Oracle's shares rose over 5% after beating top and bottom lines for Q4 and CEO Safra Catz expects adjusted earnings in Q1 to be between $1.12 to $1.16 per share. Urban Outfitters' shares rose 3.4% following an upgrade by Morgan Stanley. Apple's shares declined 0.7% after being downgraded to neutral by UBS. Bunge will combine with Viterra in a stock and cash deal valued at over $8 billion. Home Depot reiterated earnings decline projections for fiscal year 2024 of 7% to 13% year over year.
Bunge and Viterra are merging to create a $34 billion agricultural trading giant, bringing Bunge closer in global scale to leading rivals Archer-Daniels-Midland and Cargill. The deal will likely draw close regulatory scrutiny. Viterra shareholders will get about 65.6 million shares of Bunge stock, carrying a value of about $6.2 billion, and about $2 billion in cash. Bunge will also assume $9.8 billion of Viterra's debt. The merger is expected to generate about $250 million of annual gross pre-tax operational synergies within three years.
Bunge and Viterra have announced an $18 billion merger, creating one of the world's largest agriculture trading firms. The combined entity will be worth $34 billion and will be examined closely by antitrust regulators. The deal brings Bunge closer in global scale to leading rivals Archer-Daniels-Midland and Cargill. Bunge is already the world's largest oilseed processor and analysts said it and Viterra's crushing businesses could face regulatory scrutiny in Canada and Argentina.
