Al Root

DuPont stock rose early Tuesday after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings.

The outlook for 2025 was helping too.

The materials technology company reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.13 from sales of $3.1 billion.

DuPont had removed some of the drama out of the report after announcing Jan. 15 its plans to break into two companies. (Before that, it was thinking about breaking into three). Along with the split announcement, DuPont affirmed fourth-quarter guidance given in November. Then, DuPont expected to earn about 98 cents a share in the fourth quarter from sales of $3.1 billion. Those numbers matched Wall Street estimates.

DuPont sandbagged a little. It produced bottom-line earnings better than guidance.

DuPont stock was up 4.9% in premarket trading at $79.99. S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures down 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively.

Looking ahead, DuPont expects to generate earnings of 95 cents a share from sales of $3 billion in the first quarter. Wall Street was looking for 79 cents and $2.9 billion, respectively.

For the full year, DuPont expects to generate profit of about $4.35 a share from sales of $12.9 billion. Wall Street was looking for $3.91 and $12.4 billion, respectively.

The outlook was encouraging. First-quarter sales and full-year sales are expected to grow at a "mid-single digit" rate excluding headwinds from foreign exchange.

Comparable sales grew by 1% in 2024.

The company hosts a conference call at 8 a.m. Eastern time to discuss results. Analyst and investors will want to hear more about the planned separation and the outlook for the company in 2025.

Coming into Tuesday, DuPont stock has risen about 11% over the past 12 months. The S&P 500 has gained about 21%.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 11, 2025 06:38 ET (11:38 GMT)

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