Business Analytics

San Diego –- PriceSmart Inc. reported net income of $21.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, up 5% from $20.8 million in the same quarter the prior fiscal year. However, this was still beneath Wall Street expectations. However, PriceSmart beat Wall Street projections with total revenue of $622.6 million, a 5% hike from $585.4 million. The addition of two new warehouse stores, bringing the total to 33, helped boost revenues.

Cleveland, Ohio –- The Sherwin-Williams Company had a strong third quarter of fiscal 2014, with net income growing 24% to $326.24 million from $262.97 million in the same period a year earlier. Net sales climbed 10% to $3.15 billion from $2.85 billion.  

Seattle -- The red ink got worse at Amazon in its third quarter as the Internet giant reported a net loss of $437 million in the third quarter, worse than analysts expected, compared with a net loss of $41 million in the year-ago period.  

New York –- Imports to the U.S. were down in September from August, but still there was a measurable year-over-year increase. Sept. 2014 showed levels of imports 7% above imports in Sept. 2013.   

Cheshunt, U.K. –- Sir Richard Broadbent, chairman of Tesco PLC, will step down in the wake of a 99% drop in net income for the first half of fiscal 2014. Tesco reported first half profits of $9.6 million, about $333 million less than previous estimates.  

Toano, Va. –- Lumber Liquidators missed Wall Street estimates for both net income and sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2014.    Net income totaled $15.7 million, down 23% from $20.4 million in the year ago period, amid higher expenses. Net sales rose 5% to $266.1 million from $254.3 million. Same-store sales dropped 4.9%, although they improved each month in the quarter as more inventory became available.  

Santa Clara, Calif. –- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is reportedly developing a new centralized approach to how it prioritizes and executes IT projects.    According to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart will now consolidate all IT projects into a single portfolio overseen by CIO Karenann Terrell.  

The world’s leading beverage company is intensify efforts to generate high single digit earnings per share growth after strategies introduced earlier this year have been slow to take hold and third quarter earnings fell 13%.

Coca-Cola Company CEO Muhtar Kent unveiled a new slate of actions to reinvigorate growth and cut expenses in conjunction with the release of disappointing third quarter results. Revenues were essentially flat with the prior year at $12 billion during the quarter ended Sept. 26 while earnings per share declined 13% to 48 cents from 53 cents.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has acquired Action Pest Control as it looks to leverage the equity of its Ortho brand and drive growth in the $7 billion pest control industry.

Fashion footwear brand Steve Madden cited a curious lack of significant fashion trends when it lowered its full year financial outlook after reporting a third quarter sales decline.

The company, which is known to be a trend-setting in the footwear world, said sales for the period ended Sept. 30 declined 0.7% to $392 million and indicated full year sales were likely to increase 1% to 2%.