Wall Street This Week: Monsanto, CarMax Report
From the leader in agricultural chemicals stepping up to post its latest earnings report to analysts expecting another strong quarter out of used-car seller CarMax, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street.
Monday -- Book It
The new trading weeks kicks off with Books-a-Million (BAMM) posting quarterly results. The book-selling superstore chain outlasted Border, and it surprisingly hasn't had to follow niche leader Barnes & Noble (BKS) into e-readers, digital bookstores and even college campuses.
This doesn't mean that things are going well for the chain of 257 stores. Folks aren't buying physical books the way that they used to, and Books-a-Million has posted declining sales in five of the past six fiscal years. It also has clocked in with losses in six of the past seven quarters. The silver lining here is that this is the holiday quarter that's being reported, and the chain has historically turned a profit during the one time of year when folks actually buy books and other lit-minded products as gifts.
Tuesday -- DISH It Out
There will be a change at the helm of DISH Network (DISH) on Tuesday, but the new CEO is a familiar one. Chairman and co-founder Charlie Ergen will return to lead the country's second-largest provider of satellite television at the end of March.
Ergen stepped down four years ago, choosing to focus his efforts on DISH Network's spectrum purchases and forays into wireless. Joe Clayton took over as CEO in 2011, and now Clayton will hand that hat back to Ergen on Tuesday.
Wednesday -- GMO-a-Go-Go
Monsanto (MON) has its fair share of critics, so why not have some fun and report quarterly results on April Fools' Day? The agricultural chemicals giant is expected to post a slightly lower profit on slightly lower sales for the period than it earned a year earlier.
Monsanto is naturally a polarizing company. Bears will argue that genetically modified organisms pose potential health risks in our food supply. Bulls will counter that major health groups haven't confirmed those health risks, and that modified seed traits create more bountiful harvests that help feed more of the world. It's a controversial name, and it will get a chance to turn heads ahead of the market open on Wednesday.
Thursday -- Brakes and Accelerators
It will be CarMax (KMX) reporting on Thursday. The leading seller of used cars has helped clean up the negative connotations that have plagued dealers peddling secondhand automobiles. CarMax offers large and clean showrooms, backing that up with haggle-free pricing.
Drivers are gravitating to the value of well-maintained used cars. Wall Street's holding out for a quarterly profit of 60 cents a share out of CarMax, well ahead of the 52 cents a share it posted a year earlier. They also see a double-digit uptick in revenue.
Friday -- Last Call for Peeps
The major trading exchanges in the U.S. are closed in observance of Good Friday, and naturally, stateside companies won't be stepping up with fresh financials. Some people will use the holiday to head out to the corner multiplex, where the big premiere on Friday will be "Furious 7." The "Fast and Furious" muscle-car franchise has revved up box office sales through its first six incarnations, and the latest and likely final installment -- with star Paul Walker dying in 2013 -- should also have a big run during its theatrical release.
Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends CarMax. The Motley Fool owns shares of Barnes & Noble and CarMax. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. Is your portfolio ready for what 2015 has to offer? Check out our free report for one great stock to buy for this year and beyond.
