Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI), the natural and organic grocer, recently reported its fourth quarter results. Earnings of 19 cents a share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny, surging 18.8% from 16 cents posted in the prior-year quarter. On a reported basis, including unusual items, earnings came in at 20 cents a share, far ahead of 1 cent delivered in the year-ago quarter.   The stringent cost-control measures, effective inventory management, improved store-level performance and increase in lower-priced brands drove earnings growth. Whole Foods sees earnings of $1.05 to $1.10 per share for fiscal year 2010, just below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.11.


Whole Foods sustained its growth momentum in the top line for the second consecutive quarter. After rising 2% year on year in the third-quarter, revenues climbed 2.3% to $1,829.2 million in the fourth quarter, showing signs of revival. Earlier, the company saw a 0.4%

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Qualsec recently announced that VitaminSpice has secured an agreement with Cabo Foods Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, VitaminSpice’s vitamin-enhanced spices will be introduced to Cabo Foods’ West Coast distribution networks and major retail chains. VitaminSpice is a pioneer in the emerging foodceutical industry selling sells vitamin-, mineral- and antioxidant-infused spices and food products.

As a leading gourmet chip manufacturer, Cabo Foods currently has several high-end retail accounts, including Ralph’s Grocery, Albertsons, Whole Foods Market, Inc. Costco, Henry’s Farmers Market, Mother’s Market & Kitchen and Sprouts. This distribution agreement includes the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Utah.

Ed Bukstel, chief executive officer of VitaminSpice, stated, “We are excited to work with Cabo Foods and their innovative line of healthy natural products.” Mr. Bukstel continued, “We should begin to further accelerate our sales with this new arrangement.”

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Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (WINN) reported fiscal fourth-quarter results earlier this week. The company swung to a net profit of $9.4 million from a net loss of $5.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share came in at 17 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Winn-Dixie is one of the leading food retailers in the U.S. and currently operates 515 grocery locations, including more than 400 in-store pharmacies, across Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. The Jacksonville, FL-based company’s sales posted a slight growth of 1.4% year over year to $1.72 billion. This was driven by a 1.6% rise in identical-store sales, mainly due to a favorable shift in the timing of Easter holidays, partially offset by higher sales of generic drugs compared to branded ones. The company, which emerged from bankruptcy protection in November 2006, is remodeling its stores in the ...

Coca Cola Enterprises Inc. (...

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (WINN) will report its fiscal fourth-quarter results on Monday, Aug 24.

< ?DART(15);?> Earnings estimates for that quarter, as well as for last fiscal year and this fiscal year, have advanced over the past month. The higher revisions can be traced back to late July, when the company raised its fiscal 2009 guidance.

Shares of WINN are up approximately 4% Friday afternoon, which makes this food retailer a top-performing Zacks #1 Rank stock. Volume is at 359,000 shares, which is above the daily average of 257,000.

WINN is part of the retail-supermarkets industry, as is Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WMFI). They are both on today's Zacks #1 Rank List, which includes 230 stocks.

Fiscal 2009 Guidance Raised

WINN offered a bullish assessment of its fiscal 2009 on Jul 21. On that date, the company raised its adjusted

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Whole Foods Market, Inc. (...

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Whole Foods Market Inc.'s (WFMI) share price has moved into oversold territory with a stochastic value of 14.09. Analysts have been increasing their full-year earnings estimates on the Zacks #2 Rank ("Buy") company, with the consensus up 7 cents over the past 30 days to 76 cents per share.

"WFMI" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

Whole Foods Market Inc. (WFMI) is down 3% for the day on slightly lower volume of 3 million, versus the average volume of 3.9 million.

The Zacks #2 Rank ("Buy") company recently retained its 2009 earnings per share guidance, ranging between 71 cents to 76 cents.

The fiscal year average consensus estimate has increased by 6 cents to 76 cents per share in the last week, as 13 analysts out of 14 lifted their expectations.

Whole Foods Market reported second-quarter EPS of 24 cents this month, 6 cents ahead of the consensus.

"WFMI" Free Stock Analysis: Buy? Sell? Hold?Zacks Investment Research

Highlights include Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFMI), The Kroger Co. (KR), Safeway Inc. (SWY), SuperValu Inc. (SVU) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT).This morning, Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFMI) announced that it has reached a settlement agreement resolving the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) antitrust challenge to the company's August 2007 acquisition of Wild Oats Markets, Inc. The FTC will issue a final ruling after a 30-day comment period.A 3rd-party divestiture trustee has been appointed to market the following for sale: leases and related assets for 19 non-operating former Wild Oats stores; leases and related fixed assets for 12 operating acquired Wild Oats stores and one operating Whole Foods Market store; and Wild Oats trademarks and other intellectual property associated with the Wild Oats stores.The company expects to record a non-cash charge of approximately $19 million or less relating ...