Replies to post #327 on EPS & Earnings ... Hits & Misses

[madrose1]

ERTS $54~$50~? sees Q1 -$0.28 to -$0.22 vs -$0.19 Reuters consensus; sees revs $300-340 mln vs $421.76 mln Reuters consensus '

Electronic Arts: Conf call summary (54.50 -0.04) -Update-



ERTS downgraded to Sector Performer from Outperformer@CIBC
CIBC downgraded shares following the company's lowered guidance on increased costs. They see increased risk with the company's R&D investments and the potential for market share losses


As they look ahead they say they are going through more than a console transition, more a global transition, saying there are opening mkts, all about connectivity. Cos priorities for FY07 include: 1) NextGen platforms, expect to expand SKU count; 2) online, launch Pogo in China and Europe, they expect to build more download able content, and develop and launch 2 causal games in Asia; 3) mobility, co wants to expand presence globally; 4) expand on wholly owned intellectual property; and 5) globalization, by FY07 they expect to have more than active 300 deployment personnel. FY07 R&D spending, Co expect core studio R&D spend to increase 5-10%, R%D spending in mobility to increase 55%-60%, online R&D to increase 80-90% YoY. FY07 R&D should increase 15%-20% YoY. 2006 mkt outlook remains the same. Co says this is a year with many uncertainties. Shortfalls in PSP and XBox would hurt co. Co says greater complexity brings higher risk. FY08 goal to reduce R&D as % of rev, but too early to speculate. Decline in rev guidance is partially due to the co being in a transition year, and they anticipate that consumption will be down. Says that the price cut on PS2 has helped, seen impact in catalog and retailers.

[madrose1]

ABX $31 Barrick Gold reports $0.05 above consensus (31.03 )

Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.29 per share, $0.05 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.24; revenues rose 159.1% year/year to $1.25 bln vs the $1.23 bln consensus.

[madrose1]

SUN Sunoco reports Q1 results (82.02 -1.55)

Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.59 per share, $0.23 worse than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $0.82; revenues rose 19.2% year/year to $8.59 bln vs the $4.44 bln consensus (2 analysts on coverage). "First-quarter earnings were impacted by a high level of refinery maintenance and rising crude oil prices during the quarter,"

[madrose1]

GSF $61 GlobalSantaFe beats by $0.14; beats on revs (60.49 1.21)

Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of $1.35 per share, excluding a $0.13 gain, $0.14 better than the Reuters Estimates consensus of $1.21; revenues rose 57.5% year/year to $950.6 mln vs the $929.4 mln consensus.