Europe Movers: Danone SA, Drax, Nobel Biocare, Vodafone

Nigel Thomas
19 Feb, 2013
New York City

Danone revenue advanced 5% to

[R]2:00 PM Frankfurt – Danone revenue advanced 5% to €20.87 billion and net slipped 4%. Drax net profit for the year plummeted 65% to £163.8 million and Nobel Biocare net jumped 15.3%. Vodafone enters in a five-year partnership with BAE Systems.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index rose 0.5% or 30.5 to 6,349 and in Frankfurt, the DAX index climbed 1.1% or 81.2 to 7,710. In Paris, CAC 40 index increased 1.3% or 48.4 to 3,715.

Danone SA surged 5% to €52.70 after the France based food maker reported sales in the fiscal year ending in December, advanced 5% to €20.87 billion compared to €19.32 billion in the same period of last year.

Net income slipped 4% to €1.79 billion from €1.86 billion from a year ago and underlying diluted earnings per share dropped to €3.01 compared to €2.89 from a year ago.

For the fourth quarter, sales increased 4.9% to €5.14 billion from €4.79 billion a year ago period.

Sales in Latin America and the Africa-Middle East region continued to grow at a double-digit rate.

The water division reported strong fourth quarter growth of 8.5% €832 million to and baby nutrition jumped 12.1% to €1.10 billion. Medical nutrition sales climbed 5.5% to €340 million.

In the fourth quarter, like-for-like sales in Europe slipped 2.3% to €2.62 billion and in Asia surged 15.1% to €876 million. Rest of world sales climbed 12.9% to €1.64 billion.

For 2013, the group expects like-for-like sales growth to increase 5% and decline in trading operating margin by between 30 bps and 50 bps.

The company plans to cut around 900 jobs in Europe within next two years on lower than expected demand in the region.

Drax Group plc climbed 5% to 635 pence after the UK based electric utility provider reported revenue for the full year ending in December, fell 3% to £1.78 billion compared to £1.84 billion in the same period of last year.

Net profit plummeted 65% to £163.8 million from £464.6 million from a year ago and basic earnings per share declined 65% to £44 compared to £126 from a year ago.

Nobel Biocare Holding AG gained 1.8% to £4,573. Switzerland based household, health and personal care products maker reported revenue for the full-year ending in December, grew 2% to €580.5 million compared to €569.2 million in the same period of last year.

Net profit jumped 15.3% to €45.8 million from €39.8 million from a year ago and basic earnings per share dropped to €0.37 compared to €0.32 from a year ago.

For the quarter, revenue for the full-year ending in December slid 1% to €153 million compared to €154.6 million in the same period of last year.

Net profit dropped 15.3% to €11.2 million from €13.3 million from a year ago and basic earnings per share declined to €0.09 compared to €0.11 from a year ago.

The company said in Europe, Middle East and Africa revenue for the full-year declined 3.6% to €230.1 million and revenue from Americas increased by 1.8% to €228.5 million. Asia/Pacific region, revenue for the year slumped 8.6% to €121.9 million.

Gross profit in the reporting period increased to €437.5 million.

Nobel Biocare expects to deliver an EBIT margin improvement for 2013 of 50 to100 bps.

Vodafone Group Plc, declined 2.6% to 162.42 pence and the company entered in a strategic five-year partnership with BAE Systems to provide businesses with a range of advanced communications security products and services.

BAE Systems today announced that it intends to select Vodafone.