WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Airgas Inc. (ARG) posted fourth-quarter net earnings of $87.97 million or $1.12 per share versus $62.76 million or $0.74 per share last year.
Net sales for the three-month period advanced to $1.24 billion from $1.1 billion in the prior year.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $1.07 per share on revenues of $1.22 billion for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
Going ahead, the company expects adjusted earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 to increase 12% to 16% from $1.00 in the prior year to $1.12 to $1.16, which includes $0.08 of SAP implementation costs and depreciation expense in both periods. Analysts expect the company to earn $1.16 per share for the quarter.
For fiscal 2013, the company expects adjusted earnings per share to increase 14% to 18% from $4.11 in fiscal 2012 to $4.70 to $4.85, which includes approximately $0.12 to $0.16 of SAP implementation costs and depreciation expense, net of expected benefits. Analysts expect the company to earn $4.72 per share for the year.
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