong Gains in Profit for Q4, led by banks, oil and materials (Investor's Business Daily)

Cow's corporate lean and some still-easy comparisons are expected to provide another quarter of profit robust growth as Q4 earnings season gets underway.

S & P 500 companies are expected to generate net growth of 32%, according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, as a last very bad results previous years quarter financials. Chorus financials out, the rest of the S & P 500 would see a boost of 11.1%.

"It was a quarter reasonably good for the economy, but a quarter much better for profit,", said Hugh Johnson, Hugh Johnson Chief Investment Officer advisors. "I think that one of the main things here will be to monitor the top row to see if revenue increases, because most of the gains advantage here because they held the line on spending."

Revenue growth probable rose 6% in the fourth quarter, down from 8% a year earlier and 7% in the third quarter. It should slow even 5% in the first quarter analysts say.

About two dozen S & P 500 companies have reported so far. But unofficially season starts Monday with aluminum giant Alcoa (NYSE: AA - News). Analysts believe that the growing global demand and prices are expected to increase net profits at 19 cents per share, up from 1 cent it a year ago.

Throughout the S & P 500, comparisons become more difficult in economic recovery. In the fourth quarter of 2009, these companies collectively displayed an enormous 205.6% earnings gain.

"These are good enough numbers considering last year," said Christine shorts, a research analyst with Thomson Reuters.

Early projections call for growth of 12.5% in the first quarter and 10.8% in the second quarter earnings. The rate is considered 30.5% for 2010, all falling to 13.5% for 2011.

"We are looking for a continuation of Dynamics good income that we have been benefiting from the last year and a half," said Alec Young, S & P. equities strategist "", but the comparisons are difficult that we ' 08 and at the beginning parts of ' 09. ""

Fourth quarter earnings for the financial sector are likely to be massive. Thomson Reuters is expected to boost 1,383.4% of these companies, who have largely roars back since the deeper parts of the tightening of credit and recession.

Energy and materials sectors are expected to follow, with 27.9% and 25.7% gains respectively. At the other end, consumer staples figure to win just 1.9%, while the benefits of the utility should decrease by 3.4%.

Products: Boon and Bane

Rising prices of commodities has stimulated materials and the energy sectors while clamping down groups, say analysts. A weaker dollar and robust growth in emerging markets has helped exporters and multinational corporations are a large part of the S & P 500.

So far, 58% of the pool of small companies already quarterly results saw beat analyst vs. 21% who have fallen short. In General, beat by 61%.

Technology, telecom and industrial sectors in the S & P 500 should report growth of 13% of earnings, analysts predict.

Chip giant Intel (NMS: INTC) reports Thursday and Wall Street behemoth JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM - News), Friday. The two should provide EPS gains of approximately one-third, analysts say.

The flood of earnings will hit in the subsequent weeks, including dozens of leading stocks.

The private sector has added 103,000 jobs last month, the Ministry of labour, said Friday, but who do not yet portend a sustained decrease in unemployment. The unemployment rate has fallen significantly to 9.4%.

Other reports have reported the fastest economic growth in the us. President reserve Federal Ben Bernanke told Congress that he sees more evidence of a "self-sustaining recovery." He noted that labour markets would take years to return to normal.

Samsung sees record 2010 sales, operating profit

Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Participants look over new 4 G LTE phone from Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show, Thursday, 6 January 2011 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) A visitor walking by billboards smartphone from Samsung Electronics Co in a showroom at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors. (Photo AP/Ahn Young-joon) Businessmen South Korea to test Galaxy tab of Samsung Electronics Co at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors.(Photo AP/Ahn Young-joon) A South Korean man watches her mobile phone Smartphone to a billboard Samsung Electronics Co at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co. in Seoul, South Korea Friday, January 7, 2011. Samsung Electronics forecast Friday that sales and profits of exploitation past records in 2010 despite the slow pace at the end of the year in the middle of the fall in prices for televisions and semiconductors.

BMO profit up 14% in the modest quarter for banks (CBC)

Bank of Montreal said fourth-quarter profit jumped 14 percent recovery one quarter modest for the largest banks in the country shown mixed results.

BMO chart stock of 3 months. (CBC)

The Bank of the fourth-most country goods said Tuesday that he won 739 million dollars, or $1.24 per share for the quarter, up $ 647 million, or $1.11 per share, during the same period a year ago. Revenues increased by eight percent to 3.23 billion.

Analysts expect, on average, $1.23 a share and revenues of $ 3.08 billion.

Provisions for credit in the quarter losses were 253 million from $ 133 million in the previous year, then to return on equity rose 15.1%, from 14% a year ago.

However, the bank kept unchanged dividend at 70 cents per share.

For the year, the Bank said she won 2.81 billion dollars, or $4.75 per share.

Barclays Capital analyst John Aiken said that provisions of the Bank for doubtful accounts are a disappointment for the quarter, but not a major concern.

"Even if BMO has undergone similar fresh growth as peers, it was lower than the group, and the Bank was able to compensate with revenue growth," Aiken wrote in a note to clients.

"Markets financial and private client had quarters of stand-out and although retail banking on both sides of the border [stable], they have done both decline report sequential modest gains."

The five largest banks earned a combined benefit of $ 4.45 billion in the fourth quarter - slightly higher than in the same period last year - as weakness of corporate finance and trade eclipsed revenues banking consumer resistance.

While profits were above $ 4.44 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, the overall results were further evidence that there will be some time before the banks back to advantage blockbuster growth they enjoyed before the recession.

One of the most stellar performers was raised its dividend, although it is regarded as the sixth largest bank in the country and is considerably smaller than its big brothers Canada National Bank.

The Royal Bank of the Canada has been widely considered the most important underperformer as he disappointed investors with its quarterly report and analyst interrupted by a wide margin expectations. TD Bank also fell average estimates.

(With files from the Canadian Press)

US sells its stock of Citigroup for profit (voice of America)

VOA News 07 December 2010 Citigroup corporate logo is displayed in New York
The u.s. Government has sold its remaining shares in Bank of third largest in the country and made profits on the market.
The Government has delivered Citigroup bailout $ 45 billion in 2008 to keep to the worst part of the global recession. Government once belonging to 27 percent of the Bank, but late Monday sold the last 2.4 billion share it held $ 10.5 billion.
Throughout, including the previous sales of stock of Citigroup, the Government made a profit of 12 billion over the rescue plan. This is a result at odds with the fears of some analysts at the time of the bailout that Government could lose money by supporting Citigroup.
The Government seeks to end its participation from private to us as the nation's economy still slow improves at a slow pace. Last month, the Government sold a large part of its participation in General Motors, second largest manufacturer in the world. The Government reduced participation of GM to 33 percent, down from 61 percent.
The Government sold its stock of Citigroup to $4.35 per share, compared to $ 4.45 Monday closing price. The Government stated that it has decided to sell its shares "block substantial benefits for Canadians."
Even with the sale of shares, the Government has consistently holds the right to purchase another 465 million shares of Citigroup. The Government intends to sell these rights as well, but the value of this transaction is uncertain. In addition, the Government has yet also 3 billion in preferred shares of Citigroup.
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