Fortune Brands, the maker of Jim Beam whiskey, said fourth-quarter net income grew sixfold to $85.4 million, or 55 cents a share from $11.5 million, or 8 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. Excluding items, earnings were 63 cents a share. Net sales rose about 5.5% to $1.90 billion from $1.80 billion a year earlier. Wall Street was expecting earnings of 58 cents a share on revenue of $1.8 billion. Shares of Fortune Brands rose 4.1% to $64.06 during premarket trading Friday.PulteGroup reported a fourth-quarter loss of $165 million, or 44 cents a share vs. a year-earlier loss of $117 million, or 31 cents a share. Revenue for the quarter fell about 29% to $1.2 billion from $1.7 billion a year ago. On average, analysts were expecting a loss of 9 cents a share on revenue of $1.12 billion. The company's fourth-quarter pretax loss of $190 million was narrower than the $917 million quarterly loss in the prior year. The company recorded charges of $196 million in the latest quarter. Shares of PulteGroup were up 3.5% to $7.80 in early trading Friday.
PPL said fourth-quarter earnings more than doubled to $355 million, or 73 cents a share, from $153 million, or 40 cents a share, a year earlier. On an adjusted basis, earnings in the latest fourth quarter were 83 cents a share. Operating revenue increased 8.9% to $1.86 billion from $1.71 billion a year earlier. Wall Street was looking for earnings of 58 cents a share on revenue of $2.98 billion. Premarket trades weren't available for the stock. PPL fell 0.3% to $25.76 at the close Thursday.
Constellation Energy said fourth-quarter profit fell about 96.4% to $159.8 million, or 79 cents a share, from $4.42 billion, or $21.96 a share, the year before. Fourth-quarter earnings on an adjusted basis were 42 cents a share. Revenue rose about 2.1% to $3.47 billion from $3.40 billion a year ago. Analysts, on average, were calling for earnings of 59 cents a share on revenue of $6.35 billion. The stock was flat at $31.83 on Thursday.
Health insurer Aetna topped analysts' earnings estimates for the fourth quarter and significantly raised its dividend. Shares of the company popped 9.8% to $36.53 during premarket trading Friday.
Weyerhaeuser swung to a profit in the fourth quarter as its cellulose fibers segment had a "record year." Weyerhaeuser was up 1.2% to $23.86 during early trading Friday.
Las Vegas Sands' revenue fell short in the fourth quarter. Shares fell 5.5% to $47.51 in premarket trading.
Coinstar the operator of movie rental kiosks and coin-counting machines, gave a disappointing outlook for the current quarter. Shares of the company tumbled 11.1% to $39.34 in premarket trading Friday.
