U.S. shares were slightly lower as investors digested a report indicating a share increase in housing starts last month. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) was flat at 2,129 at 11:47 a.m. in New York. The 30-company Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) added 0.1 percent to 18,311, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) skidded 0.2 percent to 5,070. Most followed shares included Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Urban Outfitters, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Royal Caribbean Cruises, TJX, Lumber Liquidators, Take-Two Interactive Software, Agilent Technologies, and Medtronic.
In consumer shares, Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) fell 4.2 percent after the world’s largest retailer’s first-quarter profit and sales fell short of expectations. Per-share earnings of $1.03 a share was a penny a share below expectations. Currency translation reduced revenue by $3.3 billion.
Home Depot (NYSE:HD) fell 0.8 percent to $113.40, erasing an earlier gain. The home-improvement retailer posted a rise in first-quarter earnings and sales. It raised its sales guidance for fiscal 2015 and said it would buy back another $3.4 billion in shares over the rest of that year.
Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) slumped 16.8 percent to $33.87 after the specialty retail company reported quarterly sales that fell short of market estimates.
Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS), slipped 4.4 percent to $53.79 as the sporting goods retailer beat estimates by $0.04 with quarterly profit of $0.57 per share, with revenue essentially in line. However, its comparable-store sales increase of 1 percent was shy of the 1.5 percent consensus. The company also raised the low end of its full-year earnings guidance.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE:RCL) advanced 1.2 percent to $76.59 after JPMorgan Chase upgraded the cruise line operator's stock to "overweight" from "neutral," saying the company will benefit from new ship introductions in more profitable markets like China and the Asia Pacific region.
TJX (NYSE:TJX) advanced 4 percent to $69.98 after raising its annual guidance and reported that its earnings rose 4.5 percent on better-than-expected sales and improved margins during the quarter ended in April.
Lumber Liquidators (NYSE:LL) gave up 1.9 percent to $25.57 as Cantor Fitzgerald cut its rating on the flooring company to "hold" from "buy," pointing to the regulatory and legal risks facing the company.
In technology stocks, Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO) jumped 15 percent to $27.96 even as the videogame maker reported that its fiscal fourth-quarter loss widened and issued a weak outlook that missed Wall Street’s expectations.
Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) was down 0.1 percent after the measurement company reported second-quarter earnings and revenue fell.
In other stocks, MBIA (NYSE:MBI) sank 6.3 percent to $9.19 after Warburg Pincus LLC, the largest holder of MBIA’s stock, said it will reduce its stake by more than half.
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) rose 1.3 percent to $78.50 after the medical technology company said it expects earnings in its April quarter to come in at the top end of its previous guidance.