By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Even after Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) suffered its biggest one-day stock loss in over 12 years on Friday, shares in the world’s largest coffee chain still commanded a premium to some peers due to growth prospects at home and abroad.

Starbucks lost over 11 percent of its value after it missed quarterly profit expectations and cut its outlook as visits to U.S. coffee shops slowed. That wiped out more than $4.4 billion of its market capitalization by Friday afternoon.

July 26 (Reuters) – Mead Johnson Nutrition Co, maker
of Enfamil baby formula, trimmed its full-year sales target on
Thursday as growth in China cools.

In addition, the company left its 2012 profit forecast
unchanged despite a better-than-expected second quarter that was
helped by improvements in the United States.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, helped by price increases, and stood by its full-year outlook as the company makes progress on its turnaround.

That the maker of Diet Pepsi, Frito-Lay snacks and Tropicana orange juice did not cut its outlook was viewed as a sign of strength at a time when many consumer products companies are suffering from a weak global economy.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, helped by price increases, and stood by its full-year outlook.

That the maker of Diet Pepsi, Frito-Lay snacks and Tropicana orange juice did not cut its outlook was viewed as a sign of strength at a time when many consumer products companies are suffering from a weak global economy.

CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, July 24 (Reuters) – Campbell Soup Co’s
performance in the upcoming fiscal year will be below
its long-term targets as a turnaround takes longer than expected
amid a difficult operating environment.

The company said on Tuesday it plans to return to growth in
fiscal 2013, which starts on Aug. 1, but that it will not reach
its long-term targets, which call for sales growth of 3 percent
to 4 percent and earnings per share growth of 5 percent to 7
percent.

NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) – J.C. Penney Co Inc
said it raised $248 million by selling part of its stake in a
Simon Property Group Inc unit, the first step toward its
goal of shedding non-core assets.

Shares of the retailer, which also unveiled on Monday the
first three of its new in-store shops, were up 1 percent in
afternoon trade.

CHICAGO/NEW YORK, July 20 (Reuters) – Grain prices set
record highs on Friday and weather forecasts showed little to no
relief in sight from the worst U.S. drought in more than half a
century, feeding worries about food inflation at home and abroad
as supplies dwindle in the world’s largest grain exporter.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
said it was concerned about the spike in grain prices, but it
did not yet see the current situation as a repeat of the
2007-2008 food crisis when high prices sparked riots in many
poor countries.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Republic Tobacco, a privately held company that makes the Drum brand of loose tobacco in the United States, is seeking a buyer and could fetch more than $2 billion in a potential sale, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Illinois-based maker of tobacco and rolling papers has attracted interest mostly from private equity firms, said the three people, who declined to be identified because the process is not public.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. grain prices are soaring as the Midwest corn belt suffers its worst drought since 1956, but that doesn’t mean grocery bills are about to jump.

Easing costs of other commodities, hedging strategies aimed at keeping corn costs in line and fears of turning off consumers in a weak economy should all keep packaged food companies from hiking prices, at least in the short term.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. grain prices are soaring as the Midwest corn belt suffers its worst drought since 1956, but that doesn’t mean grocery bills are about to jump.

Easing costs of other commodities, hedging strategies aimed at keeping corn costs in line and fears of turning off consumers in a weak economy should all keep packaged food companies from hiking prices, at least in the short term.