UPDATE 1-ScottsMiracle Q4 loss in line with Street, sales beat
* Q4 adj loss $0.33/shr, in line with est
* Q4 sales up 7 pct
* Sees FY10 EPS $3.0-$3.10
Nov 5 (Reuters) - ScottsMiracle-Gro Co's (SMG.N) adjusted quarterly loss was in line with Wall Street estimates, but the lawn- and garden-products maker posted a 7 percent rise in revenue that beat expectations.
"We believe our late season investment in marketing, along with continued support from our retail partners, helped to drive the sale of fall products," the company said.
The company expectes to earn $3 to $3.10 a share in fiscal 2010, while analysts on average were looking for a profit of $3.05 a share, according to Tomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Full-year revenue is expected to rise 3 percent to 5 percent.
During the fourth quarter, the company lost $14.9 million, or 23 cents a share, compared with a loss of $34.7 million, or 54 cents a share, a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Scotts Miracle-Gro posted a loss of 33 cents a share, in line with analysts' estimates.
Revenue for the quarter was $583.4 million, up from $544.2 last year.
In the fourth quarter, the company's Smith & Hawken brand, which helps customers grow and maintain their lawns, reported sales of $61.0 million, compared with $37.6 million last year, offsetting a sales decline in Scotts LawnService and Global Professional sales.
Scotts shares closed at $42.05 Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore; Editing by Vinu Pilakkott)
