23 Feb CNN Money (Link) “While CEO [Willie] Walsh praised the results as ‘very good’ in the face of a transformational period, the results don’t necessarily leave investors any clearer as to how current restructuring will benefit the group in the long-term,” said Henry Croft, research analyst at Accendo Markets. 22 Feb Financial Times (Link)…
Another earnings season, another lesson for shareholders that financials (Sales, profits, etc.) are only half the story, in some cases much less, now history, possibly reported months after the given period ended. What really counts is the message from management, about where the business is going and the profits the company is expected to make…
While you may have thought that this week was packed with company results, the best is yet to come. Next week, more than 60 of the biggest and most popular names on the London Stock Exchange report results in one form or another. But there’s one important sector to the UK economy that looks set…
Shares in British American Tobacco trade 5% lower this morning after FY 2017 results, made complicated by the recent acquisition of Reynolds, disappointed. 2017 FY revenues (£20.3bn reported, £20bn adjusted, £19.3bn adj. at constant currencies) missed consensus of £20.6bn, however, pre-tax income was either a beat at £8.1bn on an adjusted basis or bang inline…
Lloyds Banking Group shares are in the green this morning, albeit off their opening highs, as investors appear happy to ignore headwinds and focus on management’s plans to improve key areas of the business (namely tech), or maybe just the promise of greater shareholder returns. Shares have stalled at 69p as the company announces a…
UK Index heavyweight HSBC (7% weighting) is depriving the blue-chip index of a valuable 21.5pts this morning, its shares down 4.4% and footing the index after FY 2017 results failed to meet market expectations. 2017 full year adjusted profits may well have surged more than six fold to $9.7bn, and revenues climbed 7% to $51.5bn…