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Luke Kawa

Coca-Cola gains after posting strong volume growth

Coca-Cola met the bar in the first quarter, with adjusted earnings per share of $0.73 coming in a penny above estimates while net operating revenues of $11.13 billion were only a touch shy of expectations. 

Importantly, the beverage seller maintained its full-year guidance for EPS and organic revenue growth “despite some pressure in key developed markets” highlighted by Chairman and CEO James Quincey. 

Shares are 1.1% higher in premarket trading.

Unlike last quarter, when Coca-Cola’s results impressed due to a strong ability to charge more for drinks, the company’s price mix — a metric of what it charges across a variety of its offerings — rose 5%, 60 basis points below expectations, while making it up with volumes, which were up 2% for the second consecutive quarter. Analysts had thought volumes would decline in Q4 and be roughly flat in Q1.

Management also said that the company was well insulated from the downside risk on everyone’s minds: tariffs.

“The company’s operations are primarily local, however, it is subject to global trade dynamics which may impact certain components of the company’s cost structure across its markets,” reads an updated line to Coca-Cola’s guidance. “At this time, the company expects the impact to be manageable.”

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Nike craters after issuing weak revenue guidance

Sportswear kingpin Nike is tumbling on Wednesday morning after saying it doesn’t expect to grow sales this year.

On its fiscal Q3 earnings call, management said that revenue is expected to drop 2% to 4% in the current quarter, and that overall they “expect revenues to be down low-single-digits versus the prior year, with gains in North America offset by declines in Greater China.” That's a disappointment to analysts, who were anticipating 2% growth in Q4, and even more in the latter stages of the year, per Bloomberg.

Nike’s Q3 sales in China — where the company earns about 15% of its revenue — fell 7% to $1.62 billion. The company had issued weak guidance for this quarter considering continued softness in the region. That’s its seventh straight quarter of sales declines in the market. While this quarter’s was decline was less than feared, management warned that more pain is in the offing.

Nike’s turnaround effort “is complex work, and parts of it are taking longer than I'd like,” said CEO Elliott Hill.

Nike’s fiscal Q3 results (the three months ended February) were solid at the headline level:

  • Earnings of $0.35 per share, comfortably above the Wall Street consensus of $0.29 per share compiled by FactSet.

  • $11.28 billion in total revenue, roughly in line with the $11.26 billion estimate.

But the gloomy sales outlook has Wall Street analysts souring on the stock:

  • JPMorgan downgraded the shares to “neutral” from “overweight” and cut its price target to $52 from $86.

  • Citi reduced its target price to $53 from $65,

  • Stifel lowered its price target to $56 from $65,

  • Truist reduced its price target to $57 from $69, and

  • Barclays cut its target price to $67 from $73.

Nike shares are trading near decade lows this month, as tariffs continue to weigh on profits and shipping costs rise amid the war with Iran. As of Tuesday’s close, the stock was down 17% year to date.

Oil-sensitive travel stocks pop following Iran state media reporting on potential war resolution

Travel stocks are surging on Tuesday as oil prices fall following reports from Iranian state media that President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country has the necessary will to end this war, but would only do so with guarantees that prevent the recurrence of aggression.

The war has sent oil prices and refining margins surging this month, causing airlines and cruise lines to cut profit forecasts despite reported high demand.

Following Tuesday’s update, shares of the big four US airlines (Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines) all climbed, along with smaller rivals including JetBlue. US airlines have stopped fuel hedging in recent years, increasing their exposure to upward swings in oil prices.

Cruise stocks also rallied, with Carnival and Norwegian up more than 6% and Royal Caribbean up about 5%.

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The FDA is expected to lift restrictions on certain peptides, the NYT reports

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to lift restrictions on certain peptides, allowing the experimental, often injectable substances to be sold by compounding pharmacies, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

The potential move was previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, and teased by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast in late February.

Peptides have boomed in popularity recently, with search interest for “peptides” surpassing “ozempic” this month. Many of them are currently understudied and not approved for human use, a rule consumers are able to bypass by purchasing them from suppliers that sell them for, ostensibly, research purposes only.

As reports of the FDA changing its stance of peptides mount, consumer health companies like Hims & Hers and Superpower have been getting ready to roll out their peptide offerings as soon as they get the FDA's blessing.

Peptides have boomed in popularity recently, with search interest for “peptides” surpassing “ozempic” this month. Many of them are currently understudied and not approved for human use, a rule consumers are able to bypass by purchasing them from suppliers that sell them for, ostensibly, research purposes only.

As reports of the FDA changing its stance of peptides mount, consumer health companies like Hims & Hers and Superpower have been getting ready to roll out their peptide offerings as soon as they get the FDA's blessing.

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