Sterling Could Extend Gains Vs Dollar on Improved Rate Differential
1024 GMT - Sterling could rise further against a weaker dollar as interest rate differentials move in favor of the U.K. currency, ING says. "GBP/USD can count on an improved rate differential, which has recently moved back into positive territory (2-year swap rate as reference) by around 25 basis points and is at its highest since October 2022," ING analyst Francesco Pesole says in a note. GBP/USD could re-test the recent 1.2543 highs by the end of this week as the Bank of England is expected to lift interest rates again at the May 11 meeting and potentially signal further rises, while the market is pricing in more rate cuts for the Federal Reserve by year-end, he says. GBP/USD rises 0.5% to 1.2474.(renae.dyer@wsj.com)
COMPANIES NEWS:
Persimmon 1Q Sales Fell After Challenging End to 2022, But Sees Improvements
Persimmon PLC said Wednesday that its private sales rate per outlet in the first quarter fell by 37% on year, after a challenging fourth quarter, though it is seeing encouraging signs of improvement.
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Smith & Nephew Posts 1Q Revenue Beat on Growth in Established Markets
Smith & Nephew PLC on Wednesday reported better-than-expected revenue growth for its first-quarter driven by the performance of its established markets and backed its guidance for 2023.
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Bunzl Backs 2023 Guidance After 1Q Revenue Rose
Bunzl PLC said Wednesday that revenue in the first quarter rose 8.4% at actual exchange rates and 1.2% at constant exchange rates, and backed its guidance for the year.
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Elementis 1Q Underlying Revenue Was Flat on Year
Elementis PLC said Wednesday that revenue was flat on an underlying basis in the first quarter of 2023 on benefits from pricing measures and improved mix broadly offsetting weaker volumes.
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GSK 1Q Profit, Sales Beat Expectations But Fell On-Year; Backs 2023 Guidance
GSK PLC on Wednesday reported net profit and sales that beat expectations but declined on-year, and backed its guidance for the full year 2023.
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Reckitt Benckiser 1Q Revenue Rose Ahead of Views; CEO to Step Down
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC said Wednesday that its first-quarter revenue rose supported by a broad-based growth across its businesses, and said it has appointed Kris Licht as Chief Executive Officer to succeed Nicandro Durante.
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Nichols 1Q Revenue Rose On Packaged Business Performance; CFO Resigns
Nichols PLC on Wednesday said that revenue rose in the first quarter of 2023 on strong performance in its packaged business, and that its chief financial officer will leave the company by the end of the month.
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Drax Sees 2023 Earnings Meeting Market Views; To Start GBP150 Mln Share Buyback
Drax Group PLC said Wednesday that it expects to deliver full-year earnings in-line with analysts' expectations following a strong first-quarter system-support and generation performance, and announced a new 150 million pound ($186.1 million) share buyback program.
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Fresnillo Backs 2023 Guidance; 1Q Production Costs Worsened by Inflation, Currency Effects
Fresnillo PLC on Wednesday backed its 2023 production guidance and said first-quarter adjusted production costs continued to be worsened by continuing cost inflation and the revaluation of the Mexican peso against the dollar.
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Jupiter Fund Management Nonexecutive Chair Nichola Pease Steps Down
Jupiter Fund Management PLC said Wednesday that Nonexecutive Chair Nichola Pease is stepping down for personal reasons and will be replaced by David Cruickshank with immediate effect.
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Brickability Sees Rise in FY 2023 Revenue, Earnings Ahead of Market Views
Brickability Group PLC said Wednesday that it expects to report a rise in revenue for fiscal 2023 and earnings ahead of market expectations, after a resilient performance in the final quarter.
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Breedon Sees 1Q Revenue Rise as Pricing Offsets Volumes Weakness
Breedon Group PLC said Wednesday that performance in the first quarter has been positive, with revenue up 10% on year or 7% on a like-for-like basis on pricing.
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Man Group 1Q Assets Under Management Rose Slightly
Man Group PLC on Wednesday said its assets under management rose 1% over the first quarter.
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Zinc Media Group 2022 Pretax Loss Widened on Acquisition Costs; Revenue Rose 72%
Zinc Media Group PLC said Wednesday that its pretax loss widened in 2022 on acquisitions-related costs, but that revenue jumped on growth in TV and its Zinc Communicate units.
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Warpaint London 2022 Pretax Profit, Revenue Rose; Sees Record 1Q Sales
Warpaint London PLC said Wednesday that 2022 pretax profit rose as sales increased, and that performance in the first quarter continued to be strong as it achieved record sales in the period.
