Merlin Entertainments Share News (MERL)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Thursday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------Rentokil Initial, up 5.1%. The pest control and hygiene firm swung to a loss in 2018 due to a hefty pension settlement charge in the recent year and absence of gains on business disposals, though said it expects a "slight increase" in market expectations for 2019. The company's annual pretax loss totalled GBP114.1 million, reversing its GBP713.6 million profit the year before. A key factor in this was the transfer of its Hygiene and Workwear assets, as well as the divestment of the flat-linen laundries in France. These disposals gave a GBP449.0 million boost to profit in 2017 which did not repeat in 2018. In addition, 2018 took a hit from Rentokil's agreement for a bulk annuity insurance buy-in for its UK pension scheme. The buy-in has taken place in preparation for a full buy-out and winding up of the scheme, due to complete in 2020. Rentokil's adjusted pretax profit, which excludes these factors, rose 7.4% to GBP308.0 million from GBP286.9 million.----------CRH, up 1.9%. The Irish building materials firm reported strong earnings growth as it performed well in both the Americas and Europe. CRH's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation for 2018 came in at EUR3.37 billion, 7% higher on 2017, and slightly ahead of its own EUR3.35 billion guidance. The company's pretax profit was EUR1.86 billion, slightly lower than the EUR1.87 billion reported in 2017. Sales revenue in 2018 rose 6% to EUR26.79 billion, with like-for-like sales rising 3%. In Europe, like-for-like sales increased 2%, in the Americas by 4%, and in Asia the figure climbed 8%. CRH is paying a final dividend of 52.4 euro cents, taking the total to 2018 to 72 cents, up 5.9% from 68 cents paid in 2017. ----------International Consolidated Airlines, up 1.5%. The British Airways owner reported a strong set of annual results with both revenue and profit rising on the prior year, beating analyst expectations. For 2018, the FTSE 100-listed airline operator posted pretax profit of EUR3.49 billion, up from EUR2.48 billion a year prior. Revenue rose 6.3% to EUR24.41 billion from EUR22.88 billion in 2017, while operating profit, IAG's key performance indicator, came in at EUR3.68 billion, up 38% from EUR2.66 billion last year. IAG's results came slightly above analysts' expectations. According to consensus forecasts, the company's operating profit before exceptional items was expected to rise 4.6% to EUR3.16 billion. Analysts also guided for single-digit profit growth and revenue of EUR24.36 billion. ----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------Mondi, down 3.3%. The paper and packaging firm hiked its 2018 dividend after profit and revenue rose in a "strong" performance, though said it has entered 2019 with "mixed" pricing. In 2018, pretax profit widened 26% to EUR1.11 billion from EUR884 million the year prior. Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation expanded 19% to EUR1.76 billion from EUR1.48 billion the year before. "Pricing is mixed going into 2019, with recent price reductions in containerboard grades and market pulp and stronger pricing in our kraft paper markets," Chief Executive Peter Oswald said. "During 2019, we are planning longer maintenance and project related shuts, while looking forward to the incremental contribution from recently completed major capital projects and acquisitions."----------RSA Insurance, down 3.2%. The insurer reported a consensus beating annual pretax profit but saw a drop in net premiums, struggling with UK and Canada weather related costs and large losses in its London Market business. The general insurer's net written premiums for 2018 decreased by 3.1% to GBP6.47 billion from GBP6.68 billion in 2017, coming in just slightly below the analyst consensus forecast of GBPGBP6.50 billion. Pretax profit increased 7.1% to GBP480.0 million from GBP448.0 million in 2017. Analysts had predicted RSA's profit to decline to GBP417.0 million. The group's underwriting profit decreased 37% to GBP250 million from GBP394 million, behind consensus of GBP312 million. Group weather costs came in at GBP242 million in 2018, up from GBP168.0 million in 2017. RSA suffered large losses of GBP758 million in 2018, totalling 11.6% of premiums compared to 10.8% in 2017.----------Rolls-Royce Holdings, down 3.2%. The engine maker said it sunk to a loss for 2018 in spite of revenue growth for the year. The defence and aerospace company said its pretax loss for the year was GBP2.94 billion, sinking from a profit of GBP3.89 billion the year before, despite revenue rising by 6.7% to GBP15.73 billion from GBP14.74 billion. On an underlying basis, pretax profit more than doubled to GBP483 million from GBP211 million, as underlying revenue grew by 12% to GBP14.37 billion from GBP12.79 billion in 2017. During the year, the group reported an exceptional charge of GBP790 million from its Trent 1000 turbofan engine line. For the Trent 900, there was an exceptional charge of GBP186 million for the year, following the decision by Airbus SE to close the production line of its A380 aircraft.