Europe Earnings: Air Liquide, BASF, Dunelm, easyJet, Maersk, Vestas

Nigel Thomas
07 Jan, 2014
New York City

Dunelm total sales jumped 5%. easyJet said passenger count increased 3.5% in December. Maersk agreed to sell major stakes in two retail chains for

[R]3:40 PM Frankfurt – Dunelm total sales jumped 5%. easyJet said passenger count increased 3.5% in December. Maersk agreed to sell major stakes in two retail chains for £1.89 billion. Vestas Wind lifted its free cash-flow expectations for 2013 to €1 billion.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index increased 0.5% or 31.37 to 6,762 and in Frankfurt the DAX index jumped 0.6% or 59.15 to 9,487.

In Paris, CAC 40 index gained 0.4% or 16.64 to 4,244.

Air Liquide SA dropped 1.4% to €98.11 after the France-based industrial and medical gas producer was downgraded by UBS to “sell” from “neutral.”

BASF SE jumped 2.7% to €78.45 after UBS lifted view on the diversified company to “buy” from “neutral.”

Dunelm Group Plc declined 3% to 949.49 pence after the U.K.-based home-wares retailer reported total sales in the first-half ending on December 28 jumped 4.8% to £356.3 million from £340.1 million a year ago. Comparable sales for the period fell 0.9%.

The retailer expects pretax-profit for the period of about £65.1 million.

easyJet Plc slid 0.3% to 1,593 pence after the U.K.-based low-cost airlines said that December 2013 passenger count increased 3.5% to 4.49 million from 4.34 million, but monthly load factor was unchanged from last year at 87.9%.

ITV Plc rose 0.7% to 199.10 pence after Jefferies raised stock price target from 110 pence to 231 pence.

Maersk A/S jumped 4% to 62,600 kronor and Denmark-based container-shipping and port terminal operator agreed to sell stakes in two retail chains for about £1.89 billion or 17 billion kronor.

Maersk sold 48.7% of Dansk Supermarked, the largest retailer in Denmark and 18.7% of department store chain F. Salling. The conglomerate has an option to sell its remaining stake of 19% in each retailer after five years.

Swedish Match AB plunged 5.2% to 197.10 francs after Citi cut it ratings of Sweden-based tobacco products maker to “sell” from “neutral.”

Vestas Wind Systems A/S soared 5.9% to 197 kronor after the Denmark-based wind power producer lifted its free cash-flow expectations for 2013 to approx €1 billion or $1.36 billion.