The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Ulta Beauty, VMware, Nutanix, Zumiez And Five Below

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – December 1, 2017 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) , VMware (NYSE:VMW) , Nutanix (NASDAQ:NTNX) , Zumiez (NASDAQ:ZUMZ) and Five Below (NASDAQ:FIVE) .

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Q3 Earnings Results Continue for Specialty Retail

Ulta Beauty posted mixed Q3 earnings and forecast after the closing bell today, and stocks are down in late trading on the news. Earnings of $1.70 per share beat the Zacks consensus by 3 cents, while revenues of $1.34 billion were exactly in-line with expectations. Ecommerce was up 62% year over year, and guidance for Q2 has been raised from our $1.92 billion consensus, but shares are selling off in the after-hours based on lowered guidance for Q4 earnings. For more on ULTA's quarterly results, click here.

VMware also topped expectations after market close, putting up $1.34 per share, when the consensus was for $1.27. Revenues of $1.98 billion narrowly edged out the $1.96 billion Zacks analysts were looking for. Sales rose 11% year over year. The company did not provide guidance for next quarter nor fiscal year. For more on VMW's earnings, click here.

Cloud services firm Nutanix reported better-than-expected results for its fiscal Q1 2018, posting a bottom-line loss of 16 cents per share on $275.6 million in sales for the quarter, up 46% year over year. These numbers beat the -26 cents and $266.7 million in the Zacks consensus estimates. The company expects fiscal Q2 revenues to be in-line with estimates ($280-285 million), but a narrower loss per share -- -20 cents to -22 cents, as opposed to the consensus -25 cents. For more on NTNX's quarterly results, click here.

Even though specialty retailer Zumiez outperformed on the top line and met the bottom line estimate after today's bell, shares are selling off in late trading. 48 cents per share equaled the Zacks consensus, and $245.8 million in quarterly sales, up 11%, edged out the $242.9 million expected. ZUMZ is trading down 3% in the late market, however, after cruising up 17% in the last 5 trading days. For more on ZUMZ's earnings, click here.

Finally, Five Below beat on both top and bottom lines in its most recent quarter, on the strength of 29% growth in sales year over year. The company posted a 5-cent beat on the bottom line to 18 cents per share, on $257 million in sales that far outperformed the expected $245 million. The maker of fidget spinners also raised guidance for both earnings and revenues for next quarter and next year. For more on FIVE's earnings, click here.

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