Europe Earnings: Blinkx, Lonmin, Partnership Assurance, Via Varejo

Nigel Thomas
13 May, 2013
New York City

Blinkx profit for the year surged nearly six-fold. Lonmin in the first-half climbed three-fold. Partnership Assurance Group plans a listing in London. Klein family plans to sell stake in Via Varejo for $988 million.

[R]3:00 PM Frankfurt – Blinkx profit for the year surged nearly six-fold. Lonmin in the first-half climbed three-fold. Partnership Assurance Group plans a listing in London. Klein family plans to sell stake in Via Varejo for $988 million.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index slid 0.1% or 8.1 to 6,617 and in Frankfurt the DAX index fell 0.3% or 21.7 to 8,257.

In Paris, CAC 40 index slipped 0.5% or 18.2 to 3,936.

Blinkx Plc surged 11.1% to 118.89 pence after the UK based online advertising company said revenue in the year ending in March soared 73% to $198 million. Net profit for the year surged nearly six-fold to $17.4 million compared to $3.9 million and 4.70 cents from 1.08 cents.

Adjusted EBITDA jumped 111% to $30.2 million.

Lonmin Plc gained 2.3% to 285.36 pence after the UK based platinum producer said revenue in the first-half ending in March slid 2.1% to $735 million. Profit before taxation in the first-half climbed three-fold to $54 million compared to $18 million and earnings per share swung to 13.3 cents profit from loss of 6.3 cents.

Lonmin said operating profit in the first-half surged to $90 million from $14 million and underlying profit before taxation soared $89 million from $6 million a year ago.

Partnership Assurance Group, the private equity backed life insurer plans to go public on London Stock Exchange in June. The UK based insurer is majority owned by private equity firm Cinven since 2008 is expected to be valued at $1.54 billion.

Partnership plans to raise £120 million from the sale of new shares to debt pay down.

Via Varejo SA, the Brazil based electronics and home appliances retailer said Klein family plans to sell as much as 53.8 million common shares worth $988 million in Via Varejo.