Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:
Lowe’s – The home improvement retailer missed estimates by four cents a share with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.57 per share. Revenue also fell below expectations. Comparable-store sales were slightly better than expected, increasing 4.5 percent, but Lowe’s also gave a full-year earnings forecast that is below Street forecasts.
Express – The apparel and accessories retailer earned an adjusted one cent per share for its latest quarter, compared to forecasts of a one cent per share loss. Revenue also beat estimates, helped by a 28 percent rise in e-commerce sales.
Salesforce.com — Salesforce reported adjusted quarterly profit of 33 cents per share, one cent a share above estimates. The business software company’s revenue was also slightly above forecasts, even as it boosted spending on research and development. The key deferred revenue metric – reflecting the strength of subscription-based software – jumped 26 percent from a year earlier.
GoDaddy – GoDaddy announced that Chief Executive Officer Blake Erving will retire at the end of the year, although he’ll continue to serve on the web hosting company’s board of directors through June 2018. President and Chief Operating Officer Scott Wagner will become CEO when Erving departs.
Intuit – Intuit reported adjusted quarterly profit of 20 cents per share, three cents a share above estimates. The financial software maker also reported revenue that was well above Street forecasts, however it did give current-quarter guidance that falls below analysts’ estimates. Separately, Chief Financial Officer Neil Williams will be stepping down in January, and will be replaced by Intuit finance executive Michelle Clatterbuck.
Cree – Cree matched estimates with adjusted quarterly profit of four cents per share, with revenue beating forecasts. The lighting products maker’s current-quarter guidance is shy of Street forecasts, however, as it expands spending to increase production capacity.
La-Z-Boy – La-Z-Boy fell eight cents a share shy of estimates, with quarterly profit of 21 cents per share. The furniture maker’s revenue was also short of forecasts. The company called the performance “disappointing” and noted that most of its sales increases are coming from acquisitions, rather than expansion in its most profitable segment of upholstered furniture.
Blue Apron – Blue Apron announced a temporary hiring freeze and also fired 14 members of its recruiting team. Separately, Blue Apron was the target of a class action lawsuit, accusing it of making misleading statements in connection with its initial public offering.
Apple – Apple is scaling back goals for its autonomous vehicle program, according to The New York Times. The paper quotes sources as saying Apple’s priorities constantly shifted when it began the program, and that Apple did not determine initially what it wanted to produce.
BHP Billiton – BHP shook up its board of directors, announcing the departure of two members amid pressure from hedge funds Elliot Management and Tribeca Investment Partners. Board elections will take place at the mining giant’s annual meeting on August 31.
Wal-Mart – Wal-Mart is entering the voice-shopping market, using a platform developed by Google parent Alphabet.
CSX – The rail operator is the subject of a Wall Street Journal article highlighting increased congestion, delays, and erratic service. CEO Hunter Harrison told the paper that his program to improve operations is off to a rocky start but that short-term issues will gave way to long term improvement.
Source: Investment Cnbc
Early movers: LOW, EXPR, CRM, GDDY, INTU, CREE, LZB & more