Markets Edge Lower; Finish Line Earnings Beat Estimates

Related BZSUM Stocks Mildly Higher To End The Week Nike Gains On Upbeat Earnings; Dollar General Shares Slip

Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded down 0.16 percent to 16,818.99 while the NASDAQ tumbled 0.03 percent to 4,377.86. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.11 percent to 1,955.04.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.15 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Aware (NASDAQ: AWRE), up 15.9 percent, and Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS), up 10.5 percent.

Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares dropped around 0.20 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included K12 (NYSE: LRN), China Nepstar Chain Drugstore (NYSE: NPD), and Du Pont (NYSE: DD).

Top Headline

Finish Line (NASDAQ: FINL) reported better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings.

Finish Line’s quarterly profit surged to $12.4 million, or $0.25 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $5.1 million, or $0.10 per share. Excluding certain items, it earned $0.28 per share.

Its sales climbed 16% to $406.5 million. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.21 per share on sales of $394 million.

Equities Trading UP

Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS) shares shot up 10.34 percent to $24.54 after the company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter earnings and issued an upbeat outlook.

Shares of Nike (NYSE: NKE) got a boost, shooting up 2.76 percent to $78.98 after the company reported better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter earnings. Nike posted its quarterly earnings of $0.78 per share on revenue of $7.43 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.75 per share on revenue of $7.34 billion.

The Manitowoc Company (NYSE: MTW) shares were also up, gaining 9.22 percent to $32.45 after Relational Investors bought an 8.5% stake in the company and urged for splitting it in two. Jefferies upgraded Manitowoc from Underperform to Hold and raised the price target from $24.00 to $33.00.

Equities Trading DOWN

Shares of AmSurg (NASDAQ: AMSG) were 2.07 percent to $44.85 after the company priced 8.5 million share offering at $45.00 per share. Baird upgraded Amsurg from Neutral to Outperform and raised the price target from $44.00 to $55.00.

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE: DD) shares tumbled 2.67 percent to $65.89 after the company cut its profit guidance for the second-quarter and year.

Dollar General (NYSE: DG) was down, falling 4.44 percent to $58.94 after the company’s CEO Rick Dreiling announced his plans to retire.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.12 percent to $105.97, while gold traded up 0.19 percent to $1,319.50.

Silver traded up 0.09 percent Friday to $21.18, while copper rose 0.22 percent to $3.18.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly lower today.

The eurozone’s STOXX 600 fell 0.04 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index dropped 0.31 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index slipped 0.46 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX climbed 0.11 percent and the French CAC 40 tumbled 0.01 percent while UK shares gained 0.19 percent.

Economics

The final reading of Reuter's/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index surged to 82.5 in June, versus a final reading of 81.9 in May. However, economists were projecting a final reading of 81.9.

Data on farm prices for June will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Posted-In: Eurozone Futures Commodities Previews Economics Intraday Update Markets Movers Tech Trading Ideas

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