Share News: Coca Cola Plans to Purchase Bottling Company

UK Shares News

US Shares News

European Shares News

Share Trading - 25 February 2010

UK Share Trading News

• RBS – FY net loss GBP 3.6bn vs. Prev. loss GBP 24.3bn. Co. says impairments rose sharply to GBP 13.9bn from GBP 7.4bn in 2008, but now appear likely to have peaked, says Q4 impairments were 5% lower than Q3 2009. Says non-core impairments and write-downs are expected to improve, they are likely to remain high. Year-end core tier 1 ratio of 11.0%. (BBG/RTRS)
  
  
• RSA Insurance – Co.’s FY net written premiums GBP 6.7bn, and FY pretax profit GBP 554m. Co.’s FY operating result GBP 777m, and final dividend higher by 7%. Co. reports good start to 2010, but says economic uncertainties remain. (BBG)
  
  
• British American Tobacco – FY net income GBP 2.71bn vs. Exp. GBP 2.95bn, FY pretax profit GBP 4.1bn vs. Exp. GBP 4.36bn. Co. final dividend GBP 0.716. (BBG)
  
  
• Centrica – Co.’s FY net income GBP 856m vs. Prev. loss GBP 136m. Co.’s FY revenue rose 5% to GBP 21.96bn, and adjusted operating profit fell 7% to GBP 1.86bn. Co.’s FY dividend GBP 0.128 per share. (BBG)
  
  
• 3i Group – British Seafoods, which is 28.5% owned by co., went into administration after banks withdrew trade credit. (FT)
  
  
• Diageo – Co. said its East African Breweries reached a settlement with units of SAB Miller in Tanzania. (BBG)
  
  
• VT Group – Three of co.’s biggest institutional investors have written to the board demanding the co.’s books be opened to Babcock International Group. (Telegraph) In other news, co. shareholder Invesco selling down stake. (Times)
  
  

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US Share Trading News

• Express Scripts – Q4 adjusted EPS USD 0.97 vs. Exp. USD 0.90, Q4 revenue USD 8.20bn vs. Exp. USD 7.62bn. Co. reaffirms forecast and sees year EPS adjusted EPS USD 4.80-5.00 vs. Exp. USD 4.70. (BBG)
  
  
• Limited Brands – Q4 adjusted EPS USD 1.01 vs. Exp. USD 0.99, Q4 net sales USD 3.06bn vs. USD 3.06bn. (BBG)
  
  
• Coca Cola – Co. is in talks to buy the North American operations of bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises for almost USD 15bn including debt, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. (BBG)
  
  
• Google – Co. could be fined up to USD 2.4bn if the European Commission decides that the internet search giant is guilty of abusing its market dominance. (Telegraph)
  
  
• Bank of America – The US Treasury Department’s auction of bailout warrants tied to co. may raise about USD 1bn if bidders conclude it’s their third chance to earn 30% in a matter of weeks. (BBG)
  
  
• Pfizer – Co. says US CDC committee recommends Prevnar 13 for infants and young children, and sees Prevnar 13 introduced commercially in US in Q1. Co. says will charge USD 108 per dose for Prevnar 13. (BBG)
  
  
• Chubb – Co. boosts quarterly dividend to USD 0.37. (BBG)
  
  

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European Share Trading News

• German banks/insurers – Germany’s finance ministry plans to have agreed a reform of the country’s financial sector supervisory system by the time parliament breaks for the summer. (Sources)
  
  
• Deutsche Bank/ Deutsche Postbank – Two listed German banks will greatly increase their cooperation. (Boersen Zeitung)
  
  
• Deutsche Postbank – 2009 net interest income drop 3.6% to EUR 2.41bn, 2009 EPS profit EUR 0.35 vs. loss EUR 5.26. Co. aims to increase tier 1 ratio to 10% by end-2012 and aims to “generate positive results”. Targets 2010 pretax profit and sees fewer negative effects from financial crisis in 2010. (BBG)
  
  
• Deutsche Telekom – Q4 net loss EUR 3m vs. Exp. EUR 597.6m profit, Q4 adjusted Ebitda EUR 5.07bn vs. Exp. EUR 5.04bn, Q4 sales EUR 16.2bn vs. Exp. EUR 16.3bn. (BBG)
  
  
• Allianz – Q4 net EUR 1.09bn vs. Exp. EUR 1.12bn, Q4 revenue EUR 25.5bn vs. Exp. EUR 23bn, FY net EUR 4.47bn vs. Exp. EUR 4.64bn. Says proposed dividend up 17% to EUR 4.10 per share for 2009. Co. sees 2010 op. profit will be at same level as 2009. (BBG) In other news, co. says net exposure to Greek government bonds is EUR 0.9bn, or 0.8%. (RTRS)
  
  
• BASF – Co. 2009 sales EUR 50.7bn vs. Exp. EUR 50.9bn, expects “significant higher Ebit” in 2010. Co. proposes to cut dividend for 2009 to EUR 1.70 from EUR 1.95. (BBG)
  
  
• RWE – Co. 2009 recurrent net EUR 3.53bn vs. Exp. EUR 3.43bn, now expects avg. recurrent net growth of about 5%. Sees op. result at lower end of mid-term forecast. Announces dividend per share proposal EUR 3.50 vs. EUR 4.50. Plans to at least keep dividend on 2009 level from 2010 to 2013. (BBG/RTRS)
  
  
• Daimler – Mercedes-Benz sees 2010 sales growth exceeding 3-4%, predicts ‘high single-digit’ Q1 sales increase and plans 43% sales rise in China and 5% in the US in 2010. (BBG)
  
  
• Henkel – Q4 profit EUR 170m vs. EUR 863m, FY profit EUR 602m vs. EUR 1.22bn. Co. expects adjusted Ebit to rise more than 10% this year and proposes unchanged dividend of EUR 0.51 per common share. (BBG)
  
  
• France Telecom – 2009 adjusted net EUR 4.85bn vs. Exp. EUR 4.6bn, 2009 revenue EUR 45.9bn vs. EUR 47.7bn. Sees “stable” revenue in 2010. (BBG)
  
  
• Credit Agricole – Q4 net EUR 433m vs. Exp. EUR 467m, core tier 1 ratio 9.3%. Co. CEO says Emporiki “not concerned” by Greek government debt problems. (BBG/RTRS)
  
  
• Suez Environnement – Co.’s FY net income EUR 403m, and FY revenue EUR 12.3bn. Co. proposes dividend of EUR 0.65 per share, and targets revenue growth of 5% this year. (BBG)
  
  
• EADS – Japanese airlines will likely require 570 new planes in the 20 years ended 2028, according to Airbus CEO. (BBG)
  
  
• Dexia – Q4 net EUR 202m vs. Exp. EUR 298.4m, Q4 revenue EUR 1.45bn vs. Exp. EUR 1.39bn, core tier 1 ratio 11.3%. Sees full exit from state guarantee on June 30, 2010. (BBG)