The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company SMG reported loss from continuing operations of $48.7 million or 87 cents per share in fourth-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended Sep 30, 2021) compared with a profit of $4.2 million or 7 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.Barring one-time items, adjusted loss was 82 cents per share against an earnings of 6 cents a year ago. The figure was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 85 cents.Net sales went down 17.1% year over year to $737.8 million and beat the consensus mark of $673.8 million.Company-wide gross margin rate (as adjusted) was 17.4% compared with 24.3% in the year-ago quarter.The Scotts MiracleGro Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise The Scotts MiracleGro Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Scotts MiracleGro Company Quote Segment DetailsIn the fourth quarter, net sales in the U.S. Consumer division declined 28% year over year to $369.4 million. The segment reported a loss of $18.9 million against a profit of $46 million in the prior-year quarter. Net sales in the Hawthorne segment declined 2% year over year to $329.1 million in the reported quarter. The segment’s profits declined 20% year over year to $30.1 million.Net sales in the Other segment fell 5% year over year to $39.3 million. The segment reported a loss of $2.4 million, narrower than a loss of $3.2 million a year ago in the year-ago quarter.FY21 ResultsEarnings (as reported) for fiscal 2021 were $9.03 per share compared with $6.78 per share a year ago. Net sales increased around 19% to roughly $4.93 billion.Balance SheetAt the end of the fourth quarter, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $244.1 million, up nearly 15-fold year over year. Long-term debt was $2,236.7 million, up 53.7% year over year.OutlookThe company expects sales in the Hawthorne segment for fiscal 2022 to rise 8-12%. U.S. Consumer sales growth guidance is expected to be 0 to -4%. It expects company-wide sales growth of 0-3%.The gross margin rate is projected to decline 100-150 basis points (bps) year over year. The company also expects adjusted earnings per share in the range of $8.50-$8.90 for the full year.The company noted that the current over-supply of cannabis is expected to put negative pressure on its growth rate through the rest of the calendar year and into the second quarter at Hawthorne, at which point it expects a more normal growth rate.Price PerformanceShares of Scotts Miracle-Gro have declined 7.2% in the past year against a 66.5% rise of the industry.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Rank & Key PicksScotts Miracle-Gro currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Some better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are Nucor Corporation NUE, The Chemours Company CC and Olin Corporation OLN.Nucor has a projected earnings growth rate of around 583.5% for the current year. The company’s shares have soared 130.9% in a year. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Chemours has an expected earnings growth rate of around 86.9% for the current year. The company’s shares have gained 30.6% in the past year. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Olin has an expected earnings growth rate of around 740% for the current year. The company’s shares have surged 192.3% in the past year. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. Zacks’ Top Picks to Cash in on Artificial Intelligence This world-changing technology is projected to generate $100S of billions by 2025. From self-driving cars to consumer data analysis, people are relying on machines more than we ever have before. Now is the time to capitalize on the 4th Industrial Revolution. Zacks’ urgent special report reveals 6 AI picks investors need to know about today.See 6 Artificial Intelligence Stocks With Extreme Upside Potential>>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Nucor Corporation (NUE): Free Stock Analysis Report The Scotts MiracleGro Company (SMG): Free Stock Analysis Report Olin Corporation (OLN): Free Stock Analysis Report The Chemours Company (CC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research