On Thursday, Shares of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX), gained 1.86% to $99.79.
Otis Elevator and UTC Climate, Controls & Security will have a note worthy presence at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) forthcoming conference, a premier, international event to exchange the latest knowledge on tall building development. The conference occurs October 26-30, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt New York. Otis and UTC Climate, Controls & Security are units of United Technologies Corp. (UTX).
The focus will be on how a broad range of innovative technologies enable integrated, intelligent and taller buildings that represent the future of urban habitat. United Technologies speakers will present on topics counting:
- Energy Savings through Intelligent Building Solutions (Carrier and Automated Logic)
- Vertical Transportation in Intelligent Buildings (Otis Elevator)
- Safer Buildings (Edwards, Kidde and Lenel)
- The Future of Intelligent Buildings (United Technologies Research Center)
In addition to UTC’s complimentary series of presentations in the sponsored host room, Kelly Romano, President, Intelligent Building Technologies, will present on the main stage during the conference in Session 3d, Building Performance & Operation, and provide an overview of her peer-reviewed research paper, “Integrated and intelligent buildings for people and the planet.”
United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators; and maintenance and repair services.
Shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), declined -1.21% to $72.67, during its last trading session.
Yum! Brands, declared that it intends to separate into two independent, publicly-traded companies, each with compelling and distinct strategies and investment characteristics. The transaction will create two powerful, best-in-class companies, each with a separate planned focus:
- Yum! China, a market leader with decades of accumulated consumer loyalty and world-class operations in China, will become a franchisee of Yum! Brands in Mainland China. It will have exclusive rights to three category-leading brands: KFC, China’s leading quick-service restaurant concept, and a favorite of Chinese consumers; Pizza Hut, by far the leading casual dining brand; and Taco Bell, which is expanding globally but is not yet in China, providing note worthy upside potential.
- Yum! China will have an attractive investment profile and noteworthy opportunity for growth. The Company is predictable to have no noteworthy debt, with substantial financial capacity to invest in its business. A favorite of China’s growing middle class, Yum! China has the potential to grow to 20,000 restaurants or more in the future from about 6,900 restaurants recently. The business also has noteworthysales and profit growth potential in its existing restaurants, which the Company plans to capture over time by growing its core offerings and expanding further into new initiatives such as home delivery.
Yum! Brands, one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with three iconic brands, will focus on expanding the presence and performance of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell around the world. These are three of the top ten U.S. and global QSR concepts. The Company will have an extremely attractive business model, with stable earnings, high profit margins, low capital intensity, and strong cash flow conversion. Yum! Brands will become more of a “pure play” franchisor over time, and is targeting having at least 95% of its restaurants owned and operated by franchisees by the end of 2017. It presently has a global base of over 41,000 restaurants, with about 2,000 new units being opened each year.
YUM! Brands, Inc., together with its auxiliaries, operates quick service restaurants. It operates in five segments: YUM China, YUM India, the KFC Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Taco Bell Division.
Finally, Shares of SUPERVALU INC. (NYSE:SVU), ended its last trade with -1.55% loss, and closed at $6.98.
SUPERVALU INC., stated second quarter fiscal 2016 net sales of $4.06 billion and net earnings from ongoing operations of $31 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, which comprised $6 million in after-tax costs related to the potential separation of Save-A-Lot and severance costs. When adjusted for these items, second quarter fiscal 2016 net earnings from ongoing operations were $37 million, or $0.13 per diluted share.
Net earnings from ongoing operations for last year’s second quarter were $31 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, which comprised $1 million in after-tax information technology intrusion costs. When adjusted for this item, second quarter fiscal 2015 net earnings from ongoing operations were $32 million, or $0.11 per diluted share.
SUPERVALU INC., together with its auxiliaries, operates as a grocery wholesaler and retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Independent Business, Save-A-Lot, and Retail Food. The Independent Business segment offers wholesale distribution of various food and non-food products to independent retail customers, such as single and multiple grocery store independent operators, regional chains, and the military.
Second Quarter Results - Ongoing Operations
Second quarter net sales were $4.06 billion contrast to $4.04 billion last year, an improvement of $21 million or 0.5 percent. Save-A-Lot network identical store sales were negative 1.6 percent. Identical store sales for corporate stores within the Save-A-Lot network were positive 0.9 percent. Retail Food segment identical store sales were negative 3.3 percent. Total net sales within the Independent Business segment reduced 0.2 percent. Fees earned under transition services agreements (“TSAs”) in the second quarter were $48 million contrast to $44 million last year.
Gross profit for the second quarter was $583 million, or 14.4 percent of net sales. Last year’s second quarter gross profit was $574 million, or 14.2 percent of net sales. The improvement in gross profit rate contrast to last year was primarily driven by higher base margins across all three segments, lower logistics costs, and higher TSA fees partially offset by higher levels of shrink.