Health Stocks in Motion
By Mark Martinez TheStreet.com Staff Reporter 11/8/2005 2:29 PM EST |
Shares of Herbalife (HLF:NYSE - commentary - research - Cramers Take) were among the best-performing health-related stocks Tuesday, rising 7% after the weight management and nutritional supplements company posted third-quarter results that topped Wall Street forecasts, and raised its full-year view.
The company earned $27.1 million, or 37 cents a share, on sales of $401 million. Excluding a royalty expense adjustment of $4 million, or 3 cents a share, the company would have earned 34 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting earnings of 33 cents a share and sales of $368.2 million. A year earlier, Herbalife earned $11.5 million, or 21 cents a share, on sales of $319.8 million.
Herbalife sees fourth-quarter earnings of 39 cents to 41 cents a share, above analysts estimate of 38 cents. For 2005, the company raised its earnings forecast to $1.50 to $1.52 a share from a previous guidance of $1.45 to $1.50 a share. Analysts projection calls for earnings of $1.49 a share. Herbalife expects 2006 earnings of $1.80 to $1.85 a share, ahead of the $1.74 that analysts had projected. Shares were trading up $2.21 to $32.21. |