Chipotle (CMG) Sizzles in Q4, Plus FEYE & FTNT

CMG FTNT

New Q4 earnings results have hit the tape this afternoon after the closing trading bell, with Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG - Free Report) , FireEye and Fortinet (FTNT - Free Report) among them. Overall results seem very much what we’ve come to expect this earnings season, including bottom-line beats but sometimes lower guidance bringing out stock sellers in the late market.

Chipotle performed very strongly on its bottom line, with $1.72 per share well beyond the expected $1.38, with $1.23 billion solidly above the $1.20 billion in the Zacks consensus. Although earnings beats are nothing new for the company — each of the past 4 quarters were beats, at an average of +12.8% — but this quarter was even more impressive.

Comps were particularly impressive at 6.1% year over year; expectations had been for roughly 4.5% growth. Digital orders rose 65.6% in the quarter, and now account for 12.9% of overall sales. Transaction growth in the quarter ratcheted up 2%. As a result, shares are trading up 10% in today’s after-market. For more on CMG’s earnings, click here.

FireEye’s Q4 was not quite so successful, however: though 6 cents per share beat estimates by a penny on $218 million in sales which topped the $216.5 million we had expected, Q1 revenue and earnings guidance was disappointing. After gains of roughly 20% year to date, late trading Wednesday is selling this news, down 7.5% from the closing bell. For more on FEYE’s earnings, click here.

Fellow growth cybersecurity firm Fortinet had a much better time of it for its Q4 results, bringing 59 cents per share on $507 million in sales in comparison to the 51 cents and $495.5 million expected. Earnings represent 22% growth year over year, with Revenues +20%. Fortinet has beaten earnings estimates every quarter going back to Q2 2015. Shares are up 2.4% in late trading.

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