SodaStream's Stock Rallies After Profit Beats Expectations

Shares of SodaStream International rallied 3.2% in premarket trade Wednesday, after the manufacturer of sparkling water makers reported a fourth-quarter profit that beat expectations, while sales missed. For the quarter ended Dec. 31, adjusted earnings rose to $7.5 million, or 35 cents a share, from $700,000, or 3 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. That beat the FactSet consensus analyst estimate for per-share earnings of 17 cents. Revenue fell to $126.5 million from $168.1 million, below the FactSet consensus of $127.1 million, given lower demand for sparkling water makers and flavors in the U.S. during the holidays. Gross margin improved by eight percentage points to 50.4% as a results of significantly lower discounting and promotional activities. The stock has lost 16% over the past three months through Tuesday, while the S&P 500 has gained 2.3%.