Trading Companies & Distributors

Analysts at BB&T downgrade Grainger (NYSE: GWW) from “buy” to “hold.” Shares of GWW closed at $111.15 yesterday More Analyst Ratings here.

W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) reported a 2.9% increase in its first-quarter profit today. The company reported a profit of $99.2 million, or $1.31 per share in the first-quarter, compared with a profit of $96.4 million, or $1.25 per share it reported for the same period last year. Revenue was up by 14...

Some of the shares that are expected to see active trading in today’s session are: JP Morgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) is due to report its quarterly results before the opening bell. JPM expects to post its EPS at $0.64. JPM has added 0.61% in after hours trading. JB Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT) expects...

This morning prior to the opening bell, Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) reported earnings for the first quarter of $56.03 million, or $0.38 per share, compared to $48.69 million or $0.33 per share in the previous year quarter. Wall Street consensus estimates prior to this report were set at $0.33 per share...

• CF Industries (NYSE:CF) announced plans to sell 10.8 million shares for about $1 billion • Tennant Company (NYSE:TNC) said it sees first quarter earnings of 19 cents to 21 cents a share, well above Street estimates of 7 cents, and revenues of between $148 million and $150 million, beating...

Market participants appeared enthusiastic as another earnings season got underway and European Union leaders agreed to provide debt-ridden Greece with a $40 billion financial lifeline.  However, the day’s highlight was the Dow average’s rise above 11,000; it had last crossed that level just after...

Some of the shares that are expected to see active trading in today’s session are: Bellwether of the tech sector, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), is due to announce its quarterly results after the market closes today. INTC is expected to post earnings of $0.38 per share. INTC has risen by 0.14% in after...

Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) will be reporting their quarterly earnings numbers tomorrow morning prior to the opening bell. In today's trading session, FAST gained 1.47% to $51.90 as traders and investors positioned themselves ahead of this report. Wall Street analysts consensus is that the company will...

Analyst Brent D. Rakers at Morgan Keegan has released an update on W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW). The company will report its first-quarter results on Wednesday, April 14. Morgan Keegan expects the company to report EPS of $1.44 in its first-quarter. Morgan Keegan has lowered its 2010 EPS estimate for...

PowerShares launched a suite of small-cap sector ETFs based on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index yesterday (4/7/10).  These nine new ETFs are the first to provide sector-specific exposure within the U.S. small-cap stock market. I have long been a fan of sector and industry-focused funds, and I warmly...

• Family Dollar (NYSE:FDO) posted fiscal second quarter earnings of 81 cents a share, which beat Zacks estimates of 77 cents, on inline revenues of $2.09 billion. The firm said it sees third-quarter earnings of 71 cents to 76 cents a share • MSC Industrial (NYSE:MSM) posted fiscal second quarter...

Below are the top five industrial goods stocks on the NASDAQ in terms of market capitalization. Fastenal Company (NASDAQ: FAST) has a market capitalization of $7.08 billion. Analysts at Piper Jaffray upgraded FAST from “neutral” to “overweight.” Read more about this company here. Joy Global Inc (...

Below are the top industrial goods stocks on the NASDAQ in terms of free cash flows. The trailing-twelve-month free cash flows of Foster Wheeler AG. (NASDAQ: FWLT) are $506.3 million. FWLT’s trailing-twelve-month ROE stands at 57.21%. Read more about this company here. The trailing-twelve-month...