DuPont sets a low bar and hops over it. The quarter is a step in the right direction

News Snapshot:

DuPont on Tuesday delivered a fourth-quarter earnings beat on lowered expectations after warning two weeks ago. The stock shot higher on the print but was only slightly above where it closed the day of the chemical giant's preannouncement-driven slide of 14%. Net sales for the three months ended Dec. 31 declined roughly 6.6% year-over-year to $2.9 billion, a tad short of the lowered expectations, according to LSEG but in line with the preannounced level. On an organic basis, sales were down 10% versus the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings-per-share (EPS) of 87 cents were down about 2% year-over-year but exceeded the...