----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------Merlin Entertainments, up 1.8%. The attractions and theme parks operator reported a rise in profit and revenue for 2018, as the number of visitors increased further to record levels. For 2018, the firm reported a 4.9% increase in pretax profit to GBP285 million from GBP271 million the year before. Revenue for the year grew by 5.9% to GBP1.69 billion from GBP1.59 billion in 2017. The 2018 revenue figure was restated for Merlin's adoption of the IFRS 15 accounting standard. Merlin reported a record 67 million visitors went to its attractions, up from 66 million in 2017. Merlin said the revenue increase was a result of the rollout of new attractions and favourable weather conditions.----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings, down 15%. The luxury car maker swung to a loss in its first annual results since joining the London Stock Exchange. Aston Martin posted a pretax loss of GBP73.1 million in 2018, compared to a GBP84.5 million profit in 2017. On an adjusted basis, Aston Martin's pretax profit was GBP68 million, from GBP73 million year-on-year. The company booked adjusting items of GBP136 million, compared to a GBP11.4 million gain a year prior. The costs include staff incentives and fees related to its initial public offering, and a negative past service pension benefit. Aston Martin registered revenue of GBP1.10 billion in 2018, up 26% on the year, with wholesale volumes increasing 26% to 6,441. ----------Bakkavor, down 12%. The fresh food supplier achieved a rise in profit and revenue in 2018, despite "challenging" market conditions in the UK, though warned its 2019 performance will be flat on 2018. In 2018, Bakkavor doubled its pretax profit to GBP77.9 million from GBP39.0 million in 2017, as finance costs in 2018 decreased to GBP13.2 million from GBP35.0 million in 2017. Bakkavor's revenue increased 2.8% to GBP1.86 billion, with like-for-like revenue up 3.4% to GBP1.84 billion from GBP1.78 billion. The company said it produced a "robust performance" in 2018 "given the continued challenging market conditions in the UK, especially the high levels of inflation and weak consumer confidence". Looking towards 2019, Bakkavor expects the same pressures experienced in the second half of 2018 to continue in the current year. "Subdued consumer confidence and inflationary pressures have continued into 2019, and therefore we remain cautious and expect little improvement in underlying market conditions," said Chief Executive Agust Gudmundsson. ----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------Lonmin, up 1.9%. The platinum producer said a secondary strike in South Africa planned by the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union had been suspended as the miner looked to stop the industrial action from going ahead. Last Thursday, the AMCU announced that its affiliated workers would go on strike between Thursday and March 7 in support of the ongoing strike at the mines operated by Sibanye Gold Ltd. Sibanye Gold - which trades as Sibanye-Stillwater - is currently in the process of merging with Lonmin in an all-share deal worth GBP285 million. The AMCU has challenged the regulatory approval for the deal. On Wednesday, the South African Labour Court ruled that the intended secondary strike by the AMCU at the operations at Lonmin should be suspended "pending judgement". This followed the London and Johannesburg-listed firm seeking to interdict the move by the union.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Gocompare, down 5.9%. The price comparison site reported a "strong" annual financial performance, though customer interactions and savings have fallen. Pretax profit for 2018 rose to GBP33.8 million from GBP30.7 million, as revenue inched up 2.3% to GBP152.6 million. The company's price comparison marketing margin was 46.4% at the end of 2018, up from 40.5% a year before. However, customer savings fell 14% to GBP1.03 billion, and customer interactions were down 16% on the year prior to 27.1 million. Average revenue per interaction did rise 9.9% to GBP5.13. GoCompare will be paying a final dividend of 0.8 pence per share, the same as its interim payment, taking the year's total to 1.6p. In 2017, it returned 1.4p. Looking ahead, GoCompare expects another year of "disciplined" performance, with modest revenue growth and a stable marketing margin. Results will be weighted to the second half, the company added. ----------