H.B. Fuller Co.'s (FUL) fiscal fourth-quarter profit climbed 20% as the paint and adhesive maker's margins improved.
The company also projected a strong full-year profit between $2.05 and $2.15 a share, topping the average estimate of $2.03 from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
Shares rose 3.2% to $27.01 after hours on the stronger-than-expected earnings. The stock had climbed 32% over the past three months through Wednesday's close.
Earnings improved over a prior-year result hurt by a fire at Fuller's
The company--which makes adhesive, sealant and paint products--has improved its earnings over the past three quarters largely thanks to strength in emerging markets like Eastern Europe and Latin America. It has also worked to lower costs by reformulating some products and cutting down on overhead.
H.B. Fuller moved to further expand its margins last month with an agreement to buy Forbo Group's industrial-adhesives business through a cash deal valued at about $394 million. H.B. Fuller President and Chief Executive Jim Owens said the deal would bolster his company's business in
For the quarter ended Dec. 3, H.B. Fuller reported a profit of $26.4 million, or 53 cents a share, up from $21.9 million, or 44 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding acquisition and restructuring costs, the latest earnings rose to 65 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting 59 cents.
Revenue grew 21% to $436.5 million, in line with the company's upbeat September guidance target of $425 million to $440 million. Organic revenue rose 19%.
The latest quarter benefited from an extra selling week compared with the year-earlier quarter.
Gross margin widened to 28.8% from 28.3% due to price changes, product reformulations and substitutions over the past year.