Greif (NYSE: GEF) reported Q4 EPS of $0.98, $0.09 better than the analyst estimate of $0.89. Revenue for the quarter came in at $968.1 million versus the consensus estimate of $933.25 million.

Company Outlook

Highlights of fiscal 2018 guidance are set forth below $3.25 - $3.55

Free Cash Flow $200.0 million - $220.0 million

Fiscal Year Highlights Include (all results compared to the fiscal year 2016 unless otherwise noted):

• Net sales increased by $314.6 million to $3,638.2 million.
• Gross profit increased by $29.8 million to $714.7 million.
• Operating profit increased by $46.8 million to $272.4 million, and operating profit before special items1 increased by $26.7 million to $335.0 million. Operating profit before special items was negatively impacted by $5.3 million associated with adverse weather events and $4.6 million of professional advisory fees related to planning and execution of tax strategies not contemplated in our original guidance, which resulted in significant tax risk mitigation and tax savings.
• Income tax expense increased by $0.7 million to $67.2 million, but our effective tax rate decreased from 47.1 percent to 33.5 percent despite the fiscal 2016 one time tax benefit achieved during Q3 2016.
• Net income of $118.6 million or $2.02 per diluted Class A share compared to net income of $74.9 million or $1.28 per diluted Class A share. Net income, excluding the impact of special items, of $173.1 million or $2.95 per diluted Class A share compared to net income, excluding the impact of special items, of $143.5 million or $2.44 per diluted Class A share.
• Cash provided by operating activities increased by $4.0 million to $305.0 million. Free cash flow2 increased by $7.3 to $208.2 million.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Greif (GEF) click here.