LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Tuesday.----------
FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------
easyJet, up 3.3%. The budget airline said it saw a strong first half performance, as its loss narrowed on revenue which topped GBP2 billion. This performance was helped by a positive trading environment, capacity reduction from other airlines, and the timing of Easter. Total revenue came in at GBP2.18 billion for the six months to March 31, up from GBP1.83 billion last year, while its pretax loss narrowed to GBP68 million from GBP236 million. Headline pretax profit excluding Tegel was GBP8 million, compared to last year's loss of GBP212 million. Looking ahead, easyJet said it expects a headline pretax profit for the year to September 30 - including the impact of a headline loss from Tegel - to be between GBP530 million to GBP580 million.
Taylor Wimpey, up 2.5%. The housebuilder said it plans to increase its dividend in 2019 as it released new five-year goals to 2023. In a trading update coinciding with its capital markets day, Taylor Wimpey said from 2019 it will increase its dividend to 7.5% of group net assets, up from 5%. For 2017, Taylor Wimpey paid a dividend of 13.79 pence per share, while for 2018 it plans to pay 15.3p. The company said its goals for the next five years include maintaining operating margins at around 21-22% and increasing return on net operating assets to 35%. Market conditions and current trading were in line with management expectations, the company said. ----------
FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------
Vodafone, down 2.6%. The telecommunications company reported organic earnings growth above guidance, while also saying Chief Executive Vittorio Colao will depart later this year. Total revenue for the year ended March 31 was down 2.2% to EUR46.57 billion, "primarily due to the deconsolidation of Vodafone Netherlands and FX movements". Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 12% on an organic basis to EUR14.73 billion from EUR14.15 billion. The Ebitda growth was above the company's revised guidance range of around 10%, while free cash flow pre-spectrum came in at EUR5.6 billion, delivering on its target to exceed EUR5 billion. Vodafone said that, effective October 2018, CEO Colao will be succeeded by Chief Financial Officer Nick Read. Colao was appointed CEO in July 2008.
Land Securities, down 1.5%. The commercial property company swung to an annual pretax loss, and warned that the UK property market will be more subdued in the near term amid the UK's decision to leave the European Union. For the year to March-end, the property company recorded a pretax loss of GBP251 million, compared with a profit of GBP112 million in the comparative year-ago period, on a revenue of GBP406 million and GBP382 million, respectively. The loss for the year was attributed to the company's bond repurchase activity during the period. The company repurchased GBP1.53 billion of bonds at a premium of GBP446 million. The rise in revenue profit was due to increased rental income, which stood at GBP611 million versus GBP600 million.----------
FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------
Cairn Energy, up 4.0%. The oil and gas explorer said it remains confident in its position regarding its Indian tax dispute. In a statement to the company's annual general meeting on Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer Simon Thomson said the final hearing of Cairn's claim under the UK-India Bilateral Investment Treaty is scheduled for August in The Hague with an outcome expected in the fourth quarter of 2018. Thomson added that the company achieved its first oil from both the Catcher and Kraken developments in the North Sea, with both developments set to achieve full capacity, up to 20,000 barrels per day, by mid-year. Cairn also completed the third exploration and appraisal drilling campaign in Senegal where it expects first oil between 2021 and 2023.----------
FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------
CYBG, down 5.5%. The lender said it swung to a loss for the first half due to increased provisions for mis-selling of payment protection insurance. For the six months to March-end, the company recorded a pretax loss of GBP95 million, compared with a profit of GBP46 million in the year earlier period, on a net interest income of GBP426 million and GBP411 million, respectively. Exceptional costs relating to PPI totalled GBP220 million in the period, up sharply from GBP19 million a year ago. The lender has concluded that a further charge of GBP350 million will be required to close-out the PPI remediation programme. CYBG last week made a GBP1.60 billion stock offer to acquire rival Virgin Money Holdings. CYBG provided no update on the bid in Tuesday's statement. Virgin Money was down 3.7%.
BTG, down 4.8%. The healthcare company said revenue rose in its recently-ended financial year, though it turned to a pretax loss. The firm said revenue rose to GBP620.5 million for the year to March 31 from GBP570.5 million the year before, though turned to a pretax loss of GBP70.6 million from a GBP31.6 million profit last year.----------
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