Oil prices settled above $60 a barrel for the first time this year after a pipeline and oil field shut down and threatened to cut into supply. Increasing tensions over Iran's uranium enrichment program also helped to boost prices.
JetBlue Airways Corp. (NYSE:JBLU) said it expects a wider Q1 loss and lower full-year profit, as it absorbs the effect of more than 1,000 cancellations caused by last week's winter blast in the Northeast. JetBlue expects to report a full-year profit of $0.44 a share, down from a prior projection of $0.64. Analysts overall are looking for $0.52 a share. Despite the lower guidance, JetBlue shares rose $0.29, or 2.3$, to close at $13.19 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, after earlier climbing as high as $13.56. The stock has traded between $8.93 and $17.02 over the past year.
Medco Health Solutions Inc. (NYSE:MHS), the biggest U.S. prescription-benefit manager, said its Q4 earnings soared 29% on higher overall revenue and improved results in its key specialty pharmacy business. The results beat Wall Street expectations, the company raised its profit forecast, its board authorized a bigger share buyback and shares set a new 52-week high. They rose $6.21, or just over 10%, to close at $67.80 on the NYSE.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) gave
AT&T (NYSE:T) an award of a five-year, $1 billion global networking contract that will prepare the world's largest automaker for whatever electronic breakthroughs lie ahead. AT&T shares fell $0.15, or 0.4%, to close at $37.21 on the NYSE. GM shares fell $0.58, or 1.6%, to close at $35.37 on the NYSE.
Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF) said that its Q4 earnings jumped 20%, powered by strong sales as the teen retailer continues to expand its Hollister line of stores. Analysts expect earnings of $2.14 a share on revenue of $1.1 billion. Abercrombie shares ended the day at $82, down $0.64. Shares fell $2.30 to $79.70 in trading after hours. Abercrombie shares have been trading near their record high of $83.82. The shares have been as low as $49.98 in the past year.
Analog Devices (NYSE:ADI) posted a higher quarterly profit as the maker of analog and digital signal processors benefited from strong sales of consumer products like flat-screen televisions and video game controllers. The company's profit jumped 27%, along with shares of Analog Devices that jumped more than 5% in after-hours trading. Analog Devices also forecast that profit for its current quarter would be $0.37 to $0.42 a share on revenue of between $640 million to $670 million.
Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) plans to open about 130 stores in the United States, Canada and China during its fiscal year beginning March 4. The top U.S. consumer electronics retail chain said it expects global retail square footage of about 46 million square feet, representing growth of around 10%, by the end of the year. In the United States, the company expects to open about 90 stores and to operate more than 900 by the end of the year.