Thursday preview: Next unveils full-year results

Fashion retailer Next reports its full-year results on Thursday with analysts expecting an increase in earnings, supported by online sales.In December the company increased its full-year profit guidance to "£10m either side of £775m" - £5m ahead of the mid-point of previous guidance - saying that sales in the lead up to Christmas had gained 2.9%. At the time, year-to-date group sales had grown 7.7%, with the Retail division up 4.6% and Directory up 12.9%.The weather-affected second half meant the group went into its end of season sale with significantly more stock than the previous year.Numis said it sees limited scope for surprises, with the final result likely to reflect the performance of the remaining winter sale period. Numis's profit forecast is in line with guidance at £775m, up from £695m the previous year."The group may update on full-year 2016 progress to date and continue to flag that its first-half sales performance is likely to be sluggish against the extremely favourable weather trends over spring/summer 2014," the broker said.It said Next's shares have outperformed the sector by 5-10% over the past year, with total shareholder returns enhanced by special dividends. The stock now trades on 17.5 times 2015 calendar-yar earnings compared with the wider sector on a multiple of 15.9.Fellow fashion retailers Jimmy Choo and Ted Baker also report full-year results on Thursday.Thursday 19 MarchINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEAbcam, AdEPT Telecom, Brooks Macdonald Group, Close Brothers Group, Coral Products, Foresight Solar VCT, Foresight Solar VCT C, Galliford Try, Livermore Investments Group Ltd., London Finance & Investment Group, NWF Group, Ricardo, Trifast, Waterman GroupINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (US) (12:30)Continuing Claims (US) (12:30)Current Account (US) (12:30)ECB Report (EU) (09:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (12:30)Leading Indicators (US) (14:00)Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (14:00)Q4X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S)FINALSAlpha Bank GDR (Reg S) USD, Arbuthnot Banking Group, BrainJuicer Group, Cello Group, EMIS Group, Jimmy Choo , Lamprell, Next, O'Key Group GDR (Reg S) (WI), OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works GDR (Reg S), Ophir Energy, Plaza Centers NV, Premier Farnell, Savills, Secure Trust Bank, Sopheon , Ted Baker, X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S), XaarANNUAL REPORTNew World Resources A Shares, X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S)SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBrit , Ferrexpo, Jupiter Fund Management , Lancashire Holdings Limited, Plus500 Ltd (DI)EGMSCRHAGMSArden Partners, Chemring Group, Crest Nicholson Holdings, LG Electronics Inc GDS (Reg S), Safestore HoldingsFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECatlin Group Ltd.FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAnglo American, Athelney Trust, Baronsmead VCT 5, Brit , British American Tobacco, Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' Shares, Hellermanntyton Group, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Jardine Strategic Holdingd Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Strategic Holdingd Ltd. (Singapore), Jupiter Fund Management , Lancashire Holdings Limited, Law Debenture Corp., Low & Bonar, Maintel Holdings, Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Meggitt, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Mithras Inv Trust, New Europe Property Investments, Plus500 Ltd (DI), PPHE Hotel Group Ltd, Telecity Group