ConAgra Brands (NYSE:CAG)
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ConAgra Food Inc.'s (CAG) fiscal first-quarter earnings fell 63% amid prior-year gains from the sale of its trading operations, but earnings exceeded analyst estimates as the company cut costs and brands like Hunt's sauces and Healthy Choice meals did well.

The results topped Wall Street views and led the company to raise its fiscal-year earnings forecast to $1.70 a share from June's view of $1.63 to $1.66. Like other packaged food makers, ConAgra has benefited from a moderation in commodity costs, which have helped profit margins. These food companies have also benefited during the recession as consumers have spent more on eating at home.

ConAgra shares were down 2% to 21.86 in recent trading. Soleil Securities analyst Ed Roesch said the company's overall sales number came in below analyst expectations.

"The stock has [already] had a nice run," Roesch said. ConAgra said sales in its consumer foods segment were hurt by lower sales of its Slim Jim products owing to a June plant accident and the elimination of some low-margin products.

Chief Executive Gary Rodkin said ConAgra expects the consumer foods business to show strong profits for the year amid cost savings, manageable inflation and a favorable product mix.

On the company's earnings conference call, Rodkin said ConAgra is open to making small acquisitions that fit in with its business, but the company is not looking for major transactions. Several consumer and food companies have begun to use their strong cash flows to make acquisitions, with Kraft Foods Inc.'s (KFT) bid for Cadbury PLC (CBY) the most recent example.

For the quarter ended Aug. 30, ConAgra reported a profit of $165.9 million, or 37 cents a share, down from $442.4 million, or 94 cents a share. Excluding restructuring and other impacts, earnings from continuing operations rose to 38 cents from 23 cents.

Revenue decreased 3.1% to $2.96 billion.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters most recently were looking for earnings of 34 cents on revenue of $3.09 billion.

At its consumer-foods unit, its largest, sales rose 1%. Volume fell 1%, including the Slim Jim decline. But profit rose 34% amid the cost cuts.

At its commercial-foods segment, sales fell 9% on lower flour prices. Profit was up 5% despite restaurant-industry woes.

-By Tess Stynes, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2481; tess.stynes@dowjones.com and Anjali Cordeiro; Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-200; anjali.cordeiro@dowjones.com