Whole Foods (WFM) missed fourth quarter revenue expectations and reiterated its guidance, sending shares down 4.8% following the after-hours release. Whole Foods also boosted its quarterly dividend by 40% to 14 cents per share.
Whole Foods posted42 cents of EPS, a penny better than expectations. Revenue came in at $2.35 billion, shy of the $2.36 billion estimate. Comparable store sales rose 8.7% in the quarter, an acceleration from 8.4% and 7.8% growth in the past two quarters.
The company reiterated that it expects to earn $2.21 to $2.26 in 2012, at the low end of analysts’ expectations for $2.26.
“Our outlook for fiscal year 2012 reflects consistent identical store sales growth, a record number of new store openings, EBITDA of close to $1 billion, and significant operating margin improvement,” said Co-CEO John Mackey.
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