Pz Cussons Share News (PZC)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Thursday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------TUI, up 5.2%. Revenue for the financial year to September 30, excluding discontinued operations, grew 5.3% to EUR19.52 billion. Underlying earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation grew 4.1% to EUR1.15 billion. At constant currency, underlying Ebita rose 11% to EUR1.22 billion, just ahead of guidance. Pretax profit fell 10% to EUR971.5 million. The company proposed a dividend of EUR0.72, up from EUR0.65 last year. In the 2019 financial year, TUI said it expects to deliver underlying earnings growth of at least 10% in a "challenging market environment". Current trading for Winter 2019/19, as at December 2, was running just below the prior year's levels, with bookings down 1% and the average selling price 2% lower.----------Ocado, up 3.3%. The online grocer reported continued growth in its fourth quarter with the online grocer seeing retail revenue up 12% on the previous year and confidently looking to the future. For the 13 weeks to December 2, Ocado's revenue jumped to GBP390.7 million from GBP328.9 million a year ago. For the third quarter to September 2, Ocado's revenue also increased 12% year-on-year to GBP348.6 million. The recent increase was on the back of weekly order numbers increasing 13% to 320,000 from 283,000 and despite the average customer spending slightly less than a year earlier at GBP104.92 per order from GBP105.94. Ocado's robotic warehouses in Andover, Hampshire, and Erith, southeast London, continued to perform well in the quarter, the company added, with the latter, which opened this past summer, processing over 30,000 orders per week. ----------Bunzl, up 1.0%. The distribution firm said revenue for 2018 is expected to increase by up to 9% at constant exchange rates due to organic growth of around 4% and a similar effect from acquisitions, net of disposals. In addition, Bunzl said it has acquired Denmark-based foodservice distributor CM Supply, which supplies foodservice disposables and packaging to customers in the hotel, restaurant and catering sector. CM Supply is forecast to make revenue of GBP4 million for 2018.----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------G4S, up 9.5%. The security services provider said it has started reviewing its options for the separation of its Cash Solutions businesses from the group. Currently G4S has two business segments: Secure Solutions, which provides security services, and Cash Solutions, which provides cash management and payment services. The group said it believes that a separation of the latter division would "enhance the focus and success of both businesses". The review of options is expected to be completed in 2019, with an update to come alongside the group's full year results in March.----------Serco, up 9.3%. G4S's fellow outsourcer said it expects a double-digit increase in trading profit for 2018, and profit to rise in line with consensus expectations for 2019. Underlying trading profit for 2018 is expected to rise by 30% to 40% to the range of GBP90 million to GBP95 million, from GBP69.8 million the year before, and above the GBP80 million Serco had guided for 2018 at the start of the year. Revenue for 2018 is expected to be GBP2.8 billion, down 4% from GBP2.95 billion the prior year. For 2019, Serco expects trading profit to be in the range of GBP95 million to GBP100 million, in line with market consensus, as a decline in the Middle East is offset by better performances elsewhere. ----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------Elementis, down 6.3%. HSBC cut its rating on the specialty chemicals company to Hold from Buy. ----------PZ Cussons, down 6.1%. The consumer goods firm said it has seen a good performance in Asia and Europe in the first half of its financial year, but that trading in Africa remains challenging. In the six months ended November 30, the maker of Carex soap and St Tropez sun tan lotion said its Europe and Asia regions have performed well due to "product innovation and distribution expansion". In Africa, PZ Cussons's performance was hurt by Nigeria, where consumer disposable income remains weak ahead of a general election, scheduled for February 2019. Another 10% weakening of the naira against the dollar occurred during the period, which presented "cost challenges", PZ Cussons said, as did higher transport costs due to a disruption in clearing goods at the port. Nigeria's contribution to profit for the first half will be lower than in the year-ago period due to pressure on prices, volumes and margins.----------Ultra Electronics, down 5.6%. The defence firm said it is confident in its long-term outlook but forecast higher spending to keep up with a growing order book. Ultra added that trading in the 11 months to date continued in line with management expectations as it experienced strong order inflow. However, the higher order book has increased the company's spending requirement, which it currently expects to result in 2018 cash conversion between 65% and 75%. "As previously guided, the group is experiencing increased working capital requirements arising mainly from the higher order book, underlying revenue growth and a constrained supply chain," Ultra explained. Barclays on Thursday cut its rating on the stock to Under Weight from Equal Weight.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------Braveheart Investments, up 12%. The firm said it is in talks with several parties who are interested in its fund management division. The company added that the unnamed parties are either considering buying the division or entering into some form of a joint ownership arrangement. Braveheart said: "All of these discussions are at an early stage, and there can be no certainty that they will proceed to a transaction being completed. We will pursue all these discussions and provide further updates as and when appropriate."----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Bonmarche, down 42%. The womenswear retailer issued a profit warning after weak sales during Black Friday and the beginning of the key Christmas period. "The current trading conditions are unprecedented in our experience and are significantly worse even than during the recession of 2008 to 2009. I hope in the fullness of time our cut to the forecast may prove to have been overdone, but in the current market, this seems the appropriate stance to adopt," Chief Executive Helen Connolly said. The clothing retailer lowered its adjusted pretax profit forecast for its year ending March to between break-even and a pretax loss of GBP4.0 million. At the end of November, the firm had guided for its adjusted annual pretax profit to be GBP5.5 million. In order to achieve this, sales during the period from Black Friday through to Christmas "needed to meet expectations". However, sales over Black Friday were "extremely poor" and have not recovered since, despite heavy discounting. ----------Purplebricks, down 6.7%. The online estate agent reported a widened loss from higher administrative and marketing costs, even as revenue rose significantly during the first half of its financial year. For the six months to the end of October, pretax loss widened to GBP27.3 million, from GBP11.4 million the year before. The drop was mainly due to a significant rise in expenses. Administrative and establishment expenses more than doubled to GBP28.5 million from GBP16.2 million, and sales and marketing costs also more than doubled to GBP39.0 million from GBP18.3 million the prior year. The increased expenses were mostly the result of higher investment in marketing, as part of the roll-out of Purplebricks's business in the US.----------