Editor's Picks
Unilever warns on margins
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
Food and household goods giant Unilever reported continued growth in the first quarter of 2011, though developed markets are “sluggish.” The company, whose brands include Dove soap and Magnum ice creams, said turnover rose by 7% to €10.9bn (£9.7bn). Unilever says that rising oil prices mean cost inflation will be around 500 to 550 basis points of turnover in 2011.
BATS grows market share despite falling volumes
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
While volumes at British American Tobacco (BATS) declined in the first quarter, the cigarette maker assured investors that it was able to grow market share across all its regions.
Encouraging growth for Standard Life
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
Life assurance group Standard Life saw strong sales across its long-terms savings business in the first quarter of 2011, while assets under administration (AUA) edged higher on the back of a net inflow of funds.
Pearson trading in line with expectations
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
Financial Times publisher and education group Pearson said first quarter revenue increased 9%, boosted by its education and publishing division, and still expects margin and earnings growth in 2011.
Whitbread ups dividend and ramps up expansion plans
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread shrugged off the economic difficulties said to be plaguing Britain as it upped its dividend by 17% and announced plans to step up expansion plans.
Shell beats expectations
Thursday 28 Apr 2011
Underlying earnings from Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell topped market expectations in the first quarter of 2011. "Our first quarter 2011 earnings have risen from year-ago levels, driven by higher industry margins and our own operating performance,” said Shell's chief executive officer, Peter Voser.
US: A first reaction to Bernanke’s speech
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
At the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting the voting members of the US Central Bank opted to keep their target for the federal funds rate unchanged, as well as the size of their asset repurchase plan and that of the Fed’s balance sheet. These moves were wholly expected. Nor were there any dissenters. The monetary authority has also announced that it will continue to reinvest
Design win momentum at Wolfson
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Wolfson Microelectronics has been in a slump since mid-February but the share price got a fillip from the chip designer’s first quarter results. Revenue in the first three months of 2011 rose 44% to $41.1m from $28.5m a year earlier, and a tad ahead of market consensus of $41.0m. Sales more than doubled year-on-year in mobile phones, particularly smartphones, gaming, eBooks and PC/tablets.
Game reassures after profits slide
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Video game retailer Game Group posted a sharp fall in profits and revenues for 2010 as economic and sector-specific difficulties continued, but reassured the market by reporting good progress in the early months of the year and maintaining guidance for the full year.
UK GDP estimate in line
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2011, following a decrease of 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
Uncertainty in UK mortgage lending
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Mortgage lending figures for March suggest the UK housing market has yet to recover to the buoyant levels seen before the credit crunch.
ARM keeps on delivering
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Cambridge based chip designer ARM Holdings saw first quarter revenues come in ahead of broker forecasts as the company continued to ride the wave of demand for smart electronic devices. Revenue in the first quarter of 2011 leapt 26% to £116.0m from £92.3m a year earlier. Market consensus was for turnover of £110m.
Carpetright woes continue
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Carpet and floor coverings retailer Carpetright warned underlying pre-tax profit for the year is expected to be slightly below the level of profits achieved in the 2009 as tough trading conditions continued in the fourth quarter.
AB Foods dampens full year expectations
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
British Sugar and Primark owner Associated British Foods saw adjusted earnings per share grow by 7.9% year on year at the interim stage, ahead of some brokers' expectations, but warned full year results will only be roughly on a par to last year.
Aggreko expects higher profits in 2011
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Temporary power supplier Aggreko expects its full year profits to be slightly ahead of 2010 after a strong start to the year.
Barclays maintains full year guidance
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Banking giant Barclays saw adjusted profit before tax rise 10% in the first quarter of 2011, despite a 15% slide in top-line income at Barclays Capital, its high profile investment banking arm.
Profits sink at BP
Wednesday 27 Apr 2011
Petrochemical giant BP saw replacement cost profit fall in the first quarter of 2011 as the costs of the Gulf of Mexico clean-up continued to pile up. Replacement cost profit, which excludes inventory revaluations in its calculation, came in lower than a year ago, at $5.481bn, versus $5.598bn. These results seem to have come in modestly below market consensus estimates.
Micro Focus soars after receiving approach
Tuesday 26 Apr 2011
Micro Focus International, the software firm which recently announced two profit warnings, a share buy-back, and the departure of its chief executive, has confirmed speculation of a potential sale. The group revealed on Tuesday that it has received a “very preliminary, non-binding approach in relation to a possible offer” and is said to be considering its response.
Slight gains in Spanish debt following auction
Tuesday 26 Apr 2011
The Spanish Treasury this morning auctioned €1.163bn in 3 month bills, at a marginal rate of 1.440%, versus 0.929% the last time around. The bid to cover ratio came in at 4.4 times the amount on offer, above 4.3 on the previous occasion.
Tuesday newspaper round-up: Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays
Tuesday 26 Apr 2011
Lloyds Banking Group, which is now 43% owned by the taxpayer, is reported to be considering a sale of its pensions and insurance business Scottish Widows. The group's new chief executive, Antonio Horta-Osorio, is said to be poised to offload the subsidiary, possibly together with the bank's 60 per cent stake in the wealth manager St James's Place, says the Independent.
You are here: news > editors picks
10 Lower Thames St,
London EC3R 6EN