Altria Reaffirms FY21 Adj. EPS Outlook – Quick Facts

While reporting its financial results for the first quarter on Thursday, Altria Group, Inc. (MO) reaffirmed its adjusted earnings guidance for the full-year 2021.

For fiscal 2021, Altria continues to project adjusted earnings in a range of $4.49 to $4.62, representing a growth rate of 3 to 6 percent from an adjusted earnings base of $4.36 per share in 2020.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $4.58 per share for the year. Analysts’ estimates typically exclude special items.

“We are off to a strong start to the year and believe our businesses are on track to deliver against full-year plans. Against a challenging comparison, our tobacco businesses performed well in the first quarter and we continued to make progress advancing our non-combustible portfolio,” said Billy Gifford, Altria’s Chief Executive Officer.

CenterPoint To Sell Arkansas And Oklahoma Natural Gas LDC Businesses In $2.15 Bln Cash Deal

Texas-based electric and gas utility CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP) announced Thursday the sale of its Arkansas and Oklahoma natural gas LDC assets to Summit Utilities for $2.150 billion in cash.

The consideration includes recovery of around $425 million in cash of unrecovered storm-related incremental natural gas costs incurred in February 2021, subject to true-up at transaction close.

The proceeds will be $1.725 billion in cash, after recovery of approximately $425 million in cash unrecovered storm costs.

The sale is anticipated to close by the end of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including Hart-Scott Rodino antitrust clearance and state regulatory approvals.

The divesting assets include approximately 17,000 miles of main pipeline in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texarkana serving more than half a million customers residing in high-quality regulatory jurisdictions.

In the deal, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC. served as CenterPoint Energy’s financial advisors.

Rockies podcast: Is Charlie Blackmon’s poor offensive start cause for concern?

Subscribe to the podcast
SoundCloud | iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

The Ian King Business Podcast: Heathrow’s warning, Biden’s economic plan, and insect pet food

Ian King speaks to the chief executive of Heathrow, John Holland-Kaye, about the airport’s £2.4bn losses during the pandemic.

Plus, we hear from Joe Sternberg, from the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal here in London, about President Joe Biden‘s $4trn economic plan.

And founder of Aardvark pet food, Hugo Walters, explains why the company wants to feed insects to household pets.

‘Dog Biting Dog’: China’s Online Fight Could Further Empower Beijing

Internet companies are using the threat of government action as a cudgel against rivals. That could make the Communist Party the ultimate arbiter over the industry.

By Li Yuan

Norwegian Air sees European travel demand back to pre-pandemic levels in 2023-2024

OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) – Budget carrier Norwegian Air expects demand for short-haul travel in Europe to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 or 2024, it said as it presented a first-quarter loss before tax of 1.19 billion crowns ($144.96 million) on Thursday.

The airline earlier this month said it aims to raise 6 billion crowns in fresh capital, up from the 4.5 billion it originally planned, as part of a scheme to emerge from court-ordered bankruptcy protection next month.

Herald morning quiz: April 30

Test your brains with the Herald’s morning quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz at 3pm for the afternoon quiz.

To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.

PHOTOS: Red Rocks celebrates 80th anniversary

Red Rocks hosted an event Wednesday evening to mark their 80th anniversary. The evening featured local acts who kept the music alive during the pandemic and culminated with a marching band and a 8 o’clock howl honoring first responders, medical personal and frontline workers who worked tirelessly through the pandemic.

Brazil lowers 2021 debt forecast to 87.2% of GDP from 96.7% -Treasury

BRASILIA, April 29 (Reuters) – Brazil’s government on Thursday slashed its debt forecast for this year to 87.2% of gross domestic product from 96.7%, but said it still expects debt to continue rising in the coming years before peaking in 2026 at 88.5% of GDP.

The updated outlook was included in a monthly report from the Treasury that showed a central government primary budget surplus of 2.1 billion reais ($391 million) in March, compared with a 3.1 billion reais deficit forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.

Opinion | Helping Families Will Help Create Jobs

By Paul Krugman

Mr. Krugman is an Opinion columnist.

Two new mutant Covid strains from India under investigation in UK

UK scientists are investigating two new mutant strains of coronavirus which were first detected in India.

It means there are now 13 variants of concern, or ones which are under investigation, in the UK.

Today the Government updated its website to include two new strains named B.1.617.2, with 202 cases, and B.1.617.3 with five cases.

More to follow.