Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Can WPP finally get some positive PR following its full year results on March 1st?
During October’s update, chief exec Mark Read said it would take ‘decisive action and radical thinking’ to turn the company around, including finding a buyer for its research group Kantar, valued at around £3 billion. This restructuring would cost a not insignificant £300 million over 3 years, in theory leading to savings of £275 million a year by the end of 2021.
As per December’s revised guidance, WPP is expecting full year like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs to fall around 0.5% – better than October’s estimates, but way off the previously suggested 0.3% rise. Any word on offloading Kantar, meanwhile, could end up being the headline story on Friday.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387612
Will British Airways-parent IAG make an emergency landing following its full year results on February 28th?
Despite the increase in fuel costs in Q3, IAG said at current energy prices and exchange rates, operating profit before exceptional items for the full year would still be around 6.8% higher to €3.15 billion.
More important will be any comment on Brexit, and what plans the firm has in place to avoid trouble post-March 29th. Already one of IAG’s ideas has hit turbulence, with the European Union labelling plans to class UK investors as EU shareholders ‘totally absurd’.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387545
Will traders be screaming ‘I’m an investor, get me out of here!’ following ITV’s full year results on February 27th?
In November ITV said that due to the ‘increasingly uncertain economic environment’ – what firms say in place of Brexit – it expects total advertising revenue in the fourth quarter to ‘be down around 3%’, with a pronounced 6-8% decline in December. That’d leave it broadly flat over the full year, and only further increase the importance of its Studios division.
As for the reaction on Wednesday, investors are going to be morbidly curious to see what ITV is expecting from its financial 2019, with some tough comparatives in store considering something like the Rugby World Cup isn’t as big a draw as its FIFA counterpart.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387504
Can Pearson re-educate any sceptical investors with its full year results on Friday?
On the surface, January’s Q3 statement had plenty to cheer. Due to its aggressive cost saving plans, Pearson confirmed it was set to deliver adjusted operating profit of £540 million to £545 million, at the mid-to-upper end of its previous £520 million to £560 million guidance. However, total underlying revenues fell 1%, the main issue being a 5% drop in its US Higher Education Courseware division, a worry given it makes up just shy of a quarter of the company’s overall sales.
In terms of Friday’s full year results, investors will be on the lookout for any change in its full year forecasts. Pearson is expecting adjusted operating profit of between £590 million to £640 million, alongside a 0% to 5% drop in US HECW revenue. Read what analysts at Spreadex have to say, or watch a 60 second preview, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387272
Can Centrica turn up the gas with Thursday’s full year results, or will it run out of energy?
The reason for the firm’s late-2018 slump was November’s trading statement, one that was riddled with issues. Its UK Home energy division lost 372k customers in the 4 months to the end of October; it’s expecting a £70 million Q1 2019 profit hit due to the Ofgem price cap; and said it was targeting adjusted EPS far below what was expected. It did say, however, claim it would be maintaining its 12p per share final dividend, though doubt has since been cast on that by analysts at RBC Capital.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second preview, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387220
Will Lloyds continues to downplay Brexit with its full year results on Wednesday?
Interestingly, unlike peer RBS, which during the third quarter earnings season revealed it had set aside £100 million for Brexit uncertainty, Lloyds was far more optimistic about the whole situation. Retiring CFO George Culmer said the bank’s ‘continued expectation is for some kind sort of withdrawal agreement going forward’, also stating that 97% of the firm’s business is UK-focused.
Given how things have panned out since that update, investors can perhaps expect a fuller comment on Brexit on Wednesday. Lloyds hasn’t completely sat on its hands, however; in January it secured a banking license for its Berlin subsidiary.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second preview, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387178
Will investors be willing to stay in InterContinental Hotels after Tuesday’s full year results?
In terms of Tuesday’s results, the fourth quarter performance of those regions – namely the US, Middle East and Australia – that struggled in Q3 are going to be under scrutiny. Given it is firmly ‘early 2019’, further word on InterContinental’s $500 million special dividend is expected, while investors will be after more details on the recently announced $300 million acquisition of luxury hotel brand Six Senses.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=387128
Can the Royal Bank of Scotland avoid another Brexit-spoiled update with Friday’s full year results?
After that £100 million charge in Q3, and considering that this is the company’s final scheduled event before the March 29th withdrawal date, investors will be after a fuller idea of the bank’s Brexit contingency plans on Friday. On top of that, RBS is expected to post full year earnings per share of 28.5p, alongside revenue of £13.27 billion.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=386963
Can the Royal Bank of Scotland avoid another Brexit-spoiled update with Friday’s full year results?
After that £100 million charge in Q3, and considering that this is the company’s final scheduled event before the March 29th withdrawal date, investors will be after a fuller idea of the bank’s Brexit contingency plans on Friday. On top of that, RBS is expected to post full year earnings per share of 28.5p, alongside revenue of £13.27 billion.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=386963
Will AstraZeneca get high on its own supply following next week’s full year results?
Given that the company said that it now expects a ‘period of sustained growth for years to come’ there is going to be a lot of pressure on Thursday’s full year results to show that the sales surge wasn’t a one-off. AstraZeneca is expecting a ‘low single-digit’ percentage increase in product sales for the full year, alongside core earnings per share of between $3.30 and $3.50. Its guidance for the new financial year could also be key.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=386921
Can Dunelm continue to defy its retail sector shackles with Tuesday’s interim results?
Following a 9% surge in its Q2 like-for-likes, the company now expects H1 pre-tax profit of £70 million. Yet it was coyer when it came to discussing its full year outlook, stating that ‘given the unprecedented levels of uncertainty facing consumer and businesses in the UK’ it remains cautious.
Read what Spreadex analysts have to say, or watch a 60 second earnings preview video, here: https://spreadex.com/?tid=386835