Thursday preview: Next, Ted Baker, Kingfisher

Fashion retailer Next is announcing full year figures on Thursday and, 'given the resilience of clothing sales in January (per BRC [British Retail Consortium] data) and the implicit expression of confidence from the decision to pursue a nondiscretionary buyback programme into close season,' JP Morgan Cazenove is 'not expecting any disappointments'. Market expectations are for pre-tax profit of £495.92m, up from £428.8m the year before. Sales are tipped to climb to £3,373.1m from £3,271.5m the previous year. Sticking with fashion retailing, Ted Baker is forecast to announce pre-tax profit of £20m on sales of £164m for the year to 31 January 2010. 'Looking forward we see scope for income from the US market to increase again, as management establish a new framework of licences, and we expect an update on this alongside results,' predicted Singer Capital Markets. 'We may also hear more about the Asian licensing arrangements (Li & Fung) which don't appear to be delivering the hoped for growth,' Singer added. Comparative figures for DIY retailer Kingfisher are starting to get tougher. Broker Nomura Securities thinks 'the recent advertising focus on price vs. competitors may help to annualise LFL [like for like] growth.' The broker is forecasting full-year pre-tax profit of £545m, which is virtually bang on the median point of broker forecasts. The market is expecting sales to rise to £0,562m from £10,026m the year before. 'From a strategy perspective, we expect more detail on the Trade Point roll-out, which is currently under way, and the longer term trade opportunity, as well as some level of detail on delivery of the Jan 2012 plan,' Nomura said.Singer Capital Markets will be 'looking for some guidance on the potential from Russia at these prelims, as it has now reached critical mass in terms of stores and is moving into profit. An update on China could also contain some more upbeat commentary than was the case previously, helped by improved market conditions,' the broker said.INTERIMSCeres Power Holdings, Clinton CardsINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATETown Centre SecuritiesUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSRetail Sales (09:30)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCorporate Service Price Index (JPN) (23:50)Weekly Jobless Claims (US) (12.30)GfK Consumer Confidence Survey (GER) (7.00)Consumer Spending (FRA) (07:45)M3 (EU) (09:00)Consumer Prices Index (JPN)Q4Petropavlovsk, Signet JewelersGMSAberdeen Development Capital, Clinton Cards, MonitiseFINALSACTA, Churchill China, Empresaria Group, Evolution Group, H & T Group, Inditherm, Kingfisher, Lupus Capital, M&C Saatchi, Moss Bros, Next, Northbridge Industrial Services, office2office, Petropavlovsk, Premier Oil, PV Crystalox Solar, RCG Holdings, Scisys, Signet Jewelers, Sportech, Ted BakerANNUAL REPORTModern WaterSPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEMaintel HoldingsEGMSBanco de Chile ADRAGMSBanco de Chile ADR, Image Scan Holdings, Rights & Issues Inv Trust Income Shares, Thomas Cook GroupTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSLondon Stock Exchange Group, Thomas Cook GroupFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBrunner Inv Trust