Europe Movers: AXA, Essilor Luxottica, Rolls Royce, WPP
- Bridgette Randall
- Germany Frankfurt
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AXA announced a stock repurchase plan for the current year. Essilor Luxottica reported a rise in earnings and increased dividend but reiterated cautious outlook. WPP lifted sales outlook and estimated higher operating margin.
Essilor Luxottica SA declined 4.3% to €167.15 after the Franco-Italian eyewear maker reported an increase in fourth quarter earnings.
Revenue in 2022 increased 13.9% to Є24.4 billion and net income increased 20.9% to Є3.0 billion from the previous year.
The company proposed to increased dividend by 29% to Є3.23 a share.
Stocks turned lower on the company's cautious outlook for 2023.
The company reiterated its target "of mid-single-digit annual revenue growth from 2022 to 2026 at constant exchange rates and estimated an adjusted operating profit as a percentage of revenue in the range of 19% to 20% by the end of that period.
AXA SA increased 3.2% to €28.71 after the France-based property insurance company announced a stock repurchase plan.
Gross revenue in 2022 increased 2% to €102 billion and underlying earnings per share increased 12% to €3.08 from a year ago.
The underlying earnings increased 4% to Є7.3 billion but net income declined 11% to Є6.7 billion reflecting a decline in invested asset valuations and write-off of goodwill linked to Russia-based Reso Garantia.
The insurance group also announced a stock repurchase program of up to 1.1 billion.
WPP Plc increased 3.3% to 1,049.94 pence after the UK-based advertising company forecasted higher than expected in the year ahead.
Gross revenue in 2022 increased 12.7% to 14.4 billion and profit before-tax increased 22% to 1.2 billion and diluted earnings per share increased to 61.2 pence from 52.5 pence a year ago.
The advertising agency estimated comparable sales in 2023 to increase between 3% and 5%, slower than 6.7% in 2022 but ahead of expectations.
The company also guided operating margin in 2023 to improve to 15% from 13.5% in 2022.
Rolls Royce Holdings Plc soared 20.5% to 129.73 pence after the aerospace and defense company reported higher-than-expected earnings.
The defense contractor and power systems maker guided underlying operating profit in 2023 between £0.8 billion and £1.0 billion and free cash flow between £0.6 billion and £0.8 billion.
Total revenue in 2022 increased to £13.5 billion from £11.2 billion and pre-tax loss increased to £1.5 billion from £294 million in the previous year.
The company swung to a loss per share of 14.4 pence from 1.48 pence in the previous year.
Net debt declined to £3.2 billion at the end of 2022 from £5.2 billion at the end of 2021.
Annual Returns
Company | Ticker | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
WPP plc | WPP | -2% | 9% | -7% |
Essilor International Société Anonyme | ESLOY | 0% | 0% | 0% |