<!--StartFragment --> People To Watch
The Week Ahead: June 6-10, 2005
Forbes.com staff, 06.04.05, 6:00 AM ET
A look ahead to the week's doers and doings in business, entertainment and technology:
The Week Ahead: June 6-10, 2005
Forbes.com staff, 06.04.05, 6:00 AM ET
A look ahead to the week's doers and doings in business, entertainment and technology: | Background on Fayard | When to watch: Monday, June 6. Coca-Cola's (nyse: KO - news - people ) Gary P. Fayard will talk about the company's growth plans Monday at an investor conference in Paris sponsored by Deutsche Bank Securities. Fayard, the chief financial officer of Coke, will no doubt try to convince European investors that the beverage behemoth is poised for growth, particularly overseas, even with the recently surging U.S. currency. In April the Atlanta-based company reported a 4% gain in revenue but a 6% dip in profit, blaming some of the shortfall on expenses for marketing and "innovation." Most of its sales growth came from Latin America, Africa and Asia. Coca-Cola has been tweaking its product line to appeal to new customers. Last month it unveiled a new line of soft drinks under the Fresca name. The original Fresca, a diet carbonated citrus drink, will continue to exist alongside two new flavors: Sparkling Peach Citrus Fresca and Sparkling Black Cherry Fresca. The line will be introduced in the United States later this year. --Liz Moyer |
| When to watch: Tuesday, June 7. Albertson's (nyse: ABS - news - people ) is the No. 2 supermarket chain in the U.S., but Chief Executive Lawrence R. Johnston must be smiling. Wall Street analysts expect the Boise, Idaho-based company to report first-quarter 2006 earnings of 26 cents per share on Tuesday, up from 15 cents per share in the same period a year ago. The company operates about 2,500 stores in 37 states under Albertson's, Acme Markets, Bristol Farms, Jewel and Shaw's nameplates. About half the outlets are superstores, with a pharmacy as well as bakery, video and floral departments. More than 200 have gas stations, offering consumers one-stop shopping for basic household goods. The company also operates standalone drugstores under the Osco Drug and Sav-On names. Albertson's is even active in the discount warehouse sector under Super Saver and Max Foods. Albertson's is closing a few stores and opening new outlets in the West and Southwest. It is second only to Kroger (nyse: KR - news - people ), the No. 1 pure grocery company in the United States. Wal-Mart Stores (nyse: WMT - news - people ), however, is now the nation's largest retailer of groceries. This will put price pressure on the entire supermarket sector, but the expected earnings for Albertson's shows it knows how to compete. --Scott Reeves |  Background on Johnston |
 Background on Eyler | When to watch: Tuesday, June 7. Late last month, shareholders of Toys "R" Us (nyse: TOY - news - people ) received the ballots that will allow them to vote on a $6.6 billion buyout offer from Bain Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Vornado Realty Trust (nyse: VNO - news - people ). They'll have to make a decision on whether to accept the $26.75-per-share bid by a June 23 special meeting, so you can bet Chairman and CEO John H. Eyler Jr. will use the opportunity of the company's first-quarter earnings release this week to try to sell the deal. Eyler stands to benefit hugely from the buyout: The seven top executives at the toy retailer will split up $123 million if shareholders vote yes, with Eyler getting nearly half of that sum. Meanwhile, if the merger doesn't go through, Toys "R" Us has agreed to pay the potential buyers up to $30 million for their trouble. Analysts expect the company to post a loss of 3 cents per share on revenue of $1.96 billion, down from a per-share loss of 1 cent in the same quarter last year. --David M. Ewalt |
| When to watch: Wednesday, June 8. Look for solid earnings from Mark A. Ernst, chairman and chief executive of Kansas City, Mo.-based H&R Block (nyse: HRB - news - people ), which reports its financial results on Wednesday. First, the perils of the alternative minimum tax and the fact that more investors are facing capital gains taxes from the rise in stock prices over the last two years likely sent more taxpayers scurrying for help. Second, continued low interest rates have led to surges in mortgage borrowing and other borrowing, and the well-known tax preparer is in that business as well; in recent years, in fact, that segment has accounted for a disproportional share of its profits. Warren E. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRK.A - news - people ) owns about 8% of H&R Block--and the Oracle of Omaha rarely leads investors astray. |  Background on Ernst |
 Background on Otellini | When to watch: Thursday, June 9. How much longer can Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) keep the rocket running? That's the question facing investors heading into the chipmaker's conference call scheduled for June 9. It will be Paul S. Otellini's first time doing a midquarter update as CEO, following his taking over the job from Chairman Craig R. Barrett. Analysts are expecting Intel to boost its revenue guidance range into territory north of $9 billion; they're also forecasting earnings of 28 cents per share. At least part of the reason for the bullish attitude? Healthy sales numbers from the Semiconductor Industry Association. The trade organization reported that April sales were down slightly from March--in line with typical seasonal patterns--but ahead of the year-ago month by 7%. --Arik Hesseldahl |
| When to watch: Friday, June 10. Ralph Lauren, the illustrious chairman and CEO of rakish equestrian-casuals manufacturer Polo Ralph Lauren (nyse: RL - news - people ), will be hoping for results as sharp as the pleats on its famous ice-white summer pants when it releases fourth-quarter earnings for fiscal year 2005 on June 10. Last week the company announced it had agreed to buy its global licensee for footwear, Ralph Lauren Footwear, from sportswear manufacturer Reebok International (nyse: RBK - news - people ) for about $110 million in cash. Polo has forecast that the acquisition would slightly reduce earnings for fiscal year 2006, but for next Friday, analysts are predicting net income of 19 cents per share, up from 14 cents for the year-earlier period. Retail chain store sales in the United States tailed off 1% in May, as inclement weather dampened sales of summer gear. --Chris Noon |  Background on Lauren |
 Background on Clark | When to watch: Friday, June 10. From June 10 through June 14, doctors and drug firms will convene in San Diego for the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association. For Merck (nyse: MRK - news - people ) Chief Executive Richard T. Clark, it is a particularly important conference, as the drug giant will present results for two medicines that are pivotal to its future. One, muraglitizar, a risky bet on an existing type of diabetes treatment, is being co-developed with Bristol-Myers Squibb (nyse: BMY - news - people ). The other is a brand-new type of diabetes drug--and Merck is racing with Novartis (nyse: NVS - news - people ) to be the first to market. Other companies, including Sanofi-Aventis (nyse: SNY - news - people ) and Amylin Pharmaceuticals (nasdaq: AMLN - news - people ), will offer their own data on new potential blockbusters. --Matthew Herper |