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Trifast Sees FY 2023 Revenue Rising, Profit Slightly Ahead of Guidance
Trifast PLC said Wednesday that fiscal 2023 organic revenue rose around 7% at constant currency, driven in particular by U.S. operations, and that it expects adjusted profit to marginally exceed prior guidance.
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Narf Industries Shares Fall on 2022 Results Delay
Shares in Narf Industries PLC fell 18% on Wednesday after the company said the publication of its 2022 results will be delayed and that it has appointed an interim chief financial officer.
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Gem Diamonds Sold Seven Diamonds in 1Q for $11.1 Mln
Gem Diamonds Ltd. said Wednesday that it sold seven diamonds in the first quarter and that this generated revenue of $11.1 million for the period ended March 31.
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Biome Technologies 1Q Revenue Rose, Backs Guidance; 2022 Loss Narrowed
Biome Technologies PLC said Wednesday that its first-quarter revenue rose significantly on year and retained full-year guidance, and its 2022 loss narrowed.
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Image Scan Holdings Swung to 1H Pretax Profit on Higher Orders
Image Scan Holdings PLC on Wednesday said it swung to a pretax profit for the first half of fiscal 2023 as it booked and delivered more contracts to customers.
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Learning Technologies 2022 Pretax Profit Tripled on Soaring Revenue
Learning Technologies Group PLC said Wednesday that pretax profit more than tripled in 2022, as revenue more than doubled benefiting from the integration of its late-2021 acquisition of GP Strategies.
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Pebble Beach Pretax Profit Fell in 2022 Despite 2H Recovery
Pebble Beach Systems Group PLC said Wednesday that its pretax profit fell in 2022, despite revenue rising on a strong second half of the year.
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Alien Metals Appoints Guy Robertson as Chair
Alien Metals Ltd. said Wednesday that it has appointed Guy Robertson as chair with immediate effect.
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AstraZeneca's 1Q Sales Expected to Dip -- Earnings Preview
By Cecilia Butini
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Ryder System Expects Loss in 2Q From UK Exit
Ryder System Inc. said it expects to post a loss during the second quarter due to a currency translation charge for its exit from operations in the U.K.
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AECI CFO Aarti Takoordeen Steps Down
AECI Ltd. said Wednesday that Chief Financial Officer Aarti Takoordeen has resigned from her position with immediate effect for personal reasons.
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RBG Holdings Shares Jump on 2022 Profit Rise
Shares of RBG Holdings PLC rose as much as 16% on Wednesday after the company reported a 70% rise in pretax profit for last year and said that deal origination in Convex Capital remains positive this year with a growing pipeline of potential opportunities.
MARKET TALK:
General Dynamics Faces FX Headwinds
0926 ET - General Dynamics' tanks-to-artillery Combat Systems unit would have had an even better 1Q but for foreign exchange headwinds, says CEO Phebe Novakovic. She flags pressure from US dollar strength against the euro, sterling and the Canadian dollar, which puts US military exports at a competitive advantage that's been exploited by rivals in South Korea, Turkey and elsewhere. The company left 2023 guidance unchanged, but Novakovic says there's "clear upward pressure" at Combat Systems as orders pile up. (doug.cameron@wsj.com)
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Reckitt's New CEO Appointment Seem Solid
1240 GMT - Reckitt Benckiser delivered a beat in 1Q sales and raised its FY outlook while the new CEO announcement is welcoming news, Investec analyst Alicia Forry says in a note. Kris Licht is seen as a solid appointment as CEO with a positive track record of running his business, Forry adds. "Moreover, we trust [departing CEO Nicandro Durante] and the wider Reckitt Board to have carefully weighed up the potential candidates and arrived at the best choice," she says. On the other hand, the consumer-goods company's outlook for sales growth of 3% to 5% implies an underlying upgrade of about 2.5% given that it now includes the Nutrition business headwinds, Forry notes. (michael.susin@wsj.com)
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Drax's Share Buyback Is Welcome But Long-Term Concerns Remain
1042 GMT - Drax's fiscal 2023 update met expectations and guidance is robust, but more noteworthy is the GBP150 million buyback program, Citi says. The U.K. power-generation company's cash return was well anticipated, with the debate more around timing, the bank says. The buyback should help support shares for now given the limited liquidity, and also offset the dilution impact from the 10-million-share issuance through the share save scheme, Citi says. "We think that the shares are likely to react positively to this announcement, but caution the debate around the fundamental sustainability of biomass, with its green credentials continuously coming under scrutiny, which makes us wary of the long-term subsidy outlook," the U.S. bank says. Citi retains its neutral rating on the stock and 628 pence price target. Shares are up 4.1% at 644.4 pence. (joseph.hoppe@wsj.com)
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Bunzl's Consensus Unlikely to Rise Amid Modest Acquisitions Progress
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
04-26-23 0956ET
