Procter & Gamble is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter financial results before the market opens on Wednesday. Here's what you need to know.
REVENUE: The consumer products company is expected to report $21.38 billion in sales, compared with $20.89 billion in the previous fourth quarter, according to FactSet.
PROFIT: P&G, which makes Pampers diapers and Tide detergent, is expected to post a profit of $3.38 billion, compared with a profit of $3.62 billion the year before, according to FactSet.
ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE: Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $1.41 a share, compared with $1.48 a share the prior year.
The stock has gained 7% this year, and recently traded at $151.
WHAT TO WATCH
--Procter & Gamble is an important bellwether for the state of the consumer and, like many consumer-facing companies, P&G is dealing with an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. Deutsche Bank analysts expect the company's outlook for the new fiscal year will reflect this continued uncertainty, along with uneven global demand trends and geopolitical volatility. While U.S. consumption trends have improved since June, many investors are still concerned about P&G offering too many promotions and shoppers shifting to generic brands, the analysts say.
--China, which is P&G's second biggest market, could also pose a problem, according to research from BNP Paribas. Chinese retail sales and underlying demand remained soft in June, reflecting issues with consumer demand in the country, BNP analysts said.
--In its last quarterly report, published in April, P&G said it was facing high commodity costs and tariffs, which were pressuring its earnings.