US food company Campbell Soup Co reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter profit, benefiting from cost cuts, sending shares up 5% before the bell.
To better focus on its mainstream soup and snack businesses, Campbell has been streamlining its operations by disposing its international and fresh businesses, including Bolthouse Farms and Garden Fresh Gourmet salsa.
Last month Campbell said it would sell Kelsen Group, a unit known for Royal Dansk cookies, to a Ferrero affiliated company for $300 million. It is also selling its Arnott's biscuits and some of its international operations.
New Recipes
The company has introduced new soup recipes with added chicken and tomatoes and eliminated preservatives to also draw in health-conscious customers.
For the quarter ended 28 July, Campbell earned 42 cents, excluding items, beating Wall Street estimates by 1 cent, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Net sales from continuing operations rose 2% to $1.78 billion (€1.61 billion) compared to year-ago quarter.
However, the company recorded a net loss attributable to its shareholders of $8 million (€7.25 million), or 3 cents per share, compared with a profit of $94 million (€85.14 million), or 31 cents per share.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
